Method and apparatus for managing local resources at service nodes in an intelligent network

• US 6,425,005 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1999
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Robb, Terence A., Porter, Kelvin R., Holmes, Allen, Dugan, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/420,654
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 379/201
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/54 Object oriented software
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/052 software update
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2263 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0037 involving call modelling techniques, e.g. modifications to the basic call state model [BCSM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0058 using service-independent building blocks (SIBBs) or "primitives"

Abstract

A resource management system for an intelligent communications network having one or more distributed service nodes, each service node for providing services relating to an event received at a network resource associated with a service node. The system comprising a first processing tier comprising one or more local execution environments located at a node, each execution environment including a mechanism for instantiating one or more service objects capable of performing event services at a first local execution environment, and, for generating status information relating to executing service objects; and, a second processing tier associated with a service node and including a system processor for tracking status and availability of service objects and local execution environments. Upon receipt of service requests, the system processor communicates with the first processing tier for receiving the status information and initiating service object instantiation in the one or more local execution environments in the first processing tier at the node based upon the status and availability information of the requested service object.

Claims

1. A resource management system for an intelligent network having one or more service nodes, each service node capable of providing one or more services relating to a communications event received at a network resource complex associated with that service node, said system comprising:

a first level processor for providing one or more local execution environments at a node, each object execution environment including a mechanism for instantiating and executing one or more service objects capable of performing services related to a received event communicated to said node, said first level processor further generating status information relating to each said local execution environment; and

,

a second level processor associated with a service node and communicably linked to said first level processor for receiving said status information and tracking a processing capability of each local execution environment, said second level processor determining which instance of a requested service is to be implemented at said first level based upon said capability and availability of service objects.

2. The resource management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second level processor includes mechanism for applying business rules to determine which said one or more local execution environments in said first level a service instance may be executed.

3. The resource management system as claimed in claim 1, further including third level processor communicably linked with each said second level processor at each service node in said intelligent network for tracking capability of executing service objects at each service node in said intelligent network, said capability including a list of local execution environments and which types of services are programmed to run on each local execution environment.

4. The resource management system as claimed in claim 3, first data storage device associated with said second level processor for storing and maintaining said status and availability of service objects tracked by said second level processor at a service node.

5. The resource management system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first level processor generates alarm status information indicating level of usage of a local execution environment and including one or more levels of severity according to number of currently executing service object threads, said second level processor receiving said alarm status information, storing and updating said alarm status information in said first data storage device.

6. The resource management system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said capability tracked at said third level processor includes:

an active service status for indicating that which service objects may be instantiated at each said service node; and

,

an overload status indicating no further service object instantiations may be performed at a service node based upon said alarm status information.

7. The resource management system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second level processor receives a service configuration file for each service capable of being provided at a service node, each said service file indicating:

a number of service object instantiations to be executing at each local service execution environment, and

a time information for indicating when to instantiate said service objects, said second level processor instantiating one or more said service objects at pre-determined times according to said configuration file.

8. The resource management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said service profile indicates a time duration for service object instantiations, said system processor initiating termination of executing one or more said service objects at pre-determined times according to said service profile.

9. The resource management system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a second data storage device associated with a respective local service execution environment of said first level for maintaining list of currently active service objects at said respective local service execution environment, said second level processor communicating with said first storage device for obtaining updated status changes of executing objects at said node, said second level processor further updating each said second data storage device for tracking currently executing service objects at each respective local execution environment.

10. The resource management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second level processor updates said first storage device with time stamp information indicating time of receipt of a status alarm, said second level processor periodically polling said first storage device for obtaining updated status changes having time stamp greater than time of a prior status processor poll.

11. The resource management system as claimed in claim 10, further including a network operating system for receiving requests for a particular service in the form of a logical name of said service, said network operating system translating said logical name into an object reference for enabling said first level processor to instantiate a service object thread associated with the requested service, in a local execution environment,

said network operating system first checking said second storage device at said first level to determine if a requested service received at a service node is currently active at said local execution environment, and instantiating a service object thread if currently active at said local execution environment.

12. The resource management system as claimed in claim 11, whereupon determination that said requested service object is not currently active at said local execution environment, said network operating system communicating with said second level processor to determine availability and status of said requested service object at another local execution environment at said node, and instantiating a service object at said local execution environment when said second level processor determines that said service object thread may be instantiated according to availability and status of that service object.

13. The resource management system as claimed in claim 12, whereupon determination that said requested service object may not be instantiated at said service node, said network operating system enabling communication between said second level processor and said third level processor to determine availability of said requested service object at another service node of said network.

14. The resource management system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said first level processor instantiates a service thread manager object for tracking number of service object instants associated with each service object currently executing in a local execution environment.

15. The resource management system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first data storage device includes profile data indicating status of local execution environment instances, said profile data including a time stamp of last local execution environment status change.

16. The resource management system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said second level processor includes mechanism for determining last time stamp update of a local execution environment status, said second level processor generating heartbeat query to determine status of local execution environment a pre-determined time after last update status has elapsed.

17. The resource management system as claimed in claim 16, whereby in absence of a response to said heartbeat query, said second level processor performs one of:

updating said profile data of said local execution environment as out of service and, instantiating a new local execution environment at said node.

18. The resource management system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said first data storage device associated with said second level processor comprises:

first cache portion for maintaining said status and availability information of service objects and said local execution environment profile data from said system processor in a normal mode of operation;

second cache portion for maintaining copy of information maintained in said first cache portion and functioning in a standby mode of operation;

said system further including a cache manager device for managing input of information from said first cache portion to said second cache portion, whereby said second cache portion switches from said standby mode to said normal mode of operation when said first cache portion is unavailable to receive updates.

19. The resource management system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said cache manager device registers an address of one of said first and second cache portions with said second level processor, said first level processor and said network operating system when operating in said normal mode, each of said first and second level processors and said network operating system accessing only registered cache portions in said normal mode of operation.

20. A method for managing resources in an intelligent network having one or more service nodes, each service node capable of providing one or more services relating to a communications event at a network resource complex associated with that service node, said method comprising:

receiving communications event corresponding to a requested service to be performed at a service node;

instantiating one or more service objects capable of performing said requested service in a local execution environment at said node;

tracking status of executing service objects for said requested service and availability of service objects at said service node; and

,

upon receipt of further requests for said service, initiating service object instantiation in said local execution environment at said node based upon said status and availability information.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said service node includes at least one execution environment, said step of instantiating one or more service objects at said node includes the step of determining which local execution environment said service object is to be executed.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, further including the step of maintaining a list of service nodes having capability of executing service objects for a requested service in said intelligent network.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said tracking status step includes the step of determining a sub-status for each said service object, said sub-status including one of:

an active status, indicating said service object may be instantiated at said service node; and

,

an overload status indicating no further service object instantiations may be performed at a service node.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said step of generating status information includes generating an alarm indication indicating level of usage of a local execution environment and including one or more levels of severity based upon number of currently executing service object threads at a local execution environment, said step of initiating service object instantiation being based upon said alarm severity level.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein each said service node implements a system processor for tracking status and availability of service objects at said service node, said tracking step including:

generating status information from one or more local execution environments at said node for receipt by said system processor; and

updating a first data storage device with said status information.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein prior to receiving a communications event, the steps of:

inputting a service configuration file for each service provided at a service node to said system processor, each said service configuration file indicating number of service object instantiations capable of being executed at each local service execution environment, and a time indication indicating when to instantiate said service objects; and

,

enabling said system processor to execute one or more said service objects at pre-determined times according to said service configuration file.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said service configuration file indicates a time duration for service object instantiations, said method including terminating execution of one or more said service objects at pre-determined times according to said service profile.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a list of currently active service objects at said respective local service execution environment;

communicating with said first storage device for obtaining updated status changes of executing objects at said node; and

,

updating said list stored at each said respective local service execution environment for tracking currently executing service objects at each respective local execution environment.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said step of updating said first storage device includes generating a time stamp indicating time of receipt of a status alarm, said communicating step further comprising:

implementing a status processor device for periodically polling said first storage device; and

retrieving updated status change information from said first storage device having time stamp greater than time of a prior status processor poll.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein requests for a particular service are received in the form of a logical name of said service, said method including the step of translating said logical name into an object reference for enabling said local execution environment to instantiate a service object thread associated with the requested service, said object reference further enabling interprocess communication between a requesting service object and the service object capable of performing the requested service.

31. The method as claimed in claim 28, further including the steps of:

checking said list to determine if said requested service is currently active at said local execution environment, and instantiating a service object thread if currently active at said local execution environment.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, whereupon determination that said requested service object is not currently active at said local execution environment, the steps of:

communicating with said system processor to determine availability and status of said requested service object at another local execution environment at said service node; and

,

instantiating a service object thread at said local execution environment according to availability and status of that service object.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, whereupon determination that said requested service object may not be instantiated at said service node, the steps of:

enabling communication between said system processor and a server device for determining availability of said requested service object at another service node of said network; and

,

instantiating a service object thread at a local execution environment at said another node based upon availability and status of that service object at that other node.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said first data storage device includes profile data indicating status of local execution environment instances, said profile data including a time stamp of last local execution environment status change.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, further including the steps of:

determining last time stamp update of a local execution environment status; and

generating heartbeat query to determine status of local execution environment a pre-determined time after last update status has elapsed.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, further including the steps of:

updating said profile data of said local execution environment as out of service when said local execution environment does not respond to said heartbeat query; and

,

instantiating a new local execution environment when said local execution environment does not respond to said heartbeat query.