System enabling access to obtain real-time information from a cell site when an emergency event occurs at the site

• US 7,080,144 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boehmke, Yuergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US09/746,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/406, 707/8, 707/10, 709/227, 709/224, 709/225, 709/219, 370/310, 342/457, 713/200
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Real-time information associated with a telecommunication network is obtained. A computing system includes one or more computers having one or more processors for executing logic instructions associated with one or more computer programs and a first memory for storing the logic instructions to be executed; a database server, in communication with the computing system, and having a second memory for storing logic instructions to be executed thereon and a storage device in communication with the database server or the computing system for storing the information associated with the telecommunication network. Access to the information associated with the telecommunication network is enabled to one or more computer software programs stored in a storage device that is in communication with a computing system; and the one or software programs are enabled to access the modifications on a real-time basis when any of the information associated with the telecommunication network is modified.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining real-time information associated with a telecommunication network, comprising:

enabling access to the information associated with the telecommunication network to one or more computer software programs stored in a storage device that is in communication with a computing system where the information is stored in a shared database that restricts access to the information; and

enabling the one or more software programs to access the information for a particular cell site within the telecommunication network on a real-time basis when an emergency event or call outage occurs at the cell site,

wherein the information associated with the telecommunications network that is stored in the shared database comprises real-time variable information specific to each of the particular cell sites within the telecommunications network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein storing the information associated with the telecommunication network in a database includes storing the information in a common database.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising enabling a user operating the computing system to modify data while maintaining the modified data secure from other users.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information associated with the telecommunication network is stored in a table that is shared by the one or more software programs.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising maintaining a log entry of access to the database.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein maintaining a log entry includes maintaining a log entry of access to the database by one or more users.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein maintaining a log entry includes maintaining log entries of access to the database by one or more software programs.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising executing the one or more computer programs on a plurality of computers interconnected as a network.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

querying a database associated with the telecommunication network information; and

determining the status of one or more variables associated with the telecommunication network.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein at least one variable is emergency information associated with the telecommunication network.

11. A system for obtaining real-time information associated with a telecommunication network, comprising:

a computing system including one or more computers having one or more processors for executing logic instructions associated with one or more computer programs and a first memory for storing the logic instructions to be executed;

a database server, in communication with the computing system, the database server having a second memory for storing logic instructions to be executed thereon and a storage device in communication with the database server or the computing system for storing the information associated with the telecommunication network within a shared database of the database server that restricts access to the information; and

the logic instructions stored in the first memory cause the one or more processors to;

enable access to the information associated with the telecommunication network to one or more computer software programs stored in the storage device that is in communication with the computing system; and

enable the one or more software programs to access the information for a particular cell site within the telecommunications network on a real-time basis when an emergency event or call outage occurs at the cell site,

log each of the accesses to the information within the shared database;

maintain the security of the variables within the shared database while the accesses are occurring; and

wherein the information associated with the telecommunications network that is stored in the shared database comprises real-time variable information specific to each of the particular cell sites within the telecommunications network.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the storage device includes a database that is shared by the one or more software programs.

13. The system according to claim 11, further comprising instructions executing in the computing system to enable one or more user to modify a variable and maintain the modification secure from another user.

14. The system according to claim 11, further comprising executing instructions on the computing system to maintain a log entry of access to the database.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising executing instructions on the computing system to maintain log entries of access to the database by one or more users.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising executing instructions on the computing system to maintain log entries of access to the database by one or more applications.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the computing system includes a plurality of computers interconnected as a network.

18. The system according to claim 11, further comprising executing instructions on the computing system to query the database and determine the status of one or more variables associated with the telecommunication network.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein at least one variable is emergency information associated with the telecommunication network.

20. An apparatus for obtaining real-time information associated with a telecommunication network, comprising:

a storage device for storing one or more software programs at least one control program thereon; and

a computing system coupled thereto, the computing system including one or more computers having one or more processors for executing logic instructions, the computing system being adapted for communicating with a database server;

an adapter coupled to the computing system for interfacing the computing system with the telecommunication network;

the one or more processors being operative with the control program to;

enable access to the information associated with the telecommunication network to one or more computer software programs stored in the storage device that is in communication with the computing system where the information is stored in a shared database that restricts access to the information; and

enable the one or more software programs to access the information for a particular cell site within the telecommunications network on a real-time basis when an emergency event or call outage occurs at the cell site,

wherein the information associated with the telecommunications network that is stored in the shared database comprises real-time variable information specific to each of the particular cell sites within the telecommunications network.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a software program stored in the storage device for controlling the one or more processors to:

enable one or more users to modify a variable and maintain the modification secure from any other user.

22. The apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a program that is operative with the one or more processors to maintain a log entry of accesses to the database.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the program maintains a log entry of accesses to the database by one or more users.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the program maintains a log entry of accesses to the database by one or more applications.

25. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the one or more processors are adapted to be interconnected to a network of computers.

26. A system for obtaining real-time information associated with a telecommunication network, comprising:

means for computing and a first memory means for storing logic instructions to be executed by the computing means;

means for storing and manipulating a database in communication with the computing system, the means for storing and manipulating the database having a second memory for storing logic instructions to be executed thereon and the means for storing including information associated with the telecommunication network stored thereon; and

logic instructions stored in the first memory means for;

enabling access to the information associated with the telecommunication network to one or more computer software programs stored in the storage device that is in communication with the computing system where the information is stored in a shared database that restricts access to the information; and

enabling the one or more software programs to access the information for a particular cell site within the telecommunications network on a real-time basis when an emergency event or call outage occurs at the cell site,

wherein the information associated with the telecommunications network comprises real-time variable information specific to a particular cell site within the telecommunications network.

27. An apparatus for obtaining real-time information associated with a telecommunication network, comprising:

means for storing one or more software programs and at least one control program thereon; and

means for computing coupled thereto for executing logic instructions, the means for computing being adapted for communicating with a means for storing and manipulating a database;

means for interfacing the means for computing with the telecommunication network;

the means for computing being operative for;

enabling access to the information associated with the telecommunication network to one or more computer software programs stored in the storage device that is in communication with the computing system where the information is stored in a shared database that restricts access to the information; and

enabling the one or more software programs to access the information for a particular cell site within the telecommunications network on a real-time basis when an emergency event or call outage occurs at the cell site,

wherein the information associated with the telecommunications network that is stored in the shared database comprises real-time variable information specific to each of the particular cell sites within the telecommunications network.

28. A computer readable medium having a set of computer instructions encoded thereon, comprising:

the set of computer instructions being operative with a computer adapted for communicating with a telecommunication network and adapted with a storage device, the set of computer instructions cause the computer to;

enable access to the information associated with the telecommunication network to one or more computer software programs stored in the storage device that is in communication with the computing system where the information is stored in a shared database that restricts access to the information; and

enable the one or more software programs to access the information for a particular cell site within the telecommunications network on a real-time basis when an emergency event or call outage occurs at the cell site,

wherein the information associated with the telecommunications network that is stored in the shared database comprises real-time variable information specific to each of the particular cell sites within the telecommunications network.