Network support system

A support system for a telecommunications network which provides communication channels between locations, the system comprising:

• a plurality of databases which store route specifications for the respective channels and information about the physical paths taken by the channels between successive locations on routes specified in the corresponding route specifications, the route specifications and the information about the physical paths being stored in different databases;
• a respective data acquisition means associated with each of the databases, for receiving requests for specific data stored in its associated database, interrogating its associated database in response to receipt of such requests, and outputting the requested specific data;
• user interface means having a graphical display and input means which permits the inputting to the system of user requests, each identifying a said channel, for information about the physical route of that channel;
• selection means for selecting the databases in which the route specification of the channel identified in an inputted user request and the information about the physical path taken by that channel between each pair of successive locations on the route specified in the route specification are stored, responding to the inputting of a user request by directing a request for the route specification of the channel identified in the inputted user request to the data acquisition means associated with the database in which this route specification is stored, and responding to the outputting of this route specification by directing a respective request for information about the physical path taken by the channel between each pair of successive locations on the route specified in the route specification to the data acquisition means associated with the database in which that information is stored;
• and
• combining means for combining the data outputted by the data acquisition means in response to the said respective requests directed to the data acquisition means in response to first and second inputted user requests and displaying the physical paths of the channels identified in these user requests as a single graphical display via the display.

A telecommunications network support system for displaying a logical diagram of routes between geographic locations and the physical paths between geographic locations comprising:

• a user terminal including an interactive input means for a user to input requests and a graphical display device for displaying logical diagrams of routes and physical paths;
• a plurality of databases wherein one of the databases stores data specifying logical routes between locations and another one of the databases stores data specifying the physical paths between locations;
• a data acquisition means associated with each database for receiving requests for data stored in its associated database, interrogating its associated database in response to receipt of such a request, and outputting requested specific data;
• a processor for receiving user entered requests from the user terminal, directing the requests to the data acquisition means associated with the databases, receiving specific data outputted from the data acquisition means, and forwarding the specific data outputted to the user terminal for display on the graphical display device;
• and
• whereat in response to a user request for a communication channel between two geographic locations, a logical diagram of the route and a physical path between the two geographic locations are displayed on the graphical display device.

A method for supporting a telecommunications network which provides communication channels between locations, the method comprising:

• storing route specifications for the respective channels and information about the physical paths taken by the channels between successive locations on the routes specified in the corresponding route specifications in a plurality of respective databases, the route specifications and the information about the physical paths being stored in different databases;
• receiving requests for specific data stored in its associated database, interrogating its associated database in response to receipt of such requests, and outputting the requested specific data using a respective data acquisition means associated with each of the databases;
• providing a graphical display device and input which permits the inputting user requests, each identifying a said channel, for information about the route specification of that channel and the physical path taken by that channel between each pair of successive locations on the route specified in the route specification;
• selecting the databases in which the data corresponding to the information requested in an inputted user request is stored and directing requests for this data to the data acquisition means associated with these databases;
• and
• combining the data outputted by the data acquisition means in response to the inputted user request and displaying the route specification and the physical path taken by the channel between each pair of successive locations on the route specified in the route specification as a single graphical display via the graphical display device.

A method of supporting a telecommunications network which provides communication channels between locations, the method comprising:

• storing route specifications for the respective channels and information about the physical paths taken by the channels between successive locations on routes specified in the corresponding route specifications in a plurality of databases, the route specifications and the information about the physical paths being stored in different databases;
• receiving requests for specific data stored in its associated database, interrogating its associated database in response to receipt of such requests, and outputting the requested specific data using a respective data acquisition means associated with each of the databases;
• providing a graphical display and input which permits the inputting to the system of user requests, each identifying a said channel, for information about the physical route of that channel;
• selecting the databases in which the route specification of the channel identified in an inputted user request and the information about the physical path taken by that channel between each pair of successive locations on the route specified in the route specification are stored, responding to the inputting of a user request by directing a request for the route specification of the channel identified in the inputted user request to the data acquisition means associated with the database in which this route specification is stored, and responding to the outputting of this route specification by directing a respective request for information about the physical path taken by the channel between each pair of successive locations on the route specified in the route specification to the data acquisition means associated with the database in which that information is stored;
• and
• combining the data outputted by the data acquisition means in response to the said respective requests directed to the data acquisition means in response to first and second inputted user requests and displaying the physical paths of the channels identified in these user requests as a single graphical display.

A method for supporting a telecommunications network system by displaying a logical diagram of routes between geographic locations and the physical paths between geographic locations, said method comprising:

• providing a user terminal including an interactive input for a user to input requests and a graphical display device for displaying logical diagrams of routes and physical paths;
• maintaining a plurality of databases wherein one of the databases stores data specifying logical mutes between locations and another one of the databases stores data specifying the physical paths between locations;
• receiving requests for data stored in its associated database, interrogating its associated database in response to receipt of such a request, and outputting requested specific data using a data acquisition means associated with each database;
• receiving user entered requests from the user terminal, directing the requests to the data acquisition means associated with the databases, receiving specific data outputted from the data acquisition means, and forwarding the specific data outputted to the user terminal for display on the graphical display device;
• and
• in response to a user request for a communication channel between two geographic locations, displaying a logical diagram of the route and a physical path between the two geographic locations on the graphical display device.