Communication Path Exchange Service

• US 20100318918A1
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: FMR LLC
• Original Assignee: FMR LLC
• Inventors: Mahmoodshahi, Alireza
• Application Number:
  US12/485,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20100318918A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5077 wherein the managed service relates to simple transport services, i.e. providing only network infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/124 using a combination of metrics

Abstract

Described are methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for determining available communication paths. A graphical user interface is transmitted from a server device to a client device. The graphical user interface includes one or more graphical elements associated with one or more communication path attributes. One or more communication path request criteria based on input to at least one of the one or more graphical elements are received at the server device. The one or more communication path request criteria are associated with the one or more communication path attributes. Based on the one or more communication path request criteria, a ranked set of one or more available communication paths are determined. The ranked set of one or more available communication paths are transmitted from the server device to the client device.

Claims

1. A computerized method for determining available communication paths, the method comprising:

transmitting, from a server device, a graphical user interface to a client device, the graphical user interface comprising one or more graphical elements associated with one or more communication path attributes;

receiving, at the server device, one or more communication path request criteria based on input to at least one of the one or more graphical elements, the one or more communication path request criteria associated with the one or more communication path attributes;

determining, based on the one or more communication path request criteria, a ranked set of one or more available communication paths; and

transmitting, from the server device, the ranked set of one or more available communication paths to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, at the server device, order information from the client device, the order information identifying a selected communication path from the ranked set of one or more available communication paths.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the server device, a save request from the client device; and

storing in a computer storage device, based on the save request, the one or more communication path request criteria and/or at least a part of the ranked set of one or more available communication paths.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the ranked set of one or more available communication paths comprise a search results graphical user interface, the search results graphical user interface comprising an ordered list of the one or more available communication paths and one or more graphical filter elements associated with at least one of the one or more communication path attributes, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the server device, one or more filtered communication path request criteria based on input to at least one of the one or more graphical filter elements;

filtering, based on the one or more filtered communication path request criteria, the ranked set of one or more available communication paths; and

transmitting, from the server device, the filtered ranked set of one or more available communication paths to the client device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more graphical elements comprise:

one or more text prompts, one or more drop-down menus, one or more buttons, one or more sliders, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a first graphical element of the one or more graphical elements is associated with a first communication path attribute of the one of the one or more communication path attributes.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first graphical element comprises a graphical prompt enabling a user to define a first communication path request criteria of the one or more communication path request criteria, the first communication path request criteria defining a first search domain of the first communication path attribute.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first search domain comprises:

a maximum value, a minimum value, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the first search domain comprises a set of one or more values.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more communication path attributes comprise:

one or more location attributes, a time attribute, one or more quality attributes, a virtual circuit type attribute, a protocol attribute, a bandwidth attribute, a cost attribute, or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more location attributes are associated with one or more exchange switch locations.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein a first communication path criteria is associated with the one or more location attributes, the first communication path criteria identifying at least a first exchange switch location, wherein each of the available communication paths in the ranked set of one or more available communication paths comprise an exchange switch located at the first exchange switch location.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the ranked set of one or more available communication paths comprises:

determining, based on the one or more communication path request criteria, a base set of one or more available communication paths; and

ranking the one or more available communication paths in the base set.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein ranking the one or more available communication paths in the base set comprises assigning one or more ranking values to the one or more available communication paths, the one or more ranking values based on a preferred communication path attribute.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein determining the base set of one or more available communication paths comprises retrieving, from an attribute database device, a set of matching communication paths, the attribute database device comprising one or more searchable communication paths.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein each of the one or more searchable communication paths comprises one or more communication path attribute values associated with the one or more communication path attributes.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving, at the server device, a request from a communication path operator to update the attribute database device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the request comprises a request to add a new communication path to the attribute database device, the new communication path comprising one or more communication path attribute values associated with the one or more communication path attributes.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the request comprises a request to update an existing communication path in the attribute database device, the request to update comprising updates to one or more existing communication path attribute values of the existing communication path.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

transmitting, from the server device, an update request to a communication path operator database; and

receiving, at the server device, a communication path update comprising one or more updates to the one or more searchable communication paths, wherein the one or more updates comprise updates to one or more existing communication path attribute values of the one or more searchable communication paths.

21. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

transmit, from a server device, a graphical user interface to a client device, the graphical user interface comprising one or more graphical elements associated with one or more communication path attributes;

receive, at the server device, one or more communication path request criteria based on input to at least one of the one or more graphical elements, the one or more communication path request criteria associated with the one or more communication path attributes;

determine, based on the one or more communication path request criteria, a ranked set of one or more available communication paths; and

transmit, from the server device, the ranked set of one or more available communication paths to the client device.

22. A system for determining available communication paths, the system comprising:

a server device configured to;

transmit a graphical user interface to a client device, the graphical user interface comprising one or more graphical elements associated with one or more communication path attributes;

receive one or more communication path request criteria based on input to at least one of the one or more graphical elements, the one or more communication path request criteria associated with the one or more communication path attributes;

determine, based on the one or more communication path request criteria, a ranked set of one or more available communication paths; and

transmit the ranked set of one or more available communication paths to the client device.

23. A computerized method for interconnecting communication networks, the method comprising:

connecting a first communications network to a first exchange switch, the first communications network operated by a first carrier;

receiving, from the first carrier, a first set of one or more attribute values associated with available communication paths provided by the first communications network to the first exchange switch;

connecting a second communications network to a second exchange switch, the second communications network operated by a second carrier different from the first carrier;

receiving, from the second carrier, a second set of one or more attribute values associated with available communication paths provided by the second communications network to the second exchange switch;

storing the first and second sets of one or more attribute values in an attribute database;

receiving, from a computing device associated with a buyer, data representative of a request to setup a communication path between the first and second communication networks using the first and second exchange switches; and

determining, based on the data representative of the request, a set of one or more available communication paths from the available communication paths provided by the first and second communication networks.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the first and second exchange switches are the same.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second exchange switches are different.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising connecting a third communications network to the first exchange switch and the second exchange switch, the third communications network operated by a third carrier, wherein at least one communication path from the set of one or more available communication paths comprises at least a segment of the third communications network.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the first and second communication networks comply with minimum requirements before connecting to the first or second exchange switches.