Telecommunication resource allocation system and method

• US 6,381,321 B1
• Filed: 05/04/1998
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: T-Netix, Inc. (Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp.)
• Inventors: Hogg, John S., Brown, Barry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/072,436
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 379/201, 379/207, 379/219, 379/220, 379/229, 379/230, 379/242, 379/268, 379/269, 379/201.01, 379/201.05, 379/201.12, 379/207.02, 379/220.01
• US Class Current: 379/207.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0018 Computer Telephony Resource Boards
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13144 Searching path through number of switching stages or nodes, e.g. revertive blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54516 Initialization, software or data downloading G06F9/445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

A telecommunication system includes a plurality of applications, a plurality of telecommunication resources, and a telecommunication services kernel. At least one telecommunication resource is capable of generating an event and each application is capable of responding to an event. The telecommunication services kernel couples a requested application triggered by the event with a telecommunication resource required by the application. The telecommunication services kernel also de-couples the requested application and the required telecommunication resource in response to the requested application completing execution. The required telecommunication resource is now available to other applications. A method for allocating a telecommunication resource to an application in a telecommunications system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system for allocating a telecommunication resource to an application, the system comprising:

a plurality of telecommunication resources, at least one telecommunication resource capable of generating an event signal for causing execution of the application; and

a telecommunication services kernel for coupling the application with a telecommunication resource from the plurality of telecommunication resources in response to the execution of the application causing a request signal for the telecommunication resource,

the telecommunication services kernel further comprising,

a hardware manager module, coupled to receive the event signal, for generating a notification signal,

a system manager module, coupled to receive the notification signal for generating an initialization signal and establishing a session for the execution of the application, and

a session manager module, coupled to monitor the application during the execution of the application,

the telecommunication services kernel de-coupling the telecommunication resource from the application in response receiving a completion signal when the execution of the application is completed.

2. The telecommunication system in claim 1, wherein the hardware manager module further comprises an event notification unit, coupled to receive the event signal, for generating the notification signal for the system manager module.

3. The telecommunication system in claim 1, wherein the session manager module for maintaining a status of the established session during the execution of the application.

4. The telecommunication system in claim 3, wherein the telecommunication services kernel further comprises a resource manager module, coupled to receive the request signal, for generating a resource signal and generating a reply signal in response to receiving the request signal.

5. The telecommunication system in claim 4, wherein the telecommunication services kernel further comprises a connection manager module, coupled to the resource manager module, for establishing routing information in the telecommunication system, the routing information including at least one of a voice or a data path, the connection manager providing a route from the routing information to the telecommunication resource in response to the telecommunication resource needing at least one of the voice or the data path.

6. The telecommunication system in claim 5, wherein the telecommunication services kernel further comprises a core services module interface for coupling the system manager module, the session manager module, the hardware manager module, the resource manager module, and the connection manager module, the core services module interface coupled with a core services module for passing messages between an operating system and the modules of the telecommunication services kernel.

7. The telecommunication system in claim 4, wherein the hardware manager module further comprises:

an identification unit for configuring each telecommunication resource of the plurality of telecommunication resources; and

an available pool unit for identifying each telecommunication resource of the plurality of telecommunication resources available for allocation,

the available pool unit coupled to receive the resource signal and generating an allocation signal in response to identifying the telecommunication resource for allocation,

the resource manager module receiving the allocation signal and generating the reply signal for coupling the application with the telecommunication resource.

8. The telecommunication system in claim 4, wherein the resource manager module further comprises a telecommunication resource request/reply unit, coupled to the hardware manager module, for generating the resource signal in response to receiving the request signal and for generating the reply signal in response to receiving the allocation signal.

9. The telecommunication system in claim 8, wherein the resource manager module further comprises an application status unit, coupled to the session manager module, for receiving a status signal from the session manager module indicating a status of the execution of the application, the application status unit de-coupling the telecommunication resource from the application in response to the session manager receiving the completion signal.

10. The telecommunication system in claim 5, wherein the connection manager module further comprises a data/voice mapping table coupled to determine possible routes for coupling the telecommunication resource with a point in the telecommunication system.

11. The telecommunication system in claim 10, wherein the connection manager module further comprises a set of routing tables for providing an optimal route for the possible routes.

12. The telecommunication system in claim 11, wherein the connection manager module further comprises a connection mapping table for maintaining a list including the optimal route, of current connections in the telecommunication system.

13. The telecommunication system in claim 12, wherein the connection manager module further comprises an application response unit for verifying to the application the optimal route for the telecommunication resource.

14. The telecommunication system in claim 1, further comprising a virtual device interface for coupling the telecommunication services kernel to the application, the virtual device interface comprising:

a command receiving unit for receiving virtual commands from the applications;

a translation unit for translating the received virtual commands into telecommunication resource specific commands; and

a command sending unit for issuing the telecommunication resource specific commands to the telephony resources.

15. In a telecommunication system, a sub-system for establishing one of a voice or data route between a first point and a second point, the sub-system comprising:

a data/voice mapping table for identifying all possible routes for coupling the first point and the second point within the telecommunication system;

a routing table for selecting an optimal route from the possible routes;

a connection table for tracking the optimal route; and

an application response unit for issuing the optimal route to an application.

16. The sub-system in claim 15, wherein the routing table further comprises a primary table for identifying available routing resources for selecting the optimal route of the possible routes.

17. The sub-system in claim 15, wherein the routing table includes a re-route table for re-routing an issued optimal route.

18. In a telecommunication system, an interface for coupling an application from a plurality of applications with a telecommunication resource from a plurality of telecommunication resources, the interface comprising:

a command receive unit for coupling to an application in response to one of transmitting a virtual command between the application and the interface;

a command send unit for coupling to a telecommunication resource for transmitting a resource specific command between the telecommunication resource and the interface; and

a translation unit, coupled to the command receiving unit and the command, for one of translating the virtual command to the resource specific command or translating the resource specific command to the virtual command.

19. The interface in claim 18, wherein the virtual command is a telecommunication related function command.

20. The interface in claim 19, wherein the translation unit translates the commands by mapping the telecommunication related function command to the resource specific command.

21. In a telecommunication system having a hardware manager, a system manager, and a session manager for managing a plurality of telecommunication resources, a method for dynamically allotting at least one telecommunication resource to an application, the method comprising:

triggering an event signal in response to an event occurring;

receiving the event signal at the hardware manager;

requesting a telecommunication resource from the system manager in response to the received event signal;

allocating the telecommunication resource to the application in response to the request for the telecommunication resource;

executing the application;

in response to execution of the application, the session manager determining whether execution of the application is complete;

in response to execution of the application being complete, de-allocating the telecommunication resource from the application, the telecommunication resource re-allocable to a subsequent request for a telecommunication resource.

22. The method for dynamically allotting at least one telecommunication resource to the application in claim 21, wherein the receiving the event signal further comprises:

detecting the event signal to determine available telecommunication resources from the plurality of telecommunication resources;

notifying an application tracking unit to include the application in a list of currently executing applications, the application associated with the event signal; and

executing the application in response to the event signal.

23. The method for dynamically allotting at least one telecommunication resource to the application in claim 22, wherein requesting a telecommunication resource further comprises:

providing requirements for the telecommunication resource to the telecommunication services kernel in response to the application beginning execution;

determining an availability of the telecommunication resource;

assigning the telecommunication resource to the application in response to the telecommunication resource being available; and

indicating non-availability for the telecommunication resource to the application in response to the telecommunication resource not being available.

24. The method for dynamically allotting at least one telecommunication resource to the application in claim 21, wherein de-allocating the telecommunication resource further comprises:

notifying the telecommunication services kernel of completing execution of an application, the application executing in response to the event signal;

shutting down the application in response to the notification; and

returning the allocated telecommunication resources to the telecommunication services kernel.

25. A telecommunication system for managing a plurality of telecommunication resources in a telecommunication system, the system comprising:

a means for causing execution of an application in response to an event;

a means for allocating a telecommunication resource from a plurality of telecommunication resources to the application in response to the request for the telecommunication resource;

a means for determining whether execution of the application is complete;

a means for de-allocating the telecommunication resource from the application in response to execution of the application being complete; and

a means for returning the telecommunication resource to the plurality of telecommunication resources.

26. The telecommunication system in claim 25 further comprising:

a means for initializing a session for the application; and

a means for monitoring whether the application completes execution during the session.