Abstract: A method of and system for managing a SONET ring computes an optimally balanced demand loading for the SONET ring and generates an updated time slot assignment map for each node of the SONET ring based upon the optimally balanced demand loading. The method causes each node of the SONET ring to switch substantially simultaneously to its updated time slot assignment map, thereby reconfiguring the SONET ring.

Abstract: A method of and system for transmitting multicast packets unidirectionally from a transmitter of a source network to a receiver of a client network and unicast packets bidirectionally between the source network and the client network by configuring a selected router of the client network to accept multicast packets from the receiver, establishing a virtual connection between the selected router of the client network and a selected router of the source network, and advertising in the client network that the virtual connection is the shortest path from the client network to the source network.

Abstract: A system and method for provisioning application and data files to a plurality of real-time processing nodes within a telecommunications network. The system comprises a user interface for accepting commands from a user to deactivate, activate, deploy, or delete application and data files, an application database for storing the application and data files, and an interface to monitor the operational state of the plurality of real-time processing nodes. The method includes the steps of using a plurality of state tables to monitor the state of the application and data files and deploying the application and data files to the plurality of real-time processing nodes according to commands received from the user interface, the plurality of state tables, and the operational state of the nodes. The invention is particularly suited to provisioning a network of advanced interactive voice response (IVR) service platforms with customer IVR application and data files.

Abstract: A system and method for testing a telephone connection using an interactive telephone response module (ITRM). In one embodiment, the ITRM is connected between the handset and station set of a telephone terminating one end of the connection to be tested. In another embodiment, the ITRM is connected between the telephone connection and the station set of a telephone terminating one end of the connection to be tested. By operating switches on the ITRM, a user can impose predetermined conditions on the connection. A test coordinator located at a test point or other termination in the telephone network then tests the connection under the predetermined conditions.

Abstract: Data files, video and audio data, telephone calls, and other multimedia information is multicast through a hybrid network which includes orbiting satellites and the Internet. The multimedia information is multicast to a receiving facility via an orbiting satellite or the Internet. If the status of the transmission indicates that the transmission was unsuccessful, the receiving computer will transmit a failure status to the source, and the source will transmit the multimedia information to the receiving computer, thus providing reliable data delivery. The multicast data is received by a receiving facility and the data is transmitted via industry standard non-proprietary mechanisms utilizing Internet Protocol to each of the destination computers that are members of the multicast group.

Abstract: An method, apparatus, and computer program product for restoring a failed system in an optical mesh network. A system includes a first light termination element (LTE) and a second LTE. A first node in the network includes an optical switching unit (OSU) coupled to the first (LTE) of the system. A second node in the network includes a second OSU coupled to the second (LTE) of the system. The first node is coupled to the second node by a path. Optical data traffic can be transmitted between the first node and the second node via the path. Upon detection of a failure of the system, the first OSU and second OSU are notified of the failure. A primary role is assigned to one of the first and second OSUs, and a secondary role is assigned to the other one of the first and second OSUs. A primary restoration plan is determined by the primary OSU. Information identifying the primary restoration plan is sent from the primary OSU for effecting the restoration path to restore the system.

Abstract: A distribution system makes reports available to customers of call centers. The report may provide information regarding calls handled by the call center on behalf of the customer. For example, the report provide call statistics, including summary call statistic and individuals call statistic. The report may also include billing detail records. The reports are automatically generated and distributed for access by the customers via computing resources. The distribution may be accomplished in near real time. The reports may consolidate data gathered from multiple agent consoles and from multiple call centers, including geographically call centers. Separate reports may be provided for each of the customers served by the call centers.

Abstract: A system for maintaining a customer's telephone number when a switch from one service provider to a second provider is made interfaces with a regional customer number database to keep track of local numbers and the corresponding local service provider which services each number. Service providers interface with the database and obtain information at the telephone number level that permits individual providers to determine which carrier is providing service to which telephone number. A neutral third party maintains and administers the database allowing free access by any participating provider.

Abstract: A telecommunications network that handles call center calls by providing advanced interactive voice response (IVR) services using a next generation service node (NGSN). The NGSN nodes combine with several other interacting network components to provide a scaleable architecture which allows several different, customized and flexible call center services to be performed for telecommunications service provider customers. In addition the network includes virtual call routers, parking managers, host connect gateways, report servers, advanced network databases, data access points, and data gateways to deliver calls to customer call centers with various features enabled.

Abstract: The present invention provides a customer host connect gateway that connects any Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform with any customer host computer. The customer host connect gateway enables IVR applications to perform transactions with the customer host computer during the processing of a customer call in a call center. The customer host connect gateway satisfies all interoperability requirements, freeing IVR applications from the need for specifying any hardware or software information related to a host computer and from the need for providing a network address for the customer host computer. The customer host connect gateway includes a separate application for each customer host connection. The IVR platform issues a transaction to a customer host computer by sending a message to the customer host connect gateway.

Abstract: A method and system for excluding restoral routes from use in bypassing a failed component. Prior to failure of a segment, the restoration system identifies each path in the communications network. A path is a unique sequence of installations that a segment traverses. The restoration system then creates a mapping of the ports of the restoration nodes to the paths of the segments connected to each port. The restoration system then identifies for each path the set of paths that are interdependent. A pair of paths are interdependent when both paths traverse a common pair of installations. Following failure of a segment, the restoration system uses the port on which the failure was detected and uses the mapping to identify the path of the segment that failed. The restoration system then excludes each restoral route that includes a segment that has a path that is interdependent with the identified path.

Abstract: Telephone calls, data and other multimedia information is routed through a hybrid network which includes transfer of information across the internet. A media order entry captures complete user profile information for a user. This profile information is utilized by the system throughout the media experience for routing, billing, monitoring, reporting and other media control functions. Users can manage more aspects of a network than previously possible, and control network activities from a central site. The hybrid network also contains logic for responding to requests for quality of service and reserving the resources to provide the requested services.

Abstract: A system for providing services in a communications network includes a service processing function, a universal directory function, and a nodal resource manager. The service processing function receives service requests, formulates requests for interworking functions based upon service requests, and formulates resource requests based upon service requests and interworking functions. The universal directory function receives addresses from the service processing function and returns interworking functions based upon addresses. The nodal resource manager receives resource requests and allocates resources to the service processing function in response to resource requests. The nodal resource manager maintains a resource database that includes an entry corresponding to each network resource managed by the nodal resource manager.

Abstract: A high speed data queuing and retrieval system includes, in a lower tier, multiple storage devices for storing items for subsequent use by a requesting process, and multiple select devices for retrieving selected items in a pre-specified order from a corresponding storage device according to a requesting process, and, in an upper tier, multiple locally accessible storage devices for temporarily caching those items selected from the lower tier, and a select device for retrieving the selected items from the local storage device and feeding the requested items to the requesting process in a predefined sequence according to the request. The retrieval of the requested items from the local storage device is performed independent from and at a greater speed relative to the temporary caching of the selected items in the local storage device.

Abstract: A platform for use in a communications system integrates voicemail and faxmail functionality. The platform collects, stores, and retrieves voicemail and faxmail messages for numerous subscribers. Each subscriber accesses his or her account with, for example, a single telephone number assigned to the subscriber. The integrated voicemail and faxmail platform collects, stores, forwards, distributes, saves, deletes, and retrieves voicemail and faxmail messages for the numerous subscribers based on the single number. The platform also provides capability for enhanced features such as automatic callback to individuals who leave a message for a subscriber, broadcasting of fax messages to multiple recipients, and the creation and management of distribution lists for voicemail and faxmail messages.

Abstract: A system and method for Enhanced Overflow Call Processing redirects calls which cannot be completed to alternate terminations. An originating switch queries a network database for an alternate termination for the call each time the originating switch detects that the call cannot be completed to the current termination. The network database determines the alternate termination for each query using a hierarchical set of multi-branch overflow statements which are configured by the user. A set of overflow statements is selected by the network database based on the original termination of the call. The set of overflow statements is searched hierarchically until an active overflow statement is found. This overflow statement then controls all queries relating to that call. The reason the call was not completed is used to select either an alternate termination to which the call is to be routed or a particular treatment, such as a busy signal or network message, which is to be applied to the call.

Abstract: A centralized restoration system utilizes preferred routing tables to identify an optimal restoral path for restoring a network from a failure. The preferred routing tables are constructed prior to the failure of the network. This pre-construction of the preferred routing tables prior to network failure substantially diminishes the computational and temporal requirements needed to restore the network at the time of failure. The centralized restoration system is able to account for changes in network topology and configuration. The centralized restoration system builds the optimal restoral path on a link by link basis and examines the availability of links prior to adding the link to the optimal restoral path. Unavailable links are not added to the restoral path.

Abstract: The present invention advanced voice application system takes advantage of information, or attributes, built into a telecommunications network to determine the risk that a call is a fraudulent call in a voice recognition and verification system. To achieve this end, information relating to the telecommunications network are stored in a database as various risk factors. Thus, depending on the type of risk factors associated with a particular call, the risk assigned to that call can be raised or lowered so that the network would not reject a valid caller even though the voice pattern of the caller does not match exactly with the prestored enrolled voice print of the caller. Such risk assessment allows the management of the network to tighten the security of the system without overburdening the caller with questions and also permits calls to be completed for valid subscribers that otherwise would have been rejected.

Abstract: A network testing system (50) includes a message compiler (52) accepting a plurality of data inputs (54) to create a test message (56). A communicator (58) is capable of transmitting the test message (56) to a component under test (60). The test message (56) is compliant with any of a plurality of protocols. The communicator (58) is also capable of emulating a communication session using an emulation module.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the design and development of automatic response unit (ARU) services and for processing automated response unit (ARU) services. The present invention comprises a compiler and interpreter that facilitate the development of an ARU service encoding. The interpreter is one embodiment of the present invention that may be used for processing an ARU service encoding. The present invention further comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) tool for creating and maintaining an ARU service encoding. An ARU service encoding is a tree structure comprised of service nodes wherein each service node may represent a caller's menu selection from the ARU service. Each service node has multiple components including variable support, message capability, processing capability, and default capability. The present invention parses the ARU service encoding for service nodes.