Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Combined circuit switching and packet switching
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-29
2002-06-04
Patel, Ajit (Department: 2662)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Combined circuit switching and packet switching
C370S386000, C379S219000, C709S229000, C709S249000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06400713
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related in general to the field of telecommunications equipment. More particularly, the invention is related to an integrated element manager and an integrated multi-services access platform performing grooming, switching and multiplexing on multiple services and data rates.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Frame relay (FR) service providers, as well as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) service providers, require a sufficient number of data ports in order to provide frame relay and asynchronous transfer mode services. However, these data ports are extremely expensive to obtain compared to ports for a conventional cross-connect systems. Further, time division multiplexed (TDM) links that provide access to frame relay services are extremely under-utilized due to the bursty nature of the information being transferred. The frame relay traffic is carried on fully allocated digital circuits such as DS-0, nxDS-0, T1, E1, T3, E3, et al. As a result, the variable bit rate characteristic of the frame relay traffic is not effectively exploited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it has become desirable to improve the efficiency of frame relay traffic transfer that would reduce the number of frame relay or asynchronous transfer mode ports required by the service provider and further coordinate and consolidate the management systems thereof. With an integrated element manager that manages an integrated multi-services access platform that provides data grooming and multiplexing, customer responsiveness is improved with shorter service provisioning time. Furthermore, operation costs of network management systems is also reduced.
In one aspect of the invention, an integrated multi-services access platform includes a time division multiplex interface coupled to a time division multiplex network, a matrix in communications with the time division multiplex interface, a frame relay groomer coupled to the matrix, an asynchronous transfer mode matrix coupled to the frame relay groomer, and an asynchronous transfer mode interface coupled to a frame relay/asynchronous transfer mode network.
In another aspect of the invention, an integrated element manager includes a centralized management system coupled to a time division multiplex operational support system, a frame relay/asynchronous transfer mode network management system interworking unit coupled to at least one frame relay/asynchronous transfer mode network management system, an element management function unit operable for service provisioning, fault management, element and network monitoring, and metric measurements, an element management database having service and network configurations, status, and billing information, a simple network management protocol unit, and at least one application program interface coupled to at least one telecommunications element.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4685101 (1987-08-01), Segal et al.
patent: 5337306 (1994-08-01), Hall
patent: 5434850 (1995-07-01), Fielding et al.
patent: 5490252 (1996-02-01), Macera et al.
patent: 5499241 (1996-03-01), Thompson et al.
patent: 5691976 (1997-11-01), Engdahl et al.
patent: 5734654 (1998-03-01), Shirai et al.
patent: 5742762 (1998-04-01), Scholl et al.
patent: 5903559 (1999-05-01), Acharya et al.
patent: 5982783 (1999-11-01), Frey et al.
patent: 5987513 (1999-11-01), Prithviraj et al.
patent: 6009106 (1999-12-01), Rustad et al.
patent: 6018567 (2000-01-01), Dulman
patent: 6070192 (2000-05-01), Holt et al.
patent: 6084892 (2000-07-01), Benash et al.
patent: 0 849 911 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 2280337 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 2305812 (1997-04-01), None
Matsuura, et al., “Architecture and Network Configuration of the Service Platform Oriented Fiber Access Network”, International Conference on Communications (ICC), U.S. New York, IEEE, 1994, pp. 1077-1081.
Zitzen, W. “Gesteuerte Allianz Heterogener Systeme and Netze”, Telcom Report, vol. 18, No. 6, Nov. 1, 1995, pp. 306-307.
Cranfill N.K. et al., “Emerging Technologies for the Control of the Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN)”, Proceedings of the Military Communications Conference (MILCOM), Long Beach, NJ., Oct. 2-5, 1994, vol. 2, pp. 664-668.
Hutstein, J. et al., “Alllianz zur Netzevolution”, Telecom Report, vol. 17, No. 1, Jan. 1, 1994 pp. 30-33.
Banerjee, S., et al., “Carrier and Customer Management of Fast Packet Services and ATM”, Proceedings of the Network Operations and Management Symposium, Feb. 14-17, 1994, vol. 2, SYMP. 4, pp. 576-586.
S.P. Ferguson, “Implications of Sonet and SDH”, Electronics & Communication Engineering Journal, Jun. 1994, pp. 133-142.
Austin David E.
Frazier Paul R.
Garcia Clemente G.
Thomas Shaji A.
Walding Andrew M.
Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P.
Botts L.L.P. Baker
Patel Ajit
Pezzlo John
LandOfFree
Integrated element manager and integrated multi-services... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Integrated element manager and integrated multi-services..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Integrated element manager and integrated multi-services... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2925920