Congestion tuning of telecommunications networks

Claim 1

In a telecommunications network including a plurality of exchanges interconnected by telecommunications routes, each of said routes having a plurality of trunks containing a plurality of circuits, a method of reconfiguring said network to improve its traffic carrying capacity comprising the steps of: determining last-choice routes within said telecommunications network; measuring busy hour call congestion and number of call bids of said last-choice routes within said network; calculating a busy hour call congestion percentage for said last-choice routes; calculating a busy hour lost calls number for each of said last-choice routes; selecting all last-choice routes which have a busy hour lost calls number greater than a preselected value; identifying all selected last-choice routes which terminate in a contiguous exchange; measuring disturbance levels on all of said trunks in the identified selected last-choice routes; calculating an average measured disturbance level of all trunks in the identified selected last-choice routes; reporting for service all trunks which have a disturbance level greater than said calculated average measured disturbance level; measuring traffic dispersion on each of said selected last-choice routes which were not identified as terminating in a contiguous exchange; determining, for each of said selected last-choice routes which were not identified, which destination contributes most to congestion of said selected last-choice route which was not identified; measuring disturbance levels of all of said trunks in each of said last-choice routes which lead to said determined destination; calculating an average measured disturbance level of all trunks leading to said determined destination; reporting for service all trunks leading to said determined destination which have a disturbance level greater than said average measured disturbance level; measuring traffic distribution on each of said selected last-choice routes which lead to said determined destination; calculating an average call congestion level on each of said selected last-choice routes; increasing the traffic to said determined destination along each of said selected last-choice routes which has a measured call congestion level less than said average call congestion level; adding additional capacity to said determined destination along each of said selected last-choice routes which has a measured call congestion level greater than said average call congestion level; determining for each of said selected last-choice routes, whether said additional capacity was sufficient to reduce the measured call congestion level to said average call congestion level; and instituting call restriction procedures in each exchange along said selected last-choice routes in which said additional capacity was not sufficient to reduce the measured call congestion level to said average call congestion level.

Claim 7

A method of providing improved performance of a telecommunications network by optimizing the network's traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges within the network, said method comprising the steps of: measuring congestion levels within the traffic being carried by each route within the network; calculating an average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes between the exchanges in the network; and redimensioning the network by rerouting and limiting the traffic within the routes between the exchanges in the network to bring the congestion levels within the traffic on each route between each exchange approximately equal to the average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes between the exchange in the network, wherein said step of limiting the traffic within the routes includes: determining points of origin for the traffic on each of said routes; and limiting the traffic on each of said routes between the exchanges in the network as close to said points of origin as possible within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of that which would produce a congestion value in the exchange greater than the average congestion value within the network.

Claim 8

A method of providing improved performance of a telecommunications network by optimizing the network's traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges within the network, said method comprising the steps of: measuring congestion levels within the traffic being carried by each route within the network; calculating an average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes between the exchanges in the network; and redimensioning the network by rerouting and limiting the traffic within the routes between the exchanges in the network to bring the congestion levels within the traffic on each route between each exchange approximately equal to the average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes between the exchange in the network, wherein said step of limiting the traffic within the routes includes: determining points of origin for the traffic on each of said routes; and limiting the traffic on each of said routes between the exchanges in the network as close to said points of origin as possible within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of that which would produce a congestion value in the exchange greater than the average congestion value within the network.

Claim 9

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network to which telecommunications traffic is being offered for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said method comprising the steps of: calculating the traffic carrying capacity of the network for a selected degree of congestion within the network; measuring the traffic being offered to the network; comparing said calculated traffic carrying capacity to said measured traffic to determine a value of overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each of said routes; and limiting said overflow traffic as close to said points of origin thereof as possible within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having overflow traffic, to reduce the measured traffic by the value of overflow traffic to achieve the calculated traffic carrying capacity for the selected degree of congestion within the network.

Claim 10

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network to which telecommunications traffic is being offered for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said method comprising the steps of: calculating the traffic carrying capacity of the network for a selected degree of congestion within the network; measuring the traffic being offered to the network; comparing said calculated traffic carrying capacity to said measured traffic to determine a value of overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each of said routes; and limiting said overflow traffic as close to said points of origin thereof as possible within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having overflow traffic, to reduce the measured traffic by the value of overflow traffic to achieve the calculated traffic carrying capacity for the selected degree of congestion within the network.

Claim 11

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having overflow traffic, to reduce the calculated maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to equal said stored historical levels of traffic.

Claim 12

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having overflow traffic, to reduce the calculated maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to equal said stored historical levels of traffic.

Claim 13

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, wherein said redimensioning step includes the steps of: selecting a computer program for dimensioning said network based upon anticipated traffic within the network and the traffic interests on said routes of the network; inputting available resources of said network after a decrease in the traffic carrying capacity thereof into said program; and calculating the traffic carrying capacity of said network and the routes thereof with said program; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network.

Claim 14

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, wherein said redimensioning step includes the steps of: selecting a computer program for dimensioning said network based upon anticipated traffic within the network and the traffic interests on said routes of the network; inputting available resources of said network after a decrease in the traffic carrying capacity thereof into said program; and calculating the traffic carrying capacity of said network and the routes thereof with said program; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network.

Claim 15

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network by instituting traffic management control function procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of its historical traffic level for the selected permitted degree of congestion.

Claim 16

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network by instituting traffic management control function procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of its historical traffic level for the selected permitted degree of congestion.

Claim 17

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of its historical traffic level for the selected permitted degree of congestion.

Claim 18

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of its historical traffic level for the selected permitted degree of congestion.

Claim 19

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting step including the steps of: measuring the degree of congestion within the traffic being carried by each route within the network; calculating an average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes in the network; and selectively limiting said overflow traffic to make the traffic within each exchange and within each route approximately equal to said calculated average value of congestion.

Claim 20

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting step including the steps of: measuring the degree of congestion within the traffic being carried by each route within the network; calculating an average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes in the network; and selectively limiting said overflow traffic to make the traffic within each exchange and within each route approximately equal to said calculated average value of congestion.

Claim 21

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic information; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting step including the steps of: sending said overflow traffic information from a redimensioning module to a command conversion module; converting said overflow information within said command conversion module into network management commands indicative of network traffic limitation functions; and sending said network management commands to the exchanges and routes within the network to limit said traffic.

Claim 22

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic information; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting step including the steps of: sending said overflow traffic information from a redimensioning module to a command conversion module; converting said overflow information within said command conversion module into network management commands indicative of network traffic limitation functions; and sending said network management commands to the exchanges and routes within the network to limit said traffic.

Claim 23

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said method comprising the steps of: storing information within a memory to construct a network image, said information including number of exchanges in said network, size of each exchange, number and identity of the routes between different exchanges in the network, number of subscribers connected to each of said exchanges, estimated traffic per subscriber, and traffic interests within the network; storing information within a memory to construct a network traffic history module, said network traffic history information including statistics on historical traffic levels for particular seasons, days, and hours; storing actual network data within a memory, said data including traffic levels which are currently being offered to the network, amount of overflow traffic which is currently being rejected by the network, and an answer/seizure ratio within each exchange and each route of the network; receiving status signals within an interface module from each route and exchange within the network, said module including sensors for generating interrupts in response to signals indicative of changes in status of each route and exchange; comparing, in response to receiving signals indicating a change in status within said network, said actual network data to the information stored in said network image and said traffic history module to detect any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in status within said network; selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for the selected degree of congestion which is permitted in the network; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical traffic levels for said particular seasons, days, and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic information; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and converting said overflow traffic information into network management commands to limit said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network and to avoid overload of the network with calls which cannot be completed within the particular value of congestion due to lack of network resources.

Claim 24

A method of optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said method comprising the steps of: storing information within a memory to construct a network image, said information including number of exchanges in said network, size of each exchange, number and identity of the routes between different exchanges in the network, number of subscribers connected to each of said exchanges, estimated traffic per subscriber, and traffic interests within the network; storing information within a memory to construct a network traffic history module, said network traffic history information including statistics on historical traffic levels for particular seasons, days, and hours; storing actual network data within a memory, said data including traffic levels which are currently being offered to the network, amount of overflow traffic which is currently being rejected by the network, and an answer/seizure ratio within each exchange and each route of the network; receiving status signals within an interface module from each route and exchange within the network, said module including sensors for generating interrupts in response to signals indicative of changes in status of each route and exchange; comparing, in response to receiving signals indicating a change in status within said network, said actual network data to the information stored in said network image and said traffic history module to detect any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in status within said network; selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for the selected degree of congestion which is permitted in the network; comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical traffic levels for said particular seasons, days, and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic information; determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and converting said overflow traffic information into network management commands to limit said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network and to avoid overload of the network with calls which cannot be completed within the particular value of congestion due to lack of network resources.

Claim 29

A system for providing improved performance of a telecommunications network by optimizing the network's traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said system comprising: means for measuring congestion levels within the traffic being carried by each route within the network; means for calculating an average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes between said exchanges in the network; and means for redimensioning the network by rerouting and limiting the traffic within the routes between the exchanges in the network to bring the congestion levels within the traffic on each route between each exchange approximately equal to the average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes between the exchanges in the network, wherein said means for limiting the traffic within the routes includes: means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each of said routes; and means for limiting the traffic on each route between exchanges in the network as close to said points of origin as possible within the network, said limiting means including means for instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of that which would produce a congestion value in the exchange greater than the average congestion value within the network.

Claim 30

A system for providing improved performance of a telecommunications network by optimizing the network's traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said system comprising: means for measuring congestion levels within the traffic being carried by each route within the network; means for calculating an average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes between said exchanges in the network; and means for redimensioning the network by rerouting and limiting the traffic within the routes between the exchanges in the network to bring the congestion levels within the traffic on each route between each exchange approximately equal to the average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes between the exchanges in the network, wherein said means for limiting the traffic within the routes includes: means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each of said routes; and means for limiting the traffic on each route between exchanges in the network as close to said points of origin as possible within the network, said limiting means including means for instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of that which would produce a congestion value in the exchange greater than the average congestion value within the network.

Claim 32

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network to which telecommunications traffic is being offered for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said system comprising: means for calculating the traffic carrying capacity of the network for a selected degree of congestion within the network; means for measuring the traffic being offered to the network; means for comparing said calculated traffic carrying capacity to said measured traffic to determine a value of overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each of said routes; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close to said points of origin thereof as possible within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having overflow traffic, to reduce the measured traffic by the value of overflow traffic to achieve the calculated traffic carrying capacity for the selected degree of congestion within the network.

Claim 33

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network to which telecommunications traffic is being offered for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said system comprising: means for calculating the traffic carrying capacity of the network for a selected degree of congestion within the network; means for measuring the traffic being offered to the network; means for comparing said calculated traffic carrying capacity to said measured traffic to determine a value of overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each of said routes; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close to said points of origin thereof as possible within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having overflow traffic, to reduce the measured traffic by the value of overflow traffic to achieve the calculated traffic carrying capacity for the selected degree of congestion within the network.

Claim 34

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having overflow traffic, to reduce the calculated traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to equal said stored historical levels of traffic.

Claim 35

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network by instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having overflow traffic, to reduce the calculated traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to equal said stored historical levels of traffic.

Claim 36

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning means including: means for selecting a computer program for dimensioning said network based upon anticipated traffic within the network and the traffic interests on said routes of the network; means for inputting available resources of said network after a decrease in the traffic carrying capacity thereof into said program; and means for calculating the traffic carrying capacity of said network and the routes thereof with said program; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network.

Claim 37

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning means including: means for selecting a computer program for dimensioning said network based upon anticipated traffic within the network and the traffic interests on said routes of the network; means for inputting available resources of said network after a decrease in the traffic carrying capacity thereof into said program; and means for calculating the traffic carrying capacity of said network and the routes thereof with said program; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network.

Claim 38

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting means including means for instituting traffic management control function procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of its historical traffic level for the selected permitted degree of congestion.

Claim 39

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting means including means for instituting traffic management control function procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of its historical traffic level for the selected permitted degree of congestion.

Claim 40

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting means including means for instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of its historical traffic level for the selected permitted degree of congestion.

Claim 41

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting means including means for instituting call restriction procedures within each exchange having anticipated traffic in excess of its historical traffic level for the selected permitted degree of congestion.

Claim 42

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting means including: means for measuring the degree of congestion within the traffic being carried by each route within the network; means for calculating an average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes in the network; and means for selectively limiting said overflow traffic to make the traffic within each exchange and within each route approximately equal to said calculated average value of congestion.

Claim 43

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting means including: means for measuring the degree of congestion within the traffic being carried by each route within the network; means for calculating an average value of congestion within the traffic throughout all of the routes in the network; and means for selectively limiting said overflow traffic to make the traffic within each exchange and within each route approximately equal to said calculated average value of congestion.

Claim 44

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic information; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting means including: means for sending said overflow traffic information from a redimensioning module to a command conversion module; means for converting said overflow information within said command conversion module into network management commands indicative of network traffic limitation functions; and means for sending said network management commands to the exchanges and routes within the network to limit said traffic.

Claim 45

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, both said exchanges and said routes having been previously dimensioned based upon anticipated traffic and traffic interests to various destinations of said routes, said system comprising: means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for storing in memory, levels of traffic which have historically been carried by the network for particular days and hours; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for said selected degree of congestion; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical levels for said particular days and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic information; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for limiting said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network, said limiting means including: means for sending said overflow traffic information from a redimensioning module to a command conversion module; means for converting said overflow information within said command conversion module into network management commands indicative of network traffic limitation functions; and means for sending said network management commands to the exchanges and routes within the network to limit said traffic.

Claim 46

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said system comprising: means for storing information within a memory to construct a network image, said information including number of exchanges in said network, size of each exchange, number and identity of the routes between different exchanges in the network, number of subscribers connected to each of said exchanges, estimated traffic per subscriber, and traffic interests within the network; means for storing information within a memory to construct a network traffic history module, said network traffic history information including statistics on historical traffic levels for particular seasons, days, and hours; means for storing actual network data within a memory, said data including traffic levels which are currently being offered to the network, amount of overflow traffic which is currently being rejected by the network, and an answer/seizure ratio within each exchange and each route of the network; means for receiving status signals within an interface module from each route and exchange within the network, said module including sensors for generating interrupts in response to signals indicative of changes in status of each route and exchange; means for comparing, in response to receiving signals indicating a change in status within said network, said actual network data to the information stored in said network image and said traffic history module to detect any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in status within said network; means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for the selected degree of congestion which is permitted in the network; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical traffic levels for said particular seasons, days, and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic information; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for converting said overflow traffic information into network management commands to limit said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network and to avoid overload of the network with calls which cannot be completed within the particular value of congestion due to lack of network resources.

Claim 47

A system for optimizing a telecommunications network for improved traffic carrying capacity, said network having a plurality of exchanges and a plurality of routes connecting those exchanges to one another with each of said routes being capable of carrying traffic between said exchanges in the network, said system comprising: means for storing information within a memory to construct a network image, said information including number of exchanges in said network, size of each exchange, number and identity of the routes between different exchanges in the network, number of subscribers connected to each of said exchanges, estimated traffic per subscriber, and traffic interests within the network; means for storing information within a memory to construct a network traffic history module, said network traffic history information including statistics on historical traffic levels for particular seasons, days, and hours; means for storing actual network data within a memory, said data including traffic levels which are currently being offered to the network, amount of overflow traffic which is currently being rejected by the network, and an answer/seizure ratio within each exchange and each route of the network; means for receiving status signals within an interface module from each route and exchange within the network, said module including sensors for generating interrupts in response to signals indicative of changes in status of each route and exchange; means for comparing, in response to receiving signals indicating a change in status within said network, said actual network data to the information stored in said network image and said traffic history module to detect any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network; means for redimensioning the network in response to detecting any change in the traffic carrying capacity of the network, said redimensioning being based upon existing traffic carrying resources following said change in status within said network; means for selecting a degree of congestion which is permitted within the network; means for calculating a maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network for the selected degree of congestion which is permitted in the network; means for comparing the maximum traffic carrying capacity of said redimensioned network to said stored historical traffic levels for said particular seasons, days, and hours to obtain a difference therebetween as overflow traffic information; means for determining points of origin for the traffic on each route; and means for converting said overflow traffic information into network management commands to limit said overflow traffic as close as possible to said points of origin thereof within the network and to avoid overload of the network with calls which cannot be completed within the particular value of congestion due to lack of network resources.