Flexible network platform and call processing system

• US 7,461,381 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schroeder, Timothy P., Parolkar, Satish, Doherty, James M., Chorley, Will R., Mueller, Stephen M., Slaten, Charles B., Cunetto, Philip C., Adams, Thomas L., Lemay, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Andy
• Application Number:
  US10/743,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20050078611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 719/316, 719/318
• US Class Current: 719/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/135 Service creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13503 object-oriented systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13504 client/server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13526 resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13541 routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A communications services network platform has a multi-layered software architecture residing on a host computer. The network platform connects to a communications network and includes a call processing stack, a link layer, and a service support subsystem. The call processing stack implements call processing by processing events associated with a communication path through the communications network and has an application layer, representing each active call being processed by the call processing stack, and a resource layer, including software abstractions of physical resources located outside the host computer. The link layer manages a communications link between physically connected physical resources and the call processing stack. The service support subsystem executes services requested by the call processing stack. The platform manages and controls communications events associated with the communication path to complete a request for services between nodes on the communication network.

Claims

1. A communications services network platform implemented on at least one processor and comprising an operations, administration, maintenance and provisioning (OAMP) system for facilitating communications processing by entities within the platform, the (OAMP) system comprising:

a hierarchy of managed objects, each of the managed objects receiving input state information and defining a logical relation among the input state information and output state information, at least one of the managed objects comprising a state information server, the state information server outputting output state information that is received as input state information by at least one of the managed objects comprising a state information client;

a state distributor system that identifies state information clients registered to receive a notification regarding changes to output state information and that notifies the identified state information clients of the changes to output state information;

a registry that registers at least one specified managed object with the state distributor system so that the at least one specified managed object receives, as input state information, specified output state information, the at least one specified managed object becoming a state information client upon receipt of the specified output state information; and

a response system that determines whether output state information has changed for each of the managed objects and that sends a transition message to the state distributor system indicating the change,

wherein the entities comprise at least one communications processing resource and at least one object representing communications processing operations and resource usage within a communications processing system.

2. The communications services network platform according to claim 1,

wherein state information servers do not utilize information concerning state information clients registered to receive the notification regarding changes to output state information, and

wherein the hierarchy of managed objects is modifiable.

3. The communications services network platform according to claim 2,

wherein the state distributor system registers bound variables comprising supported types that receive input state information.

4. The communications services network platform according to claim 3,

wherein the supported types comprise basic types, instances of classes and lists of at least one of objects and the basic types.

5. The communications services network platform according to claim 1,

wherein output state information comprises a bound variable, the bound variable comprising one of a basic type, an instance of a class and a list comprising at least one of an object and the basic type, and

wherein input state information comprises a bound variable, the bound variable comprising one of a basic type, an instance of a class and a list comprising at least one of an object and the basic type.

6. The communications services network platform according to claim 1,

wherein functions performed by each of the managed objects are registered with the state distributor system.

7. A method for use in a communications services network platform for facilitating communications processing by entities within the platform, the method comprising:

providing a hierarchy of managed objects, each of the managed objects receiving input state information and defining a logical relation among the input state information and output state information, at least one of the managed objects comprising a state information server, the state information server outputting output state information that is received as input state information by at least one of the managed objects comprising a state information client;

identifying state information clients registered to receive a notification regarding changes to output state information;

notifying the identified state information clients of the changes to output state information;

registering at least one specified managed object with a state distributor system so that the at least one specified managed object receives, as input state information, specified output state information, the at least one specified managed object becoming a state information client upon receipt of the specified output state information; and

determining whether output state information has changed for each of the managed objects and sending a transition message to the state distributor system indicating the change,

wherein the entities comprise at least one communications processing resource and at least one object representing communications processing operations and resource usage within a communications processing system.

8. The method according to claim 7,

wherein state information servers do not utilize information concerning state information clients registered to receive the notification regarding changes to output state information, and

wherein the hierarchy of managed objects is modifiable.

9. The method according to claim 7,

wherein the state distributor system registers bound variables comprising supported types that receive input state information.

10. The method according to claim 7,

wherein the supported types comprise basic types, instances of classes and lists of at least one of objects and the basic types.

11. The method according to claim 7,

wherein functions performed by each of the managed objects are registered with the state distributor system.