US4654845A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Parallel call processing system and method
Assignee: Avaya Technology LLC
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Filing: 1985-03-18
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Granted: 1987-03-31
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Expires: 2005-03-18
Abstract
Abstract An arrangement for achieving multi-processing is disclosed for use in a communication system where it is desired to have several independent processors operating in parallel on stimuli received from the connected terminals. Each such terminal is associated with a particular processor and that processor serves to control connections involving its associated stations. Stimuli from the station are stored in a queue and processed in an intermixed fashion such that stimuli from the connection are processed in order of arrival of the stimulus, but stimuli from different connections are processed without regard to the relative order of arrival of stimuli between connections.
Inventors
- 👤 Jishnu Mukerji
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/42; H04Q3/54; H04Q3/545; H04Q3/54541; H04Q3/5455
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A communication system having a plurality of terminals associated therewith, each such terminal operable for establishing communication connections as a result of stimuli generated from said terminals, said communication system including a call processing module, said module comprising means for receiving said stimuli from said terminals, means for associating each said received stimuli with the terminal sending said received stimuli, means for establishing a queue of said received stimuli from said terminals in order of the arrival of said stimuli, means for processing from said queue stimuli associated with a particular terminal in order of arrival of said stimuli, and means for intermixing the processing of stimuli associated with different terminals so that a set of stimuli from a given terminal need not be processed to completion prior to processing stimuli from another terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A communication system having a plurality of terminals associated therewith, each such terminal operable for establishing communication connections as a result of stimuli generated from said terminals, said communication system including a call processing module, said module comprising means for receiving said stimuli from said terminals, means for associating each said received stimuli with the terminal sending said received stimuli, means for establishing a queue of said received stimuli from said terminals in order of the arrival of said stimuli, means for processing from said queue stimuli associated with a particular terminal in order of arrival of said stimuli, and means for intermixing the processing of stimuli associated with different terminals so that a set of stimuli from a given terminal need not be processed to completion prior to processing stimuli from another terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
118 words
The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said communication system further includes a plurality of said call processing modules, each such module associated with only certain ones of said terminals and each said module including a unique queue of said received stimuli, said establishing means operable for adding to said unique module queue stimuli received only from said associated terminals, said modules including means for establishing for each connection of terminals one of said modules as a control module for said connection, and means for adding stimuli to said control module stimuli queue in order of arrival of said stimuli from all terminals associated with said connection without regard to which module each said terminal is associated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein each said module further includes means for interconnecting said terminals associated with said module, and wherein said communication system further comprises means for controlling data flow between said modules, and means, including said last-mentioned means, for transferring queued stimuli between said modules.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention set forth in claim 3 wherein said transfering means includes means for transfering to said control module stimuli associated with said connection of terminals which stimuli were originally directed to another module.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein said control module further includes means for interpreting received ones of said stimuli for the purpose of completing connections in accordance with said interpreted stimuli, means for communicating control messages between said modules, means responsive to an interpreted one of said stimuli for enabling one of said messages to a selected other one of said modules for controlling the interconnection of terminals associated with said interpreted stimulus, and means responsive to received ones of said messages communicated from said other module for reinterpreting said previously interpreted stimuli.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
81 words
The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said communication system further comprises a plurality of said call processing modules, each such module operable for receiving stimuli only from certain associated ones of said terminals, means for establishing for each connection of terminals one of said modules as a control module for that connection, and means for transfering stimuli between said modules, said transfering means including, means for transfering to said established control module stimuli from terminals associated with another module.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said system further includes means for merging a plurality of said connections into a single connection.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein said merging means includes means for processing to completion the stimuli from said merged connections as a single queue in order of arrival of said stimuli.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention set forth in claim 8 wherein each said module is arranged to send messages to any other module.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention set forth in claim 9 wherein said merged connection single queue processing means is controlled in part by said stimuli messages transmitted between said modules.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The invention set forth in claim 10 wherein each said module includes means for storage of received ones of said messages in a separate queue, and means for processing all messages stored in said separate queue prior to processing unprocessed ones of said stimuli stored in said stimuli queue.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
87 words
The invention set forth in claim 10 wherein said control module further includes means for interpreting received ones of said stimuli for the purpose of completing connections in accordance with said interpreted stimuli, means responsive to an interpreted one of said stimuli for enabling one of said messages to a selected other one of said modules for controlling the interconnection of terminals associated with said interpreted stimulus, and means responsive to received ones of said messages communicated from said other module for reinterpreting said previously interpreted stimuli.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said system further includes means for merging a plurality of connections into a single connection.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention set forth in claim 13 wherein said merging means includes means for processing to completion the stimuli from said merged connections as a single queue in order of arrival of said stimuli.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein each said module further includes means for establishing a second queue having a separate priority from said stimuli queue.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention set forth in claim 15 wherein each said module is arranged to send control messages to any other module for storage in said second queue of said other module.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said system further comprises means for establishing a second queue having a separate priority from said stimuli queue.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention set forth in claim 17 wherein each said module is arranged to send messages to said second queue of selected other module.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein each said module is a separate PBX for controlling communication connections between terminals served by said module independent of the existence of connections to any other module.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
132 words
A communication system having a plurality of terminals connected thereto, each such terminal operable for establishing or receiving communication connections as a result of stimuli generated from said terminals, said communications system comprising a plurality of independent processors, each said processor operable for receiving said stimuli from only certain ones of said terminals and for controlling communication connections to and from said certain terminals in accordance with received ones of said stimuli, means for establishing for each communication connection between a group of terminals one of said processors as a control processor for that connection, transfering means for establishing within said established control processor a queue of stimuli in order of arrival of said stimuli from all terminals associated with said communication connection without regard to which processor first received said stimuli.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
132 words
A communication system having a plurality of terminals connected thereto, each such terminal operable for establishing or receiving communication connections as a result of stimuli generated from said terminals, said communications system comprising a plurality of independent processors, each said processor operable for receiving said stimuli from only certain ones of said terminals and for controlling communication connections to and from said certain terminals in accordance with received ones of said stimuli, means for establishing for each communication connection between a group of terminals one of said processors as a control processor for that connection, transfering means for establishing within said established control processor a queue of stimuli in order of arrival of said stimuli from all terminals associated with said communication connection without regard to which processor first received said stimuli.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention set forth in claim 20 wherein said transfering means includes a central switch for controlling data flow between said processors, said central switch operable for transferring stimuli between said modules.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
75 words
The invention set forth in claim 21 wherein said system further comprises means for establishing a new single connection of terminals from a plurality of previously established terminal connections, said last-mentioned means including means for establishing the processor associated with a controlling one of said terminals of said new connection as the new connection control processor, and means for transfering all stimuli associated with all said previously established connections to said new connection controlling processor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention set forth in claim 22 wherein said transfer means includes means for sending messages to said other processors for storage in said other processors, and means in each said processor for processing received ones of said messages on a priority basis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention set forth in claim 20 wherein said processors each further includes means for processing stimuli associated with each connection in the order of arrival of said stimuli, and means for processing stimuli from different connections without regard to the order of arrival of the respective stimuli of said different connections.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention set forth in claim 24 wherein said processors generate outward-stimuli for communication between said processors, and wherein said transfer means is operable in response to processing of received ones of said outward-stimuli.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
66 words
The invention set forth in claim 25 wherein each said processor includes a second queue separate from said first queue for queing received ones of said outward-stimuli, means for processing to completion all stimuli stored in said second queue prior to processing stimuli in said stimuli queue, and means for inhibiting said last-mentioned means until the completion of processing of any stimuli from said stimuli queue.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
88 words
The invention set forth in claim 25 wherein each said control processor further includes means for interpreting received ones of said stimuli for the purpose of completing connections in accordance with said interpreted stimuli, means responsive to an interpreted one of said stimuli for enabling one of said outward-stimuli to a selected other one of said modules for controlling the interconnection of terminals associated with said interpreted stimulus, and means responsive to received ones of said outward-stimuli communicated from said other module for reinterpreting said previously interpreted stimuli.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
156 words
A processor for controlling connections between terminals associated with said processor, said processor including a switch and a control element, said processor including means for establishing a queue of connection control stimuli from terminals associated therewith, means for processing stimuli from a particular connection in the queued order of said stimuli, means for processing other stimuli from other connections in the queued order of said other stimuli, means for time intermixing the processing of said particular connection stimuli with stimuli from said other connections, means for interpreting received ones of said stimuli for the purpose of completing connections in accordance with said interpreted stimuli, means responsive to an interpreted one of said stimuli for enabling a control stimulus to be sent to another processor for controlling the interconnection of terminals associated with said interpreted stimulus, and means responsive to received ones of said control stimuli communicated from another said processor for reinterpreting said previously interpreted stimuli.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
156 words
A processor for controlling connections between terminals associated with said processor, said processor including a switch and a control element, said processor including means for establishing a queue of connection control stimuli from terminals associated therewith, means for processing stimuli from a particular connection in the queued order of said stimuli, means for processing other stimuli from other connections in the queued order of said other stimuli, means for time intermixing the processing of said particular connection stimuli with stimuli from said other connections, means for interpreting received ones of said stimuli for the purpose of completing connections in accordance with said interpreted stimuli, means responsive to an interpreted one of said stimuli for enabling a control stimulus to be sent to another processor for controlling the interconnection of terminals associated with said interpreted stimulus, and means responsive to received ones of said control stimuli communicated from another said processor for reinterpreting said previously interpreted stimuli.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention set forth in claim 26 wherein said processor includes means for connecting said processor to a second processor so that connections can be established between terminals connected to either of said processors, and means for transfering stimuli between said processors.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
55 words
The invention set forth in claim 29 further comprising, means for controlling said transfer dependent upon which processor has control of a connection so that stimuli coming from all terminals associated with a particular connection are stored in a queue within the processor controlling said particular connection without regard to the terminal generating said stimuli.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention set forth in claim 30 wherein said processor includes means for receiving inter-processor messages, and wherein said transfering means is controlled in part by received ones of said messages.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention set forth in claim 31 wherein said processor includes means for storing received ones of said messages and means for processing all said stored messages prior to processing said connection control stimuli.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
88 words
The invention set forth in claim 31 wherein said processor further includes means for interpreting received ones of said stimuli for the purpose of completing connections in accordance with said interpreted stimuli, means responsive to an interpreted one of said stimuli for enabling one of said interprocessor messages to a selected other one of said processors for controlling the interconnection of terminals associated with said interpreted stimulus, and means responsive to received ones of said interprocessor messages communicated from said other processor for reinterpreting said previously interpreted stimuli.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
184 words
The method of operating a communication system having a plurality of terminals associated therewith, each such terminal operable for establishing or receiving communications connections as a result of stimuli generated from said terminals, said method comprising the steps of receiving said stimuli from said terminals, associating each said received stimuli with the terminal sending said received stimuli, establishing a queue of said received stimuli from said terminals in order of the arrival of said stimuli, processing from said queue stimuli associated with a particular terminal in order of arrival of said stimuli, intermixing the processing of stimuli associated with different terminals, said communication system further comprises a plurality of call processing modules, each such module operable for receiving stimuli only from certain associated ones of said terminals, said method further comprising the steps of establishing for each connection one of said modules as a control module for that connection, and establishing within said control module a queue of stimuli in the order of arrival of said stimuli from all terminals associated with said connection without regard to which module each said terminal is associated.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
184 words
The method of operating a communication system having a plurality of terminals associated therewith, each such terminal operable for establishing or receiving communications connections as a result of stimuli generated from said terminals, said method comprising the steps of receiving said stimuli from said terminals, associating each said received stimuli with the terminal sending said received stimuli, establishing a queue of said received stimuli from said terminals in order of the arrival of said stimuli, processing from said queue stimuli associated with a particular terminal in order of arrival of said stimuli, intermixing the processing of stimuli associated with different terminals, said communication system further comprises a plurality of call processing modules, each such module operable for receiving stimuli only from certain associated ones of said terminals, said method further comprising the steps of establishing for each connection one of said modules as a control module for that connection, and establishing within said control module a queue of stimuli in the order of arrival of said stimuli from all terminals associated with said connection without regard to which module each said terminal is associated.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
167 words
The method of controlling connections between terminals associated with a processor, said processor including a switch and a control element, said method including the steps of establishing a queue of connection control stimuli from terminals associated with said processor, processing stimuli from a particular connection in the queued order of said stimuli, processing other stimuli from other connections in the queued order of said other stimuli, intermixing the processing of said particular connection stimuli with stimuli from said other connections, said processor is connected to a second processor so that connections can be established between terminals connected to either of said processors, and wherein said method further includes the steps of establishing one of said processors as a controlling processor when terminals associated with more than one processor become interconnected, and transfering stimuli between said processors so that a controlling one of said processors for any one connection queues all stimuli pertaining to that one connection without regard to the station from which the stimuli was generated.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
167 words
The method of controlling connections between terminals associated with a processor, said processor including a switch and a control element, said method including the steps of establishing a queue of connection control stimuli from terminals associated with said processor, processing stimuli from a particular connection in the queued order of said stimuli, processing other stimuli from other connections in the queued order of said other stimuli, intermixing the processing of said particular connection stimuli with stimuli from said other connections, said processor is connected to a second processor so that connections can be established between terminals connected to either of said processors, and wherein said method further includes the steps of establishing one of said processors as a controlling processor when terminals associated with more than one processor become interconnected, and transfering stimuli between said processors so that a controlling one of said processors for any one connection queues all stimuli pertaining to that one connection without regard to the station from which the stimuli was generated.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
83 words
The invention set forth in claim 35 wherein said method further includes the steps of interpreting received ones of said stimuli for the purpose of completing connections in accordance with said interpreted stimuli, enabling, in response to an interpreted one of said stimuli, a control stimulus to be sent to another processor for controlling the interconnection of terminals associated with said interpreted stimulus, and reinterpreting said previously interpreted stimulus in response to received ones of said control stimuli communicated from another said processor.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
151 words
A multi-processor communication system serving a plurality of terminals, said terminals distributively connected to said processors and operable for establishing and terminating communication connections there between in response to control stimuli passing between each said terminal and the processor connected thereto, each said processor performing the steps of receiving and storing said stimuli from said connected terminals, establishing, for the duration of a particular interconnection of terminals, a controlling processor for that particular interconnection, and transfering to said controlling processor for said duration received and stored stimuli from said interconnected terminals, and processing said stimuli that are associated with a connection for which the said processor is the controlling processor in the order of arrival of said stimuli for a given connection associated with the stimulus, but not necessarily in the order of arrival of stimuli generating a number of control messages for controlling the connection state of said associated terminals.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
151 words
A multi-processor communication system serving a plurality of terminals, said terminals distributively connected to said processors and operable for establishing and terminating communication connections there between in response to control stimuli passing between each said terminal and the processor connected thereto, each said processor performing the steps of receiving and storing said stimuli from said connected terminals, establishing, for the duration of a particular interconnection of terminals, a controlling processor for that particular interconnection, and transfering to said controlling processor for said duration received and stored stimuli from said interconnected terminals, and processing said stimuli that are associated with a connection for which the said processor is the controlling processor in the order of arrival of said stimuli for a given connection associated with the stimulus, but not necessarily in the order of arrival of stimuli generating a number of control messages for controlling the connection state of said associated terminals.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
57 words
The invention set forth in claim 37 further comprising the steps of changing the connection state of a terminal associated with another connected processor by sending to said other processor control messages, storing said control messages separate from said received stimuli, and processing all said stored control messages prior to processing unprocessed ones of said stored stimuli.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-03-30 | 1990-09-29 | 1991-03-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-03-30 | 1994-09-29 | 1995-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-03-30 | 1998-09-29 | 1999-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |