Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call traffic recording by computer or control processor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-11
2003-07-22
Kuntz, Curtis (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call traffic recording by computer or control processor
C379S112060, C379S112080
Reexamination Certificate
active
06597773
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to management and maintenance of telecommunications infrastructure, and more particularly to an automated system for managing a plurality of remotely located sites owned, operated and/or serviced by a plurality of system users.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telecommunications companies often have a large number of remotely located equipment sites. These sites typically include telecommunications equipment, telecommunications cables, and pathways for running cables. These pathways may be occupied by cables or other equipment, may be damaged, destroyed or otherwise unable to receive cables, or may be unoccupied and ready to receive cables.
The telecommunications equipment sites are frequently numerous, remote from the main office of the telecommunications company and/or unmanned and undergo frequent changes. Accordingly, telecommunications companies often lose track and control over what equipment and cables, or which pathways for running cables, are installed, in use, damaged or available for use at any particular site.
These problems are exacerbated when two or more telecommunications companies jointly own, operate and/or service telecommunications equipment at the same equipment sites, as is often the case with public infrastructure sites, such as manholes. Each manhole may be maintained by many telecommunications companies, each one having telecommunications equipment and/or cables located in the same manhole, and each one owning the rights to different pathways within the manhole. In such cases, it is extremely difficult for one telecommunications company to know what equipment and cables are present at any given site, particularly when such equipment and cables have been installed by other telecommunications companies.
Moreover, conflicts may frequently occur when two or more telecommunications companies desire to access the same site at the same time. For example, manholes typically have very limited space, and it is often impossible for more than one worker to operate in the manhole at a time. Thus, if one telecommunications company has a worker operating in a manhole, and a work team from another company arrives at the site seeking to access the same manhole, problems may occur relating to who should have priority in accessing the site. This is particularly troublesome when large scale construction projects involving multiple telecommunications companies are under way.
What is desired, therefore, is a system for managing telecommunications infrastructure which automatically manages a plurality of remotely located sites, which monitors what equipment and cables, or which pathways for running cables, are installed, in use, damaged or available for use at any particular site, which automatically manages sites owned, operated and/or serviced by a plurality of system users, and which automatically maintains access schedules for the sites so as to minimize conflicts that may occur when two or more telecommunications companies desire to access the same site.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for managing telecommunications infrastructure which automatically manages a plurality of remotely located sites.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for managing telecommunications infrastructure having the above characteristics and which monitors what equipment and cables, or which pathways for running cables, are installed, in use, damaged or available for use at any particular site.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system for managing telecommunications infrastructure having the above characteristics and which automatically manages sites owned, operated and/or serviced by a plurality of system users.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system for managing telecommunications infrastructure having the above characteristics and which automatically maintains access schedules for the sites so as to minimize conflicts that may occur when two or more telecommunications companies desire to access the same site.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by provision of a system for managing telecommunications infrastructure including a computer and a communications link between the computer and a plurality of users. In one aspect, the system includes a sites database accessible by the computer, the sites database having stored thereon site information relating to a plurality of telecommunications sites, and being accessible by a site identifier. Software executing on the computer receives from the plurality of users through the communications link a site identifier indicative of a site of interest, and retrieves from the sites database and transmits to the plurality of users through the communications link information relating to the site of interest. Software executing on the computer is also provided for receiving from the plurality of users through the communications link a site update for a site which has been updated, and for updating the site information relating to the updated site on the sites database. Thus, the system facilitates the management of telecommunications infrastructure by allowing a user to access the most current information available regarding a plurality of telecommunications sites, even if it was another user which was the last to update the sites.
Preferably, the site information may comprise graphical representations of the current status of the plurality of telecommunications sites, photographs of the plurality of telecommunications sites, or data indicative of the current status of the plurality of telecommunications sites. In the last case, the system most preferably includes software for generating, based upon the data indicative of the current status of the plurality of telecommunications sites, graphical representations of the current status of the plurality of telecommunications sites.
Also preferably, the site information may comprise an indication of which equipment and cables are installed at the plurality of telecommunications sites and/or an indication of which pathways are in use, damaged or available at the plurality of telecommunications sites.
In another aspect, the system includes a schedules database accessible by the computer, the schedules database having stored thereon schedule maintenance plans relating to a plurality of telecommunications sites, and being accessible by a site identifier. Software executing on the computer receives from the plurality of users through the communications link a work order for a site to be accessed, the work order comprising a site identifier indicative of the site to be accessed. Software executing on the computer then retrieves from the schedules database and transmits to the plurality of users through the communications link a schedule maintenance plan relating to the site to be accessed. Software executing on the computer is also provided for receiving from the plurality of users through the communications link an indication of a desired time period for access to the site to be accessed. Software executing on the computer then, if no scheduling conflict is determined to exist, updates the schedule maintenance plan relating to the site to be accessed on the schedules database to reflect the indication of the desired time period for access to the site to be accessed.
Preferably, software executing on the computer is provided for receiving from the plurality of users through the communication link documentation relating to the work order. It is also preferable that the work order includes an indication of whether the work order relates to an emergency situation, and the system further includes an emergencies database accessible by the computer, the emergencies database having stored thereon emergency notifications relating to a plurality of telecommunications sites, and being accessible by a site identifier. In such a case, software executing on the computer is provided for, if the work order relates to
O'Kane, Jr. Hugh
Stanton Frank L.
Kuntz Curtis
Lexent Inc.
St. Onge Steward Johnston & Reens LLC
Taylor Barry W
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