A telecommunications switching system employing multi-protocol routing optimization which utilizes predetermined and measured parameters in accordance with a set of user priorities in determining the selection of a telecommunications path to be utilized for transmitting a data file to a remote destination. The switching system has a first memory for storing the data file to be transferred, a second memory for storing predetermined parameters such as cost data associated with each of the telecommunications paths, a third memory for storing a set of user priorities regarding the transmission of data files, and means for measuring the value of variable parameters such as file transfer speed associated with each of the telecommunications paths. Processor means are operatively associated with the second and third memories and the variable parameter measuring means for determining which of the plurality of telecommunications paths should be utilized for transferring the data file in accordance with the set of user priorities, the predetermined telecommunications path parameters, and the measured variable parameters. The switching system further comprises input means for allowing a user to change the user priorities in the third memory prior to transmitting a file.

Multi-protocol telecommunications routing optimization

A system for determining a service outages and restorations that includes an outage management server (OMS) that generates reports outages and restoration information for metering endpoints. The outages may be caused by faults at various locations in the distribution network. The metering endpoint may include a transmitter having a battery backup that transmits the outage information upon a failure to detect a voltage at the endpoint. The transmission of the information may be filtered based on configurable criteria. The metering endpoints may also inform the OMS when power is restored. Thus, a utility may better service its customers by focusing manpower efforts using the outage and restoration information generated by the OMS.

Using a fixed network wireless data collection system to improve utility responsiveness to power outages

The invention includes an electronic utility meter, a data collector/meter and a method for communicating data in an automated meter reading system. The inventive method includes communicating data with a network and a first electronic utility meter, and communicating the data with the first electronic utility meter and one or more other meters.

Data collector for an automated meter reading system

A display system that communicates with existing automated meter reading communications systems to provide information to a user. The display includes a radio that listens to communications between a utility meter and the reading system. When the display recognizes a particular utility meter identifier, it captures meter read information and stores it in memory. The information may then be presented to the user. Alternatively, a broadcast message may be communicated, that when received by the display, causes the display to extract information from the receiver. A manual override button may be provided to allow a user to manually request information from the meter. The display will extract information from the meter upon receipt of the manual request.

In-home display that communicates with a fixed network meter reading system

A dynamic self-configuring system for collecting metering data comprises a collector meter. The collector meter scans for meters that are operable to directly communicate with the collector and registers such meters as level one meters. The collector transmits instructions to the level one meters to scan for meters that are operable to directly communicate with the level one meters. The collector registers meters that respond as level two meters.

Dynamic self-configuring metering network

The virtual path (VP) concept is known to be a powerful transport mechanism for ATM networks. This paper deals with the optimization of the virtual paths system from a bandwidth utilization perspective. While previous research on VP management has basically assumed that bandwidth in ATM networks is unlimited, emerging technologies and applications are changing this premise. In many networks, such as wireless, bandwidth is always at a premium. In wired networks, with increasing user access speeds, less than a dozen of broadband connections can saturate even a Gigabit link. We present an efficient algorithm that finds a system of VP routes for a given set of VP terminators and VP capacity demands. This solution is motivated by the need to minimize the load, or reduce congestion, generated by the VP's on individual links. A nontrivial performance guarantee is proven for the quality of the proposed solution and numerical results show that the proposed solution carries the potential for a near optimal allocation of VPs. >

Optimizing the system of virtual paths

This paper presents and analyzes a new congestion control strategy targeted toward integrated services in high speed ATM networks. The proposed control combines a new transmission control scheme with an existing access control to provide efficient, fair, and congestion-free network control. The transmission control scheme uses counters at each node to regulate the flow of packets from the output packet queues to the outgoing link. The transmission control is designed to be flexible in accomodating various existing and expected applications and to be simple in implementation. The resulting congestion control strategy supports different service rate for each service class according to its individual requirements and meets the GoS of each service class. The strategy is proven to provide bounded end-to-end queueing delay for each individual real-time application and at the same time give a best effort service to loss-sensitive and delay-tolerable data streams. An analytical model is presented to study the system state queueing behavior and the results how that the proposed strategy also has a good average performance.

Tao Zhang

Papers

Optimizing the system of virtual paths

A counter based congestion control (CBC) for ATM networks