Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A virtual bearer channel platform for processing a service request received on a communications network, said virtual bearer channel platform comprising: a plurality of transaction processing units; a distribution network coupled to said plurality of transaction processing units; and a cross-connecting controller coupled to said distribution network and said communications network, said cross-connecting controller receiving data corresponding to said service request from said communications network and providing the received data on said distribution network to one of said plurality of transaction processing units, wherein bandwidth on said distribution network is shared by said plurality of transaction processing units.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
A virtual bearer channel platform for processing a service request received on a communications network, said virtual bearer channel platform comprising: a plurality of transaction processing units; a distribution network coupled to said plurality of transaction processing units; and a cross-connecting controller coupled to said distribution network and said communications network, said cross-connecting controller receiving data corresponding to said service request from said communications network and providing the received data on said distribution network to one of said plurality of transaction processing units, wherein bandwidth on said distribution network is shared by said plurality of transaction processing units.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 1, wherein said distribution network comprises one of: a standard SONET distribution network; and a modified SONET distribution network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 1, further comprising a resource manager for allocating the received service request to one of said plurality of transaction processing units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 3, further comprising a gateway for interfacing with said communications network to provide a connection between a bearer channel on which said service request is received and said one of said plurality of transaction processing units to which said service request is allocated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 4, wherein said communications network comprises a common channel signaling (CCS) network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 4, wherein said communications network includes a plurality of bearer channels including said bearer channel on which said service request is received, wherein said cross-connecting controller forwards data received on said bearer channel on which said service request is received to said one transaction processing unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
The virtual bearer channel platform of claim 6, wherein said distribution network is implemented using a modified SONET-type protocol, wherein said modified SONET-type protocol is defined by a plurality of frames, with each of said frames comprising a plurality of bytes, wherein data corresponding to each of said bearer channels is dedicated to be transferred on predetermined bytes within each of said frames, and wherein said cross-connecting controller provides data corresponding to said service request on the bytes dedicated to said bearer channel on which said service request is received.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of processing a service request received by a virtual bearer channel platform on a communications network, said virtual bearer channel platform including a plurality of transaction processing units, said method comprising the steps of: receiving data corresponding to said service request; forwarding the data to one of said plurality of transaction processing units using a distribution network, wherein said distribution network is shared by said plurality of transaction processing units; and processing said service request in said one of said plurality of transaction processing units.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of processing a service request received by a virtual bearer channel platform on a communications network, said virtual bearer channel platform including a plurality of transaction processing units, said method comprising the steps of: receiving data corresponding to said service request; forwarding the data to one of said plurality of transaction processing units using a distribution network, wherein said distribution network is shared by said plurality of transaction processing units; and processing said service request in said one of said plurality of transaction processing units.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of: allocating said service request to said one of said plurality of transaction processing units using a resource manager.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said distribution network is implemented using one of: a standard SONET distribution network; and a modified SONET distribution network.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of: receiving an indication of arrival of said service request and an identifier of a bearer channel from a gateway, and sending said identifier from said gateway to said resource manager.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: receiving by said resource manager said identifier of a bearer channel and translates the identifier to determine a location of data on the distribution network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
A virtual bearer channel platform connected to a communications network with one or more bearer channels, said virtual bearer channel platform comprising: a plurality of transaction processing units for processing or transmitting a service request; a distribution network providing communications with said plurality of transaction processing units within said virtual bearer channel platform; and a cross-connecting controller for routing service requests received on the one or more bearer channels in the communications network to the plurality of transaction processing units over the distribution network.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
A virtual bearer channel platform connected to a communications network with one or more bearer channels, said virtual bearer channel platform comprising: a plurality of transaction processing units for processing or transmitting a service request; a distribution network providing communications with said plurality of transaction processing units within said virtual bearer channel platform; and a cross-connecting controller for routing service requests received on the one or more bearer channels in the communications network to the plurality of transaction processing units over the distribution network.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The virtual bearer channel platform according to claim 13, wherein said service request is an inbound service request received by the virtual bearer channel platform from the communications network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The virtual bearer channel platform according to claim 13, wherein said service request is an outbound service request sent by the virtual bearer channel platform to the communications network.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
The virtual bearer channel platform according to claim 13, further comprising: a resource manager for controlling access of said plurality of transaction processing units to said distribution network and for maintaining a status of said bearer channels and said distribution network.