Resolving potential conflicts in interoperability communications

• US 8,331,972 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STA Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Barave, Amit Prakash
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Htun, San
• Application Number:
  US11/694,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 455/509, 455/416, 455/423, 455/439, 455/450, 455/518, 455/519, 370260-262
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A communication device and computerized method to address conflicts in Virtual Talk Groups is provided. The method may comprise accessing a database to monitor resources in a plurality of Virtual Talk Groups (VTG) to detect if there is at least a potential conflict of the resources. When the potential conflict is detected, the method comprises identifying at least one resource which is contributing to the potential conflict, and initiating automatically an electronic communication to identify the potential conflict. In response to the electronic communication, a new VTG may be initiated and terminals of administrators associated with the conflicting resource may be assigned to the new VTG. Each administrator may administer an associated VTG.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

accessing a database to monitor system resources in a plurality of Virtual Talk Groups (VTGs), each VTG being supported by associated system resources of a communication system for hosting interoperability communications, at least some of the system resources being shared by two or more of the plurality of VTGs, each VTG having an associated human administrator that has configuration authority over the associated system resources, so that two or more respective human administrators of the two or more VTGs have overlapping configuration authority over the shared system resources;

detecting a configuration command with respect to the shared system resources by one of the two or more human administrators;

before a configuration update of the shared system resources in accordance with the configuration command is attempted, detecting a potential configuration conflict that comprises conflicting configuration of the shared system resources that would result from updating configuration of the shared system resources in accordance with the configuration command; and

responsive to detecting the potential configuration conflict, automatically initiating an electronic communication with respect to communication devices associated with the two or more human administrators, to facilitate or establish a direct line of communication between the two or more human administrators for resolution of the potential configuration conflict.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating of the electronic communication comprises:

initiating a new VTG; and

assigning terminals of the two or more human administrators to the new VTG.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising communicating a notification of the nature of the potential configuration conflict via the new VTG to the two or more human administrators.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the shared system resources are network device resources.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device resources are databases resources or router configuration resources.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a rule associated with the potential configuration conflict; and

automatically resolving the potential configuration conflict based on the identified rule.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring reconfiguration of the shared system resources; and

initiating the electronic communication when resources are reconfigured before a predetermined time period has lapsed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the monitoring of the reconfiguration of the shared system resources comprises maintaining a log of modifications made to allocation of the shared system resources, the log being to identify at least one resource contributing to the potential configuration conflict.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more VTGs comprise resources associated with a particular operation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying at least one resource which is contributing to the potential configuration conflict, the automatically initiated the electronic communication including notification to the two or more human administrators of the identity of the at least one resource.

11. A communication device comprising:

a monitor module to;

monitor system resources in a plurality of Virtual Talk Groups (VTGs), each VTG being supported by associated system resources of a communication system for hosting interoperability communications, at least some of the system resources being shared by two or more of the plurality of VTGs, each VTG having an associated human administrator that has configuration authority over the associated system resources, so that two or more respective human administrators of the two or more VTGs have overlapping configuration authority over the shared system resources;

detect a configuration command with respect to the shared system resources by one of the two or more human administrators; and

detect, before a configuration update of the shared system resources in accordance with the configuration command is attempted, a potential configuration conflict that comprises conflicting configuration of the shared system resources that would result from updating configuration of the shared system resources in accordance with the configuration command; and

a communication module to automatically initiate an electronic communication responsive to detection of the potential configuration conflict, to facilitate or establish a direct line of communication between the two or more human administrators for resolution of the potential configuration conflict.

12. The communication device of claim 11, further comprising a configuration module to:

initiate a new VTG; and

assign terminals of the two or more human administrators to the new VTG.

13. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate a notification of the new VTG to the terminals to notify the two or more human administrators of the existence of the potential configuration conflict.

14. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the shared system resources are network device resources.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the network device resources are databases resources or router configuration resources.

16. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the configuration module is arranged to:

identify a rule associated with the potential configuration conflict; and

automatically resolve the potential configuration conflict based on the identified rule.

17. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the monitor module monitors reconfiguration of the shared system resources, the device further comprising a timer to time when a predetermined time period has lapsed, the electronic communication being initiated only when resources are reconfigured before the predetermined time period has lapsed.

18. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the monitor module is configured to maintain a log of modifications made to allocation of the shared system resources, the log being to identify at least one resource contributing to the potential configuration conflict.

19. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the two or more VTGs comprise resources associated with a particular operation.

20. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the monitor module is further configured to identify at least one resource which is contributing to the potential configuration conflict, the communication module being configured such that the electronic communications includes a notification to the two or more human administrators of the identity of the at least one resource.

21. An apparatus which comprises:

means for accessing a database to monitor system resources in a plurality of Virtual Talk Groups (VTGs), each VTG being supported by associated system resources of a communication system for hosting interoperability communications, at least some of the system resources being shared by two or more of the plurality of VTGs, each VTG having an associated human administrator that has configuration authority over the associated system resources, so that two or more respective human administrators of the two or more VTGs have overlapping configuration authority over the shared system resources;

means for detecting a configuration command with respect to the shared system resources by one of the two or more human administrators;

means for detecting, before a configuration update of the shared system resources in accordance with the configuration command is attempted, a potential configuration conflict that comprises conflicting configuration of the shared system resources that would result from updating configuration of the shared system resources in accordance with the configuration command;

and

means for, responsive to detecting the potential configuration conflict, automatically initiating an electronic communication with respect to communication devices associated with the two or more human administrators, to facilitate or establish a direct line of communication between the two or more human administrators for resolution of the potential configuration conflict.