Abstract: An extensive and powerful XML meta-data rule-based language and system for developing a use-interface for configuring, monitoring and provisioning a telecommunications system is provided. The language is based on rules that define configuration objects and relationships. The rules are organized into files that define the individual objects used to configure the telecommunications system. The rules are interpreted at run-time to instruct the system to present appropriate user-interface controls to create, edit, and manipulate the objects. The rules will direct the specific editor for objects' properties, sometimes consisting of edit controls, combo box controls, multiple selection controls, or dialog boxes for IP addresses, point codes, or dates. The rules can enforce dependencies and cardinalities, as well as display customized data tables across different objects.

Abstract: The system separates the common administrative functions from the supervisory host applications. Each administrative function is performed by a separate administrative process that is dedicated to that function and is accessible by all the supervisory application. Thus when a supervisory process requires performance of an administrative function, it invokes operation of the corresponding administrative process. With this arrangement, only a single copy of each administrative process needs to be maintained. All communications between the administrative processes, the switching platform and/or the supervisory applications are routed through a gateway process. The gateway process then forwards the message to the appropriate process or switch and later returns the any reply results to the requesting process or application.

Abstract: Multimedia presentations of outdoor information, such as weather information and ski reports, are provided on information transmission networks, such as Internet, on-line services and interactive TV. The outdoor information is compiled from a plurality of sources by electronically transmitting it to a presentation generator. The outdoor information is converted into presentation information for generating multimedia presentations. The presentation information is stored in a computer database that is accessible through the network. When a request is received from a user device connected to the network for selected outdoor information, the presentation information corresponding to the selected outdoor information is transmitted from the database to the user device through the information transmission network. A multimedia presentation is generated at the user device.