U S West, Inc.

Mediaone Group, Inc.

U S West Technologies, Inc.

Ronald L Hansen

Steve Y Chiu

Vincil C Dean

Jiyang Xu

Djangir A Babayev

Subramanian Raghavan

Jennifer Sanchez

Richard M Berger

Scott H Parrish

A SONET planning tool is provided for generating optimized SONET rings based on an existing SONET system capacity and anticipated system demand at minimal cost. The planning tool includes an analytical process that accurately models and utilizes embedded systems, linear chains, unidirectional rings, and bi-directional rings based on existing capabilities. In addition, large forecasted demands can be preprocessed with dedicated two-node rings, and multi-period studies can be generated.

Method and system for determining optimized SONET rings

A frame relay network planning tool is provided for analyzing the status of an existing network, for evaluating the condition of any user defined configuration, and for optimizing the expansion of the network based on demand and costs. The tool recommends the optimal locations of new switches, the configurations of existing switches and the placement of new trunks, and backhaul locations where desirable. The tool attempts to optimize the network configuration for the given demand by a sequence of network configuration changes. After each change, an attempt is made to route the demand, with minimal cost, until all demand is routed. The network changes made by the program include in order of priority, upgrading a link, adding a link, upgrading a switch, and adding a switch. When this process is completed a survivability test is run to insure that the network configured by the tool is survivable.

Frame relay network planning tool

A scheduling system is disclosed for scheduling tasks for fulfilling a series of service requests. When each service request is received, a determination is made as to the amount of resources a task requires to provide the requested service. Further, a preferred time within which to perform the task is obtained from the requestor of the service request. For each service request, data for the estimated amount of resources and the preferred time are supplied, on a first-come-first-serve basis, to a scheduling component for solving a combinatorial optimization model which efficiently allocates a predetermined amount of resources for each time slot in a scheduling period by rearranging tasks for service requests previously received. The scheduling component provides for a service requestor, without regard to subsequently received service requests, a service time in which to perform the task for the requested service substantially immediately after the service request is made. Whenever possible, the service time coincides with the preferred time. Each previously received service request will have its related task performed within the service time provided to the requestor of the service request. The scheduling system is particularly useful in scheduling technician time for service calls received by customer representatives in the telecommunication and utility industries.

System and method for scheduling service providers to perform customer

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Louisville, CO, United States of America

Ronald L Hansen