Patents by Inventor David Massengill

David Massengill has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8199638
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically rerouting logical circuit data in a data network. A failure is identified in a logical circuit in a data network. The logical circuit may include a communication path for communicating data. Once the failure in the logical circuit is determined, a logical failover circuit is then identified. The logical failover circuit includes an alternate communication path for communicating the data for the failed logical circuit. After the logical failover circuit has been identified, the data from the failed logical circuit is rerouted to the logical failover circuit without manual intervention. After the data has been rerouted the logical failover circuit, a determination is made as to whether the failure in the logical circuit has been corrected. If it is determined that the failure in the logical circuit has been corrected, then the data from the logical failover circuit is rerouted back to the logical circuit in the data network without manual intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 8031620
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for real time simultaneous monitoring of logical circuits. In accordance with an example method, first status information is requested for a first logical connection at a host end of a logical circuit comprising the first logical connection. The logical circuit connects a host device to a remote device and traverses a first local access and transport area, an inter-exchange carrier, and a second local access and transport area. The first local access and transport area is at the host end of the logical circuit, and the second local access and transport area is at a remote end of the logical circuit. A logical identifier of the logical circuit is identified based on the first status information. A second logical connection at the remote end of the logical circuit is identified based on the logical identifier of the logical circuit. Second status information for the second logical connection is requested after identifying the second logical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 8031588
    Abstract: A disclosed example method involves identifying a first logical circuit identifier for a first logical circuit in a first network. When a failure is detected in the first logical circuit, a second logical circuit identifier for a second logical circuit in a failover network separate from the first network is identified and the first logical circuit is renamed without manual intervention to identify the first logical circuit using the second logical circuit identifier. The second logical circuit is to reroute data from the first logical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7768904
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for fail-safe renaming of logical circuit identifiers for rerouted logical circuits in a data network. A network management module is provided for accessing a network device provisioned for routing data over a first logical circuit in the data network. The network management module is further utilized for deleting the first logical circuit in the network device upon detecting a failure in the first logical circuit and provisioning a second logical circuit in the network device for rerouting the data from the first logical circuit. In provisioning the second logical circuit, the network management module is utilized to assign a second logical circuit identifier to identify the second logical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20100054122
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to automatically reroute logical circuit data. In accordance with an example method, a failure of a dedicated logical circuit in a packet-based network is identified. The dedicated logical circuit has a first logical circuit identifier assigned prior to identifying the failure. The dedicated logical circuit connects a host device to a remote device to communicate data that originates and terminates only at the host device and the remote device. A logical failover circuit comprising an alternate communication path for communicating the data is selected. When the first logical circuit identifier of the dedicated logical circuit does not match a second logical circuit identifier of the logical failover circuit, the second logical circuit identifier is renamed to match the first logical circuit identifier. The data is rerouted to the logical failover circuit without manual intervention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20100046380
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for real time simultaneous monitoring of logical circuits. In accordance with an example method, first status information is requested for a first logical connection at a host end of a logical circuit comprising the first logical connection. The logical circuit connects a host device to a remote device and traverses a first local access and transport area, an inter-exchange carrier, and a second local access and transport area. The first local access and transport area is at the host end of the logical circuit, and the second local access and transport area is at a remote end of the logical circuit. A logical identifier of the logical circuit is identified based on the first status information. A second logical connection at the remote end of the logical circuit is identified based on the logical identifier of the logical circuit. Second status information for the second logical connection is requested after identifying the second logical connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20100046366
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to provide a failover circuit for rerouting logical circuit data. In accordance with an example method, an alternate communication path to route data for a logical circuit is identified. The logical circuit includes a communication path through first and second local access and transport areas and an inter-exchange carrier between the first and second local access and transport areas. A currently unused logical circuit is selected to communicate the data over the alternate communication path. The currently unused logical circuit traverses a failover network to reroute the data around the inter-exchange carrier. The currently unused logical circuit is designated as a failover circuit to reroute the data for the logical circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20100020677
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for automatically renaming logical circuit identifiers for rerouted logical circuits in a data network. A first logical circuit identifier for a first logical circuit in a first network is identified. When a failure is detected in the first logical circuit, a second logical circuit identifier for a second logical circuit in a failover network separate from the first network is identified and the first logical circuit is renamed without manual intervention to identify the first logical circuit using the second logical circuit identifier. The second logical circuit is to reroute data from the first logical circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7646707
    Abstract: Logical circuit identifiers for rerouted logical circuits in a data network are automatically renamed. A failure is determined in a first logical circuit and a second logical failover circuit is utilized to reroute data from the failed logical circuit. A logical circuit identifier for the failed circuit is compared to a logical circuit identifier for the logical failover circuit. The logical circuit identifiers are utilized to identify and track logical circuits in the data network and are stored in a network database. If the logical circuit identifier for the failed logical circuit is different than the logical circuit identifier for the logical failover circuit, the identifier for the failed logical circuit is renamed to the logical failover circuit in the database. Upon determining that the failed logical circuit has been restored, the identifier for the restored logical circuit is renamed to its original logical circuit identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20090323534
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for automatically rerouting data. In accordance with a disclosed example method, congestion is identified in a logical circuit. The logical circuit comprises at least a first communication path in a first local access and transport area, a second communication path in an inter-exchange carrier, and a third communication path in a second local access and transport area. The example method also involves determining that the congestion is isolated to the second communication path in the inter-exchange carrier. Data associated with the logical circuit is rerouted without manual intervention using an alternate communication path to bypass the inter-exchange carrier. The rerouting comprises routing the data through the first local access and transport area, the alternate communication path, and the second local access and transport area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7639606
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically rerouting logical circuit data in a virtual private network (“VPN”). A dedicated logical circuit in the VPN is monitored for status information pertinent to the dedicated logical circuit. The dedicated logical circuit includes a primary communication path for communicating data. Based on the status information, a failure is identified in the dedicated logical circuit. Once the failure in the dedicated logical circuit is determined, a logical failover circuit is then identified. The logical failover circuit includes an alternate communication path for communicating the data for the failed dedicated logical circuit. After the logical failover circuit has been identified, the data from the dedicated failed logical circuit is rerouted to the logical failover circuit without manual intervention. After the data has been rerouted the logical failover circuit, a determination may be made as to whether the failure in the dedicated logical circuit has been corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7639623
    Abstract: For real time simultaneous monitoring of logical circuits in a data network, a network management module receives trap data for a group of logical circuits in the data network. The trap data may include current status information for each of the circuits in the logical circuit group. Next, based on the trap data, a logical identifier associated with each of the logical circuits in the group is identified. Then, each of the logical identifiers is associated with customer data stored in a database. The customer data includes one or more logical identifiers associated with a customer identification. Finally, the current status information for the logical circuit group is displayed along with the corresponding customer identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7630302
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for providing a failover circuit for rerouting logical circuit data in a data network. An alternate communication path is identified for routing data for a logical circuit in the data network. An inactive logical circuit is then selected in the data network for communicating the data over the alternate communication path. The inactive logical circuit is then designated as a failover circuit for rerouting the data for the logical circuit in the data network. The inactive logical circuit may be selected by selecting a currently unused logical connection in the data network for communicating the data. The inactive logical circuit may also be selected by provisioning an inactive logical circuit in the data network. The inactive logical circuit may be provisioned by sending configuration data describing a logical data path over the alternate communication path to a network device in the data network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7609623
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically rerouting data from an overbalanced logical circuit in a data network. Status information is received for a logical circuit communicating data in the data network. The status information may include a forward explicit congestion notification (“FECN”) and a backward explicit congestion notification (“BECN”) indicating an overbalanced condition in the logical circuit. An overbalanced condition is indicative of network congestion in the logical circuit. A logical failover circuit including an alternate communication path for communicating the data in the overbalanced logical circuit is then identified. The data in the overbalanced logical circuit is rerouted to the logical failover circuit without manual intervention. After rerouting the data to the logical failover circuit, a determination is made as to whether the overbalanced condition in the logical circuit has been cleared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20090086626
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically rerouting logical circuit data from a physical circuit failure in a data network. When a failure in a logical circuit is detected, a label or services name associated with the logical circuit is automatically associated with a logical circuit identifier utilized for identifying the logical circuit in the 10 data network. Once the logical circuit is associated with the logical circuit identifier, the logical circuit data may be automatically rerouted to a “failover network,” thereby minimizing lost data until the failure in the logical circuit is resolved. The logical failover circuit may be an already existing logical circuit provisioned over a dedicated backup physical circuit in the data network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20090041012
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for tracking the rerouting of logical circuit data in a data network. A disclosed example method involves updating reroute information in response to a dropped packet associated with a quality of service parameter having been exceeded. Transmitted data is rerouted to at least one logical failover circuit in the data network from at least one failed logical circuit associated with the exceeded quality of service parameter. The at least one logical failover circuit is selected based on a bit rate capability specified to be one of a committed bit rate, a variable bit rate, or an unspecified bit rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7466646
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically rerouting logical circuit data from a physical circuit failure in a data network. When a failure in a logical circuit is detected, a label or services name associated with the logical circuit is automatically associated with a logical circuit identifier utilized for identifying the logical circuit in the data network. Once the logical circuit is associated with the logical circuit identifier, the logical circuit data may be automatically rerouted to a “failover network,” thereby minimizing lost data until the failure in the logical circuit is resolved. The logical failover circuit may be an already existing logical circuit provisioned over a dedicated backup physical circuit in the data network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7460468
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically tracking the rerouting of logical circuit data in a data network. Current reroute statistics are automatically generated upon the rerouting of logical circuit data from one or more failed logical circuits to one or more logical failover circuits in the data network. The current reroute statistics include trap data received for the one or more failed logical circuits in the data network. The current rerouted statistics may be automatically updated upon receiving updated trap data for the failed logical circuits and the logical failover circuits in the data network. A table is generated for presenting the current and updated reroute statistics. The updated reroute statistics may be generated upon the restoration of one or more of the failed logical circuits in the data network. A billing report may then be generated following the generation of the updated reroute statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7350099
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for utilizing a logical failover circuit for rerouting data from a failed network circuit in a first data network to a second data network. The network circuit in the first data network includes a logical circuit for communicating data. When a failure in the network circuit in the first data network is detected, a network failover circuit is selected in the second data network. The network failover circuit in the second data network includes a logical failover circuit for communicating data. The data in the failed logical circuit in the first data network is rerouted over the logical failover circuit in the second data network until the failure in the network circuit in the first data network is resolved. After the failed network circuit in the first data network has been restored, the data is rerouted over the restored logical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T BLS Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20080025478
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for playing an advertisement to a telephone subscriber prior to call completion in a telecommunications network. A subscriber telephone line is provisioned to provide an advertisement. A switch in the telecommunications network detects an off-hook condition at the subscribers telephone and interprets the digits of the telephone number of a called party dialed by the subscriber. The switch then retrieves an advertisement and plays the advertisement to the subscriber instead of generating a ringing tone prior to call completion. The switch may also play the advertisement instead of a dial tone. The advertisement may be stored in an advertisement module in the switch or in a network component in the telecommunications network. The period for playing the advertisement may be extended by delaying call processing at the network component. Once the advertisement begins playing, the subscriber may terminate the advertisement by depressing a key on a telephone keypad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill