EP1287458A2 - Planification en collaboration des capacites et gestion anticipee des stocks lors de la planification de l'offre et de la demande dans un environnement de chaine d'approvisionnement fondee sur le reseau et procede associe - Google Patents

Planification en collaboration des capacites et gestion anticipee des stocks lors de la planification de l'offre et de la demande dans un environnement de chaine d'approvisionnement fondee sur le reseau et procede associe

Info

Publication number
EP1287458A2
EP1287458A2 EP00983766A EP00983766A EP1287458A2 EP 1287458 A2 EP1287458 A2 EP 1287458A2 EP 00983766 A EP00983766 A EP 00983766A EP 00983766 A EP00983766 A EP 00983766A EP 1287458 A2 EP1287458 A2 EP 1287458A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
network
service
data
call
switch
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP00983766A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Michael G. Mikurak
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Accenture LLP
Original Assignee
Accenture LLP
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Accenture LLP filed Critical Accenture LLP
Publication of EP1287458A2 publication Critical patent/EP1287458A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/02—Standardisation; Integration
    • H04L41/0213—Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
    • G06Q10/06—Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/04—Network management architectures or arrangements
    • H04L41/046—Network management architectures or arrangements comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/06—Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
    • H04L41/069—Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08—Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0894—Policy-based network configuration management
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5003—Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5003—Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
    • H04L41/5019—Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
    • H04L41/5025—Ensuring fulfilment of SLA by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5061—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5061—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
    • H04L41/5067—Customer-centric QoS measurements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/508—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements based on type of value added network service under agreement
    • H04L41/5087—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements based on type of value added network service under agreement wherein the managed service relates to voice services
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/508—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements based on type of value added network service under agreement
    • H04L41/509—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements based on type of value added network service under agreement wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/508—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements based on type of value added network service under agreement
    • H04L41/5093—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements based on type of value added network service under agreement wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H04L43/08—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
    • H04L43/0805—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability
    • H04L43/0817—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability by checking functioning
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H04L43/08—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
    • H04L43/0823—Errors, e.g. transmission errors
    • H04L43/0847—Transmission error
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H04L43/16—Threshold monitoring

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to e-Commerce-based supply chains and more particularly pertains to collaborative capacity planning during demand and supply planning in a network-based supply chain.
  • a telephone switch When a telephone switch is accompanied by other telecommunications equipment, such as voice messaging systems, call accounting systems, CTI devices, wireless communication servers, or ACD devices, installation inconveniences are still further multiplied. Specifically, many of these ancillary pieces of equipment require additional entry of user information that is duplicative of information already entered into the main telephone switching equipment. In such case, not only must a technician program the main telecommunications switch, but additional time (and money) must be spent for programming ancillary equipment with similar information. Typically, these systems must be perfectly synchronized with each other or problems will occur. As a result, the total cost of the installation is greatly increased and data entry enor rates are greatly increased.
  • each discrete change to one component of a telecommunications system often requires additional, similar changes to several other components.
  • these additional changes typically must be done in a specific order and, since the operating system design of each of the telecommunications devices often changes from manufacturer to manufacturer and from device to device, by using an entirely different command structure for each different component. Therefore, when done manually, a technician must remember different command structures for each of the devices that require programming and also must remember the order in which the changes should be made and further may require different terminals, passwords, procedures, software, etc.
  • a highly skilled technician having familiarity with all of the various types of equipment that make up the telecommunications system must perform these changes, or as is more common, multiple technicians are required.
  • the likelihood of an enor is greatly increased.
  • supporting database connectivity protocols may be included when providing data access.
  • data import and export capabilities may be available when providing data access.
  • supporting data transfer in multiple languages may be included when providing data access.
  • a common data access language may be provided when providing data access.
  • detecting and reporting data transfer enors may be included when providing data access.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a hardware implementation of one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment of a system for combined industry supply management between one or multiple manufacturers and one or many service providers and/or vendors and/or resellers;
  • Figure 3 is a flowchart for a process for affording a network-based supply chain framework in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of the relationship between areas of core competence of both operators and manufacturers for creating an environment for new business relationships in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 6 illustrates some of the components in the eCommerce Market Space and illustrative capabilities of the components
  • Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a methodology for installation management utilizing a network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 8 is a flowchart depicting a process for demand and supply planning utilizing a network
  • Figure 9 illustrates a flowchart for a methodology for managing orders in a network-based supply chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 10 illustrates a flowchart for a process for managing assets in a network-based supply chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 11 illustrates a flowchart for a methodology 1100 for providing maintenance and service in a network-based supply chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 12 is a block diagram of an exemplary telecommunications system in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 13 shows a block diagram of the Network Data Management in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating a Network Data Management process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating a Customer Interface Management Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 17 shows a block diagram of the Customer Quality of Service Management Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 18 is a flowchart illustrating a Customer Quality of Service Management Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 20 is a flowchart illustrating a Service Quality Management Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 21 shows a block diagram of the Problem Handling Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 22 is a flowchart illustrating a Problem Handling Management Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • FIG. 6 Figure 23 shows a block diagram of the Rating and Discounting Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 26 is a flowchart illustrating an Invoice and Collections Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 27 is a flowchart showing illustrating media communication over a hybrid network in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figures 30 and 31 collectively illustrate the ECDR and EPNR call record formats in accordance with a preferred embodiment
  • Figure 32 illustrates the OSR and POSR call record formats in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 35 illustrates the SER call record format in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 39 is a control flow diagram illustrating the Change Daylight Savings Time command in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 40 is a control flow diagram illustrating the Network Call Identifier (NCID) switch call processing in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 41 is a control flow diagram illustrating the processing of a received Network Call
  • Figure 43 is a control flow diagram illustrating the addition of a Network Call Identifier to a call record in accordance with a preferred embodiment.
  • Figure 44 is a control flow diagram illustrating the transport of a call in accordance with a prefened embodiment
  • Figure 45 is a flowchart showing a Fault Management Process in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 46 is a block diagram showing a Fault Management component in accordance with a prefened embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 47 is a flowchart showing a Proactive Threshold Management Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 48 is a flowchart showing a Network Sensing Process in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 50 is a flowchart showing a three tiered customer support process in accordance with a prefened embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 51 is a flowchart showing an integrated IP telephony process in accordance with a prefened embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 52 is a flowchart showing a Data Mining Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 53 is a block diagram of a Web Architecture Framework in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 54 is a flowchart illustrating the commerce-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 55 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for facilitating a virtual shopping transaction
  • Figure 56 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for facilitating a virtual shopping transaction by comparing different products and services
  • Figure 57 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for creating a hierarchy of the features of the items selected in accordance with the customer's profile
  • Figure 58 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for facilitating a virtual shopping transaction by ascertaining needs of a user
  • Figure 59 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for facilitating a virtual shopping transaction by generating a solution based on the requirements of the user;
  • Figure 60 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for allowing a user to customize an item for purchase in a virtual shopping environment
  • Figure 61 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for advertising in a virtual shopping environment
  • Figure 62 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for advertising in a virtual shopping environment
  • Figure 63 is an illustration of yet another embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 64 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for automatically generating a contract between an owner of software and a user of the software;
  • Figure 65 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention for automatically generating a contract between an owner of software and a user of the software
  • Figure 67 is a flowchart illustrating the customer relationship management-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 68 is a flowchart illustrating a profile management service of the customer relationship management-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 69 is a flowchart illustrating a profile management service of the customer relationship management-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 70 is a flowchart illustrating the content management and publishing-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 71 is a flowchart illustrating the education-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 72 is a flowchart illustrating one manner of generating an educational cuniculum in the education-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 73 is a flowchart illustrating one manner of generating an educational curriculum in the education-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 74 is a flowchart illustrating the web customer-related web application services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 76 is a flowchart illustrating the security services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 77 is a flowchart illustrating the network services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 78 is a flowchart illustrating the internet services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 79 is a flowchart illustrating the client services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 80 is a flowchart illustrating the data services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 81 is a flowchart illustrating the integration capabilities in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 82 is a flowchart illustrating the miscellaneous services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 83 is a flowchart illustrating the directory services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 85 is a flowchart illustrating the web developer services in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 86 is a flow diagram depicting considerations to be taken into consideration when identifying the core technologies to be used in an architecture
  • Figure 87 is a chart that can be utilized to determine whether to use Netcentric technology
  • Figure 88 is a chart that can be utilized to determine whether to use Client Server technology
  • Figure 89 is a chart that can be utilized to determine whether to use Host technology
  • Figure 122 shows an exemplary security architecture in an online shopping scenario
  • Figure 130 is a flowchart illustrating another method of identifying the amount of bandwidth of a user
  • Figure 131 is a flowchart illustrating a method for exchanging money for bandwidth
  • Figure 134 is a flow chart illustrating a method of performing clearing and settlement functions in a bandwidth market environment
  • Figure 135 illustrates in overview a system anangement for implementing the over the counter (or other) bandwidth market system of the instant invention
  • Figure 138 is the left portion of a flow chart for the data processing of block 13714 of Figure 137 for updating the inventory cost (average price per unit of bandwidth AVCST(BWTH)) of the bandwidth BWTH and the running profit PR(B WTH) realized from the execution of each trade;
  • Figure 141 is a block diagram of a bill pay system relying on postal mailed payments
  • Figure 142 is a block diagram of a bill pay system wherein consumers pay bills using a bill pay service bureau which has the consumers as customers;
  • Figure 144 is a flow chart illustrating an open market environment for electronic content.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of one possible hardware implementation by which the present invention may be carried out. As shown, the present invention may be practiced in the context of a personal computer such as an IBM compatible personal computer, Apple Macintosh computer or
  • the workstation typically has resident thereon an operating system such as the Microsoft Windows NT or Windows/95 Operating System (OS), the IBM OS/2 operating system, the MAC OS, or
  • OS Microsoft Windows NT or Windows/95 Operating System
  • IBM OS/2 operating system the IBM OS/2 operating system
  • MAC OS the MAC OS
  • a prefened embodiment of the present invention is written using JAVA, C, and the C++ language and utilizes object oriented programming methodology.
  • Object oriented programming has become increasingly used to develop complex applications. As OOP moves toward the mainstream of software design and development, various software solutions require adaptation to make use of the benefits of OOP.
  • OOP allows the programmer to create an object that is a part of another object.
  • the object representing a piston engine is said to have a composition-relationship with the object representing a piston.
  • a piston engine comprises a piston, valves and many other components; the fact that a piston is an element of a piston engine can be logically and semantically represented in OOP by two objects.
  • OOP also allows creation of an object that "depends from” another object. If there are two objects, one representing a piston engine and the other representing a piston engine wherein the piston is made of ceramic, then the relationship between the two objects is not that of composition.
  • a ceramic piston engine does not make up a piston engine. Rather it is merely one kind of piston engine that has one more limitation than the piston engine; its piston is made of ceramic.
  • the object representing the ceramic piston engine is called a derived object, and it inherits all of the aspects of the object representing the piston engine and adds further limitation or detail to it.
  • the object representing the ceramic piston engine "depends from" the object representing the piston engine. The relationship between these objects is called inheritance.
  • the object or class representing the ceramic piston engine inherits all of the aspects of the objects representing the piston engine, it inherits the thermal characteristics of a standard piston defined in the piston engine class.
  • the ceramic piston engine object ovenides these ceramic specific thermal characteristics, which are typically different from those associated with a metal piston. It skips over the original and uses new functions related to ceramic pistons.
  • Different kinds of piston engines have different characteristics, but may have the same underlying functions associated with it (e.g., how many pistons in the engine, ignition sequences, lubrication, etc.).
  • a programmer would call the same functions with the same names, but each type of piston engine may have different/overriding implementations of functions behind the same name. This ability to hide different implementations of a function behind the same name is called polymorphism and it greatly simplifies communication among objects.
  • Objects can represent physical objects, such as automobiles in a traffic-flow simulation, electrical components in a circuit-design program, countries in an economics model, or aircraft in an air-traffic-control system.
  • Objects can represent elements of the computer-user environment such as windows, menus or graphics objects.
  • An object can represent an inventory, such as a personnel file or a table of the latitudes and longitudes of cities.
  • An object can represent user-defined data types such as time, angles, and complex numbers, or points on the plane.
  • OOP allows the software developer to design and implement a computer program that is a model of some aspects of reality, whether that reality is a physical entity, a process, a system, or a composition of matter. Since the object can represent anything, the software developer can create an object which can be used as a component in a larger software project in the future.
  • OOP enables software developers to build objects out of other, previously built objects.
  • C++ is an OOP language that offers a fast, machine-executable code.
  • C++ is suitable for both commercial-application and systems-programming projects.
  • C++ appears to be the most popular choice among many OOP programmers, but there is a host of other OOP languages, such as Smalltalk, Common Lisp Object System (CLOS), and Eiffel. Additionally, OOP capabilities are being added to more traditional popular computer programming languages such as Pascal.
  • class libraries allow programmers to use and reuse many small pieces of code, each programmer puts those pieces together in a different way.
  • Two different programmers can use the same set of class libraries to write two programs that do exactly the same thing but whose internal structure (i.e., design) may be quite different, depending on hundreds of small decisions each programmer makes along the way.
  • similar pieces of code end up doing similar things in slightly different ways and do not work as well together as they should.
  • Frameworks also represent a change in the way programmers think about the interaction between the code they write and code written by others.
  • the programmer called libraries provided by the operating system to perform certain tasks, but basically the program executed down the page from start to finish, and the programmer was solely responsible for the flow of control. This was appropriate for printing out paychecks, calculating a mathematical table, or solving other problems with a program that executed in just one way.
  • event loop programs require programmers to write a lot of code that should not need to be written separately for every application.
  • the concept of an application framework carries the event loop concept further. Instead of dealing with all the nuts and bolts of constructing basic menus, windows, and dialog boxes and then making these things all work together, programmers using application frameworks start with working application code and basic user interface elements in place. Subsequently, they build from there by replacing some of the generic capabilities of the framework with the specific capabilities of the intended application.
  • Application frameworks reduce the total amount of code that a programmer has to write from scratch.
  • the framework is really a generic application that displays windows, supports copy and paste, and so on, the programmer can also relinquish control to a greater degree than event loop programs permit.
  • the framework code takes care of almost all event handling and flow of control, and the programmer's code is called only when the framework needs it (e.g., to create or manipulate a proprietary data structure).
  • a framework basically is a collection of cooperating classes that make up a reusable design solution for a given problem domain. It typically includes objects that
  • a prefened embodiment of the invention utilizes HyperText Markup Language
  • HTTP HyperText Markup Language
  • HTTP or other protocols could be readily substituted for HTML without undue experimentation.
  • HTML is a simple data format used to create hypertext documents that are portable from one platform to another.
  • HTML documents are SGML documents with generic semantics that are appropriate for representing information from a wide range of domains. HTML has been in use by the World-Wide Web global information initiative since 1990.
  • Sun Microsystem's Java language solves many of the client-side problems by: • Improving performance on the client side;
  • UI User Interface
  • Custom “widgets” e.g., real-time stock tickers, animated icons, etc.
  • client-side performance is improved.
  • Java supports the notion of client-side validation, offloading appropriate processing onto the client for improved performance.
  • Dynamic, real-time Web pages can be created. Using the above-mentioned custom UI components, dynamic Web pages can also be created.
  • Sun's Java language has emerged as an industry-recognized language for "programming the Internet.”
  • Sun defines Java as: "a simple, object-oriented, distributed, inte ⁇ reted, robust, secure, architecture-neutral, portable, high-performance, multithreaded, dynamic, buzzword- compliant, general-pu ⁇ ose programming language.
  • Java supports programming for the Internet in the form of platform-independent Java applets.” Java applets are small, specialized
  • Java Application Programming Interface
  • Java-compatible browser e.g., Netscape Navigator
  • Java executes within a Java-compatible browser (e.g., Netscape Navigator) by copying code from the server to client.
  • Java's core feature set is based on C++.
  • Sun's Java literature states that Java is basically, "C++ with extensions from Objective C for more dynamic method resolution.”
  • the present invention manages the supply chain between the manufacturer(s) and service provider(s).
  • the industry supply management is centralized in an eCommerce Market Space 206, which includes components that manage end-to-end supply chain information such as demand planning, order fulfillment, scheduling, inventory, etc.
  • end-to-end supply chain information such as demand planning, order fulfillment, scheduling, inventory, etc.
  • some of the benefits of the present invention include: economies of scale are enabled, rationalization of procurement
  • the group of manufacturers of such a system each has a common logistics profile and limitations.
  • the manufacturers may focus on production core competence and would also be responsible for strategic and tactical optimization of network assets.
  • the group of service providers have common network profiles.
  • the service providers may focus on customers, new businesses and channels, etc. Further, under the system of the present invention, the service providers would be allowed to migrate from operations focus to strategic technology and market management.
  • the components may include some or all of an installation management component 208, a demand and supply component 210, an order management component 212, a network asset management component 214, a maintenance and service component 216, a procurement and recovered inventory component 218, and/or a distribution and logistics component 220.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart for a process 300 for affording a network-based supply chain framework in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Installation of a service is managed utilizing a network in operation 302.
  • Demand and supply of manufacturer offerings are planned utilizing the network in operation 304 and orders for the manufacturer offerings are also managed utilizing the network in operation 306.
  • the network is also utilized to manage network assets including providing maintenance and service for the network assets utilizing the network (see operations 308 and 310).
  • Figure 4 is a chart 400 illustrating the relations between benefit areas and components of the e- Commerce Market Space in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the benefit areas include a revenue enhancement benefit area 402, a cost reduction benefit area 404, and a capital reduction benefit area 406.
  • Each benefit area includes a number of associated benefits.
  • Illustrative benefits associated with revenue enhancement 402 include: (a) faster time to site integration; (b) better on-line network performance; (c) rapid integration of acquisition; and (d) faster order to cash.
  • benefits associated with cost reduction 404 include: (a) duplication reduction; (b) distribution facility rationalization; (c) procurement rationalization; (d) simplified processes; and (e) transportation rationalization.
  • Illustrative benefits associated with capital reduction 406 include: (a) reduced inventories; and (b) manufacturing capacity utilization.
  • Figure 4 also includes a plurality of columns for various components of the present invention. These columns may include an Installation Management component column 408, a Demand and Supply Planning component column 410, an Order Management component column 412, a Network Asset Management component column 414, and a Maintenance and Service component column 416.
  • the Installation Management component may include the following benefits to the service provider by looking at Figure 4 in closer detail: faster time to site integration, rapid integration of acquisition, duplication reduction, procurement rationalization, transportation rationalization, and reduced inventories.
  • the Installation Management component may also include the following benefits to the manufacturer: duplication reduction, procurement rationalization, transportation rationalization, and reduced inventories.
  • benefits for the service provider under the Demand and Supply Planning component may include the following: rapid integration of acquisition, duplication reduction, distribution facility rationalization, procurement rationalization, reduced inventories, and manufacturing capacity utilization.
  • benefits for the manufacturer under the Demand and Supply Planning component in this illustrative embodiment of the present invention may include the following: duplication reduction, distribution facility rationalization, reduced inventories, and manufacturing capacity utilization.
  • benefits for the service provider may include the following (as illustrated in Figure 4): duplication reduction, and procurement rationalization. Benefits for the manufacturer under the Order Management
  • 27 component in this illustrative embodiment of the present invention may include: faster order to cash, duplication reduction, simplified processes, and manufacturing capacity utilization.
  • benefits for the service provider for the Network Asset Management component may include: better on-line network performance, rapid integration of acquisition, and simplified processes.
  • benefits for the service provider under the Maintenance and Service component may include: better on-line network performance, and distribution facility rationalization. Benefits for the manufacturer under the
  • Maintenance and Service component may include: duplication reduction, and distribution facility rationalization.
  • Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of the relationship between areas of core competence of both operators and manufacturers for creating an environment for new business relationships in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • core competencies of a service provider 502 may include: new customer acquisitions, new customer segmentation strategy, technology life cycle management, and new service offerings.
  • Core competencies of a manufacturer 504 may include: focus on managing the customer relationship, focus on managing production capacity, focus on research and development ("R&D"), and focus on market coverage roll out.
  • the network may be planned based on a capability, such as capacity and features. Availability of sites may be synchronized with the network roll out and network assets may be jointly optimized.
  • the creating of an environment for new business relationships with respect to the service provider 506 provides an open access channel for new service offerings from the manufacturer so that focus may be moved on a platform release strategy in line with service offerings.
  • the environment for new business relationships with respect to the manufacturer 508 may allows for the gaining of the potential to reposition the network as a platform for their solutions pipeline where the ability for the manufacturer to build strategic alliances with solution integrators becomes a critical differentiator.
  • FIG. 28 illustrates a flowchart for a methodology 700 for installation management utilizing a network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • information is received from at least one service provider utilizing a network. This information includes information relating to the service provided by the service provider. Also received utilizing the network is information from at least one manufacturer in operation 704. This information includes information relating to manufacturer offerings. The service is matched in operation 706 to the manufacturer offerings and the service and manufacturer offerings information are utilized to manage installations in operation 708.
  • collaboration between the matched service provider and the manufacturer may also be managed.
  • the management of collaboration may include facilitating the transmitting of information between the matched service provider and the manufacturer utilizing the network.
  • a collaborative planning tool may be provided for managing the collaboration between the matched service provider and the manufacturer.
  • milestone based project planning may be facilitated between the matched service provider and the manufacturer.
  • the manufacturer offerings of the matched manufacturer may be displayed to the matched service provider and services provided by the matched service provider may be displayed to the matched manufacturer utilizing the network.
  • the information of the manufacturer may include information relating to the availability of the manufacturer offerings.
  • the service provider may be notified of the availability of the manufacturer offerings that match the service installation information.
  • a method for use in cooperation with a computer having memory in a Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) for generating an optimized transition plan for the placement of Self-Healing Rings (SHR) and the routing of point-to-point demand in accordance with projected customer demand over a selected multi-period time interval.
  • SONET Synchronous Optical Network
  • 29 SONET is both a standard and a set of specifications for building high speed, digital communications networks that run over fiberoptic cables while interfacing with existing electrical protocols and asynchronous transmission equipment.
  • Fiberoptics has revolutionized telecommunications in view of the large bandwidth availability (cunently estimated in the hundreds of gigabits per second) which continues to increase with technological advances such as wave-division multiplexing and similar developments in light polarization and dispersion- shifted fibers.
  • SONET specifies a digital hierarchy based on Optical Carrier (OC) rather than electrical levels. SONET does define Synchronous Transport Signals
  • STS SONET Network Elements
  • NE SONET Network Elements
  • STS- Is as needed up to STS-N where N is the number of STS- Is, then convert the total electrical multiplex to an optical carrier and transmit it over optical fiber.
  • SONET is multiplexed at the byte level, allowing services to be dynamically placed into the broadband STS for transport.
  • the basic SONET of 64 Kbps per byte is the same speed as the conceptual voice channel DSO allowing SONET to easily integrate all currently used digital services into the optical hierarchy.
  • SONET allows for the direct multiplexing of cunent network services, such as DSl, DSIC, DS2, and DS3 into the synchronous payload of STS- 1.
  • cunent network services such as DSl, DSIC, DS2, and DS3 into the synchronous payload of STS- 1.
  • the above rates were developed based on existing transmission systems.
  • the DSl and DS2 signal rates (1.544 million bits per second and 6.312 million bits per second) are the transmission rates of the Tl and T2 wire pair carrier systems.
  • M12 one multiplexer
  • M23 a second multiplexer
  • the asynchronous DS3 multiplexing standard was implemented in the days when most networks utilized analog technology and the few digital systems in existence generated their own clocking systems.
  • the transmission specifications for DSl signals specify that the bit rate is
  • bit stuffing supports independently clocked input signals, it also makes it nearly impossible to locate individual DSl or DSO channels within a DS3 bit stream. To extract a single channel, a DS3 signal would need to first be demultiplexed through Ml 3 components into twenty-eight DSls before the channels could be switched or reananged. As a result, the process of adding or deleting channels is expensive.
  • the SONET standard defines a viable alternative which supports greater capacity and efficiency.
  • the basic signal transmission rate— STS- 1— operates at 51.84 million bits per second.
  • AN STS-1 can carry 28 DSl signals or one asynchronous DS3.
  • STS-1 signals are then multiplexed to produce higher bit rates- -STS-2, STS-3, etc.
  • the other term used to define the SONET signal levels is optical carrier.
  • the bit rates are the same in each case, so the bit rate of the STS-1 equals the bit rate of the OC-1. The only difference is the type of signal that is being referenced. For example, if the signal is in an electrical format, it is refened to as an STS. Similarly, if the signal is in an optical format—compatible with a fiber medium— it is refened to as an OC.
  • Tomonow's networks are expected to support "multimedia” applications with their much greater bandwidth and real-time delivery requirements.
  • the next generation networks should also have the ability to dynamically reconfigure the network so that it can guarantee a predetermined amount of bandwidth for the requested quality of service (QOS). This includes providing access, performance, fault tolerance and security between any specified set of end systems as directed by the network's manager.
  • QOS quality of service
  • Text files and images can be sent over existing packet-based networks because the delivery of this information is not time critical.
  • the new traffic (voice and video) is delivery time sensitive- variable or excessive latency will degrade the quality of service and can render this information worthless.
  • Packet switching networks are also used which combine burst type data with the more continuous types of information such as voice, high quality audio, and motion video.
  • Commercialization of voice, video and audio transmission makes it desirable to be able to connect packets to multiple destinations, called packet broadcasting.
  • a broadcast video service such as pay-per-view television involves a single source of video packets, each of which is directed to multiple video receivers.
  • conferencing capabilities for voice communication also require single source to multiple destination transmission.
  • Packet switching arose, in part, to fulfill the need for low cost data communications in networks developed to allow access to host computers.
  • Special pu ⁇ ose computers designated as communication processors have been developed to offload the communication handling tasks which were formerly required of the host.
  • the communication processor is adapted to interface with the host and to route packets along the network; consequently, such a processor is often simply called a packet switch.
  • Data concentrators have also been developed to interface with hosts and to route packets along the network. In essence, data concentrators serve to switch a number of lightly used links onto a smaller number of more heavily used links. They are often used in conjunction with, and ahead of, the packet switch.
  • packet-switched data transmission is accomplished via predetermined end-to-end paths through the network, in which user packets associated with a great number of users share link and switch facilities as the packets travel over the network.
  • the packets may require storage at nodes between transmission links of the network until they may be forwarded along the respective outgoing link for the overall path.
  • connectionless transmission another mode of packet-switched data transmission, no initial connection is required for a data path through the network. In this mode, individual datagrams carrying a destination address are routed through the network from source to destination via intermediate nodes, and do not necessarily arrive in the order in which they were transmitted.
  • the widely-used Telenet public packet switching network routes data using a two-level hierarchy.
  • the hierarchy comprises a long distance-spanning backbone network with a multiplicity of nodes or hubs, each of which utilizes a cluster of backbone switches; and smaller geographic area networks with backbone trunks, access lines and clustered lower level switches connected to each hub.
  • Packet-switched data is transmitted through the network via VCs, using CCITT (International Consultative Committee of the International Telecommunications Union) X.75 protocol, which is a compatible enhancement of X.25 protocol.
  • CCITT International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee of the International Telecommunications Union
  • SNA Systems Network Architecture
  • OSI Open Systems Interconnection
  • X.25 is an interface organized as a three-layered architecture for connecting data terminals, computers, and other user systems or devices, generally refereed to as data terminal equipment (DTE), to a packet-switched network through data circuit terminating equipment (DCE) utilized to control the DTE's access to the network.
  • DTE data terminal equipment
  • DCE data circuit terminating equipment
  • the three layers of the X.25 interface architecture are the physical level, the frame level and the packet level.
  • X.25 establishes procedures for congestion control among users, as well as call setup (or
  • X.25 is employed for virtual circuit (VC) connections, including the call setup, data transfer, and call clearing phases. Call setup between DTEs connected to the network is established by one
  • DTE issuing an X.25 call-request packet to the related DCE, the packet containing the channel number for the logical connections, the calling and called DTE addresses, parameters specifying the call characteristics, and the data.
  • the destination DCE issues an incoming call packet, which is of the same general format as the call-request packet, to the destination DTE, the latter replying with a call-accepted packet.
  • the calling DCE issues a call-connected packet to its related DTE. At that point the call is established and the data transfer phase may begin by delivery of data packets.
  • a call-clearing procedure is initiated.
  • Prospective routing paths in the network are initially determined by a network control center, which then transmits these predetermined paths to the backbone switches as routing tables consisting of primary and secondary choices of available links from each hub.
  • the secondary choices are viable only in the event of primary link failures, and the specific secondary link selection is a local decision at the respective hub based principally on cunent or recent traffic congestion patterns.
  • the unavailability of an outgoing link from a hub at the time of the call setup effects a clearing back of the VC for the sought call to the preceding hub.
  • An alternative link is then selected by that hub, or, if none is available there, the VC circuit is again cleared back to the next preceding hub, and so forth, until an available path is uncovered from the routing tables.
  • Messages concerning link and/or hub failures are communicated immediately to the network control center, and that information is dispatched to the rest of the network by the center.
  • the data processing devices reside in a plurality of cards or boards containing printed circuits or integrated circuits for performing the various functions of the respective device in combination with the system software.
  • the cards are inserted into designated slots in cages within a console, with backplane access to a data bus for communication with one another or to other devices in the network.
  • the VME bus is presently the most popular 16/32-bit backplane bus. References from time to time herein to cards or boards will be understood to mean the various devices embodied in such cards or boards.
  • PDNs public data networks
  • ID identification
  • password password
  • MNS Managed Networked Services
  • the present invention's overall approach to implementing the NM/MNS market offering is two fold.
  • the current opportunity that presents itself is MNS. While this market opportunity for clients is large, they need assistance in understanding data network management - for years they have been solely focused on voice. Additionally, they need to move into this market quickly in order to maintain and grow revenue.
  • the present invention includes a set of assets consisting primarily of job aids and software that can greatly reduce our clients lead time for service implementation.
  • the present invention assists service providers by providing them the tools to better manage their carrier data networks - the packet switched networks of the future.
  • the present invention significantly enhances and scales MNS assets to address carrier network management in a data networking world. This solution template enables the convergence of circuit and packet switching network control centers and workforces.
  • NM/MNS In an effort to clearly communicate exactly how we define NM/MNS we have created an online catalog of services.
  • the present invention's solution is a continuous cycle that begins with the four major processes associated with NM/MNS. These processes drive the technology and the people components of the solution. Within each of these processes are a number of core functions and sub- functions.
  • the MNS Online Catalog contains all of this information, including the supporting process, technology and organizational solutions for each function.
  • MNSIS Managed Networked Services Integrated Solution
  • each process should be performed in order to provide a complete NM/MNS solution.
  • each process has a number of associated functions and sub-functions that provide the complete picture of the process.
  • the major functions associated with each process are as follows.
  • the main goal of the technology solution is to provide access to network information to make informed decisions.
  • the present invention includes three layers of management: element management, information services management and presentation management. Every action starts with an incident. Processing is tailored to handling the incident with technology that responds to the unique characteristics of each incident.
  • the element manager communicates with the network elements to receive alarms and alerts through trapping and polling techniques.
  • the element manager is the layer where the primary data reduction functions reside. At this layer, events received at the element manager will be filtered, aggregated and conelated to further isolate problems within the network.
  • An element manager can be, but is not necessarily, software which adheres to open standards such as the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and the Object Management Group's (OMG) Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA).
  • SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol
  • OMG Object Management Group's
  • CORBA Common Object Request Broker Architecture
  • the information services manager provides the data management and data communications between element managers and presentation managers. All information forwarded from the element managers is utilized by the information services manager to provide information to the network operators.
  • the information services manager adheres to CORBA standards to provide ubiquitous information access via an Object Request Broker (ORB).
  • ORB allows the information services manager to share management information stored in distributed databases.
  • the information services manager stores critical management information into operational (real-time) and analytical (historical) distributed databases. These databases provide common data storage so that new products can be easily inserted into the management environment. For example, if an event is received at an element manager that is deemed critical to display to a network user, the information services manager will
  • the databases includes online manuals for administrative pu ⁇ oses, as well as for the maintenance specialists to access element specific information.
  • the databases also provide procedures, policies and computer based training to network users.
  • the information services manager provides requested information (real-time and historical) to the network users via the presentation manager.
  • the presentation manager performs the function its name implies: the presentation of the information to an end user. Because different locations and job functions require access to different types of information, there are at least two types of display methods. The first is for graphic intensive presentations and the second is for nomadic use, such as field technicians. The first environment requires a graphic intensive display, such as those provided by X-Windows/MOTIF. The second environment is potentially bandwidth poor where dial-up or wireless access may be used along with more traditional LAN access.
  • the people vision for the NM/MNS include an organization model for customer service support, the conesponding roles and responsibilities for this organization model and a conceptual design for workforce transformation to packet switching.
  • Customer service support provides a single point of contact that is customer focused. This single point of contact provides technical expertise in resolving customer incidents, troubles and requests. Generally a three tiered support structure is optimal for satisfying customer service needs. Each tier, or level, possesses an increasing level of skill, with tasks and responsibilities distributed accordingly. Such a structure is as follows:
  • Tier 2 - are technical experts and field support personnel who may specialize in specific areas. Typically this group is responsible for resolving 30-40 percent of the opened problems.
  • Tier 1 only logs calls, they do not resolve calls.
  • One advantage of this model is that skilled resources don't have to waste time logging calls.
  • the integrated network management solution template consists of a suite of best of breed third party software products that automate problem diagnosis, notification, custom-developed reporting, and IP services
  • Web-Based SLA Reporting Tool - is a browser based tool that provides the personalized SLA reports to customers in both a template and ad-hoc format.
  • Data Mining Demonstration Provides the capability to analyze network management data looking for patterns and correlations across multiple dimensions. Build models of the behavior of the data in order to predict future growth or problems and facilitate managing the network in a proactive, yet cost-effective manner.
  • Customer to Event Mapping Module Add-on module to the Managed Networked Services Integrated Solution which maps network element events, to service offerings, to customers. This tool allows the Customer Service Representative to proactively address network outages with customers.
  • Service Planning includes both the strategic and tactical planning required to manage distributed environments effectively. Although most planning typically occurs during rollout of the system, certain planning activities must otherwise take place. Service Planning ensures that change can be successfully controlled and implemented.
  • Service Management controls the overall service to the users of the system. It isolates users from how the system is managed, and ensures that users receive the quality support services they need to carry out their daily business activities.
  • the "NGN” is a transition network which will exist during the transformation from the cunent "Core” to the "New Core".
  • the present invention maps a course for the network evolution from circuit to packet switched technology using a migratory approach in which the network becomes a hybrid circuit and packet topology over a 3 to 7 year period.
  • the cunent wire-line "Core” network consists of parallel PSTN, SMDS, ATM, Frame-Relay, B/PRI and IP networks.
  • the PSTN network has been evolving over the last century and is a mix of old and new circuit switched technologies.
  • the PSTN network mainly provides point-to-point interactive two-way voice communication services.
  • the service set has evolved to include many intelligent network (IN) service features.
  • Advanced Intelligent Networks emerged as the architecture to support new voice based services on the PSTN infrastmcture.
  • the major IN requirements include session establishment, advanced call processing, call routing and call treatment (network messages and call termination).
  • Examples of applications and features are the CLASS family of services (Call waiting, Call forwarding, Conference calling, Call rejection), enhanced call routing, Number Portability, Calling Card Services, and Audio delivered Information Services (e.g. travel, stocks and weather).
  • SCE Service Creation Environment
  • the data networks consist of many technologies e.g. SMDS, ATM, frame-relay and IP. In some cases, these data networks themselves are parallel networks, in other cases, they share a common technology in the backbone (e.g. ATM can be the backbone for frame relay and IP data networks). These data networks share the same SONET based backbone with the PSTN network. The services on the PSTN and the data networks are very distinct and non-interoperable (example: voice versus web access).
  • This process or application is critical since it is the "glue" between the end user application and the communications network. It is responsible for collection and distribution of end-user session preferences, application requirements, access device capability and accounting policy information to the required "IN enabling" components. In summary its main functions are to:
  • the cunent wireless "Core” network consists of wireless based access and roaming capabilities that inter-operate with wire-line PSTN "Core” infrastmcture to provide interoperable PSTN services.
  • the wireless PSTN access infrastmcture will also migrate to connect to "NGN” and "New Core” to provide wireless PSTN access services while utilizing new capabilities in the "NGN” and the "New Core”.
  • innovations in the wireless end-devices such that they will become IP enabled, and will thus allow a broad range of innovations by allowing mobility to the wire-line IP based service capabilities (e.g. web browsing, e-mail etc.).
  • LEO low earth orbiting satellites
  • Cable networks were developed for mainly broadband broadcast of analog video entertainment services.
  • the cunent "Core” cable infrastmcture is suitable to serve one way video broadcast.
  • Cable service providers are now upgrading their cable infrastmcture to support high speed internet access.
  • the IP enabled devices attached to the "NGN” cable infrastmcture can take advantage of all the new components and capabilities described in the wire-line “NGN”. This will enable seam-less services between devices that are accessing the "NGN' via a wire-line or cable infrastmctures.
  • This "NGN" cable infrastmcture can provide IP based telephony
  • the network creation processes provides the program management tools to ensure that the launch is successfully executed. These include entry and exit criteria for network creation, KPIs for quality management, program planning and management tool-kits.
  • the network creation process provides tools to assist the client into improving efficiencies of these parallel journeys. These optimization efforts will include organizational, process and technology driven changes to create efficiency based on consolidation of processes, as well as measurement tools to determine the success of such consolidation.
  • the network architecture roadmap and business blueprint will act as the foundation to ensure that during the consolidation phase the "NGN" maintains the required architecture framework to sustain it for the long term.
  • a typical telecommunication network comprises multiple telecommunication switches located throughout a geographical area. When a user makes a call, the call may be routed through one or more switches before reaching its destination.
  • Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary telecommunications system 1200 across the United States.
  • a caller 1202 places a call from Los Angeles, California to a party 112 located in New York City, New York.
  • Such a call is typically transmitted across three (3) switches: the Los Angeles, California switch 1206; the Chicago, Illinois switch 1208; and the New York City, New York switch 1210.
  • the originating switch is the Los Angeles, California switch 1206, and the terminating switch is the New York City, New York switch 1210.
  • Each of the switches, 1206-1210 is connected to two (2) or more Data Access Points (DAP) 1212-1216, for instance a primary DAP 1212-1216 and a backup DAP 1212-1216.
  • DAP 1212-1216 is a facility that receives requests for information from the switches 12166-1210, processes the requests, and returns the requested information back to the requesting switch 1206- 1210.
  • the switches 1206-1210 use information from the DAPs 1212-1216 to process calls through the network.
  • each switch 1206-1210 When a call passes through one of the switches, 1206-1210, that switch creates a call record.
  • the call record contains information on the call, including but not limited to: routing, billing, call features, and trouble shooting information.
  • each switch 1206-1210 that processed the call completes the associated call record.
  • the switches 1206-1210 combine multiple call records into a billing block.
  • the switch 1206-1210 When a switch 1206-1210 fills the billing block, the switch 1206-1210 sends the billing block to a billing center 1218. Thus, the billing center 1218 receives one billing block from each switch
  • the billing center 1218 searches each billing block and retrieves the call record associated with the call, thereby retrieving one call record per switch 1206-1210 that handled the call.
  • the billing center 1218 searches each billing block and retrieves the call record associated with the call, thereby retrieving one call record per switch 1206-1210 that handled the call.
  • 67 hybrid network also contains proxy intelligence.
  • FIG. 13 shows a block diagram of the Network Data Management 1300 in accordance with a prefened embodiment of the present invention.
  • Network Data Management 1300 encompasses the collection of usage data and events for the pu ⁇ ose of network performance and traffic analysis. This data may also be an input to Billing (Rating and Discounting) processes at the Service Management Layer, depending on the service and its architecture.
  • the process provides sufficient and relevant information to verify compliance/ non-compliance to Service Level Agreements (SLA).
  • SLA Service Level Agreements
  • This process ensures that the Network Performance goals are tracked, and that notification is provided when they are not met (threshold exceeded, performance degradation). This also includes thresholds and specific requirements for billing.
  • changes in traffic conditions may trigger changes to the network for the purpose of traffic control.
  • Reduced levels of network capacity can result in requests to Network Planning for more resources.
  • FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a network data management process in accordance with a preferred embodiment.
  • step 1400 data is collected relating to usage and events occurring over a hybrid network.
  • step 1402 the data is analyzed to determine a status of the hybrid network which in turn, in step 1404, is utilized during management of the hybrid network. Further, in step 1402, the data is analyzed to determine a status of the hybrid network which in turn, in step 1404, is utilized during management of the hybrid network. Further, in step 1400, data is collected relating to usage and events occurring over a hybrid network.
  • step 1402 the data is analyzed to determine a status of the hybrid network which in turn, in step 1404, is utilized during management of the hybrid network. Further, in step 1404.
  • the present invention also uses a Customer Interface Management process 132, as shown in Figure 15, to directly interact with customers and translate customer requests and inquiries into appropriate "events" such as, the creation of an order
  • This process logs customer contacts, directs inquiries to the appropriate party, and tracks the status to completion. In those cases where customers are given direct access to service management systems, this process assures consistency of image across systems, and security to prevent a customer from harming their network or those of other customers.
  • the aim is to provide meaningful and timely customer contact experiences as frequently as the customer requires.
  • FIG 16 is a flowchart illustrating a Customer Interface Management Process in accordance with a prefened embodiment.
  • a service level agreement is received for a hybrid network customer.
  • the service level agreement is stored after which, in step 1604, inquiries are received from network customers reflecting occunences related to the hybrid network. Thereafter, in step 1606, events are generated based on the customer inquiries and the service level agreement.
  • This proactive management also includes planned maintenance outages.
  • the aim is to have the largest percentage of problems proactively identified and communicated to the customer, to provide meaningful status and to resolve in the shortest timeframe.
  • This process applies the conect rating rules to usage data on a customer-by-customer basis, as required. It also applies
  • Mediation and activity tracking are provided by the event logger and event manager.
  • the event logger and event manager feed the rating and billing information for degraded service using the personally customized rules database. Utilizing an expert system for the tailored capabilities of each customer, the event
  • the Discounting Process 1306 applies the correct rating rules on a customer-by-customer basis, and applies discounts for events, such as outages and other SLA violations. Finally, the Invoice and Collections Process 1504,
  • a telephone call comes into a switch on a transmission line refened to as the originating port, or trunk.
  • the originating port is one of many transmission lines coming into the switch from the same location of origin. This group of ports is the originating trunk group.
  • the switch After processing an incoming call, the switch transmits the call to a destination location, which may be another switch, a local exchange carrier, or a private branch exchange.
  • the call is transmitted over a transmission line refened to as the terminating port, or trunk.
  • the terminating port is one of a group of ports going from the switch to the same destination. This group of ports is the terminating trunk group.
  • Contemporary telecommunication networks provide customers with the capability of using the general public network as well as the capability of defining a custom virtual network (VNet).
  • VNet virtual network
  • a VNet customer defines a private dialing plan, including plan telephone numbers.
  • a VNet customer is not limited to the default telephone numbers allocated to a public telecommunication system dedicated to a specific geographic region, but can define custom telephone numbers.
  • a switch Upon processing a telephone call, a switch must generate a call record large enough to contain all of the needed information on a call.
  • the call record must not be so large that the typical call results in the majority of the record fields in the call record to be unused. In such a case, storing such call records results in large amounts of wasted storage, and transmitting such a call record causes unnecessary transmissions.
  • a fixed length call record format such as a 32-word call record.
  • a word is two (2) bytes, or sixteen (16) bits.
  • a fixed length record format cannot expand when new call features are implemented. More importantly, fixed call record formats cannot handle expanded data fields as the telecommunications network becomes more complex with new features and telephone numbers.
  • Contemporary fixed length record formats include time point fields recording local time in three (3) second increments where local switch time represents the time of day at a switch.
  • the timepoint fields are used by the network switches, billing center, and other network subsystems.
  • Each subsystem may require the time period for a different use and in a different
  • each subsystem may require a finer granularity of precision than the cunent three (3) second increments.
  • the switches have passed the burden of translating the time into a usable format to the network subsystems.
  • the fixed record format cannot accommodate the various time period requirements because it only contains the time periods in local switch time at a low level of precision. Because of its fixed nature, the fixed record format cannot expand to include different time formats, nor to include a finer granularity of precision, such as a one (1) second increment.
