Centurylink Intellectual Property LLC

Embarq Holdings Company, LLC

Stephen K Edwards

Michael K Bugenhagen

Robert J Morrill

William Lyle Wiley

John M Heinz

James Lloyd McNaughton

Steven E Kozisek

A system and method for diagnosing a problem on a packet network. Network performance information associated with data packet communications over a packet network may be collected. A network performance information parameter may be monitored and a determination that the network performance information parameter crosses a threshold value may be made. In response to determining that the network performance information parameter crossed the threshold value, diagnostics may be initiated to determine a cause of the network performance information parameter crossing the threshold value.

System and method of routing calls on a packet network

The disclosed embodiments include a system and method for monitoring performance of a packet network. In one embodiment, a method includes collecting network performance information from a plurality of network nodes of a packet network, the network performance information being indicative of a health of the network packet network. The method includes storing the network performance information collected from the plurality of network nodes and generating a graphical user interface including a graphical representation of the network performance information, wherein the graphical representation of a network segment is indicated as a line, and wherein a width of the line widens and narrows in accordance with an amount of traffic flow over the network segment.

Monitoring performance of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) networks

System and method for generating a graphical user interface representative of network performance

The disclosed embodiments include a system and method for monitoring performance of a packet network. In one embodiment, a method includes determining network performance information of a packet network by monitoring performance information packets that are communicated along network paths of the packet network. The method also includes appending the network performance information gathered at a network node along the network paths to data stored in the performance information packets. The method stores the network performance information collected by monitoring the performance information packets in memory and analyzes the stored network performance information to generate historical network performance information. The method automatically alters network operation in response to current network performance information indicating that the packet network is not operating properly based on the historical network performance information.

System and method for monitoring and altering performance of a packet network

System and method for initiating diagnostics on a packet network node

The disclosed embodiments include a computer implemented method for routing data packets. In one embodiment, the method includes storing network usage information of a packet network managed by a communications carrier including network usage information associated with communications by subscribers of other communications carrier that communicate data packets over the packet network, the network usage information distinguishing between data packets associated with a first service and data packets associated with a second service; determining pricing information for communicating the data packets via a plurality of networks, wherein each network is associated with a different communications carrier; and selecting one of the plurality of networks for routing the data packets based on cost, wherein the cost includes a first cost for communicating the data packets that are associated with the first service and a second cost for communicating the data packets that are associated with the second service.

System and method for enabling communications over a number of packet networks

A system and method for routing data packets may be used. The method may include determining network usage of a first packet network managed by a first communications carrier. The network usage may distinguish communications of data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content. Network usage of a second packet network may be determined. A network usage differential between the determined network usages of the first and second packet networks may be determined. The data packets may be routed utilizing a threshold for the network usage differential.

A GUI, system, and method for displaying operating performance of a packet network may include displaying first graphical representations illustrative of network communications devices operating on a packet network, where the first graphical representations may be displayed in a first mode if respective network communications devices are operating normally to communicate data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content and in a second mode if respective network communications devices are not operating normally to communicate data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content. Second graphical representations illustrative of node segments connecting respective network communications devices may be displayed, where the second graphical representations may be displayed in a third mode if respective node segments are operating normally to communicate data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content and a fourth mode if respective node segments are not operating normally to communicate data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content.

System and method for displaying a graphical representation of a network to identify nodes and node segments on the network that are not operating normally

A system and method for monitoring performance of a packet network may include storing network performance information collected from a packet network, where the network performance information may distinguish network performance information associated with communications of data packets including real-time content and data packets including non-real-time content. A graphic user interface including a graphical representation of the network performance information distinguishing the network performance information associated with communications of data packets including real-time content and network performance information including non-real-time content with a node segment over a time duration may be generated.

System and method for displaying a graph representative of network performance over a time period

A system and method for determining inter-carrier network usage may be used. The method may include determining network usage of a first packet network managed by a first communications carrier by subscribers of a second communications carrier that manages a second packet network. The network usage may distinguish communications of data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content. Network usage of the second packet network by subscribers of the first communications subscriber may be determined. A network usage differential between the determined usages of the first and second packet networks may be determined, where the network usage information may distinguish communications of data packets including real-time and non-real-time content.

System and method for enabling reciprocal billing for different types of communications over a packet network

A system and method for collecting network performance information from a packet network. The method may include requesting network performance information from network communications devices on a packet network, collecting the network performance information from the network communications devices, where the network performance information is indicative of communications of real-time content and non-real-time content, and storing the network performance information in a configuration distinguishing the network performance information indicative of communications of real-time content.

System and method for collecting and managing network performance information

A system and method for managing subscriber usage of a packet network. The system may include at least one database configured to store network performance information of data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content communicated over a packet network. The database may further be configured to store the network performance information as related to respective subscribers of a communications carrier managing the communications network. In one embodiment, the database may include an indicia associated with each subscriber and the network performance information may be collected during communications by respective subscribers over the packet network.

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Mansfield, OH, United States of America

Stephen K Edwards