Systems and methods for using network architecture planning tools

• US 8,335,839 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Tammy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIVECHA, KAMAL B
• Application Number:
  US10/286,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20030212754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,702 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/223, 709/224, 709/221, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network

Abstract

A method of planning a network architecture includes receiving at a host computer system a request from a user computer to initiate a network architecture planning process, in response to the request, transmitting an electronic file comprising a first display screen to the user computer, wherein the first display screen comprises a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, receiving at the host computer system a first response to the question, transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen to the user computer, wherein the second display screen comprises context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response, receiving at the host computer system at least a second response to the at least a second display screen, determining at least a first action based on the first response and the at least a second response, and transmitting information relating to the at least a first action for display at the user computer.

Claims

1. A method of planning a network architecture, comprising:

receiving at a host computer system a request from a user computer to initiate a network architecture planning process, wherein the network architecture planning process relates to a modification to a portion of the public switched telephone network;

in response to the request, transmitting an electronic file comprising a first display screen to the user computer, wherein the first display screen comprises a first one or more program elements, the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture;

receiving at the host computer system a first response to the question;

transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen to the user computer, wherein the second display screen comprises a second one or more program elements, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response;

receiving at the host computer system at least a second response to the at least a second display screen;

at the host computer, determining at least a first action based on the first response and the at least a second response, wherein the at least a first action comprises adding at least one configuration item to a list of configuration items, wherein the configuration item comprises an ordering unit of a model within the network architecture, and wherein the list of configuration items comprise at least a portion of a network architecture plan;

transmitting information relating to the at least a first action for display at the user computer;

saving a sequence of responses comprising in part the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, the first response to the question, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response and the second response

saving a corresponding configuration list; and

using the saved sequence of responses to reevaluate the saved configuration list in view of changed requirements;

wherein all communications transferred between the user computer and the host computer system are transmitted over a network and wherein the first one or more program elements and the second one or more program elements are based on a logical sequence of a plurality of steps of the network planning process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen comprises performing a calculation based on the first response to determine the context-sensitive content of the second display screen.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising validating the first response.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least a first action further comprises contacting an individual for information relating to the network architecture.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least a first action further comprises obtaining educational information relating to the network architecture.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the educational information is located on a web site and the information relating to the action comprises a URL for the web site.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least a first action further comprises completing a form relating to the network architecture.

8. A system for planning a network architecture, comprising:

a host computer system; and

a network that communicably couples the host computer system to at least one user computer;

wherein the host computer system is programmed to;

receive a request from the user computer to initiate a network architecture planning process;

transmit an electronic file comprising a first display screen to the user computer, wherein the first display screen comprises a first one or more program elements, the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, wherein the network architecture planning process relates to a modification to a portion of the public switched telephone network;

receive at the host computer system a first response to the question;

transmit an electronic file comprising at least a second display screen to the user computer, wherein the second display screen comprises a second one or more program elements, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response;

receive at the host computer system at least a second response to the at least a second display screen;

determine at least a first action based on the first response and the at least a second response, wherein the at least a first action comprises adding at least one configuration item to a list of configuration items, wherein the configuration item comprises an ordering unit of a model within the network architecture, and wherein the list of configuration items comprise at least a portion of a network architecture plan; and

transmit information relating to the at least a first action for display at the user computer;

save a sequence of responses comprising in part the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, the first response to the question, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response and the second response

save a corresponding configuration list; and

use the saved sequence of responses to reevaluate the saved configuration list in view of changed requirements;

wherein all communications transferred between the user computer and the host computer system are transmitted over a network and wherein the first one or more program elements and the second one or more program elements are based on a logical sequence of a plurality of steps of the network architecture planning process.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the host computer system is further programmed to validate the first response.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least a first action further comprises contacting an individual for information relating to the network architecture.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least a first action further comprises obtaining educational information relating to the network architecture.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the educational information is located on a web site and the information relating to the at least a first action comprises a URL for the web site.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least a first action further comprises completing a form relating to the network architecture.

14. An apparatus comprising a data storage device having stored thereon application software that programs a computer system to perform a method of planning a network architecture, the method comprising:

receiving at a host computer system a request from a user computer to initiate the network architecture planning process, wherein the network architecture planning process relates to a modification to a portion of the public switched telephone network;

in response to the request, transmitting an electronic file comprising a first display screen to the user computer, wherein the first display screen comprises a first one or more program elements, the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture;

receiving at the host computer system a first response to the question;

transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen to the user computer, wherein the second display screen comprises a second one or more program elements, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response;

receiving at the host computer system at least a second response to the at least a second display screen;

at the host computer, determining at least a first action based on the first response and the at least a second response, wherein the at least a first action comprises adding at least one configuration item to a list of configuration items, wherein the configuration item comprises an ordering unit of a model within the network architecture, and wherein the list of configuration items comprise at least a portion of a network architecture plan; and

transmitting information relating to the at least a first action for display at the user computer;

saving a sequence of responses comprising in part the first one or more program elements comprising a question relating to a parameter of the network architecture, the first response to the question, the second one or more program elements comprising context-sensitive content based on at least one previous response and the second response

saving a corresponding configuration list; and

using the saved sequence of responses to reevaluate the saved configuration list in view of changed requirements;

wherein all communications transferred between the user computer and the host computer system are transmitted over a network and wherein the first one or more program elements and the second one or more program elements are based on a logical sequence of a plurality of steps of the network architecture planning process.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein transmitting at least a second electronic file comprising a second display screen comprises performing a calculation based on the first response to determine the context-sensitive content of the second display screen.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising validating the first response.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least a first action further comprises contacting an individual for information relating to the network architecture.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least a first action further comprises obtaining educational information relating to the network architecture.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the educational information is located on a web site and the information relating to the action comprises a URL for the web site.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least a first action further comprises completing a form relating to the network architecture.