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US5629938A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for automated provisioning of dedicated circuits

Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1995-05-25
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Granted: 1997-05-13
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Expires: 2015-05-25
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Abstract

Abstract Automatic provisioning of dedicated circuits (40, 44, 48, 49, 55, 56, 64, 68, 72, and 74) within a network (10) to obtain connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between an origin (12) and an end point (16) is accomplished by first identifying circuits having a prescribed bandwidth and suitable location from a map of such circuits maintained in a data base (80). Once the circuits having the prescribed bandwidth and suitable location are identified, then a group of circuits is selected, based on one or more predetermined criteria. Thereafter, provisioning commands are generated for receipt by Digital Access Cross-Connect Devices (42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66 and 73) that interconnect the circuits to provide the desired conductivity between the origin and the end point.

Inventors

  • 👤 John A. Cerciello
  • 👤 Stephen E. Hanson
  • 👤 David G. Priest

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 12:20
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L45/00; H04L45/02; H04L45/10; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/0016; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13003; H04Q2213/13103; H04Q2213/13106; H04Q2213/13109; H04Q2213/1313; H04Q2213/1329; H04Q2213/1338; H04Q2213/13395

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 162 words
A method for automatically provisioning dedicated circuits within a network, each circuit having a location and a bandwidth and each circuit being selectable for connection in response to a provisioning command, to yield connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between an origin and an end point, comprising the steps of: maintaining a record for each individual circuit specifying its location and its bandwidth and at least one of the following data: length, cost and reliability; automatically identifying those circuits that have the prescribed bandwidth and a suitable location in response to a need for connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between the origin and the end point; selecting from among the identified circuits, a group of circuits for interconnnection to each other based on at least one of said circuit length, cost and reliability data specified in said circuit records and automatically supplying provisioning commands to accomplish interconnection of the circuits in the group to provide connectivity between the origin and the end point.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 162 words
A method for automatically provisioning dedicated circuits within a network, each circuit having a location and a bandwidth and each circuit being selectable for connection in response to a provisioning command, to yield connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between an origin and an end point, comprising the steps of: maintaining a record for each individual circuit specifying its location and its bandwidth and at least one of the following data: length, cost and reliability; automatically identifying those circuits that have the prescribed bandwidth and a suitable location in response to a need for connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between the origin and the end point; selecting from among the identified circuits, a group of circuits for interconnnection to each other based on at least one of said circuit length, cost and reliability data specified in said circuit records and automatically supplying provisioning commands to accomplish interconnection of the circuits in the group to provide connectivity between the origin and the end point.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the record of each circuit further includes information as to the cost of each circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on their cost.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein each record contains information about the reliability of each circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 4 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on their reliability.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein each record contains information about the length of each circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 6 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on length.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein each provisioning command controls a Digital Access Cross-Connect Device that selectively interconnects a pair of circuits.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 174 words
A method for automatically provisioning dedicated circuits within a network, each circuit having a location, a bandwidth and an availability for use, and each circuit being selectable for connection in response to a provisioning command, to yield connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between an origin and an end point, comprising the steps of: maintaining a record for each individual circuit specifying its location, its bandwidth, its availability for use and at least one of the following data: length, cost and reliability; automatically identifying circuits that are: (a) available for use, (b) have the prescribed bandwidth and (c) have a suitable location in response to a need for connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between the origin and the end point; selecting, from among the identified circuits, a group of circuits for interconnection to each other based on at least one of said circuit length, cost and reliability data specified in said circuit records; and automatically supplying provisioning commands to interconnect the circuits in the group to provide connectivity between the origin and the end point.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 174 words
A method for automatically provisioning dedicated circuits within a network, each circuit having a location, a bandwidth and an availability for use, and each circuit being selectable for connection in response to a provisioning command, to yield connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between an origin and an end point, comprising the steps of: maintaining a record for each individual circuit specifying its location, its bandwidth, its availability for use and at least one of the following data: length, cost and reliability; automatically identifying circuits that are: (a) available for use, (b) have the prescribed bandwidth and (c) have a suitable location in response to a need for connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between the origin and the end point; selecting, from among the identified circuits, a group of circuits for interconnection to each other based on at least one of said circuit length, cost and reliability data specified in said circuit records; and automatically supplying provisioning commands to interconnect the circuits in the group to provide connectivity between the origin and the end point.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein the record of each circuit further includes information as to the cost of each circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on their cost.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein each record contains information about the reliability of each circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 12 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on their reliability.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein each record contains information about the length of each circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 14 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on their length.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein each provisioning command controls a Digital Access Cross-Connect Device that selectively interconnects a pair of circuits.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 180 words
A method for automatically provisioning dedicated circuits within a network, each circuit having a location and a bandwidth and each circuit being selectable for connection in response to a provisioning command, to yield connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth, between an origin and an end point, comprising the steps of: maintaining a record for each individual circuit specifying its location and its bandwidth and data specifying at least one of the following: circuit length, cost and reliability; auditing the network to determine if provisioning is necessary to achieve greater efficiency, and if so, then: (i) automatically identifying those circuits that have the prescribed bandwidth and a suitable location to provide connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between the origin and the end point; (ii) selecting, from among the identified circuits, a group of circuits for interconnection to each other based on at least one of said circuit length, cost and reliability data specified in said circuit records; and (iii) automatically supplying provisioning command to accomplish interconnection of the circuits in the group to provide connectivity between the origin and the end point.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 180 words
A method for automatically provisioning dedicated circuits within a network, each circuit having a location and a bandwidth and each circuit being selectable for connection in response to a provisioning command, to yield connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth, between an origin and an end point, comprising the steps of: maintaining a record for each individual circuit specifying its location and its bandwidth and data specifying at least one of the following: circuit length, cost and reliability; auditing the network to determine if provisioning is necessary to achieve greater efficiency, and if so, then: (i) automatically identifying those circuits that have the prescribed bandwidth and a suitable location to provide connectivity of a prescribed bandwidth between the origin and the end point; (ii) selecting, from among the identified circuits, a group of circuits for interconnection to each other based on at least one of said circuit length, cost and reliability data specified in said circuit records; and (iii) automatically supplying provisioning command to accomplish interconnection of the circuits in the group to provide connectivity between the origin and the end point.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method according to claim 17 wherein the record of each circuit further includes information as to the cost of each circuit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 18 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on their cost.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 17 wherein each record contains information about the reliability of each circuit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 20 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on their reliability.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 17 wherein each record contains information about the length of each circuit.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 22 wherein the circuits in the group are selected based on their length.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method according to claim 17 wherein each provisioning command controls a Digital Access Cross-Connect Device that selectively interconnects a pair of circuits.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5138657A Cited
US5295139A Cited
US5390179A Cited
US5353339A Cited
US5491742A Cited
US5513171A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-05-12 2000-11-11 2001-05-13 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-05-12 2004-11-11 2005-05-13 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-05-12 2008-11-11 2009-05-13 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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