Network architecture for communication networks or data networks
View Patent ↗A layer of network elements is provided between already existing physical networks and service providers or users. The network elements communicate via interfaces not only with each other, but also with the physical networks which are connected to them. This layer, which is implemented by network elements distributed in the network, enables the network user to access the existing network resources available in the physical, subjacent networks. This enables all available basic and value-added services to be used. The required and generated data are collected separately according to users or service providers in the relevant physical networks, and are managed and made available for further processing.
1. A network architecture of telecommunications networks having distributed physical resources providing data and telecommunications services associated with individual users that are processed and used independently in each telecommunications network, comprising:
at least one group of subnetwork elements for each telecommunications network, forming at least one subjacent physical network in each telecommunications network and providing network functions and network services of the telecommunications network to at least one user independently of other telecommunications networks; and
linked network elements, forming a layer connecting the subjacent physical networks, including system-independent interfaces using a uniform logical interface to make available the network functions of different subjacent physical networks to the at least one user and to provide function invocations for function classes, which can be converted into at least one of subjacent physical network-specific messages and commands and forwarded to suitable network elements of the different subjacent physical networks, and can be processed or carried out there.
2. A network architecture as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said linked network elements utilize a distributed operating system to provide the network functions of the different subjacent physical networks to the at least one user.
3. The architecture as claimed in claim 2 , wherein dynamic integration of new network elements is enabled by a new network element registering network element information with a previously registered network element, which stores the network element information and further distributes the network element information to other network elements.
4. The architecture as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the dynamic integration of new interfaces of said network elements is enabled by one of said network elements registering new function information with a suitable different network element, which stores the new function information and further distributes the new function information to other network elements.
5. The architecture as claimed in claim 4 , wherein identical or similar functions exist which are distributed among a plurality of the network elements.
6. The architecture as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the selection of a function used for a function invocation is made on a specific network node depending on utilization of concerned network nodes.
7. The architecture as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the function used in a function invocation can be carried out when distributed among a plurality of the concerned network nodes.
8. The architecture as claimed in claim 7 , wherein frequently used basic services are available and can be used in all network nodes.
9. A network architecture as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of said linked network elements provides one of the system-independent interfaces between a communication protocol used by a corresponding one of the subjacent physical networks connected thereto and the uniform logical interface used by all of said linked network elements.