Multi-protocol telecommunications routing optimization

• US 6,473,404 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Patentmarks Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: Connect-One Limited
• Inventors: Kaplan, Allen D., McCarthy, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, RICKY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/665,399
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 370/238, 370/229, 370/230, 370/232, 370/233, 370/248, 370/252, 370/253, 370/259, 370/250, 370/351, 370/465, 370/466, 370/401, 370/463, 379/201, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/242, 379/243
• US Class Current: 370/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks

Abstract

A telecommunications switching system employing multi-protocol routing optimization which utilizes predetermined and measured parameters in accordance with a set of user priorities in determining the selection of a telecommunications path to be utilized for transmitting a data file to a remote destination. The switching system has a first memory for storing the data file to be transferred, a second memory for storing predetermined parameters such as cost data associated with each of the telecommunications paths, a third memory for storing a set of user priorities regarding the transmission of data files, and means for measuring the value of variable parameters such as file transfer speed associated with each of the telecommunications paths. Processor means are operatively associated with the second and third memories and the variable parameter measuring means for determining which of the plurality of telecommunications paths should be utilized for transferring the data file in accordance with the set of user priorities, the predetermined telecommunications path parameters, and the measured variable parameters. The switching system further comprises input means for allowing a user to change the user priorities in the third memory prior to transmitting a file.

Claims

1. In an apparatus comprising a plurality of interfaces, each of said interfaces interconnected with an associated data path capable of transferring data a towards a remote destination, each of said data paths having predetermined parameters associated therewith stored in a memory and variable parameters associated therewith, a method of servicing the data by examining the data and determining which of said plurality of data paths should be utilized for transferring the data towards the remote destination, said method comprising:

defining one or more first variable parameters for use in examining the data;

receiving the data;

examining the received data;

identifying the examined data which matches said one of the one or more first variable parameters;

analyzing a property of the identified data to be transferred;

measuring a second variable parameter for at least one path;

analyzing said measured second variable parameter and said predetermined parameters;

determining which of said paths provides an optimal set of characteristics for transferring the data towards the remote destination in accordance with said analyzed second variable parameter, predetermined parameters, and analyzed data property; and

transferring the identified data to the remote destination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the received data includes at least one acoustical property, and the received data is identified by analyzing the at least one acoustical property.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the received data is discarded if the received data does not match said defined first variable parameter.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes an Open Settlements Protocol (“

OSP”

).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said interfaces is a multimedia protocol.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the protocol is a Moving Pictures Experts Group (“

MPEG”

) protocol.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the protocol is a Moving Pictures Experts Group 4 (“

MPEG-4”

) protocol.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes an extensible Markup Language (“

XML”

) protocol.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes a V.44 protocol.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said paths utilizes channel associated signaling (“

CAS”

).

11. The method of claim 1 further including determining which of said paths to not use to transfer the data in accordance with said analyzed data property.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) protocol.

13. The method of claim 1 further including:

analyzing said measured second variable parameter and said predetermined parameters to determine whether said data path is available; and

retaining the identified data in the memory if the data path is not available;

wherein the identified data is retained until the data path becomes available.

14. The method of claim 13 further including rendering the data path unavailable until a specified event occurs.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the specified event is temporal.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the received data includes at least one property comprising a tone.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the tone includes a plurality of binary elements.

18. The method of claim 17 further including analyzing the elements to identify the received data.

19. The method of claim 1 further including:

receiving a request to service other data while servicing the current data;

suspending the servicing of the current data; and

servicing the other data;

wherein the other data can be serviced before continuing with the servicing of the current data.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the other data is voice data.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said defined first variable parameter includes a flow label field, the flow label field providing identifying information, the identifying information operable to identify data transferring from a specific source to a specific destination.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the flow label field includes a pseudorandom value.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the value is not reused for a specified amount of time.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the data paths is operable through a line utilized for transmitting power.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the received data is filtered by wavelength, so that the data is separable from the power.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the data is voice data.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the data path is operable to transfer multimedia data.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the multimedia data includes video data.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the multimedia data includes audio data.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the multimedia data includes image data.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of data paths includes at least a portion of a communications network of a power company.

32. The method of claim 1 further including modifying a portion of the identified data, the modification operable to signal a network condition.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the network condition is that of congestion.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes a V.92 protocol.

35. An apparatus connectable to a network, the apparatus comprising:

a first portion of a memory for holding data to be transferred to a remote destination;

a plurality of interfaces, each of said interfaces interconnected with an associated data path capable of transferring data towards a remote destination, each of said data paths having predetermined parameters associated therewith stored in a memory and variable parameters associated therewith;

a second portion of the memory for storing the predetermined parameters associated with each of the data paths;

means for measuring a value of at least one of said variable parameters associated with the data; and

processor means operatively associated with the first and second portions of the memory and said variable measuring parameter means, said processor means operable to

define one or more first variable parameters for use in examining the data;

receive the data;

examine the received data;

identify the examined data which matches said one of the one or more first variable parameters;

analyze a property of the identified data to be transferred;

measure a second variable parameter for at least one path;

analyze said measured second variable parameter and said predetermined parameters;

determine which of said paths provides an optimal set of characteristics for transferring the data towards the remote destination in accordance with said analyzed second variable parameter, predetermined parameters, and analyzed data property; and

transfer the identified data to the remote destination.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 further including means for identifying the data by analyzing at least one acoustical property of the data.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 further including means for discarding the data if the data does not match said defined first variable parameter.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes an Open Settlements Protocol (“

OSP”

).

39. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of said interfaces is a multimedia protocol.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the protocol is a Moving Pictures Experts Group (“

MPEG”

) protocol.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the protocol is a Moving Pictures Experts Group 4 (“

MPEG-4”

) protocol.

42. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes an eXtensible Markup Language (“

XML”

) protocol.

43. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes a V.44 protocol.

44. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of said paths utilizes channel associated signaling (“

CAS”

).

45. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein one of said plurality of interfaces is operable to determine which of said paths to not use to transfer the data in accordance with said analyzed data property.

46. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) protocol.

47. The apparatus of claim 35 further including:

a third memory for temporarily storing the data;

means for analyzing said measured second variable parameter and said predetermined parameters to determine whether said data path is available; and

means for storing the identified data in the third memory if the data path is not available;

wherein the identified data is stored until the data path becomes available.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 further including means for rendering the data path unavailable until a specified event occurs.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the specified event is temporal.

50. The apparatus of claim 35 further including means for analyzing the data for a tone.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the tone includes a plurality of binary elements.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 further including analyzing the tone to identify the received data.

53. The apparatus of claim 35 further including:

means for receiving a request to service other data while servicing the current data;

means for suspending the servicing of the current data; and

means for servicing the other data;

wherein the other data can be serviced before continuing with the servicing of the current data.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the other data is voice data.

55. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said defined first variable parameter includes a flow label field, the flow label field providing identifying information, the identifying information operable to identify data transferring from a specific source to a specific destination.

56. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein the flow label field includes a pseudorandom value.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the value is not reused for a specified amount of time.

58. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of the data paths is operable through a line primarily utilized for transmitting power.

59. The apparatus of claim 58 further including means for filtering the data by wavelength, so that the data is separable from the power.

60. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein the data is voice data.

61. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein the data path is operable to transfer multimedia data.

62. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein the multimedia data includes video data.

63. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein the multimedia data includes audio data.

64. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein the multimedia data includes image data.

66. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of said interfaces is operable to modify a portion of the identified data, the modification operable to signal a network condition.

67. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein the network condition is that of congestion.

68. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein at least one of said interfaces utilizes a V.92 protocol.

65. The apparatus of 35 wherein at least one of said plurality of data paths includes at least a portion of a communications network of a power company.

69. In an apparatus comprising a plurality of interfaces, each of said interfaces interconnected with an associated data path capable of transferring data towards a remote destination, each of said data paths having predetermined parameters associated therewith stored in a memory and variable parameters associated therewith, a method of servicing the data by examining the data and determining which of said plurality of data paths should be utilized for transferring the data towards the remote destination, said method comprising:

analyzing a property of the data to be transferred;

measuring a first and second variable parameter for at least one path;

analyzing said measured first and second variable parameters and said predetermined parameters;

determining which of said paths provides an optimal set of characteristics for transferring the data towards the remote destination in accordance with said analyzed first variable parameter, predetermined parameters, and analyzed data property;

determining whether said optimal data path is available according to said measured second variable parameter;

retaining the data in the memory if said optimal data path is not available;

transferring the data toward the remote destination;

suspending the data transfer if a request to service other data is received; and

resuming the data transfer.