Dynamically binding a logic component to a processing point in a software execution flow

• US 8,813,062 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eminovic, Lejla, Rahm, Bryn, Quah, Elaine EE Lay, Jones, Anthony Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr., Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): APONTE, FRANCISCO JAVIER
• Application Number:
  US12/316,550
• Time in Patent Office: 2,076 Days
• Field of Search: 717101-178, 709201-253, 719311-332, 707600-705
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/00 Packet switching elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/70 Virtual switches

Abstract

A method for use in a communications node includes exposing at least one processing point in an execution flow of base software executing in the communications node. A logic component can be dynamically bound to the exposed processing point, where the logic component specifies actions to be performed by the communications node.

Claims

1. A method for deploying at least one communications node, comprising:

exposing a processing point in an execution flow of base software executing in the communications node, wherein the base software provides a set of functions that are common for different versions of the communications node; and

dynamically binding a first logic component from among multiple different logic components to the exposed processing point, wherein the first logic component that is bound to the exposed processing point, in the form of a handler, specifies actions to be performed by the communications node, and wherein each of the multiple different logic components are bindable to the exposed processing point and include predefined sets of logic distinct from the base software for processing information and providing output to the base software, wherein the base software receives the output via a callback interface and the execution flow of the base software proceeds in response to receiving the output via the callback interface, wherein each of the multiple different logic components are bindable to the exposed processing point for implementing different versions of the communications node; and

deploying the base software in multiple different versions of the communications node, and wherein execution of the base software in a second version of the communications node results in an execution flow having an exposed processing point bound to a second logic component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the processing point comprises exposing an interface, and wherein binding the first logic component comprises binding the handler through the interface to the exposed processing point.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing the handler to perform one of (1) processing of a control message used for performing a communications task by the communications node, and (2) routing of the control message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a different logic component to dynamically bind to the exposed processing point, wherein the different logic component is bound to the exposed processing point in place of the first logic component.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exposing a second processing point in the execution flow of the base software; and

dynamically binding a second logic component to the second processing point to perform further configurable actions in the communications node.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the second logic component performs different tasks than the first logic component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the processing point in multiple execution flows of the base software in different versions of the communications node enables different logic components to be bound to the exposed processing point to configure different behaviors of the different versions of the communications node.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing information at the communications node at run-time of the communications node, wherein dynamically binding the first logic component to the exposed processing point is based on the information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing information at the communications node at run-time comprises accessing pre-stored configuration information at run-time in the communications node.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the information at the communications node at run-time comprises generating the information at run-time in the communications node.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the information at the communications node at run-time comprises receiving the information at run-time from an external source by the communications node.

12. A method to provide flexible deployment of a product related to network communications, comprising:

providing base software to be executed in plural communications nodes incorporating corresponding plural versions of the product related to network communications, wherein execution of the base software in each of the plural communications nodes produces a corresponding execution flow with at least one exposed processing point, wherein the base software provides a set of functions that are common for the plural communications nodes; and

providing different information to the plural communications nodes to cause the plural communications nodes to dynamically bind a different strategy or the same strategy to the exposed processing point of the execution flow in each of the plural communications nodes, wherein each binded strategy includes a predefined set of logic in the form of a handler, distinct from the base software of a corresponding communication node for processing information and providing output to the base software of the corresponding communication node, wherein the base software of the corresponding communication node receives the output via a callback interface and the execution flow of the base software of the corresponding communication node proceeds in response to receiving the output via the callback interface, wherein each binded strategy implements a function differently than other binded strategies; and

deploying the base software in multiple different versions of the communications node, and wherein execution of the base software in a second version of the communications node results in an execution flow having an exposed processing point bound to a second logic component.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the product related to network communications is a product related to packet-switched communications.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the product related to network communications is a product related to tasks of an Internet Protocol multimedia system (IMS) network node.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the product related to network communications is a product related to tasks of a multimedia domain (MMD) network node.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein dynamically binding a different strategy to the exposed processing point of the execution flow in each communications node comprises dynamically binding a different strategy to process a call control message differently.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein dynamically binding a different strategy to the exposed processing point of the execution flow in each communications node comprises dynamically binding a different strategy to route a call control message differently.

18. A communications node comprising:

at least one processor;

base software to perform communications tasks executable on the at least one processor, wherein execution of the base software results in an execution flow having an exposed processing point, wherein the base software provides a set of functions that are common for different versions of the communications node; and

a strategy bound to the exposed processing point of the execution flow, wherein the base software and strategy together are part of a product whose behavior is configurable using the strategy, wherein the strategy is selected from among multiple different strategies that dynamically are bindable to the exposed processing point and include predefined sets of logic in the form of a handler, distinct from the base software for processing information and providing output to the base software, wherein the base software receives the output via a callback interface and the execution flow of the base software proceeds in response to receiving the output via the callback interface, wherein each of the multiple different strategies are bindable to the exposed processing point for implementing different versions of the communications node; and

wherein the base software is deployed in multiple different versions of the communications node, and wherein execution of the base software in a second version of the communications node results in an execution flow having an exposed processing point bound to a second logic component.

19. The communications node of claim 18, wherein binding of the strategy to the exposed processing point is based on information received by the communications node at run-time, wherein modification of the information enables a different strategy to be bound to the exposed processing point to configure a different behavior of the product.

20. The communications node of claim 18, wherein the information received by the communications node comprises one of:

(1) pre-stored configuration information accessed by the communications node at run-time;

(2) information generated by the communications node at run-time; and

(3) information received from an external source at run-time.