Method of scheduling connections
AssigneeBritish Telecommunications public limited company
InventorChristos Voudouris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Call pattern data is generated for scheduling calls between a number of sites connected to a communication network. The call pattern data defines instructions for a number of sites to make a number of connections across the network to other sites over a predetermined period. This is achieved by creating a list of calls to be scheduled and then assigning in turn each of the calls to a source and a destination site. The source site and destination site are selected to satisfy one or a number of call constraint criteria associated with each call. The call pattern data representing the call is then generated and stored on a computer storage medium for subsequent download to the sites.
Claims31
A method of creating and distributing call pattern data for use in assessing a communications network, the communications network having a plurality of sites, each operable to transmit and/or receive calls, the method comprising:
- (i) receiving call data identifying number of calls to be made over the communications network, and a time period defining boundaries within which to make the calls;
- (ii) receiving constraint data identifying a plurality of call constraint criteria including receiving and sending capabilities of the respective sites;
- (iii) scheduling the received call data in accordance with the received constraint data, thereby creating call pattern data defining instructions for each of a plurality of the sites to make a plurality of connections across the communications network to one or more other sites within the boundaries of the time period;
- (iv) organizing the call pattern data into a plurality of sub-schedules, each of the sub-schedules corresponding to a different one of said sites;
- (v) distributing the sub-schedules to the respective sites;
- and
- (vi) operating the sites in accordance with their respective sub-schedule.
A method of assessing a communications network, the communications network having a plurality of sites, each operable to transmit and/or receive calls, the method comprising:
- (i) receiving call data identifying number of calls to be made over the communications network, and a time period defining boundaries within which to make the calls;
- (ii) receiving constraint data identifying a plurality of call constraint criteria including receiving and sending capabilities of the respective sites;
- (iii) scheduling the received call data in accordance with the received constraint data, thereby creating call pattern data defining instructions for each of a plurality of the sites to make a plurality of connections across the communications network to one or more other sites within the boundaries of the time period;
- (iv) organizing the call pattern data into a plurality of sub-schedules, each of the sub-schedules corresponding to a different one of said sites
- (v) distributing the sub-schedules to the respective sites;
- and
- (vi) operating the sites in accordance with their respective sub-schedule.
An apparatus for creating and distributing call pattern data for use in assessing a communications network, the communications network having a plurality of sites, each operable to transmit and/or receive calls, the apparatus comprising:
- (i) a receiver for receiving call data identifying number of calls to be made over the communications network, and a time period defining boundaries within which to make the calls;
- (ii) a receiver for receiving constraint data identifying a plurality of call constraint criteria including receiving and sending capabilities of the respective sites;
- (iii) a scheduler for scheduling the received call data in accordance with the received constraint data, thereby creating call pattern data defining instructions for each of a plurality of the sites to make a plurality of connections across the communications network to one or more other sites within the boundaries of the time period;
- (iv) an organizer for organizing the call pattern data into a plurality of sub-schedules, each of the sub-schedules corresponding to a different one of said sites;
- and
- (v) a distributor for distributing the sub-schedules to the respective sites to operate the sites in accordance with their respective sub-schedule.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.