Method of and system for providing services in a communications network

• US 6,891,945 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Porter, Kelvin, Waller, Carol
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny
• Application Number:
  US10/447,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20030198335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 379/243, 379/244, 379/245, 379/207.02, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/229, 379/230, 379/242
• US Class Current: 379/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13056 Routines, finite state machines
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13144 Searching path through number of switching stages or nodes, e.g. revertive blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1325 Priority service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13342 Arrangement of switches in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13344 Overflow
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

A system for providing services in a communications network includes a service processing function, a universal directory function, and a nodal resource manager. The service processing function receives service requests, formulates requests for interworking functions based upon service requests, and formulates resource requests based upon service requests and interworking functions. The universal directory function receives addresses from the service processing function and returns interworking functions based upon addresses. The nodal resource manager receives resource requests and allocates resources to the service processing function in response to resource requests. The nodal resource manager maintains a resource database that includes an entry corresponding to each network resource managed by the nodal resource manager.

Claims

1. A method of providing services in a communications network, comprising:

receiving a request for a service by a communications node within the communications network;

determining a criterion for a resource necessary to provide the requested service;

searching a resource data structure for a set of candidate resources meeting said criterion, wherein each resource of said resource data structure comprises a resource identifier;

using an evaluation function, determining the best candidate resource; and

allocating, by the communications node, said best candidate resource to meet said request for service.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of allocating said best candidate resource further comprises:

setting a dynamic attribute of the allocated resource to indicate said allocated resource is in use.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dynamic attributes comprise a free/in-use attribute.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said in-use attribute comprises a priority identifier.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of

determining a criterion further comprises setting a priority criterion, and wherein said step of searching a resource data structure for a set of candidate resources meeting said criteria comprises selecting candidate resources with a priority attribute identified by said priority identifier less than said priority criterion.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

de-allocating a presently in-use best candidate resource with a priority attribute less than said priority criterion.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said step of allocating said best candidate resource further comprises:

setting the priority attribute of said best candidate resource to said priority criterion.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

configuring an allocated resource.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

de-allocating an allocated resource when said requested service is completed.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

de-allocating an allocated resource when said requested service is completed.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

idling a de-allocated resource.

12. A method of providing services in a communications network, which comprises the steps of:

receiving a request for a service by a communications node within the communications network;

determining criteria for a resource necessary to provide the requested service;

searching a resource data structure for a set of candidate resources meeting said criteria wherein each resource of said resource data structure comprises a set of attributes a resource identifier, a set of static attributes and a set of dynamic attributes,

evaluating said set of candidate resources to find a best candidate resource; and

,

allocating, by the communications node, said best candidate resource to meet said request for service.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of allocating said best candidate resource further comprises:

setting a dynamic attribute of the allocated resource to indicate said allocated resource is in use.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said dynamic attributes comprise a free/in-use attribute.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said in-use attribute comprises a priority identifier.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of determining a criterion further comprises setting a priority criterion, and wherein said step of searching a resource data structure for a set of candidate resources meeting said criteria comprises selecting candidate resources with a priority attribute identified by said priority identifier less than said priority criterion.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

de-allocating a presently in-use best candidate resource with a priority attribute less than said priority criterion.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said step of allocating said best candidate resource further comprises:

setting the priority attribute of best candidate resource to said priority criterion.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

configuring an allocated resource.

20. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

de-allocating an allocated resource when said requested service is completed.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

idling a de-allocated resource.

22. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of nodes, wherein each node is configured to determine a criterion for a resource to satisfy a service request, to search a resource database for a set of candidate resources meeting the determined criterion, and to determine an evaluation function for evaluating the set of candidate resources for a best candidate to satisfy the service request; and

a network resource manager in communication with the plurality of nodes for configuring the nodes wherein the resource data stores a set of static attributes and a set of dynamic attributes for indicating allocation of resources of the nodes.