United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`5,826,034
`
`Albal
`
`[45 J Date of Patent:
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`U8005826034A
`
`[54]
`
`SYSTEM ANI) METHOD FOR
`TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATION
`SIGNALS THROUGH DIFFERENT MEDIA
`
`Inventor: Nandakishore A. Albal, Largo, Fla.
`P
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`
`argo,
`
`a.
`
`Assignee:
`
`[75]
`[73]
`.
`’)
`['1] Appl. No.. 695’033
`[22]
`Filed:
`Aug. 9, 1996
`
`6
`‘_
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`[53 3:;figlj ..umnmuuuuu.uu.
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`'
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`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`USL PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,381,527
`
`1,1995 lnniss et al.
`
`395/2t)0.69
`
`Primary Examiner—Robert B. Harrell
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Thomas, Kayden, Ilorstemeyer
`& Risley, L.L.PA
`E7]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An end-to—end ubiquitous payload delivery system and
`method transfers a payload using multiple communication
`method following rules established by a sender. The payload
`trans er is attem te
`usm a
`re erre
`111‘ 1a unti
`t e
`f
`.
`p d
`. g
`p
`f
`d
`ed'
`1
`h
`parameters of the transfer are exceeded (i.e., a certain
`number of attempts in a given duration of time), after which
`one or more alternative media are used until the payload
`transfer is completed. Prior to the completion ofthe transfer,
`the sender has the capability of querying the payload deliv-
`ery system to determine the status of the payload, Upon
`completion of the delivery, the sender receives notification.
`
`4,837,798
`
`6,:‘1989 Cohen et al.
`
`............................. 379583
`
`37 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
`/fi\‘ _‘flflp’,,____‘___fi‘_fi‘_g,,_———--
`LONG DISTANCE NETWORK
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`/
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`//
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`aoe-r‘
`.-
`COMPUTER
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`LOCAL
`SWWCH
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`A
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`7
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`,
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`9'
`DIGITAL
`PHONE
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`3"
`
`Page 1 of 20
`
`AT&T EXHIBIT 1001
`
`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 1 of 10
`
`5,826,034
`
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`Page 2 of 20
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`Sheet 2 of 10
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`5,826,034
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`Page 3 of 20
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`

`

`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 3 of 10
`
`5,826,034
`
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`Page 4 of 20
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`Page 4 of 20
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`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 4 of 10
`
`5,826,034
`
`
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`Page 5 of 20
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`Sheet 5 of 10
`
`5,826,034
`
`DELIVERY
`
`MESSAGE
`
`28
`
`28
`
`MESSAGE
`
`Page 6 of 20
`
`3O2x0< 02 '
`
`4.‘
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`
`
`
`NEAR-ENDACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`120
`
`122
`
`124
`
`FARENDDELIVERY
`
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`FIG.5
`
`RECEPIENTACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`U.
`
`:-
`
`zL
`
`U E(
`
`D0L
`
`u
`_|
`
`Page 6 of 20
`
`

`

`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 6 of 10
`
`5,826,034
`
`
`
`
`
`RECEPIENTACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`
`
`DELIVERY
`
`
`
`28
`
`
`
`
`
`MESSAGE
`
`28
`
`MESSAGE
`
`
`
`
`
`NEAR-ENDACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`
`
`
`Page 7 of 20
`
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`FARENDDELIVERY
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG.6A
`
`
`
`Page 7 of 20
`
`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 7 of 10
`
`5,826,034
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
` DELIVERY 126\
`
`
`MESSAGE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`RECEPIENTACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`NEAR-ENDACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
` MESSAGE
`FARENDDELIVERY
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`|\
`
`Q"
`I-L
`
`Page 8 of 20
`
`
`
`Page 8 of 20
`
`

`

`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 8 of 10
`
`5,826,034
`
`
`
`
`
` DELIVERY RECEPIENT
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`MESSAGE MESSAGE
`
`
` NOTIFICATION DELIVERYFAILURENOTIFICATION
`NEAR-ENDACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT NEWMEDIA
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FAR-END
`
`
`
`% L
`
`5
`I-L
`
`
`
`
`
`Page 9 of 20
`
`Page 9 of 20
`
`

