Method and apparatus for managing local resources at service nodes in an intelligent network

• US 7,697,415 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Robb, Terence A., Porter, Kelvin R., Holmes, Allen, Dugan, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, STEVEN H D
• Application Number:
  US11/354,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20060165223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/252, 370/352, 709/200, 709223-226, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/54 Object oriented software
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/052 software update
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2263 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0037 involving call modelling techniques, e.g. modifications to the basic call state model [BCSM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0058 using service-independent building blocks (SIBBs) or "primitives"

Abstract

A resource management system for an intelligent communications network having one or more distributed service nodes, each service node for providing services relating to an event received at a network resource associated with a service node. The system comprising a first processing tier comprising one or more local execution environments located at a node, each execution environment including a mechanism for instantiating one or more service objects capable of performing event services at a first local execution environment, and, for generating status information relating to executing service objects; and, a second processing tier associated with a service node and including a system processor for tracking status and availability of service objects and local execution environments. Upon receipt of service requests, the system processor communicates with the first processing tier for receiving the status information and initiating service object instantiation in the one or more local execution environments in the first processing tier at the node based upon the status and availability information of the requested service object.

Claims

1. A method, performed by one or more devices, for managing resources at one of a plurality of service nodes in an intelligent network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the one or more devices, a communications event for a requested service;

identifying, by the one or more devices, an availability of a first set of service objects based on the receiving;

executing, by the one or more devices, the first set of service objects in one of a plurality of local execution environments to perform the requested service; and

monitoring, by the one or more devices, the executing or the availability of the first set of service objects, where the monitoring includes;

determining a sub-status for members, of the first set of service objects, which comprise an active status that indicates that the members of the first set of service objects can be executed at the one service node; and

determining a sub-status for members, of the first set of service objects, which comprise an overload status that indicates that the members of the first set of service objects cannot be executed at the one service node.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

implementing, as managed objects, service control, call processing, or facility processing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending data to a centralized service administration component, coupled to the one or more devices, for storing in a data storage facility, and

receiving network management functionality from the one or more devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving another communications event for another requested service;

determining a status for information related to the other requested service;

determining an availability of the information; and

executing a second set of service objects in the one of the plurality of local execution environments based on the determining the status or the determining the availability.

5. The method of claim 4, where the executing the first set of service objects further comprises:

identifying the one of the plurality of local execution environments prior to the executing the first set of service objects or the executing the second set of service objects.

6. The method of claim 1, where the monitoring further comprises:

generating status information, the generating comprising;

obtaining an alarm indication identifying a level of usage for the one of the plurality of local execution environments, and

executing members of the first set of service objects based on the alarm indication.

7. A storage device storing instructions executable by a service node processor to provide a service at a service node in an intelligent network, the storage device comprising:

instructions to receive a communications event related to a requested service;

instructions to determine an availability of a plurality of service objects;

instructions to execute at least a subset of the plurality of service objects to perform the requested service in a local execution environment based on the determining;

instructions to monitor the status of members of the subset of the plurality of service objects that are executing;

instructions to generate, based on the monitoring, status information from the local execution environment at the service node; and

instructions to update data, stored in the storage device, with the status information.

8. The storage device of claim 7, further comprising:

instructions to initiate service object execution in the local execution environment upon receipt of another request for service.

9. The storage device of claim 7, where the instructions to execute at least a subset of the plurality of service objects further comprises:

instructions to identify one of a plurality of local execution environments, where the plurality of local execution environments includes the local execution environment; and

instructions to select the one of the plurality of execution environments or another of the plurality of execution environments in which to execute at least one of the plurality of service objects included in the subset.

10. The storage device of claim 7, further comprising:

instructions to maintain a list of service nodes configured to execute at least one of the subset of the plurality of service objects when the at least one of the subset of the plurality of service objects is identified with the requested service.

11. A storage device, storing instructions executable by a service node processor to provide a service in an intelligent network, the storage device comprising:

instructions to receive a communications event related to a requested service;

instructions to determine an availability of a plurality of service objects;

instructions to execute at least a subset of the plurality of service objects to perform the requested service in a local execution environment based on the determining;

instructions to monitor the status of members of the subset of the plurality of service objects that are executing;

instructions to generate status information that includes an alarm indication; and

instructions to operate on the status information to identify a level of usage of the local execution environment.

12. A service node for managing resources in an intelligent network, the service node comprising:

a network management system agent, including a plurality of devices, the network management system agent to;

receive a communications event for a requested service;

identify, based on the receiving, an availability of a first set of service objects;

perform the requested service by executing the first set of service objects in one of a plurality of local execution environments; and

monitor at least one of the executing or the availability of the first set of service objects, where the network management system agent is to monitor the at least one of the executing or the availability of the first set of service objects by generating status information, where, when generating status information, the network management system agent is to;

obtain an alarm indication identifying a level of usage for the one local execution environment, and

execute ones of the first set of service objects based on the alarm indication.

13. The service node of claim 12, where the network management system is further to:

receive another communications event for another requested service;

determine a status for information related to the other requested service;

determine an availability of the information; and

execute, based on at least one of the status determination or the availability determination, a second set of service objects in the one local execution environment.

14. The service node of claim 13, where when executing the first set of service objects, the network management system agent is further to:

identify the one local execution environment before the executing the first set of service objects or the second set of service objects.

15. The service node of claim 12, where the network management system agent is further to:

determine a sub-status for members, of the first set of service objects, which comprise an active status indicative that the members of the first set of service objects are executable at the service node; and

determine a sub-status for members, of the first set of service objects, which comprise an overload status indicative that the members of the first set of service objects are not executable at the service node.