  • An embodiment solves the problem of providing a flexible and expandable call record format by implementing both a small and a large call record format.
  • the embodiment implements a default 32-word call record format, plus an expanded 64-word call record format.
  • This embodiment also records timepoints in the epoch time format.
  • the embodiment records the origination time of a call in epoch time format, and the remaining timepoints are offsets, or the number of seconds, from that origination time.
  • This embodiment solves the problems associated with converting to and from daylight savings time because daylight savings time is a local time offset and does not affect the epoch time.
  • the timepoints in epoch time format require less space in the call record than they do in local switch time format.
  • Epoch time is only a format and does not dictate that UTC must be used.
  • the billing time and the local switch time may be in UTC or local time, and the local switch time may not necessarily be the same time that is used for billing. Therefore, the switch must keep billing time and local switch time separate in order to prevent the problems that occur during daylight savings time changes.
  • This embodiment solves the problem of uniquely identifying each telephone call and all of the call records associated with a specific telephone call by providing a unique identifier to each call record. It generates a network call identifier (NCID) that is assigned to each call record at the point of call origination, that is, the originating switch generates an NCED for each telephone call.
  • NCID accompanies the associated telephone call through the telecommunications network to the termination point at the terminating switch. Therefore, at any point of a telephone call in the network, the associated NCID identifies the point and time of origin of the telephone call.
  • Each switch through which the telephone call passes records the NCED in the call record associated with the call.
  • the NCID is small enough to fit in a 32-word call record, thereby reducing the data throughput and storage.
  • the NCID provides the billing center and other network subsystems with the ability to match originating and terminating call records for a specific telephone call.
  • This embodiment also provides the switch capability of discarding a received NCED and generating a new NCID.
  • a switch discards a received NCID if the NCID format is invalid or unreliable, thereby ensuring a valid unique identifier to be associated with each call going through the network. For instance, an NCID may be unreliable if generated by third party switches in the telecommunications network.
  • This embodiment relates to switches of a telecommunication network that generate call records using a flexible and expandable record format.
  • the call record formats include a small (preferably 32-word) and a large (preferably 64-word) expanded format. It would be readily apparent to one skilled in the relevant art to implement a small and large record format of different sizes.
  • the embodiment also relates to switches of a telecommunication network that generate a unique NCID for each telephone call traversing the network.
  • the NCID provides a mechanism for matching all of the call records associated with a specific telephone call. It would be readily apparent to one skilled in the relevant art to implement a call record identifier of a different format.
  • the chosen embodiment is computer software executing within a computer system.
  • Figure 28 shows an exemplary computer system.
  • the computer system 2800 includes one or more processors, such as a processor 2801.
  • the processor 2801 is connected to a communication bus 2802.
  • the computer system 2800 also includes a main memory 2804, preferably random access memory (RAM), and a secondary memory 2806.
  • the secondary memory 2806 includes, for example, a hard disk drive 2808 and/or a removable storage drive 2810, representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, a compact disk drive, etc.
  • the removable storage drive 2810 reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit 2812 in a well known manner.
  • Removable storage unit 2812 also called a program storage device or a computer program product, represents a floppy disk, magnetic tape, compact disk, etc.
  • the removable storage unit 2812 includes a computer usable storage medium having therein stored computer software and/or data.
  • Computer programs also called computer control logic
  • Such computer programs when executed, enable the computer
  • Another embodiment is implemented primarily in hardware using, for example, a hardware state machine.
  • Implementation of the hardware state machine so as to perform the functions described herein will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts.
  • the CDR and PNR and thereby the ECDR and EPNR, are standard call record formats and contain information regarding a typical telephone call as it passes through a switch.
  • the CDR is
  • the OSR and POSR contain information regarding a telephone call requiring operator assistance and are generated at switches or systems actually equipped with operator positions.
  • a switch completes an OSR for a non- VNET customer and completes a POSR for a private VNET customer.
  • These records are only generated at switches or systems that have the capability of performing operator services or network audio response system (NARS) functions.
  • NARS network audio response system
  • a SER is reserved for special events such as the passage of each hour mark, time changes, system recoveries, and at the end of a billing block.
  • the SER record format is also described in more detail below.
  • FIGS 36 and 37 collectively illustrate the logic that a switch uses to determine when to use an expanded version of a record format.
  • a call 3602 comes into a switch 1206-1210 (called the cunent switch for reference pu ⁇ oses; the cunent switch is the switch that is cunently processing the call), at which time that switch 1206-1210 determines what call record and what call record format (small/default or large/expanded) to use for the call's 3602 call record.
  • the switch 1206-1210 makes nine (9) checks for each call 3602 that it receives.
  • the switch 1206- 1210 uses an expanded record for a call 3602 that passes any check as well as for a call 3602 that passes any combination of checks.
  • the first check 3604 determines if the call is involved in a direct termination overflow (DTO) at the cunent switch 1206-1210.
  • DTO direct termination overflow
  • a DTO occurs when a customer makes a telephone call 3602 to an 800 number and the original destination of the 800 number is busy. If the original destination is busy, the switch overflows the telephone call 3602 to a new destination. In this case, the switch must record the originally attempted destination, the final destination of the telephone call 3602, and the number of times of overflow. Therefore, if the call 3602 is involved in a DTO, the switch 1206-1210 must complete an expanded record (ECDR, EPNR, EOSR, EPOSR) 3616.
  • ECDR expanded record
  • the switch records the telephone number of the calling location in an expanded record (ECDR, EPNR, EOSR, EPOSR) 3616.
  • a switch 1206-1210 makes a third check 3608 on a call 3602 to determine if the destination address is greater than seventeen (17) digits.
  • the destination address is the number of the called location and may be a telephone number or trunk group. If the destination is greater than seventeen (17) digits, the switch records the destination in an expanded record (ECDR, EPNR, EOSR, EPOSR) 3616.
  • a switch 1206-1210 determines if the pre-translated digits of a call 3602 as dialed by a caller without operator assistance has more than ten (10) digits. If there are more than ten (10) pre-translated digits, the switch 1206-1210 records the dialed numbers in expanded record (ECDR, EPNR) 3616.
  • N digits 2-9
  • X digits 0-9
  • Y digits 2-8
  • Each call record except SER, contains call specific timepoint fields.
  • the timepoint fields are recorded in epoch time format.
  • Epoch time is the number of one second increments from a particular date/time in history.
  • the embodiment of the present invention uses a date/time of midnight (00:00 am UTC) on January 1, 1976, but this serves as an example and is not a limitation. It would be readily apparent to one skilled in the relevant art to implement an epoch time based on another date/time.
  • Timepoint 1 represents the epoch time that is the origination time of the call 3602.
  • the other timepoint stored in the records are the number of seconds after Timepoint 1 , that is, they are offsets from Timepoint 1 that a particular timepoint occuned.
  • timepoint fields must be filled in with "0's" prior to any data being recorded. Therefore, if a timepoint occurs, its count is one (1) or greater. Additionally, timepoint counters, not including Timepoint 1, do not rollover their counts, but stay at the maximum count if the time exceeds the limits.
  • the switch clock reflects local switch time and is used for all times except billing. Billing information is recorded in epoch time, which in this embodiment is UTC.
  • the Time offset is a number reflecting the switch time relative to the UTC, that is, the offset due to time zones and, if appropriate, daylight savings time changes.
  • Australia has one time zone that has a thirty (30) minute difference from the two time zones on
  • the Time Offset of the call records must account for variations in both negative and positive offsets in fifteen (15) minute increments.
  • the embodiment of the present invention satisfies this requirement by providing a Time Offset representing either positive or negative one minute increments.
  • FIG 38 illustrates the control flow of the Change Time command, which changes the Local Switch Time and the Time Offset.
  • the switch enters step 3802 and prompts the switch operator for the Local Switch Time and Time Offset from UTC.
  • step 3802 the switch operator enters a new Local Switch Time and Time Offset.
  • step 3804 the new time and Time Offset are displayed back to the switch operator.
  • step 3806 the switch operator must verify the entered time and Time Offset before the actual time and offset are changed on the switch. If in step 3806 the switch operator verifies the changes, the switch proceeds to step 3808 and generates a SER with an Event Qualifier equal to two which identifies that the change was made to the Local Switch Time and Time Offset of the switch.
  • the billing center uses the SER for its bill processing.
  • the switch proceeds to step 3810 and
  • FIG 39 illustrates the control flow for the Change Daylight Savings Time command which is the second command for changing time.
  • the switch enters step 3902 and prompts the switch operator to select either a Forward or Backward time change.
  • the switch operator makes a selection.
  • step 3904 if the switch operator selects the Forward option, the switch enters step 3906.
  • step 3906 the switch sets the Local Switch Time forward one hour and adds one hour (count of 60) to the Time Offset.
  • the switch then proceeds to step 3910.
  • the switch operator selects the Backward option the switch sets the Local Switch Time back one hour and subtract one hour (count of 60) from the Time Offset.
  • the switch then proceeds to step 3910.
  • the billing records are affected by the new Time Offset.
  • This embodiment allows the epoch time, used as the billing time, to increment normally through the daylight savings time change procedure, and not to be affected by the change of Local Switch Time and Time Offset.
  • Originating Tmnk Group (14 bits) : This field represents the originating tmnk group as defined in the 32/64-word call record format described above.
  • Timepoint 1 (32 bits) : This field represents the Timepoint 1 value as defined in the
  • Each switch records the NCID in either the 32 or 64-word call record format.
  • intermediate and terminating switches will record the NCED in the AuthCode field of the 32-word call record if the AuthCode filed is not used to record other information.
  • the Originating Switch ED is the NCS Switch ED, not the alphanumeric Switch ID as recorded in the SER call record. If the AuthCode is used for other information, the intermediate and terminating switches record the NCID in the 64-word call record format. In contrast, originating switches do not use the AuthCode field when storing an NCED in a 32-word call record.
  • FIG. 40 illustrates the control flow of the Network Call Identifier switch call processing.
  • a call 3602 comes into a switch 1206-1210 (called the cunent switch for reference pu ⁇ oses; the cunent switch is the switch that is cunently processing the call) at step 4004.
  • the cunent switch receives the call 3602 and proceeds to step 4006.
  • the cunent switch accesses a local database and gets the trunk group parameters associated with the originating trunk group of the call 3602. After getting the parameters, the cunent switch proceeds to step
  • the switch analyzes the originating tmnk group parameters to determine the originating tmnk group type. If the originating tmnk group type is an InterMachine Tmnk (IMT) or a release link tmnk (RLT), then the switch proceeds to step 4016.
  • IMT InterMachine Tmnk
  • RLT release link tmnk
  • An IMT is a trunk connecting two normal telecommunication switches
  • a RLT is a tmnk connecting an intelligent services network (ISN) platform to a normal telecommunication switch.
  • step 4016 the cunent switch analyzes the originating tmnk group parameters to determine whether it is authorized to create an NCED for the call 3602. In step 4016, if the cunent switch is not authorized to create an NCID for the call 3602, the cunent switch proceeds to step 4018. When in step 4018, the cunent switch knows that it is not an originating switch, it did not receive an NCID for the call 3602, but is not authorized to generate an NCID. Therefore, in step 4018, the cunent switch writes the call record associated with the call 3602 to the local switch database and proceeds to step 4020. In step 4020, the cunent switch
  • step 4014 the cunent switch proceeds to step 4014.
  • the cunent switch knows that it is an originating switch and, therefore, must generate a NCID for the call 3602. Step 4014 is described below in more detail.
  • the cunent switch proceeds to step 4036 to write the call record, including the NCDD, associated with the call 3602 to the local database.
  • the cunent switch proceeds to step 4020 to transport the call out through the network with its associated NCID. Step 4020 is also described below in more detail.
  • Figure 41 illustrates the control logic for step 4010 which processes a received NCID.
  • the cunent switch enters step 4102 of step 4010 when it determines that an NCID was received with the call 3602.
  • the cunent switch analyzes the originating tmnk group parameters to determine the originating tmnk group type. If the originating tmnk group type is an IMT or RLT, then the cunent switch proceeds to step 4112.
  • the cunent switch knows that it is not an originating switch and that it received an NCED for the call 3602. Therefore, in step 4112, the cunent switch keeps the received NCED and exits step 4010, thereby continuing to step 4015 in Figure 40, after which the current switch will store the received NCID in the call record and transport the call.
  • step 4104 the cunent switch determines if the originating tmnk group type is an Integrated Services User Parts Direct Access Line (ISUP).
  • ISUP Integrated Services User Parts Direct Access Line
  • ISUP is a signaling protocol which allows information to be sent from switch to switch as information parameters.
  • An ISUP DAL is a tmnk group that primarily is shared by multiple customers of the network, but can also be dedicated to a single network customer.
  • an ISDN PRI is a tmnk group that primarily is dedicated to a single network customer, but can also be shared by multiple network customers.
  • a network customer is an entity that leases network resources.
  • the current switch discards the received NCED because it is an unreliable NCID. From step 4106, the cunent switch exits step 4010, thereby continuing to step 4014 in Figure 40 where the cunent switch will create a new NCID and transport that NCID with the call 3602.
  • the cunent switch determines that the originating tmnk group type is an ISUP DAL or ISDN PRI, the cunent switch continues to step 4108.
  • the current switch knows that it received an NCED from a customer tmnk group. Therefore, the cunent switch analyzes the originating trunk group parameters to determine whether it is authorized to create a new NCID for the call 3602. The cunent switch may be authorized to create a new NCED and overwrite the NCDD provided by the customer to ensure that a valid NCID conesponds to the call 3602 and is sent through the network.
  • step 4108 if
  • step 4110 the cunent switch checks the validity of the received NCID, for example, the NCED length. If the received NCED is invalid, the cunent switch proceeds to step 4106. In step 4106, the cunent switch discards the invalid NCED. From step 4106, the cunent switch exits step 4010, thereby continuing to step 4014 in Figure 40 where the cunent switch will create a new NCID and transport that NCED with the call 3602. Referring again to step 4110, if the cunent switch determines that the received NCID is valid, the cunent switch proceeds to step 4112. In step 4112 the cunent switch keeps the received NCID and exits step 4010, thereby continuing to step 4015 in Figure 40 where the current switch will store the received NCID in the call record and transport the call.
  • Figure 42 illustrates the control logic for step 4014 which generates an NCID.
  • the cunent switch enters step 4202 when an NCID must be created.
  • the cunent switch will calculate a sequence number.
  • the sequence number represents the number of calls which have occuned on the same port number with the same Timepoint 1 value.
  • the first call has a sequence number value of '0,' after which the sequence number will increase incrementally for each successive call that originates on the same port number with the same Timepoint 1 value.
  • the current switch proceeds to step 4204.
  • the cunent switch creates a call record for the call 3602, including in it the call's 3602 newly created NCID.
  • the cunent switch exits step 4014 and proceeds to step 4036 in Figure 40 where the cunent switch writes the call record to the local switch database.
  • Figure 43 illustrates the control logic for step 4015 which adds a received NCID to the call record associated with the call 3602. Upon entering step 4015, the cunent switch enters step
  • step 4302 the cunent switch knows that it has received a valid NCID from an intermediate or terminating switch, or from a customer switch.
  • step 4302 the cunent switch determines if the AuthCode field of the 32-word call record is available for storing the NCID. If the AuthCode field is available, the cunent switch proceeds to step 4306.
  • step 4306 the cunent switch stores the NCID in the AuthCode field of the 32-word call record. The cunent switch must also set the NCID Location field to the value ' 1 ' which indicates that the NCID is stored in the AuthCode field.
  • step 4306 the current switch exits step 4015 and continues to step 4036 in Figure 40 where the cunent switch writes the call record to the local switch database.
  • step 4304 the cunent switch stores the NCID in the NCID field of the 64-word call record. After step 4304, the cunent switch exits step 4015 and continues to step 4036 in Figure 40 where the cunent switch writes the call record to the local switch database.
  • Figure 44 illustrates the control logic for step 4020 which transports the call from the cunent switch.
  • steps 4402 and 4412 Upon entering step 4402 from step 4036 on Figure 40, the cunent switch knows that it has created an NCID or has received a valid NCID.
  • the cunent switch accesses a local database and gets the tmnk group parameters associated with the terminating tmnk group for transporting the call
  • the cunent switch After getting the parameters, the cunent switch proceeds to step 4404. In step 4404, the cunent switch determines the terminating trunk group type. If the terminating tmnk is an ISUP tmnk, the cunent switch proceeds to step 4408. In step 4408, the cunent switch analyzes the parameters associated with the ISUP trunk type to determine whether or not to deliver the NCED to the next switch. If the cunent switch is authorized to deliver the NCID, the cunent switch proceeds to step 4416. In step 4416, the cunent switch transports the call to the next switch along with a SS7 initial address message (IAM). The NCED is transported as part of the generic digits parameter of the IAM. The IAM contains setup information for the next switch which prepares the next switch to accept and complete the call 3602. The format of the generic digits parameter is shown below in Table 44A :
  • the cunent switch After transporting the call 3602 and the IAM, the cunent switch proceeds to step 4418, thereby exiting the switch processing.
  • step 4412 the cunent switch transports the call 3602 to the next switch under normal procedures which consists of sending a setup message to the next switch without the NCDD recorded as part of the locking shift codeset 6 parameter. After transporting the call 3602, the current switch proceeds to step 4418, thereby exiting the switch processing.
  • the switch After determining which call record to use, the switch generates the default or expanded call record.
  • the switch sends a billing block, comprised of completed call records, to a billing center upon filling an entire billing block.
  • Billing information would also be provided online.
  • a user could enter a pre-arranged billing number or the ability to bill to a credit card or telephone number. If billing to a telephone number, the system treats the call like a collect or third party call to verify billing.
  • TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
  • RRCs Requests for Comments
  • ITU H.243 System for Establishing Communication Between Three or More Audiovisual Terminals Using Digital Channels up to 2 Mbit/s
  • RTP Real-Time Transport Protocol an Internet Standard Protocol for transmission of real-time data like voice and video over unicast and multicast networks.
  • EP Internet Protocol an Internet Standard Protocol for transmission and delivery of data packets on a packet switched network of interconnected computer systems.
  • MPEG Motion Pictures Expert Group a standards body under the International Standards Organization(ISO), Recommendations for compression of digital Video and Audio including the bit stream but not the compression algorithms.
  • TCP/IP can be used over an Ethernet, a token ring, a dial-up line, or virtually any other kinds of physical transmission media.
  • the establishment of a completed path is a prerequisite to the transmission of data for circuit switched networks.
  • the microphone captures analog signals, and the signals are transmitted to the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Central Office (CO) in analog form over an analog loop.
  • LEC Local Exchange Carrier
  • CO Central Office
  • the analog signal is not converted to digital form until it reaches the LEC Co, and even then only if the equipment is modem enough to support digital information.
  • the analog signals are converted to digital at the device and transmitted to the LEC as digital information.
  • circuit switching has two significant drawbacks.
  • Circuit switching has no multicast or multipoint communication capabilities, except when used in combination with conference bridging equipment.
  • the public switched telephone network was designed with the goal of transmitting human voice, in a more or less recognizable form. Their suitability has been improved for computer-to-computer communications but remains far from optimal.
  • a cable running between two computers can transfer data at speeds in the hundreds of megabits, and even gigabits per second. A poor enor rate at these speeds would be only one enor per day.
  • a dial-up line using standard telephone lines, has a maximum data rate in the thousands of bits per second, and a much higher enor rate.
  • the combined bit rate times enor rate performance of a local cable could be 11 orders of magnitude better than a voice-grade telephone line.
  • New technology has been improving the performance of these lines.
  • gateways and routers provide those links necessary to send packets between networks and thus make connections possible. Without these links, data communication through the Internet would not be possible, as the information either would not reach its destination or would be incomprehensible upon arrival.
  • a gateway may be thought of as an entrance to a communications network that performs code and protocol conversion between two otherwise incompatible networks. For instance, gateways transfer electronic mail and data files between networks over the internet.
  • gateways move data between different protocols and a router moves data between different networks. So a system that moves mail between TCP/IP and OSI is a gateway, but a traditional EP gateway (that connects different networks) is a router.
  • the telephone system is organized as a highly redundant, multilevel hierarchy. Each telephone has two copper wires coming out of it that go directly to the telephone company's nearest end office, also called a local central office. The distance is typically less than 10 km; in the U.S. alone, there are approximately 20,000 end offices.
  • the concatenation of the area code and the first three digits of the telephone number uniquely specify an end office and help dictate the rate and billing stmcture.
  • routing is the process of choosing a path over which to send packets.
  • routers are the computers that make such choices. For the routing of information from one host within a network to another host on the same network, the datagrams that are sent do not actually reach the Internet backbone. This is an example of internal routing, which is completely self-contained within the network. The machines outside of the network do not participate in these internal routing decisions.
  • ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode
  • ATM networks require modem hardware including:
  • ATM inco ⁇ orates features of both packet switching and circuit switching, as it is designed to cany voice, video, and television signals in addition to data. Pure packet switching technology is not conducive to carrying voice transmissions because such transfers demand more stable bandwidth.
  • ISP is composed of several disparate systems As ISP integration proceeds, formerly independent systems now become part of one larger whole with concomitant increases in the level of analysis, testing, scheduling, and training in all disciplines of the ISP
  • active probes such as FTP, POP3, SMTP, NNTP, DNS, HTTP, and RADIUS.
  • the Proactive Threshold Manager compares the cunent level of service, sensed in step 4706, with the minimum level of service, determined in step 4704, to determine where the cunent level of service is in relation to the minimum level service which needs to be provided to subscribers.
  • the Element Manager filters and correlates the events received in step 4904.
  • the correlation is provided by a rules based inference engine.
  • the customer is provided access to solution experts who are often hardware vendors, software vendors, or customer application development and maintenance teems.
  • Solution experts who are often hardware vendors, software vendors, or customer application development and maintenance teems.
  • Customer network problems that get this far in the customer support process 5000 need individuals possessing in-depth skills to investigate and resolve the difficult problems with there area of
  • Model First Tier only logs calls they do not resolve calls.
  • One advantage of this model is that skilled resources don't have to waste time logging calls.
  • the product support engineer can query the customer's computer via support agents for additional information, if necessary.
  • the customer spends less time interacting with a product support engineer, and is relieved of many of the responsibilities in diagnosing and resolving problems. Automated diagnoses and shorter customer interactions save the product support center time, resources, and money. At the same time, the customer receives a better diagnosis and resolution of the problem than could usually be achieved with prior art product support techniques.
