Method for building a sub-network in a distributed voice messaging system
First Claim
1. A method for building a sub-network of nodes in a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying nodes to be included in the sub-network;
gathering node configuration information from the nodes identified;
resolving node configuration information conflicts among the nodes in the subnetwork by eliminating duplicate node numbers among nodes to be included in said subnetwork;
create a sub-network map;
distributing the sub-network map to the nodes in the sub-network; and
synchronizing the nodes in the sub-network.
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Abstract
Method for building a sub-network for a distributed Voice Messaging System that can be initiated from any of the nodes in the sub-network. For the distributed application to work, all the nodes in the network being created must be identified, numbered, and a map of the network distributed to all Voice Messaging System nodes. Advantageously, the inventive method enables logically independent sub-networks of Voice Messaging Systems to co-exist in the same physical LAN. An embodiment of the present invention is a method for building a sub-network of nodes in a communication network, the method including the steps of: (a) identifying nodes to be included in the sub-network; (b) gathering node configuration information from the nodes identified; (c) resolving node configuration information conflicts among the nodes in the sub-network; (d) create a subnetwork map; (e) distributing the sub-network map to the nodes in the sub-network; and (f) synchronizing the nodes in the sub-network.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for building a sub-network of nodes in a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:
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identifying nodes to be included in the sub-network; gathering node configuration information from the nodes identified; resolving node configuration information conflicts among the nodes in the subnetwork by eliminating duplicate node numbers among nodes to be included in said subnetwork; create a sub-network map; distributing the sub-network map to the nodes in the sub-network; and synchronizing the nodes in the sub-network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for building a sub-network of nodes within a communications network architecture, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a network of nodes, wherein each node in said network of nodes includes node configuration information of at least a group name, a node number, a LAN-ID and a LAN adapter card physical address designating any one of the nodes in said sub-network to become a master node, wherein said master is adapted to interface with a user; identifying all nodes within said network to be included in said sub-network; broadcasting from said master node a request for node configuration information from all nodes in said network identified to be in said sub-network; receiving at said master node said node configuration information from said identified nodes and altering said configuration information of said nodes to eliminate any duplicate node numbers; generating a new network map within said master node; requesting a lock condition in all nodes within said sub-network against software applications affecting the building of said sub-network; waiting a predetermined amount of time for a reply from each said node in said sub-network, wherein a negative reply received from any node cancels the lock condition at each node and terminates the build process; sending said new sub-network map to all nodes in said sub-network wherein each node updates its network configuration, if a positive acknowledgement is received from all nodes in said sub-network; executing an unlock condition at all nodes in said sub-network after receipt of said new sub-network map and replying to said master node that said build process was successful; synchronizing with one another all nodes in said new sub-network. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a communications network architecture having multiple software layers of specific functionality and including at least a configuration utility layer, a node supervisor layer and a communication handler layer, a method for building a subnetwork of nodes within said communications network architecture, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a network of nodes, wherein each node in said network includes node configuration information, said node configuration information including at least at least a node number, a group name, a LAN-ID and a LAN adapter card having a unique physical address; designating any one of the nodes in said sub-network to become a master node, wherein said master is adapted to interface with a user; identifying via said user in said configuration layer all nodes within said network to be included in said sub-network; broadcasting from said master node in said communication handler layer a request for node configuration information from all nodes in said network having an identical group name as those nodes identified by said user; receiving at said master node said node configuration information from said identified nodes and altering said configuration information of said nodes to eliminate any duplicate node numbers; generating a new network map within said node supervisor layer of said master node; requesting a lock condition in said node supervisor layer of all nodes within said sub-network against software applications affecting the building of said sub-network; waiting a predetermined amount of time for a reply from each said node in said sub-network, wherein a negative reply received from any node cancels the lock condition at each node and terminates the build process; sending said new sub-network map on said node supervisor layer to all nodes in said sub-network wherein each node updates its network configuration, if a positive acknowledgement is received from all nodes in said sub-network; executing an unlock condition at all nodes through said node supervisor layer in said sub-network after receipt of said new sub-network map and replying to said master node that said build process was successful; synchronizing with one another all nodes in said new sub-network on said communication handler layer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification