Method of and system for providing services in a communications network

• US 7,359,503 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.), Verizon Communications Inc., Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Porter, Kelvin, Waller, Carol
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US11/034,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20050123122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.02, 379/229, 379/242, 379/243, 379/221.06, 379/221.01, 379/221.02, 379/221.05
• 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 for providing communication services, the method comprising:

determining a criterion for a resource to satisfy a service request, the resource including a communications port or communications device;

outputting a set of candidate resources based on the criterion; and

evaluating the set of candidate resources for a best candidate to satisfy the service request.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

allocating the best candidate resource; and

setting an attribute associated with the allocated resource to indicate unavailability of the resource.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the criterion includes a priority criterion, and the attribute includes a priority identifier.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

comparing the priority identifier associated with the best candidate resource with the priority criterion; and

de-allocating the best candidate resource based on the comparison.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the evaluating step is executed by one of a plurality of evaluation functions.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

prioritizing the service request; and

displacing the service request with another service request designated as being of higher priority.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of determining, outputting, evaluating are performed by a node that is configurable by a resource manager that monitors the set of candidate resources.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the request specifies an evaluation function for use in the evaluation of the set of candidate resources.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the evaluating step is performed according to a sufficiency criterion for halting the evaluation after determining a candidate resource that can satisfy the service request.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the evaluating step is halted based on a predetermined duration.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communications port or communications device includes either a voice response unit, a store and forward device, a multiplexer, or a modem.

11. A system for providing communication services, the system comprising:

a node configured to determine a criterion for a resource to satisfy a service request and to output a set of candidate resources based on the criterion, the resource including a communications port or communications device and the node being further configured to evaluate the set of candidate resources for a best candidate to satisfy the service request; and

a manager configured to communicate with the node for configuring the node.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the node is further configured to allocate the best candidate resource, and to set an attribute associated with the allocated resource to indicate unavailability the resource.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the criterion includes a priority criterion, and the attribute includes a priority identifier.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the node is further configured to compare the priority identifier associated with the best candidate resource with the priority criterion, and to de-allocate the best candidate resource based on the comparison.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein the node evaluates based on one of a plurality of evaluation functions.

16. A system according to claim 11, wherein the node is further configured to prioritize the service request, and to displace the service request with another service request designated as being of higher priority.

17. An apparatus for providing communication services, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a criterion for a resource to satisfy a service request, the resource including a communications port or communications device;

means for outputting a set of candidate resources based on the criterion; and

means for evaluating the set of candidate resources for a best candidate to satisfy the service request.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for allocating the best candidate resource; and

means for setting an attribute associated with the allocated resource to indicate unavailability the resource.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the criterion includes a priority criterion, and the attribute includes a priority identifier.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising:

means for comparing the priority identifier associated with the best candidate resource with the priority criterion; and

means for de-allocating the best candidate resource based on the comparison.

21. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the evaluation is executed by one of a plurality of evaluation functions.

22. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for prioritizing the service request; and

means for displacing the service request with another service request designated as being of higher priority.

23. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a node comprises the determining means, the outputting means, and the evaluating means, the node being configurable by a resource manager that monitors the set of candidate resources.