System and method for automatically designing communications circuits

• US 6,643,837 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2000
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agile Software Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Metasolv Software, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Reilly, John P., Dunn, Brenda D., McGuire, Mark W., Peterson, Joseph A., Campbell, David C., Westervelt, Mary Kim
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Andrea
• Application Number:
  US09/736,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 716/1-21
• US Class Current: 716/119
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath

Abstract

A computer-implemented system (10) for designing communications circuits includes one or more route plans (16) each with a first route point group (38) for a first circuit end point (34), a second route point group (38) associated with a second circuit end point (34), and one or more routes (32) connecting the first and second route point groups (38). Each route (32) is available for use in designing the circuit. A design engine (12) accesses a particular route plan (16), selects a route (32) according to the route plan (16), and automatically assigns the selected route (32) to the circuit in designing the circuit. The design engine (12) may select the particular route plan (16) from among multiple route plans (16) according to a service application (14) that is automatically derived from an associated circuit order. The design engine (12) may assign equipment to the circuit at one or more points along the selected route (32) according to an equipment assignment template (18) specifying characteristics of the equipment. The design engine (12) may select the template (18) from among multiple templates (18) according to a service application (14).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for designing a target communications circuits, comprising:

a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing the target circuit; and

a design engine operable to access the route plan, select a route according to the route plan without regard to facilities tat underlie the route and which are available for assignment to the target circuit, and automatically assign the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each route point group comprises one or more network locations available for use in designing the circuit, the design engine operable to select the route without regard to the network locations in the route point groups.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the route plan further comprises one or more priorities, each associated with a particular route, the design engine operable to select the route according to its priority.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the route plan further comprises one or more allocation percentages, each associated with a particular route, the design engine operable to select the route according to its allocation percentage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the route plan further comprises point group associated with an intermediate point and defining a segment between the intermediate point and an end point.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the design engine is further operable to automatically determine a network access point to connect with an end point that lies outside a network containing the routes, the routes connecting with the network access point.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the design engine is further operable to access a network access template to determine how one or more elements outside of a network of the circuit are to access the network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the design engine is operable to take customer-specified assignments into consideration in designing the circuit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the design engine is further operable to determine one or more intermediate locations for the circuit if the end points are not in an inventory of a provider.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the design engine is further operable to automatically determine a path for the circuit between two network locations within a particular route point group.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the design engine selects the route plan from among a plurality of route plans according to a service application.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the design engine is operable to derive the service application automatically from an associated circuit order.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the design engine is operable to derive the service application according to a service application link associating the service application with information in the circuit order, the information selected from the group consisting of:

a cataloged service item;

a service type;

a service type group;

a network channel code; and

a network channel interface code.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the design engine is further operable to select a particular service application from among multiple service applications linked to the circuit order according to a link preference.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the design engine selects the route plan from among a plurality of route plans according to a rate associated with to route plan.

16. A computer-implemented system for designing a target communications circuits, comprising:

a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing to the target circuit;

an equipment assignment template (EAT) specifying one or more characteristics of equipment; and

a design engine operable to access the route plan, select a route according to the route plan, automatically assign the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit, and assign equipment to the target circuit at one or more points in the selected route according to the EAT.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the EAT specifies a particular equipment type for the circuit.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the EAT specifies a particular equipment specification for the circuit.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein:

each route point group comprises one or more network locations available for use in designing the circuit; and

the design engine is operable to assign equipment to the circuit at one or more network locations according to the EAT.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the design engine is operable to access a distance threshold associated with the EAT and to apply the EAT only if at least a portion of the selected route exceeds the distance threshold.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the design engine is operable to select the EAT from among a plurality of EATs according to a service application derived from a circuit order.

22. A computer-implemented system for designing a target communications circuits, comprising:

a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing the target circuit; and

a design engine operable to access the route plan, select a route according to the route plan, automatically assign the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit, assign facilities to the target circuit, assign equipment to the target circuit, and generate a design layout for the target circuit to complete the design of the target circuit.

23. A computer-implemented method of designing a target communications circuit, comprising:

accessing a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing the target circuit;

selecting a route according to the route plan without regard to facilities that underlie the route and which are available for assignment to the target circuit; and

automatically assigning the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein each route point group comprises one or more network locations available for use in designing the circuit, the route being selected without regard to the network locations in the route point groups.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the route plan further comprises one or more priorities, each associated with a particular route, the route being selected according to its priority.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the route plan further comprises one or more allocation percentages, each associated with a particular route, the route being selected according to its allocation percentage.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the route plan further comprises a third route point group associated with an intermediate point and defining a segment between the intermediate point and an end point.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising automatically determining a network access point to connect with an end point that lies outside a network containing the routes, the routes connecting with the network access point.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising accessing determine how one or more elements outside of a network of the circuit are to access the network.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising taking customer-specified assignments into consideration in designing the circuit.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining one or more intermediate locations for the circuit if the end points are not in an inventory of a provider.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising automatically determining a path for the circuit between two network locations within a particular route point group.

