Excel Switching Corporation

Excel, Inc.

Other

Excel Switching Co.

Dialogic Corporation

Mark P Hebert

Michael C Silva

Robert P Madonna

Peter Higgins

Robert J Buttell

Rajat Ghai

Michael R Durham

James F Allen

Ruben A Reyes

John T Lynch

Robert H Squires

Rajesh K Mishra

Vinayak V Antarkar

Michael E Noonan

Troy Durst

Ketrus Collins

Provided is an apparatus for tracking an object. The apparatus includes a grid including a plurality of antennae arranged to form an array of cells in which the object can be tracked, and a communication tag provided to the object to be sensed for tracking a location of the object. A receiver is operatively connected to the antennae for transmitting an interrogation signal via the antennae and receiving a signal indicative of a location of the object within the array in response to transmission of the interrogation signal. A processor unit utilizes the signal to determine useful data indicative of the location of the object in the array, and a platform presents the usable data to a user to relay information about the location of the object.

Real time object tracking system

This invention relates to a supplementary services layer (SSL) application in the switching node for the development and execution of subscriber-based supplementary services. The SSL communicates with the L4 application through an L4-L5 interface. Therefore, a system operator may configure the switching node to execute supplementary services without intervention from a host application and without modification to the current L4 application. The SSL also communicates with the L5 application in order for that application to integrate supplementary services without further modifications. The SSL comprises a Database Interface Service, a Service Object Manager (SOM) and one or more instances of a Supplementary Service Object (SSO). The database interface service provides connection to an external database which stores each subscriber's profile. Each SSO instance implements one or more supplementary services for a call. The SOM exercises overall control over these SSO instances.

Architecture for providing flexible, programmable supplementary services in an expandable telecommunications system

The L4 application in the switch is expanded to permit functions previously performed exclusively in the L5 protocol application. Moreover, the L4 application is programmable by the system operator so that the system operator may expand the predefined set of L4 call management operations to accommodate his call processing requirements. Overall supervision of the call-management operations was previously limited to the L5 applications. However, the ability to program the L4 application enables the system operator to decide which call processing operations will be managed by the L5 applications and which operations will be managed by the L4 application. The system operator may thus define, in the L4 application, a proprietary call model that instructs the switching node to manage all incoming calls, or the system operator may specify the call model on a channel by channel basis. The latter arrangement programs the switching node to use different call-processing protocols among the various channels. In addition, the user may either re-define or define entirely new application programming interface (API) calls for communications between the host and switching node and/or between the switching node and ports.

Programming call-processing application in a switching system

A network protocol data intelligence (NPDI) software in the switching node that enables the call processing components in the L and L applications to interpret and manipulate different network signaling data protocols. The call processing applications are expanded to understand different network signaling protocols and to extract the required information from each protocol's data stream. The NPDI provides the means for the L application to convert from one network signaling data format to another either, by itself or in conjunction with the L application. Thus, the system operator may configure the switch to perform all call processing functions or by-pass the NPDI and have the L application perform these functions. The L application may also perform data translation from host applications written against the underlying network protocol to the different signaling protocols from other networks. Thus, a host application written against one network signaling protocol may communicate with an application using another signaling protocol without modification to the host application. The NPDI service further enables. the L application to convert protocol-specific data from other applications in the system to protocol independent data that can be 'understood' by the L and L applications. In addition, the L application may route calls in the switching node based on network signaling information from the L application.

Arrangement for providing network protocol data independence in an expandable telecommunications system

The principle object of the present invention, is to provide flexibility in the routing functions performed in the switching system. Another object is to provide a router that can be centralized in a host computer or distributed among various switching nodes. The router is easily programmable by the system operator to provide different routing algorithms for various calls. The router can be used in a system with a single switching node. However, it is particularly adopted for use in a multiple-switching-node system, either as a central, host resident unit, or as a distributed router resident on the switching nodes. A router embodying the invention uses router tables that are readily configurable by the system operator to route calls based on predefined routing criterion in the incoming or outgoing call.

Flexible call routing system

The present invention is a standardized host-to-switch application program interface (API) for performing call control processing, capable of being customized to meet telecommunications application and network signalling protocol requirements. The universal API comprises one or more generic messages having programmable fields for transmitting commands, status, and data between the host application and the switch. The present invention further comprises a programmable telecommunication switch that provides a user with the ability to define a desired API protocol, either &ldquo;standard&rdquo; or custom in nature, for performing any desired switching functions. The present invention includes a protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port provided by the switch. Each finite state machine may be independently defined by combining a series of elementary processing steps, called atomic functions, into primitives, which are in turn combined with states and events to define the desired state machine. Such state machines may include atomic functions configured to generate predetermined messages under predetermined conditions and containing predetermined information. Such state machines may further include the ability to respond to state events that include the receipt of generic API messages configured to provide the state machine with information from the host application.

Telecommunication switch with layer-specific processor capable of attaching atomic function message buffer to internal representation of ppl event indication message upon occurrence of predetermined event

The present invention is a universal host-to-switch application program interface (API) utilizing a generic message format for performing call control processing and capable of being customized to meet telecommunications application and network signalling protocol requirements. The generic message formats have programmable fields for transmitting commands, status, and data between the host application and the switch. The present invention further comprises a programmable telecommunication switch that provides a user with the ability to define a desired signalling protocol, either 'standard' or custom in nature, for performing any desired switching functions. The present invention includes a protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port provided by the switch. Each finite state machine may be independently defined by combining a series of elementary processing steps, called atomic functions, into primitives, which are in turn combined with states and events to define the desired state machine. Such state machines may include atomic functions configured to generate predetermined messages under predetermined conditions and containing predetermined information. Such state machines may further include the ability to respond to state events that include the receipt of generic API messages configured to provide the state machine with information from the host application.

Telecommunication switch having a universal API with a single call

Telecommunication system with universal API using generic messages

The present invention is a standardized host-to-switch application program interface (API) for performing call control processing, capable of being customized to meet telecommunications application and network signalling protocol requirements. The universal API comprises one or more generic messages having programmable fields for transmitting commands, status, and data between the host application and the switch. The present invention further comprises a programmable telecommunication switch that provides a user with the ability to define a desired API protocol, either 'standard' or custom in nature, for performing any desired switching functions. The present invention includes a protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port provided by the switch. Each finite state machine may be independently defined by combining a series of elementary processing steps, called atomic functions, into primitives, which are in turn combined with states and events to define the desired state machine. Such state machines may include atomic functions configured to generate predetermined messages under predetermined conditions and containing predetermined information. Such state machines may further include the ability to respond to state events that include the receipt of generic API messages configured to provide the state machine with information from the host application.

Universal API with generic call processing message having user-defined

A telecommunications protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port or channel provided by a programmable telecommunications switch. Protocols for various telecommunications applications and software layers may be developed.

Method and system for developing a telecommunication application for

A telephone switching system comprises a plurality of switching nodes interconnected by a call-switching network. The switching nodes are also linked by a host network to one or more hosts that exercise supervisory control over the nodes. The hosts communicate directly with one or more of the nodes, termed 'switching nodes', by means of virtual connections over the host network. The other switching nodes, termed 'slave nodes', are assigned to host nodes. The hosts communicate indirectly with the slave nodes by way of switching nodes to which they are assigned. Communications between a host and a slave node thus comprise messages (a) over the host network between the slave node and the switching node to which the slave node is assigned and (b) by way of a virtual connection between the switching node and the host.

Telecommunications switching system with readily configurable

Redundancy, expanded switching capacity and fault isolation arrangements for use with an expandable telecommunications system. An inter-nodal network connects a plurality of programmable switching nodes or other nodes. One or more additional inter-nodal networks may be provided across some or all of the ones. The bandwidth provided by the additional network(s) may be used to provide redundancy against failure of the primary network or the nodes, increased switching capacity or a combination of both. In addition, faults which occur either within a particular node or within an inter-nodal network may be effectively isolated and prevented from degrading system performance.

Redundancy, expanded switching capacity and fault isolation arrangements

A method and apparatus for conferencing two or mores calls in an expandable telecommunications system. The system may include a plurality of nodes connected by an inter-nodal network such that the nodes communicate with each other by exchanging variable-length packets of information. At least one node in the system contains digital signal processing circuitry capable of conferencing the voice information from three or more callers interfaced with the system. Packets containing voice information from each conference participant are preferably transmitted via the inter-nodal network to the node having the requisite digital signal processing circuitry. This node performs a conferencing function on that information, packets the resulting conferenced information and transmits those packets via the inter-nodal network to the nodes interfaced with the conference participants.

Method and apparatus for conferencing in an expandable

The present invention provides a universal host-to-switch application program interface (API) utilizing a generic message format for performing call control processing and capable of being customized to meet telecommunications application and network signalling protocol requirements. The generic message formats have programmable fields for transmitting commands, status, and data between the host application and the switch. The present invention further comprises a programmable telecommunication switch that provides a user with the ability to define a desired signalling protocol, either 'standard' or custom in nature, for performing any desired switching functions. The present invention includes a protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port provided by the switch. Each finite state machine may be independently defined by combining a series of elementary processing steps, called atomic functions, into primitives, which are in turn combined with states and events to define the desired state machine. Such state machines may include atomic functions configured to generate predetermined messages under predetermined conditions and containing predetermined information. Such state machines may further include the ability to respond to state events that include the receipt of generic API messages configured to provide the state machine with information from the host application.

A user-programmable telephone switch which resides within a commercially available personal computer. The switch is controllable by either the personal computer's microprocessor or a separate, external host connected to an interface provided within the switch. The switch includes a CPU/matrix card that contains a time slot interchange and a CPU running under a real time operating system. The CPU/matrix card controls the overall operation of the switch in accordance with messages received from the operative host. In general, those tasks or functions which must be performed in real time are the responsibility of the switch, as opposed to the internal or external host. Within the switch, certain tasks or functions may be delegated by the CPU/matrix card to intelligent line cards which contain their own microprocessors having substantial call processing capability.

Growing community of inventors

Kingston, MA, United States of America

Mark P Hebert