4191 results about "Network Access Device" patented technology

The present invention describes a system and method for communicating voice and data over a packet-switched network that is adapted to coexist and communicate with a legacy PSTN. The system permits packet switching of voice calls and data calls through a data network from and to any of a LEC, a customer facility or a direct IP connection on the data network. The system includes soft switch sites, gateway sites, a data network, a provisioning component, a network event component and a network management component. The system interfaces with customer facilities (e.g., a PBX), carrier facilities (e.g., a LEC) and legacy signaling networks (e.g., SS7) to handle calls between any combination of on-network and off-network callers. The soft switch sites provide the core call processing for the voice network architecture. The soft switch sites manage the gateway sites in a preferred embodiment, using a protocol such as the Internet Protocol Device Control (IPDC) protocol to request the set-up and tear-down of calls. The gateway sites originate and terminate calls between calling parties and called parties through the data network. The gateway sites include network access devices to provide access to network resources. The data network connects one or more of the soft switch sites to one or more of the gateway sites. The provisioning and network event component collects call events recorded at the soft switch sites. The network management component includes a network operations center (NOC) for centralized network management.

A tool for managing a network of interconnected devices. The tool may provide a user with an interface that allows the user to view the type and status of each network device (that is, each device connected to the network), and even the status of the network itself. The tool may alternately or additionally provide a user with services related to the network, such as allowing a user to perform one or more tasks associated with devices in the network.

A distributed network access system in accordance with the present invention includes at least an external processor and a programmable access device. The programmable access device has a message interface coupled to the external processor and first and second network interfaces through which packets are communicated with a network. The programmable access device includes a packet header filter and a forwarding table that is utilized to route packets communicated between the first and second network interfaces. In response to receipt of a series of packets, the packet header filter in the programmable access device identifies messages in the series of messages upon which policy-based services are to be implemented and passes identified messages via the message interface to the external processor for processing. In response to receipt of a message, the external processor invokes service control on the message and may also invoke policy control on the message.