33. The method of claim 23, further comprising selecting the route plan from among a plurality of route plans according to a service application.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising automatically deriving the service application from an associated circuit order.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the service application is derived according to a link associating the service application with information in the circuit order, the information selected from the group consisting of:

a cataloged service item;

a service type;

a service type group;

a network channel code; and

a network channel interface code.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising selecting a particular service application from among multiple service applications linked to the circuit order according to a link preference.

37. The method of claim 23, further comprising selecting the route plan from among a plurality of route plans according to a rate associated with the route plan.

38. A computer-implemented method of designing a target communications circuit, comprising:

accessing a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing the target circuit;

selecting a route according to the route plan;

automatically assigning the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit;

accessing an equipment assignment template (EAT) specifying one or more characteristics of equipment; and

assigning equipment to the taint circuit at one or more points in the selected route according to the EAT.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the EAT specifies a particular equipment type for the circuit.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the EAT specifies a particular equipment specification for the circuit.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein:

each route point group comprises one or more network locations available for use in designing the circuit; and

equipment is assigned to the circuit at one or more network locations according to the EAT.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

accessing a distance threshold associated with the EAT; and

applying the EAT only if at least a portion of the selected route exceeds the distance threshold.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the EAT is selected from among a plurality of EATs according to a service application derived from a circuit order.

44. A computer-implemented method of designing a target communications circuit, comprising:

accessing a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing the target circuit;

selecting a route according to the route plan;

automatically assigning the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit,

assigning facilities to the target circuit;

assigning equipment to the target circuit; and

generating a design layout for the target circuit to complete the design of the target circuit.

45. A computer-implemented system for designing a a target communications circuit, comprising:

means for accessing a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing the target circuit;

means for selecting a route according to the route plan without regard to facilities that underlie the route and which are available for assignment to the target circuit; and

means for automatically assigning the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit.

46. Software for designing a target communications circuits, the software embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

access a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing the target circuit;

select a route according to the route plan without regard to facilities that underlie the route and which are available for assignment to the target circuit; and

automatically assign the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit.

47. The software of claim 46, each route point group comprises one or more network locations available for use in designing the circuit, the route being selected without regard to the network locations in the route point groups.

48. The software of claim 46, wherein the route plan further comprises priorities, each associated with a particular route, the route being selected to priority.

49. The software of claim 46, wherein the route plan further comprises one or more allocation percentages, each associated with a particular route, the route being selected according to its allocation percentage.

50. The software of claim 46, wherein the route plan further comprises a third route point group associated with an intermediate point and defining a segment between the intermediate point and an end point.

51. The software of claim 46, further operable to automatically determine a network access point to connect with an end point that lies outside a network containing the routes, the routes connecting with the network access point.

52. The software of claim 46, further operable to access a network access template to determine how one or more elements outside of a network of the circuit are to access the network.

53. The software of claim 46, further operable to take customer-specified assignments into consideration in designing the circuit.

54. The software of claim 46, further operable to determine one or more intermediate locations for the circuit if the end points are not in an inventory of a provider.

55. The software of claim 46, further operable to automatically determine a path for the circuit between two network locations within a particular route point group.

56. The software of claim 46, further operable to select the route plan from among a plurality of route plans according to a service application.

57. The software of claim 56, further operable to automatically derive the service application from an associated circuit order.

58. The software of claim 57, wherein the service application is derived according to a link associating the service application with information in the circuit order, the information selected from the group consisting of:

a cataloged service item;

a service type;

a service type group;

a network channel code; and

a network channel interface code.

59. The software of claim 58, further operable to select a particular service application from among multiple service applications linked to the circuit order according to a link preference.

60. The software of claim 46, further operable to select the route plan from among a plurality of route plans according to a rate associated with the route plan.

61. Software for designing a target communications circuits, the software embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

access a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point group;

each route being available for use in designing the target circuit;

select a route according to the route plan;

automatically assign the selected route to the target circuit in designing the target circuit;

access an equipment assignment template (EAT) specifying one or more characteristics of equipment; and

assign equipment to the target circuit at one or more points in the selected route according to the EAT.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the EAT specifies a particular equipment type for the circuit.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the EAT specifies a particular equipment specification for the circuit.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein:

each route point group comprises one or more network locations available for use in designing the circuit; and

equipment is assigned to the circuit at one or more network locations according to the EAT.

65. The method of claim 61, further operable to:

access a distance threshold associated with the EAT; and

apply the EAT only if at least a portion of the selected route exceeds the distance threshold.

66. The method of claim 61, wherein the EAT is selected from among a plurality of EATs according to a service application derived from a circuit order.

67. Software for designing a target communications circuit, the software embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

access a route plan comprising;

a first route point group associated with a first circuit end point;

a second route point group associated with a second circuit end point; and

a plurality of routes connecting the first and second route point groups, each route being available for use in designing the target circuit;

select a route according to the route plan; and

automatically assign the selected route to the circuit in designing the target circuit,

assign facilities to the target circuit;

assign equipment to the target circuit; and

generate a design layout for the target circuit to complete the design of the target circuit.