  • one embodiment of the present invention makes the Internet a viable alternative to telephone calls as a tool for providing consumer product support.
  • Many on-line computer
  • the Internet Entry Server performs a registration process which includes a number of personal questions and custom data gathering in the form of queries provided by the sponsor/vendor for response by the user.
  • a telephony step 5104 the present invention allows users to initiate and continue telephonic communication.
  • the telephonic is routed by a user action in step 5106, when a user selects a phone number to call.
  • Telephone numbers are typically included in a telephone directory accessible on screen by the user.
  • the directory may include icons which provide a highly recognizable visual mnemonic to allow users to easily recall the information included in a particular directory entry.
  • the present invention utilizes the routing information to direct the call. Since both the original data from the data session and the new IP telephony data use Internet protocol, the present invention can provide a seamless integration of the two, to provide virtually simultaneous telephonic and non-telephonic data communication. The availability of packet switching elements in the hybrid network facilitate this process.
  • Packet switching arose, in part, to fulfill the need for low cost data communications in networks developed to allow access to host computers.
  • Special pu ⁇ ose computers designated as communication processors have been developed to offload the communication handling tasks which were formerly required of the host.
  • the communication processor is adapted to interface with the host and to route packets along the network; consequently, such a processor is often simply called a packet switch.
  • Data concentrators have also been developed to interface with hosts and to route packets along the network. In essence, data concentrators serve to switch a number of lightly used links onto a smaller number of more heavily used links. They are often used in conjunction with, and ahead of, the packet switch.
  • packet-switched data transmission is accomplished via predetermined end-to-end paths through the network, in which user packets associated with a great number of users share link and switch facilities as the packets travel over the network.
  • the packets may require storage at nodes between transmission links of the network until they may be forwarded along the respective outgoing link for the overall path.
  • connectionless transmission another mode of packet-switched data transmission, no initial connection is required for a data path through the network. In this mode, individual datagrams carrying a destination address are routed through
  • the telephonic communication over the hybrid network is limited bases on a user profile.
  • the user profile is included in a rules database.
  • the rules database can provide seamless cross-location registration without the need for duplicate databases located on different networks.
  • the computer used to interface with the Internet includes multimedia equipment such as speakers and a microphone. Utilizing a multimedia equipped computer allows a user to use telephonic communication with little or no disruption while interfacing with the Internet. Multimedia computer speakers are used to receive the telephony audio from the network and the microphone is used to transmit the telephony data to the network.
  • a technique called data mining allows a user to search large databases and to discover hidden patterns in that data.
  • Data mining is thus the efficient discovery of valuable, non-obvious information from a large collection of data and centers on the automated discovery of new facts and underlying relationships in the data.
  • the term "data mining” comes from the idea that the raw material is the business data, and the data mining algorithm is the excavator, shifting through the vast quantities of raw data looking for the valuable nuggets of business information.
  • Accurate forecasting relies heavily upon the ability to analyze large amounts of data. This task is extremely difficult because of the sheer quantity of data involved and the complexity of the analyses that must be performed. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the data often resides in multiple databases, each database having different internal file stmctures.
  • FIG 52 is a flowchart showing a Data Mining Process 5200 in accordance with a prefened embodiment of the present invention.
  • the Data Mining Process 5200 begins with an identifying step 5202.
  • the system identifies patterns and conelations in the system data over the hybrid communication system.
  • the system data is analyzed across multiple dimensions to provide better future system behavior prediction.
  • a model building step 5204 the system builds a model of the network behavior based on the patterns and conelations identified in step 5202.
  • Data mining is a process that uses specific techniques to find patterns in data, allowing a user to conduct a relatively broad search of large databases for relevant information that may not be explicitly stored in the databases.
  • a user initially specifies a search phrase or strategy and the system then extracts patterns and relations conesponding to that strategy from the stored data.
  • Such a search system permits searching across multiple databases.
  • the extracted patterns and relations can be: (1) used by the user, or data analyst, to form a prediction model; (2) used to refine an existing model; and/or (3) organized into a summary of the target database, as in predicting step 5206.
  • a predicting step 5206 the system predicts future behavior of the network based on the model generated in step 5204.
  • Top-down systems are also refened to as “pattern validation,” “verification-driven data mining” and “confirmatory analysis.” This is a type of analysis that allows an analyst to express a piece of knowledge, validate or validate that knowledge, and obtain the reasons for the validation or invalidation.
  • the validation step in a top- down analysis requires that data refuting the knowledge as well as data supporting the knowledge be considered.
  • Bottom-up systems are also refened to as “data exploration .” Bottom- up systems discover knowledge, generally in the form of patterns, in data.
  • the network is managed based on the future behavior of the network.
  • Data mining involves the development of tools that analyze large databases to extract useful information from them.
  • customer purchasing patterns may be derived from a large customer transaction database by analyzing its transaction records.
  • Such purchasing habits can provide invaluable marketing information. For example, retailers can create more effective store displays and more effective control inventory than otherwise would be possible if they know consumer purchase patterns.
  • catalog companies can conduct more effective mass mailings if they know that, given that a consumer has purchased a first item, the same consumer can be expected, with some degree of probability, to purchase a particular second item within a defined time period after the first purchase.
  • Classification of the data records to extract useful information is an essential part of data mining.
  • a classifier is generated from input data, also called a training set, which consist of multiple records. Each record is identified with a class label. The input data is analyzed to develop an accurate description, or model, for each class of the records. Based on the class descriptions, the classifier can then classify future records, refened to as test data, for which the class labels are unknown.
  • a credit card company which has a large database on its card holders and wants to develop a profile for each customer class that will be used for accepting or rejecting future credit applicants. Assuming that the card holders have been divided into two classes, good and bad customers, based on their credit history. The problem can be solved using classification. First, a training set consisting of customer data with the assigned classes are provided to a classifier as input. The output from the classifier is a description of each class, i.e., good and bad, which then can be used to process future credit card applicants. Similar
  • Another desirable characteristic for a data mining classifier is its short training time, i.e., the ability to constmct the class descriptions from the training set quickly.
  • the methods of the invention are based on a decision-tree classifier.
  • Decision trees are highly developed techniques for partitioning data samples into a set of covering decision mles. They are compact and have the additional advantage that they can be converted into simple classification mles. In addition, they can be easily converted into Structured Query language (SQL) statements used for accessing databases, and achieve comparable or better classification accuracy than other classification methods.
  • SQL Structured Query language
  • Another data mining classifier technique solves the memory constraint problem and simultaneously improve execution time by partitioning the data into subsets that fit in the memory and developing classifiers for the subsets in parallel. The output of the classifiers are then combined using various algorithms to obtain the final classification. This approach reduces running time significantly. Another method classifies data in batches.
  • the foregoing embodiments of the present invention may be employed in the generation of an Internet architecture framework like the one shown in Figure 53 to support various features such as an electronic commerce component 5300, a content channels component 5302, an administrative component 5304, a customer relationship management component 5306, a content management and publishing services component 5308, an education related services component 5310, or a web customer service component 5312.
  • an electronic commerce component 5300 a content channels component 5302, an administrative component 5304, a customer relationship management component 5306, a content management and publishing services component 5308, an education related services component 5310, or a web customer service component 5312.
  • the present invention provides a new kind of web architecture framework (called “WAF” in this document) that secures, administers, and audits electronic information use. WAF also features fundamentally important capabilities for managing content that travels "across" the "information
  • the Internet is a method of interconnecting physical networks and a set of conventions for using networks that allow the computers they reach to interact. Physically, the Internet is a huge, global network spanning over 92 countries and comprising 59,000 academic, commercial, government, and military networks, according to the Government Accounting Office (GAO), with these numbers expected to double each year. Furthermore, there are about 10 million host computers, 50 million users, and 76,000 World-Wide Web servers connected to the Internet.
  • the backbone of the Internet consists of a series of high-speed communication links between major supercomputer sites and educational and research institutions within the U.S. and throughout the world.
  • TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
  • RRCs Requests for Comments
  • ITU- T The International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector
  • ITU G.711 Recommendation for Pulse Code Modulation of 3kHz Audio Channels.
  • ITU G.722 Recommendation for 7kHz Audio Coding within a 64 kbit/s channel.
  • ITU G.723 Recommendation for dual rate speech coder for multimedia communication transmitting at 5.3 and 6.3 kbits.
  • ITU G.728 Recommendation for coding of speech at 16 kbit/s using low-delay code excited linear prediction (LD-CELP)
  • ITU H.225 ITU Recommendation for Media Stream Packetization and Synchronization on non- guaranteed quality of service LANs.
  • ITU H.230 Frame-synchronous Control and Indication Signals for Audiovisual Systems
  • ITU H.242 System for Establishing Communication Between Audiovisual Terminals Using
  • ITU H.323 ITU Recommendation for Visual Telephone Systems and Equipment for Local Area
  • ITU H.324 Recommendation for Terminals and Systems for low bitrate (28.8 Kbps) multimedia communication on dial-up telephone lines.
  • ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network the digital communication standard for transmission of voice, video and data on a single communications link.
  • RTP Real-Time Transport Protocol an Internet Standard Protocol for transmission of real-time data like voice and video over unicast and multicast networks.
  • IP Internet Protocol an Internet Standard Protocol for transmission and delivery of data packets on a packet switched network of interconnected computer systems.
  • TCP/IP A common addressing scheme that allows any device running TCP/IP to uniquely address any other device on the Internet. Open protocol standards, freely available and developed independently of any hardware or operating system. Thus, TCP/IP is capable of being used with different hardware and software, even if Internet communication is not required.
  • TCP/IP can be used over an Ethernet, a token ring, a dial-up line, or virtually any other kinds of physical transmission media.
  • the traditional type of communication network is circuit switched.
  • the U.S. telephone system uses such circuit switching techniques.
  • the switching equipment within the telephone system seeks out a physical path from the originating telephone to the receiver's telephone.
  • a circuit-switched network attempts to form a dedicated connection, or circuit, between these two points by first establishing a circuit from the originating phone through the local switching office, then across tmnk lines, to a remote switching office, and finally to the destination telephone. This dedicated connection exists until the call terminates.
  • the establishment of a completed path is a prerequisite to the transmission of data for circuit switched networks.
  • the microphone captures analog signals, and the signals are transmitted to the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Central Office (CO) in analog form over an analog loop.
  • LEC Local Exchange Carrier
  • CO Central Office
  • the analog signal is not converted to digital form until it reaches the LEC Co, and even then only if the equipment is modem enough to support digital information.
  • the analog signals are converted to digital at the device and transmitted to the LEC as digital information.
  • the circuit guarantees that the samples can be delivered and reproduced by maintaining a data path of 64 Kbps (thousand bits per second). This rate is not the rate required to send digitized voice per se. Rather, 64 Kbps is the rate required to send voice digitized with the Pulse Code Modulated (PCM) technique. Many other methods for digitizing voice exist, including ADPCM (32 Kbps), GSM (13 Kbps), TmeSpeech 8.5 (8.5 Kbps), G.723 (6.4 Kbps or 5.3 Kbps) and Voxware RT29HQ (2.9 Kbps). Furthermore, the 64 Kbps path is maintained from LEC Central Office (CO) Switch to LEC CO, but not from end to end. The analog local loop transmits an analog signal, not 64 Kbps digitized audio. One of these analog local loops typically exists as the "last mile" of each of the telephone network circuits to attach the local telephone of the calling party.