`

`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 9 of 10
`
`5,826,034
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`>mm>_.m_n_
`
`
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`
`Page 10 of 20
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`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
`Oct. 20, 1998
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 10 of 10
`
`
`5,826,034
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`Generate a
`
`payload in a
`
`
`
`first media
`
`
`
`
`
`Define
`
`
`
`
`delivery
`
`parameters
`
`
`
`
` Attempt
`
`
`delivery of
`
`
`payload
`
`
`
`
`Max
`
`
`Convert to
`
`
`
`number of tries
`NO
`
`
`alternative
`
`
`
`for current
`
`
`media
`
`
`
`media?
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`successful?
`
`ransmission
`
`
`
`YES
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Notify
`
`
`sender of
`
`
`
`transmission
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 10
`
`Page 11 of 20
`
`Page 11 of 20
`
`

`

`5,826,034
`
`1
`
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`
`
`
`
`TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATION
`
`
`SIGNALS THROUGH DIFFERENT MEDIA
`
`
`
`
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`
`
`
`The present invention generally relates to payload deliv-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ery and, more particularly, to an end-to-end payload delivery
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`system and method that effectuates delivery in a media
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`independent manner following the parameters of the deliv-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ery that are defined by the sender.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`
`
`
`Over the ages, the types of media by which people have
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`shared information have changed in stride with advance-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ments in technology, as is especially evident in the present
`
`
`
`
`
`
`electronic age. Consequently,
`today there are numerous
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`media for transferring information in a faster and in a more
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`efficient manner than ever before. Examples of such media
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`presently being used include telephone (voice-mail), e-mail,
`fax, etc., each of which has its own advantages and disad-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`vantages. As a result,
`in the current competitive market
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`place, reliable communication and the choice of media has
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`come to play a critical role in the success (if not survival) of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`many businesses, especially those that are geographically
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`diversified. Particularly, the ability to communicate specific
`
`
`
`
`
`
`information to a person or entity in a reliable, cost effective,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`and efficient manner is now more of a necessity than a
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`luxury. Moreover, all
`indications are that
`this ability to
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`communicate will only increase in importance in the coming
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`years as an individual’s time becomes more costly because
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`businesses are driven to even greater efficiencies, and as the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Internet and the Information Superhighway (eg,
`the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`National Information Infrastructure (NII) or the Global
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Information Infrastructure (GII)) become globally acces-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`sible.
`
`Aproblem created by having all these different media of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`communication available is the inability to communicate
`
`
`
`
`
`
`between the different media. Presently, several communica-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`tion systems exist that allow a recipient to receive commu-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`nications in a limited number of different media and then to
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`convert them into a native media. An example of such a
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,798, issued on
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Jun. 6, 1989, to Cohen et al., which provides for a single
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`electronic mailbox for receiving messages in different media
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`such as telephone or fax. In the patent to Cohen et al, the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`unified message system located at the recipient’s end con-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`verts all
`the received messages in the user’s electronic
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`mailbox into a single native media. This system provides a
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`certain amount of versatility in that the user can receive
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`messages in a given media and covert those messages into
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`a native media of the user. However, the media conversion
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`only occurs post-delivery which prevents the sender from
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`taking advantage of tariffs and competitive service offerings
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`across available media. Further, this system fails to provide
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`any one of the following: acknowledgment or notification to
`
`
`
`
`
`
`the sender that the recipient actually received the message,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`acknowledgment or notification to the sender of the success
`
`
`
`
`
`
`or failure of the message conversion, or a retry mechanism.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`industry for a payload delivery system that eliminates the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`incompatibility between different communication services
`
`
`
`
`
`employing different media for communicating information,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`and that enables the sender to designate the delivery param-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`eters as well as provides notification to the sender when the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`recipient receives the payload, notification to the sender if
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`10
`
`
`
`15
`
`
`
`20
`
`
`
`25
`
`
`
`30
`
`
`
`35
`
`
`
`40
`
`
`
`45
`
`
`
`50
`
`55
`
`
`
`60
`
`
`
`65
`
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`Page 12 of 20
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`2
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`including a request for
`the delivery was not successful,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`additional instructions in such a situation, and that allows the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`sender to query the status of the messages sent.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`
`
`The present invention overcomes the inadequacies and
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`deficiencies of the prior art as discussed herein before and as
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`well known in the industry. The present invention provides
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`for a system and method for end-to-end ubiquitous payload
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`delivery that is essentially the electronic equivalent to reg-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`istered mail with the advantages of speed, configurability,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`convenience, resource conservation, timeliness, but without
`
`
`
`
`
`
`the drawbacks of the manual system used with registered
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`mail, e.g., paperwork, delay, time utilization, and geographic
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`limitation of applicability. By utilizing the payload delivery
`system of the present invention, a sender is able to establish
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`delivery parameters that are complimented by a smart deliv-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ery system so as to ensure that the payload is delivered
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`within the set parameters. The delivery parameters prefer-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ably include a preferred media of delivery and a number of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`attempts within a given period of time before conversion of
