On line web portal for private network service providers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a web-enabled user interface resident on a server that is integrated with an Ethernet exchange switch fabric and configured to automate an end-to-end process of interconnecting private Ethernet networks of two or more carriers via one or more virtual circuits established between two or more ports of the switch fabric, wherein components making up the interface are implemented in electronic circuits, software coding, or any combination of the two, and where components implemented in software coding are stored in an executable format on a non-transitory machine-readable medium;
wherethe web-enabled user interface is configured to present web pages and templates to a browser application on a client machine to solicit information from participating carriers, which is extracted from the web pages and the templates and stored in an associated database in order to enable the participating carriers to
1) publish network services and capabilities offered,
2) search for the network services and the capabilities offered by each carrier,
3) submit requests for quotes (RFQs) and responses to the RFQs,
4) initiate a provisioning of the virtual circuits between their private Ethernet networks, and
5) monitor and troubleshoot the virtual circuits as well as their own private Ethernet networks from the web-enabled user interface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A web-enabled user interface is provided to enable the carriers of private networks to interact and to offer services to one another. The web-enabled user interface is integrated to a switch fabric configured to provide interconnection services for the carriers. The web-enabled user interface is configured to enable the carriers to assign different roles to different representatives. Each of the representatives is granted certain rights and permissions by an administrator representative based on the representative'"'"'s role. The web-enabled user interface is configured to present to each representative a unique interface based on their roles thus providing each representative a unique experience.
61 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a web-enabled user interface resident on a server that is integrated with an Ethernet exchange switch fabric and configured to automate an end-to-end process of interconnecting private Ethernet networks of two or more carriers via one or more virtual circuits established between two or more ports of the switch fabric, wherein components making up the interface are implemented in electronic circuits, software coding, or any combination of the two, and where components implemented in software coding are stored in an executable format on a non-transitory machine-readable medium;
wherethe web-enabled user interface is configured to present web pages and templates to a browser application on a client machine to solicit information from participating carriers, which is extracted from the web pages and the templates and stored in an associated database in order to enable the participating carriers to
1) publish network services and capabilities offered,
2) search for the network services and the capabilities offered by each carrier,
3) submit requests for quotes (RFQs) and responses to the RFQs,
4) initiate a provisioning of the virtual circuits between their private Ethernet networks, and
5) monitor and troubleshoot the virtual circuits as well as their own private Ethernet networks from the web-enabled user interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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means for providing a web-enabled user interface integrated with a switch fabric and configured to automate an end-to-end process of interconnecting private Ethernet networks of carriers via one or more virtual circuits established by one or more Ethernet exchangers of the switch fabric, the Ethernet exchanger configured to connect the private Ethernet networks of participating carriers via their own ports; means for each of the participating carriers is to assign a representative as an administrator having an administrator role, wherein the administrator is authorized to assign other roles to a group of representatives and to grant rights and permissions to the representatives in the group; and means for configuring the web-enabled user interface to present web pages and templates to solicit information from the participating carriers, to enable the participating carriers to submit requests for quotes (RFQs) and responses to the RFQs, to provision the virtual circuits between their private Ethernet networks, and to monitor and troubleshoot the virtual circuits, wherein the web-enabled user interface and the integrated switch fabric are not biased to any of the participating carriers. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method comprising:
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enabling a plurality of carriers to participate in an Ethernet exchange service that comprises a web-enabled user interface and an integrated switch fabric having one or more Ethernet exchangers, wherein components making up the interface are implemented in electronic circuits, software coding, or any combination of the two, and where components implemented in software coding are stored in an executable format on a non-transitory machine-readable medium; automating an end-to-end process of interconnecting private Ethernet networks of the participating carriers via one or more virtual circuits established between two or more ports of the Ethernet exchange switch fabric; enabling each of the plurality of participating carriers to assign roles and rights and permissions to an administrator and to a group of representatives to act on behalf of each of the participating carriers; presenting web pages and templates to solicit information from the plurality of carriers; and extracting from the web pages and templates and storing in an associated database in order to enable the plurality of carriers to
1) publish network services and capabilities offered,
2) search for the network services and the capabilities offered by each carrier,
3) submit requests for quotes (RFQs) and responses to the RFQs,
4) initiate a provisioning of the virtual circuits between their private Ethernet networks, and
5) monitor and troubleshoot the virtual circuits as well as their own private Ethernet networks from the web-enabled user interface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification