Automatic generation of control messages for a communication network based on input of parameters to be modified

Claim 1

In a telecommunication network having communication nodes interconnected with each other by a plurality of communication channels, a computer implemented method for selecting command messages to control corresponding communication channels, the method comprising the steps of: a) storing in memory a group of rules, each rule defining an allowable combination of communication channels that are controllable by a command message; b) receiving and storing inputs from a user defining ones of the communication channels to be controlled; c) receiving an input from the user indicating that all of said ones of the communication channels have been defined; d) comparing, in response to receipt of said input of step c), said ones of the communication channels to said rules to determine sets of communication channels that are allowable; e) generating and storing a first list of said sets of communication channels; f) choosing one of said sets of communication channels from the first list and entering said one of said sets of communication channels on a second list stored in memory; g) excluding those of said sets of communication channels listed on said first list having a communication channel associated with one of said sets of communication channels stored on the second list; h) repeating steps f) and g) until all of the ones of the communication channels entered by the user are contained in a set of communication channels on said second list, each of said sets of the communication channels stored on the second list having a corresponding command message, so that a group of command messages associated with the second list is automatically determined and used in controlling said communication channels.