Modular application software and data providing mobility in telecommunication networks

• US 5,826,019 A
• Filed: 01/29/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ronstrom, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/590,679
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.03, 395/600, 395/650, 395/700, 395/200.31, 395/200.32, 395/200.48, 395/200.53, 395/200.55, 395/200.56, 395/680, 379/57, 379/221, 379/222, 379/233
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 Virtual channel/circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13502 primitives - inc. service-independent building blocks [SIBBs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13513 UPT - personal as opposed to terminal mobility, inc. number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13526 resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13532 mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13533 multivendor and hybrid, e.g. public/private, networks, inc. international
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13535 distributed systems - also domains in service creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54533 Configuration data, translation, passwords, databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/5455 : Multi-processor, parallelism, distributed systems

Abstract

A system for managing data used by application software having a plurality of application modules executable on switching systems located throughout a heterogeneous telecommunications network. Portions of data are stored in data managers at a plurality of data storage locations distributed within the network independently of the application modules. Each storage location is also supported by a data manager. An application module is executed to define a parameter of the data required for the execution of the application software. The data manager supporting the application module is requested to search the data managers at the data storage locations for the required data and to identify the data manager in which the required data is stored. The required data is retrieved from the identified data manager and written from the identified data manager to the application module for use during continued execution of the application software.

Claims

1. A method for managing data used by application software having a plurality of application modules executable on switching and management systems located throughout a heterogeneous telecommunications network, comprising:

storing portions of the data used by said application software in data managers used for operational, accounting and maintenance, at a plurality of data storage locations within said operational, accounting and maintenance functions distributed within the telecommunications network in a separate module and which is independent of the application modules, each being supported by a data manager;

executing an application module to define the data used by said application software required during execution of said application software;

requesting the data manager supporting the application module to search the data managers at the data storage locations for the required data;

searching the data managers for the required data to identify the data manager in which the required data is stored; and

retrieving the required data from the identified data manager and writing the retrieved data from the identified data manager to the application module for use during continued execution of said application software.

4. A method as recited in claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein the step of searching further comprises the steps of:

first searching the supporting data manager and then any other data managers to identify the data manager in which the required data is stored.

2. A method for managing data used by application software having a plurality of application modules executable on switching and management systems located throughout a heterogeneous telecommunications network, comprising:

storing portions of the data used by the application software in data managers at a plurality of data storage locations within operational, accounting and maintenance modules distributed within the telecommunications network and which are separate and independent of the application modules, each being supported by a data manager;

executing an application module to define the data used by the application software required to be updated during execution of said application software;

requesting the data manager supporting said application module to search the data managers at the data storage locations for the required data;

searching the data managers for the required data to identify the data manager in which the required data is stored; and

updating the required data in the identified data manager and storing the updated data in the identified data manager for use during continued execution of said application software.

3. A method for managing data used by application software having a plurality of application modules executable on switching and management systems located throughout a heterogeneous telecommunications network, comprising:

storing portions of the data used by the application software in data managers at a plurality of data storage locations distributed within the telecommunications network separate from and independent of the application modules and within operational, accounting and maintenance modules, each being supported by a data manager;

executing an application module to define the data used by said application software required to be stored as backup during execution of the application software;

requesting said data manager supporting an application module to search said data managers at the data storage locations for the required data;

searching the data managers for the required data to identify the data manager in which the required data is stored; and

backing up the required data in the identified data manager for use during continued execution of said application software.

5. A system for managing data used by application software having a plurality of application modules executable on switching and management systems located throughout a heterogeneous telecommunications network, comprising:

a plurality of data managers storing portions of the data used by said application software at a plurality of data storage locations distributed within the telecommunications network separate from and independent of the application modules and within operational, accounting and maintenance modules, each being supported by one data manager;

means for defining the data required during execution of said application software and requesting the data manager supporting the application module to search the data managers at the data storage locations for the required data used by the application software; and

means responsive to the supporting data manager for searching the data managers for the required data to identify the data manager in which the required data used by the application software is stored for use during continued execution of said application software.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein:

said means for searching comprises a high speed data link.

7. A system as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

means for retrieving the required data from an identified data manager and writing the retrieved data from the identified data manager to the application module for use during continued execution of said application software.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said means for retrieving comprises a high speed data link.

9. A system as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

means for updating the required data in the identified data manager and storing the updated data in the identified data manager for use during continued execution of said application software.

10. A system as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

means for backing up the required data in an identified data manager and storing the backed up data in the identified data manager for use during continued execution of said application software.

11. A data manager for supporting application modules in application software executable on switching systems located within a heterogeneous telecommunications network, comprising:

scheduler means responsive to a request from an application module regarding data in a database distributed independently of said application software throughout the telecommunications network for controlling communications between the application module and said data manager according to a defined protocol;

database management means responsive to said scheduler means for storing and retrieving data from a portion of the database located locally in said telecommunications network;

directory management means responsive to said scheduler means for identifying other data managers storing the remaining portion of the database distributed at other locations in the telecommunications network and within operational, accounting and maintenance modules; and

communications means responsive to said scheduler means and directory management means for searching the other data managers for the data and retrieving the data therefrom for use during execution of said application software.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said communications means comprises:

a high speed data link for searching the other data managers and retrieving data therefrom.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said communications means comprises:

means for retrieving the data from other data managers and said scheduler means comprises means for writing the retrieved data from said communications means to the application module for use during continued execution of said application software.

14. A system as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

transaction means responsive to said scheduler means for updating the data in the other data managers via said communications means and storing the updated data in any selected one of said data managers.

15. A system as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

recovery means responsive to said scheduler means for backing up the data in the other data managers and storing the backed up data in any selected one of said data managers.

16. A heterogenous telecommunications network of switching systems, each system having hardware controlled by application software running on an operating system for providing and managing telecommunications services to subscribers independent of other such switching, maintenance and accounting systems, said switching system comprised of a plurality of independent switching modules, each of said switching systems comprising:

at least one application module for storing prior to execution said application software, said application software having control instructions and wherein data necessary for execution by said application software is stored in a separate operational, accounting or maintenance module and is independent of other application and data modules in said switching system, said application software operating said application modules by using stored data, wherein said application software is used for providing a set of services to a subscriber associated with said switching system; and

at least one resource module for executing the control instructions provided by said application module and controlling hardware thereof to provide the set of services to a subscriber, said resource modules being connected to resources in other switching systems via high speed data links.

17. A heterogenous telecommunications network as set forth in claim 16 wherein said application module comprises:

means to access data stored in the hardware controlled by other resource modules within said heterogenous telecommunications network.

18. A heterogenous telecommunications network as set forth in 16 further comprising:

means to make accessible the set of services available to an associated subscriber from a first application module on a first switching to the same subscriber through a second application module on a second switching system when a subscriber is connected to said second switching system.