US 5,594,792 A · Methods and apparatus for modeling and emulating devices in a network of telecommunication systems

Abstract

A compiler is provided to a network element management subsystem for compiling rules and behaviors of device types into nested meta data structures of model databases. The rules and behaviors of the device types are specified via definitions describing controls of the device types, and features assignable to the device types. In one embodiment, the compiler is a two phase compiler comprising a parsing and list building phase and a database building phase. The device type model databases are loaded into memory to allow fast access and traversal. Each of the model databases comprises a plurality of nested meta data structures. Data are conditionally retrieved by selectively traversing the model databases using navigation sequences. An array of evaluation functions is further provided to evaluate predicates embedded in the nested meta data structures in view of operational data. During operation, user and system actions are interpreted through device emulation accessing the appropriate model databases.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for modeling and emulating a plurality of telecommunication devices of a network of telecommunication systems, wherein said telecommunication devices have device types, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) compiling statements specifying rules and behaviors of said device types into device type model databases and storing said device type model databases using a computer, each of said device type model databases comprising a plurality of meta data structures, each of said meta data structures comprising one or more data elements of one or more of said device types, one or more predicates, and at least one navigation sequence governing retrieval of and physically locating said data elements, said navigation sequences facilitating said governing in conjunction with said predicates;
and
(b) interpreting user actions and device responses by retrieving appropriate ones of said data elements for said telecommunication devices using a computer, and traversing appropriate ones of said navigation sequences, each navigation sequence being traversed in a predetermined manner.

An apparatus for modeling and emulating a plurality of telecommunication devices of a network of telecommunication systems, wherein said telecommunication devices have device types, said apparatus comprising:

(a) first means for compiling statements specifying rules and behaviors of said device types into device type model databases, each of said device type model databases comprising a plurality of meta data structures, each of said meta data structures comprising one or more data elements of said device types, one or more predicates, and at least one navigation sequence governing retrieval of and physically locating said data elements, said navigation sequences facilitating said governing in conjunction with said predicates;
(b) second means for storing said device type model databases output by said first means;
(c) third means for interpreting user actions and device responses by retrieving appropriate ones of said data elements from said second means for said telecommunication devices by traversing appropriate ones of said navigation sequences, each navigation sequence being traversed in a predetermined manner.

An apparatus for modeling and emulating telephone sets of a network of telecommunication systems, wherein said telephone sets have telephone set types, said apparatus comprising:

(a) first means for compiling statements specifying rules and behaviors of said telephone set types into a telephone set type model database, said telephone set type model databases comprising a plurality of meta data structures, each of said meta data structures comprising one or more data elements of said telephone set types, one or more predicates, and at least one navigation sequence governing retrieval of and physically locating said data elements, said navigation sequences facilitating said governing in conjunction with said predicates;
(b) second means for storing said telephone set type model database output by said first means;
and
(c) third means for interpreting user actions and telephone set responses by retrieving appropriate ones of said data elements from said second means for said telephone sets by traversing appropriate ones of said navigation sequences, each navigation sequence being traversed in a predetermined manner.

1 more element

A method for traversing a meta data structure of a device type model database compiled for modeling and emulating a plurality of telecommunication devices of a plurality of device types of a network of telecommunication systems, wherein said meta data structure comprises one or more data elements, one or more predicates, and at least one navigation sequence governing retrieval of and physically locating said data elements, said navigation sequence governing retrieval in conjunction with said predicates, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading a starting pointer of a first of said at least one navigation sequence of the meta data structure using a computer, each of said at least one navigation sequence of said meta data structure is a sequentially ordered combination of pointers comprising one or more data pointers, one or more predicate pointers, and one or more jump pointers,
each data pointer pointing to either a data element or another one of said at least one navigation sequence of the meta data structure, each predicate pointer pointing to a predicate of the meta data structure, and each jump pointer pointing to either a data pointer or a predicate pointer later in order in the navigation sequence, the starting pointer being either a data pointer or a predicate pointer, a pointer following a data pointer being either another data pointer or a predicate pointer, a pointer following a predicate pointer being always a jump pointer, and a pointer following a jump pointer being either a predicate pointer or a data pointer;
(b) determining whether the pointer read is a predicate pointer or a data pointer using a computer;
(b.1) if the pointer is determined to be a data pointer, further determining if the data pointer is pointing to a data element or another navigation sequence using a computer;
(b.1.1) if the data pointer is determined to be pointing to a data element, retrieving the data element pointed by the data pointer using a computer;
(b.1.2) if the data pointer is determined to be pointing to another navigation sequence, traversing the navigation sequence pointed by the data pointer using a computer;
(b.2) if the pointer is determined to be a predicate pointer, evaluating the predicate pointed by the predicate pointer against real time operational data using a computer;
(b.2.1) if the predicate is evaluated to be false, reading the next pointer and jumping to the identified data/predicate pointer in accordance to the next pointer read using a computer;
(b.2.2) if the predicate is evaluated to be true, skipping the next pointer using a computer;
(c) if the next pointer is not the end of the navigation sequence, reading the next pointer and repeating steps (b) and (c), conditionally including selected ones of substeps (b.1), (b.1.1), (b.1.2), (b.2), (b.2.1), and (b.2.2) depending on said determinations/evaluations, else terminating the traversal using a computer.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for modeling and emulating devices in a network of telecommunication systems

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for modeling and emulating devices in a network of telecommunication systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22