Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data addressing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-13
2004-01-20
Sheikh, Ayaz (Department: 2131)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data addressing
C379S088130, C379S088140, C379S088180, C379S088220, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06681257
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to messaging systems, and particularly, relates to methods and systems for obtaining and/or providing information for the routing of messages between or among messaging platforms in a messaging system.
BACKGROUND
In a region-wide messaging (RWM) system, it may be desirable to have more than one messaging platform (voice mail system or server (VMS)) serving subscribers of the RWM system. Multiple messaging platforms in an RWM system may provide quicker service, handle more subscribers, handle a greater geographic area, etc.
Generally, an RWM system includes a directory to provide information with respect to the routing of a message between or among the messaging platforms of the RWM system. Such a directory typically includes a record or an entry for each subscriber of the RWM system. Generally, a subscriber's, record may include information about the subscriber in the fields of the record. For example, a subscriber's record may include his or her mailbox address. A mailbox address may be, may be composed of, or may include a directory number or other identifier such as the subscriber's name, address, and/or personal identification number (PIN), or other code. In addition, the subscriber's record includes a field with an address for the messaging platform serving the mailbox of the subscriber. With the information from this record, the directory may provide information with respect to the routing of a message addressed to the subscriber's mailbox address.
For example, assume a subscriber (“messaging subscriber”) creates a message at a first messaging platform (VMS#
1
). Also assume the subscriber desires the, message to be transmitted so the message is made available for retrieval by a recipient (“receiving subscriber”) from his or her mailbox. The message created by the subscriber typically includes the mailbox address of the recipient. But the message, as created by the subscriber, typically does not include the address of the messaging platform serving the recipient (VMS#
2
). To obtain the address of VMS#
2
, VMS#
1
provides the directory with the mailbox address of the message. In response, the directory provides VMS#
1
with the address of VMS#
2
. VMS#
1
then uses the address to route the message to VMS#
2
where VMS#
2
makes the message available in the recipient's mailbox.
The use of a single directory to provide information with respect to the routing of a message between or among the messaging platforms of the RWM system may be satisfactory while the number of subscribers in the RWM system is within the capacity of the single directory. But as the number of subscribers exceeds the capacity of the directory, problems are presented.
A first set of problems presented by a directory that has reached its capacity relates to the need for additional capacity for more subscriber records. Is there a way to obtain more capacity for subscriber records without negatively affecting the performance of the RWM system? Is there a way to obtain more capacity for subscriber records that has a positive effect on the performance of the RWM system? One way to obtain capacity in the single directory is to eliminate some of the records or to shorten the records. For example, the records in the directory may be culled for subscribers who are no longer active, for redundant information, and so on. This culling may obtain some capacity in the single directory. But if, records are simply eliminated or shortened without careful consideration to the operations of the RWM system, important information relating to subscribers may be lost, messages may not be correctly or efficiently routed, etc. The result of this inconsiderate culling may be a net gain in capacity, but unfortunately, the gain in capacity may be due to the loss of (dissatisfied) subscribers and their records from the database.
Another way to obtain capacity for subscriber records is to add one or more directories to the RWM system. Yet, the solution of adding one or more directories poses another set of problems. These problems include the determination of the most appropriate organizational scheme for the respective directories with respect to the records included in each directory.
For example, does the original directory retain its records for subscribers, and as new subscribers are added to the RWM system, should records for the new subscribers be added to the new directory? As another example, should records for the subscribers (old and new) be distributed among the directories based on: (1) geographic region served by a directory; (2) messaging platforms served by a directory; (3) concentration of subscribers in particular geographic areas; (4) alphabetic order; (5) all of the above; (6) none of the above; and/or (7) other?
When making a determination as to the organizational scheme for records to be included in the directories of the RWM system, the dynamic nature of messaging systems must be taken into account. For example, the respective assignment of subscribers to messaging platforms may change over time in efforts to load balance the overall RWM system. As another example, the respective assignment of subscribers to messaging platforms may change over time based on movement or other changes instituted by the subscriber. To explain, consider a subscriber who moves from one geographic area of the RWM system to another. With local number portability (LNP), the subscriber may retain his or her directory number, but be served by a different messaging platform of the RWM system. In the case of a subscriber's mailbox being moved from a messaging platform to a different messaging platform, the record for the subscriber in the directory needs to reflect the change in messaging platform address so that messages for the subscriber are routed correctly and efficiently to the different messaging platform.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems that obtain additional capacity for subscriber records in a directory or directories of an RWM system.
There is also a need for methods and systems that obtain additional capacity for subscriber records in a directory or directories of an RWM system without negatively affecting the performance of the RWM system.
There is an additional need for methods and systems that obtain additional capacity for subscriber records in a directory or directories of an RWM system that positively affect the performance of the RWM system.
There is a further need for methods and systems that obtain additional capacity for subscriber records in a directory of an RWM system by shortening or otherwise minimizing the information in the records without negatively affecting the operations of the RWM system.
In addition, there is a need for methods and systems that obtain additional capacity for subscriber records by the addition of one or more directories to the RWM system pursuant to an organizational scheme that takes into account the dynamic nature of messaging systems.
SUMMARY
Generally stated, the present inventions relate to systems and methods for routing of a message from a subscriber to a recipient in a messaging system. Exemplary embodiments of the present inventions include a plurality of directories and a network element. Each directory includes a file containing subscriber records. Each record contains fields correlating at least a portion of a subscriber's mailbox address to the messaging platform serving the subscriber. The network element also includes a file. But the network element's file is used to determine which directory of the plurality of directories includes records with fields containing data about the messaging platform serving a group of subscribers including a particular subscriber. Data about the messaging platform of a recipient of a message is obtained in a two-action process: (1) the network element is consulted to obtain the identity of the appropriate directory to consult; and (2) the directory (identified by t
Bedingfield James Carlton
Patel Navneet
BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
Sheikh Ayaz
Tocups Nora M.
Zia Syed A.
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