Method and system for communicating with a telecommunications switch

• US 6,636,503 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Shiran, Mortaza Ghassab, Riahi, Akbar
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US09/167,398
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352-356
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A system (10) and method for accessing software applications residing on a telecommunications switch (12) is provided. The system (10) includes a communication server (14) that acts as a gateway between the switch (12) and remote clients (22, 26, 32). The client-server architecture of the system (10) permits concurrent connectivity and off-loads much of the processing demand from the switch (12) to the server (14) and/or clients (22, 26, 32). In addition, the communication server (14) can include a HTTP server (52) that allows a remote client to access switch applications using a conventional web browser.

Claims

1. A system for communicating with a telecom switch, comprising:

a proxy server for managing connectivity between at least one software application residing on the telecom switch and at least one network application;

wherein said proxy server comprises a gateway permitting client-server communication between said telecom switch and devices running at least one network application, said gateway providing single-point entry to said at least one software application while allowing concurrent connectivity for each of a plurality of application sessions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy server is capable of maintaining concurrent connectivity for a plurality application sessions.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an HTTP server in communication with the proxy server.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a watch-dog timer for detecting a hang-up condition.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a LAN interface permitting the proxy server to communicate with the telecom switch using a TCP/IP protocol.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote client including the at least one network application; and

a network permitting communication between the remote client and the proxy server.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the network includes the Internet.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the remote client is included in a personal computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy server includes a load control mechanism.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy server includes a client authentication routine.

11. A computer-readable memory storing a program for directing a computer to function as a proxy server for managing connectivity between at least one software application residing on a telecom switch and at least one network application residing on a remote client;

wherein said proxy server comprises a gateway permitting client-server communication between said telecom switch and said remote client, said gateway providing single-point entry to said at least one software application while allowing concurrent connectivity for each of a plurality of application sessions.

12. The computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the proxy server permits a plurality of concurrent connections between the telecom switch and one or more remote clients.

13. The computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the proxy server includes a routine for authenticating the remote client prior to establishing a connection.

14. The computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the proxy server includes a routine for limiting the duration of a connection to the telecom switch.

15. The computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the proxy server generates an error log file.

16. A method of communicating with a telecom switch, comprising:

providing a proxy server for managing connectivity between the telecom switch and a remote client, said proxy server comprising a gateway permitting client-server communication between said telecom switch and said remote client, said gateway providing single-point entry to at least one software application while allowing concurrent connectivity for each of a plurality of application sessions;

connecting to the proxy server from the remote client; and

communicating with the telecom switch by establishing an application session between the telecom switch and the remote client.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

logging into the proxy server.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing at least one applet at the remote client for communicating with the telecom switch.

19. The method of claim 16, for remotely configuring the telecom switch, further comprising:

invoking at the remote client an applet for updating configuration data stored at the telecom switch.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

using a web browser to connect to the proxy server.