  • PCM Pulse Code Modulated
  • circuit switching has two significant drawbacks.
  • circuit switching infrastmcture is built around 64 Kbps circuits.
  • the infrastructure assumes the use of PCM encoding techniques for voice.
  • very high quality codecs are available that can encode voice using less than one-tenth of the bandwidth of PCM.
  • the circuit switched network blindly allocates 64 Kbps of bandwidth for a call, end-to-end, even if only one-tenth of the bandwidth is utilized.
  • each circuit generally only connects two parties. Without the assistance of conference bridging equipment, an entire circuit to a phone is occupied in connecting one party to another party. Circuit switching has no multicast or multipoint communication capabilities, except when used in combination with conference bridging equipment.
  • connection-oriented virtual or physical circuit setup such as circuit switching, requires more time at connection setup time than comparable connectionless techniques due to the end-to-end handshaking required between the conversing parties.
  • Message switching is another switching strategy that has been considered. With this form of switching, no physical path is established in advance between the sender and receiver; instead, whenever the sender has a block of data to be sent, it is stored at the first switching office and retransmitted to the next switching point after enor inspection. Message switching places no limit on block size, thus requiring that switching stations must have disks to buffer long blocks of data; also, a single block may tie up a line for many minutes, rendering message switching useless for interactive traffic.
  • Packet switched networks which predominate the computer network industry, divide data into small pieces called packets that are multiplexed onto high capacity intermachine connections.
  • a packet is a block of data with a strict upper limit on block size that carries with it sufficient identification necessary for delivery to its destination.
  • Such packets usually contain several hundred bytes of data and occupy a given transmission line for only a few tens of milliseconds. Delivery of a larger file via packet switching requires that it be broken into many small packets and sent one at a time from one machine to the other.
  • the network hardware delivers these packets to the specified destination, where the software reassembles them into a single file.
  • Packet switching is used by virtually all computer interconnections because of its efficiency in data transmissions. Packet switched networks use bandwidth on a circuit as needed, allowing other transmissions to pass through the lines in the interim. Furthermore, throughput is increased by the fact that a router or switching office can quickly forward to the next stop any given packet, or portion of a large file, that it receives, long before the other packets of the file have anived. In message switching, the intermediate router would have to wait until the entire block was delivered before forwarding. Today, message switching is no longer used in computer networks because of the superiority of packet switching.
  • the Internet is composed of a great number of individual networks, together forming a global connection of thousands of computer systems. After understanding that machines are connected to the individual networks, we can investigate how the networks are connected together to form an internetwork, or an internet. At this point, internet gateways and internet routers come into play.
  • gateways and routers provide those links necessary to send packets between networks and thus make connections possible. Without these links, data communication through the Internet would not be possible, as the information either would not reach its destination or would be incomprehensible upon arrival.
  • a gateway may be thought of as an entrance to a communications network that performs code and protocol conversion between two otherwise incompatible networks. For instance, gateways transfer electronic mail and data files between networks over the internet.
  • IP Routers are also computers that connect networks and is a newer term prefened by vendors.
  • routers must make decisions as to how to send the data packets it receives to its destination through the use of continually updated routing tables. By analyzing the destination network address of the packets, routers make these decisions. Importantly, a router does not generally need to decide which host or end user will receive a packet; instead, a router seeks only the destination network and thus keeps track of information sufficient to get to the appropriate network, not necessarily the appropriate end user. Therefore, routers do not need to be huge supercomputing systems and are often just machines with small main memories and little disk storage. The distinction between gateways and routers is slight, and cunent usage blurs the line to the extent that the two terms are often used interchangeably. In cunent terminology, a gateway moves data between different protocols and a router moves data between different
  • the telephone system is organized as a highly redundant, multilevel hierarchy. Each telephone has two copper wires coming out of it that go directly to the telephone company's nearest end office, also called a local central office. The distance is typically less than 10 km; in the U.S. alone, there are approximately 20,000 end offices.
  • the concatenation of the area code and the first three digits of the telephone number uniquely specify an end office and help dictate the rate and billing stmcture.
  • the two-wire connections between each subscriber's telephone and the end office are called local loops. If a subscriber attached to a given end office calls another subscriber attached to the same end office, the switching mechanism within the office sets up a direct electrical connection between the two local loops. This connection remains intact for the duration of the call, due to the circuit switching techniques discussed earlier.
  • each end office has a number of outgoing lines to one or more nearby switching centers, called toll offices. These lines are called toll connecting trunks. If both the caller's and the receiver's end offices happen to have a toll connecting tmnk to the same toll office, the connection may be established within the toll office. If the caller and the recipient of the call do not share a toll office, then the path will have to be established somewhere higher up in the hierarchy.
  • TCP/IP In addition to the data transfer functionality of the Internet, TCP/IP also seeks to convince users that the Internet is a solitary, virtual network. TCP/IP accomplishes this by providing a universal interconnection among machines, independent of the specific networks to which hosts and end users attach. Besides router interconnection of physical networks, software is required on each host to allow application programs to use the Internet as if it were a single, real physical network.
  • routing is the process of choosing a path over which to send packets.
  • routers are the computers that make such choices. For the routing of information from one host within a network to another host on the same network, the datagrams that are sent do not actually reach the Internet backbone. This is an example of internal routing, which is completely self-contained within the network. The machines outside of the network do not participate in these internal routing decisions.
  • Direct delivery is the transmission of a datagram from one machine across a single physical network to another machine on the same physical network. Such deliveries do not involve routers. Instead, the sender encapsulates the datagram in a physical frame, addresses it, and then sends the frame directly to the destination machine.
  • Indirect delivery is necessary when more than one physical network is involved, in particular when a machine on one network wishes to communicate with a machine on another network.
  • routers are required. To send a datagram, the sender must identify a router to which the datagram can be sent, and the router then forwards the datagram towards the destination network. Recall that routers generally do not keep track of the individual host addresses (of which there are millions), but rather just keeps track of physical networks (of which there are thousands). Essentially, routers in the Internet form a cooperative, interconnected stmcture, and datagrams pass from router to router across the backbone until they reach a router that can deliver the datagram directly.
  • ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode
  • ATM networks require modem hardware including:
  • High speed switches that can operate at gigabit (trillion bit) per second speeds to handle the traffic from many computers.
  • Optical fibers (versus copper wires) that provide high data transfer rates, with host-to-ATM switch connections mnning at 100 or 155 Mbps (million bits per second).
  • ATM inco ⁇ orates features of both packet switching and circuit switching, as it is designed to cany voice, video, and television signals in addition to data. Pure packet switching technology is not conducive to canying voice transmissions because such transfers demand more stable bandwidth.
  • Frame relay systems use packet switching techniques, but are more efficient than traditional systems. This efficiency is partly due to the fact that they perform less error checking than traditional X.25 packet-switching services. In fact, many intermediate nodes do little or no enor checking at all and only deal with routing, leaving the enor checking to the higher layers of the system. With the greater reliability of today's transmissions, much of the enor checking previously performed has become unnecessary. Thus, frame relay offers increased performance compared to traditional systems.
  • An Integrated Services Digital Network is an "international telecommunications standard for transmitting voice, video, and data over digital lines," most commonly mnning at 64 kilobits per second.
  • the traditional phone network mns voice at only 4 kilobits per second.
  • an end user or company must upgrade to ISDN terminal equipment, central office hardware, and central office software.
  • the ostensible goals of ISDN include the following: 1) To provide an internationally accepted standard for voice, data and signaling;
  • An ISP is composed of several disparate systems. As ISP integration proceeds, formerly independent systems now become part of one larger whole with concomitant increases in the level of analysis, testing, scheduling, and training in all disciplines of the ISP.
  • ATM asynchronous transfer mode pushes network control to the periphery of the network, obviating the trunk and switching models of traditional, circuit-based telephony. It is expected to be deployed widely to accommodate these high bandwidth services.
  • WAF supports a general pu ⁇ ose foundation for secure transaction management, including usage control, auditing, reporting, and/or payment.
  • This general pu ⁇ ose foundation is called “WAF Functions” ("WAFFs").
  • WAF also supports a collection of "atomic” application elements (e.g., load modules) that can be selectively aggregated together to form various WAFF capabilities called control methods and which serve as WAFF applications and operating system functions.
  • ROS Lights Operating System
  • WAFF load modules, associated data, and methods form a body of information that for the pu ⁇ oses of the present invention are called "control information."
  • WAFF control information may be specifically associated with one or more pieces of electronic content and/or it may be employed as a general component of the operating system capabilities of a WAF installation.
  • WAFF transaction control elements reflect and enact content specific and/or more generalized administrative (for example, general operating system) control information.
  • WAFF capabilities which can generally take the form of applications (application models) that have more or less configurability which can be shaped by WAF participants, through the use, for example, of WAF templates, to employ specific capabilities, along, for example, with capability parameter data to reflect the elements of one or more express electronic agreements between WAF participants in regards to the use of electronic content such as commercially distributed products.
  • These control capabilities manage the use of, and/or auditing of use of, electronic content, as well as reporting information based upon content use, and any payment for said use.
  • WAFF capabilities may "evolve" to reflect the requirements of one or more successive parties who receive or otherwise contribute to a given set of control information. Frequently, for a WAF application for a given content model (such as distribution of entertainment on CD-ROM, content delivery from an
  • control methods that have been expressly certified as securely interoperable and compatible with said application may be independently submitted by a participant as part of such a contribution.
  • a generally certified load module (certified for a given WAF arrangement and/or content class) may be used with many or any WAF application that operates in nodes of said anangement.
  • a WAF content container is an object that contains both content (for example, commercially distributed electronic information products such as computer software programs, movies, electronic publications or reference materials, etc.) and certain control information related to the use of the object's content.
  • a creating party may make a WAF container available to other parties.
  • Control information delivered by, and/or otherwise available for use with, WAF content containers comprise (for commercial content distribution pu ⁇ oses) WAFF control capabilities (and any associated parameter data) for electronic content. These capabilities may constitute one or more
  • a WAF electronic agreement may be explicit, through a user interface acceptance by one or more parties, for example by a "junior” party who has received control information from a "senior” party, or it may be a process amongst equal parties who individually assert their agreement. Agreement may also result from an automated electronic process during which terms and conditions are "evaluated” by certain WAF participant control information that assesses whether certain other electronic terms and conditions attached to content and/or submitted by another party are acceptable (do not violate acceptable control information criteria).

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Abstract

On décrit un système, un procédé et un article manufacturé qui permettent d'effectuer la planification en collaboration des capacités lors de la planification de l'offre et de la demande dans une chaîne d'approvisionnement fondée sur le réseau. L'accès aux données provient d'une pluralité de sources de données simultanées auxquelles on accède par un réseau en vue d'effectuer la planification de l'offre et de la demande dans une chaîne d'approvisionnement fondée sur le réseau comprenant au moins un fournisseur de service et au moins un fabricant. Des données de capacité sont stockées au moyen du réseau.
EP00983766A 1999-11-22 2000-11-22 Planification en collaboration des capacites et gestion anticipee des stocks lors de la planification de l'offre et de la demande dans un environnement de chaine d'approvisionnement fondee sur le reseau et procede associe Withdrawn EP1287458A2 (fr)

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