Telecommunications network architecture for accessing customer premises equipment

• US 6,453,026 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hewitt, William Alan, Garland, Stuart Mandel
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/425,152
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 379/106.03, 379/106.09, 379/106.01, 379/90.01, 340/870.02, 340/870.01, 370/352-356
• US Class Current: 379/106.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements

Abstract

An architecture for communicating with telemetering interface units (TIUs). The system comprises an application controller which interfaces with service vendors who make requests for telemetering metering actions and/or control actions; or network server for communicating via UTTs, (Utility Telemetry Trunks), with an end office switch for accessing TIUs, using a suppressed ringing connection to distinguish between telemetering connections and telephone connections; a service control point (SCP), for providing data about the telecommunications network, the data being necessary in order to allow the network server to access the correct TIU, and a data network for interconnecting the application controller, network server and switching control point. Advantageously, using this arrangement, the functions of the application controller which interfaces with the service vendor are segregated from the functions for controlling the telecommunication network to access the TIU. Both the application controller and the network server are simple computers, such as personal computers (PCs), thus providing a cost effective and inexpensive arrangement.

Claims

1. Apparatus for connection to a telecommunications network, said telecommunications network for accessing a telemetry interface unit (TIU), the apparatus comprising:

an application controller for interfacing with a service vendor, said application controller connectable to the telecommunications network via a network server;

said network server connectable to the telecommunications network via a plurality of utility telecommunications trunks, (UTT);

said application controller for providing service vendor information to said network server for identifying said TIU;

said network server using said service vendor information to request a connection to said TIU via the telecommunications network;

said application controller for generating data messages to be delivered to said TIU, and for receiving data messages from said TIU.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a network database for providing data to said application controller to control the process of accessing said TIU.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said network database, application controller, and network server are interconnected by a data network.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said network server provides installers with an automated script to determine Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) parameters.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said network server provides data for automatically updating said network database.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a switch serving said TIU of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) provides data for updating said network database.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said network database is a Service Control Point (SCP).