The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 18, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 10, 2000
Peter A. Fortman, Raleigh, NC (US);
Patricia J. Carstensen, Durham, NC (US);
Nortel Networks Limited, St. Laurent, CA;
Abstract
A network building system uses criteria from a potential buyer of network services operating in a communications service bidding exchange to identify one or more network segments meeting the buyer's criteria. The exchange allows buyers to purchase usage privileges on network segments operated by service providers affiliated with the exchange. A number of geographically disperse hubs affiliated with the exchange are interconnected by these network segments. Multiple network segments from different providers may interconnect any two hubs. Thus, a challenge arises when a buyer requires network services that involve multiple hubs because of the potential number of network segments involved and the range of choices for selecting a specific set of network segments meeting the buyer's needs. The network building system uses buyer criteria to identify network segments, or combinations of segments, meeting the buyer's needs. Network segment selection functions may be automatic or interactive, at the buyer's discretion.