Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
In a communications system having a plurality of switching nodes each being capable of establishing and removing relatively static connections between transmission links in response to network configuration signals and of establishing relatively dynamic connections through the established static connections in response to information pertaining to call-by-call connection requests from user terminals, a network controller comprising: memory means for storing a plurality of network configuration data corresponding respectively to distinct network configurations of said communications system, said network configuration data indicating presence or absence of transmission links from each of said switching nodes to possible destination nodes; control means for retrieving, from said memory means, first and second network configuration data corresponding respectively to an existing network configuration of said communications system and a new network configuration of said communications system, and determining if there is a difference between said first and second network configuration data; and means for transmitting said second network configuration data to selected ones of said switching nodes as said network configuration signals if said control means determines that there is a difference between said first and second network configuration data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
In a communications system having a plurality of switching nodes each being capable of establishing and removing relatively static connections between transmission links in response to network configuration signals and of establishing relatively dynamic connections through the established static connections in response to information pertaining to call-by-call connection requests from user terminals, a network controller comprising: memory means for storing a plurality of network configuration data corresponding respectively to distinct network configurations of said communications system, said network configuration data indicating presence or absence of transmission links from each of said switching nodes to possible destination nodes; control means for retrieving, from said memory means, first and second network configuration data corresponding respectively to an existing network configuration of said communications system and a new network configuration of said communications system, and determining if there is a difference between said first and second network configuration data; and means for transmitting said second network configuration data to selected ones of said switching nodes as said network configuration signals if said control means determines that there is a difference between said first and second network configuration data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A network controller according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means transmits said second network configuration data only to said selected ones of said switching nodes that are connected to different destination nodes in said new network configuration than in said existing network configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
194 words
In a communications system having a plurality of switching nodes each being capable of establishing and removing relatively static connections between transmission links in response to network configuration signals and of establishing relatively dynamic connections through the established static connections in response to information pertaining to call-by-call connection requests from user terminals, and a network control center having a memory for storing a plurality of network configuration data corresponding respectively to distinct network configurations of said communications system, said network configuration data indicating presence or absence of transmission links from each of said switching nodes to possible destination nodes, a method comprising the steps of: a) retrieving, from said memory, first and second network configuration data corresponding respectively to an existing network configuration of said communications system and a new network configuration of said communications system; b) determining if there is a difference between said first and second network configuration data; and c) transmitting said second network configuration data from said network control center to selected ones of said switching nodes as said network configuration signals if the step (b) determines that there is a difference between said first and second network configuration data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
194 words
In a communications system having a plurality of switching nodes each being capable of establishing and removing relatively static connections between transmission links in response to network configuration signals and of establishing relatively dynamic connections through the established static connections in response to information pertaining to call-by-call connection requests from user terminals, and a network control center having a memory for storing a plurality of network configuration data corresponding respectively to distinct network configurations of said communications system, said network configuration data indicating presence or absence of transmission links from each of said switching nodes to possible destination nodes, a method comprising the steps of: a) retrieving, from said memory, first and second network configuration data corresponding respectively to an existing network configuration of said communications system and a new network configuration of said communications system; b) determining if there is a difference between said first and second network configuration data; and c) transmitting said second network configuration data from said network control center to selected ones of said switching nodes as said network configuration signals if the step (b) determines that there is a difference between said first and second network configuration data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the step c) only transmits said second network configuration to said selected ones of said switching nodes that are connected to different destination nodes in said new network configuration than in said existing network configuration.