Video conferencing fault management in a hybrid network

• US 6,426,948 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1999
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bowman-Amuah, Michel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TOAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/325,101
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241, 370/242, 370/244, 370/260, 370/261, 370/352, 370/353
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/08 Indicating faults in circuits or apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

According to a broad aspect of a preferred embodiment of the invention, telephone calls, data and other multimedia information is routed through a hybrid network which includes transfer of information across the internet utilizing telephony routing information and internet protocol address information. A fault management solution is provided for the challenges of monitoring service elements for faults and degradation in performance in a hybrid network. Event gathering is performed by software interfaces which communicate directly with the network elements. Correlation is provided by use of a rules based inference engine.

Claims

1. A method for fault management during video conferencing in an integrated packet infrastructure circuit-switched based network, comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting video and mixed audio information from each consumer to all other consumers participating in the communication simultaneously;

b) obtaining a first event from a circuit-switched based network element;

c) correlating the first event obtained from the circuit-switched based network element with a second event obtained from a packet infrastructure; and

d) creating a fault message based on the correlated first and second events.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second events are correlated utilizing a rules based inference engine.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second events are obtained by software interfaces which communicate directly with the network elements.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the software interfaces process the events and sort them by context prior to storing them.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the fault based message is created utilizing a comprehensive library of all possible message types and network events, whereby the numerous messages that the hybrid network generates are categorized.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the fault based message is provided real time to a user.

7. A system for fault management during video conferencing in an integrated packet infrastructure circuit-switched based network, comprising:

a) a hybrid network that transmits video and mixed audio information from each consumer to all other consumers participating in the communication simultaneously;

b) a processor with control software that obtains a first event from a circuit-switched based network element;

c) a processor with control software that correlates the first event obtained from the circuit-switched based network element with a second event obtained from a packet infrastructure; and

d) a processor with control software that creates a fault message based on the correlated first and second events.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the first and second events are correlated utilizing a rules based inference engine.

9. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the first and second events are obtained by software interfaces which communicate directly with the network elements.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the software interfaces process the events and sort them by context prior to storing them.

11. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the fault based message is created utilizing a comprehensive library of all possible message types and network events, whereby the numerous messages that the hybrid network generates are categorized.

12. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the fault based message is provided real time to a user.

13. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for fault management during video conferencing in an integrated packet infrastructure circuit-switched based network, comprising:

a) logic that transmits video and mixed audio information from each consumer to all other consumers participating in the communication simultaneously;

b) logic that obtains a first event from a circuit-switched based network element;

c) logic that correlates the first event obtained from the circuit-switched based network element with a second event obtained from a packet infrastructure; and

d) logic that creates a fault message based on the correlated first and second events.

14. A computer program as recited in claim 13, wherein the first and second events are correlated utilizing a rules based inference engine.

15. A computer program as recited in claim 13, wherein the first and second events are obtained by software interfaces which communicate directly with the network elements.

16. A computer program as recited in claim 15, wherein the software interfaces process the events and sort them by context prior to storing them.

17. A computer program as recited in claim 13, wherein the fault based message is created utilizing a comprehensive library of all possible message types and network events, whereby the numerous messages that the hybrid network generates are categorized.

18. A computer program as recited in claim 13, wherein the fault based message is provided real time to a user.