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`the payload to an alternate media that also has a number of
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`attempts in a given period of time designated before yet
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`further media conversions are performed. If required, media
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`conversions and payload copying can be performed at one or
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`more locations where the system resides in order to take
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`advantage of tariffs, special offerings, etc., and to provide
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`guaranteed delivery in a media independent environment.
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`Further, the sender can designate events that trigger notifi-
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`cation during delivery of the payload so that the sender is
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`able to keep track of the delivery and receipt of the payload.
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`Accordingly,
`the sender who knows the makeup of the
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`payload and who traditionally bears the cost of delivery can
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`tailor the payload delivery in order to guarantee receipt and
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`to ensure that the delivery is effectuated in a cost effective
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`and efficient manner.
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`Briefly stated, an end-to-end ubiquitous payload delivery
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`system in accordance with the present invention comprises
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`a computer program that can be located at any one or more
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`of the following: a senders desktop workstation, a server at
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`the sender’s end, a server at the receiver’s end, a server
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`connected to a digital switch at either the sender’s or
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`recipient’s end, or a server in the Internet environment. As
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`a computer application, the end-to-end ubiquitous payload
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`delivery system allows different communication service
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`applications on different media (eg, e-mail, voice mail, or
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`fax over twisted-pair, coax, untethered/wireless,
`fiber
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`media) to interoperate across network lines regardless of the
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`underlying communication protocols, operating systems, or
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`databases. This is achieved by converting the entire payload,
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`or a portion of the payload, from its original media to one or
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`more other media as required to complete delivery of the
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`payload in accordance with the delivery parameters defined
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`by the sender. The conversion is performed by the payload
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`delivery system, and therefore, can take place more than
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`once and at one or more different
`locations where the
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`payload system resides. Accordingly, the payload delivery
`system of the present invention is able to guarantee delivery
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`of the entire payload.
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`Further, the end-to-end ubiquitous payload delivery sys-
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`tem of the present invention can be used with value-added
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`services, that is, standardized communication services such
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`as Directory Services, Business/Accounting Services, Secu-
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`rity Services, Compression Services, and Language Ser-
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`vices. Directory Services, as delineated in X.500 series of
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`ITU Standards, provides transparent address translation ser-
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`vices to the users. Business/Accounting Services provides
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`Page 12 of 20
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`5,826,034
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`3
`for the recording of the details of the delivery that are
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`subsequently used for system analysis, upgrades, and the
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`generation of billing for the services rendered. Security
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`Services include, but are not
`limited to, providing
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`encryption, authentication, and validation service to the
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`users. Compression services provide compression appropri-
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`ate to the payload (e.g., voice compression, video
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`compression, or data compression), enabling efficiencies in
`storage and transmission. Lastly, Language Services provide
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`conversion of the payload from one language to another.
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`In architecture, the payload delivery system of the present
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`invention is configured in computer-based hardware com-
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`prising one of the possible locations identified above, though
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`preferably implemented in a desktop workstation computer
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`or a computer-based server. Regardless, the hardware suit-
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`able for implementing the present invention includes the
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`appropriate network interfaces, support system interfaces (if
`a server), a central processing unit (CPU), memory (both
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`random access memory (RAM) and a hard disk), and other
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`necessary interfaces as well known in the industry. The
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`payload delivery system is preferably stored in the memory
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`and includes an input manager and an output manager for
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`processing incoming and outgoing payloads, respectively.
`For purpose of the present disclosure, a payload can take the
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`form of any digital compilation of data, such as but not
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`limited to a fax, voice mail, paging message, or e-mail (may
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`comprise one or more of the following: text data, image data,
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`video data, audio data, or any combination thereof). Sup-
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`porting functionality is provided by a copier, a media/
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`protocol converter, a scheduler, an archive, a message store,
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`and a value-added services mechanism. The input manager
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`receives outgoing payloads compiled by the sender in a
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`particular media for delivery to a designated recipient. The
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`input manager checks the payload for validity (e.g., adher-
`ence to protocols and error free receipt), checks the address
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`of the payload, and then stores a single copy of the payload
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`in the payload store. It is noted that the payload can be stored
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`in an encrypted/unencrypted, compressed/uncompressed
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`form, as dictated by the system parameters. The input
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`manager also checks to see if any media or protocol con-
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`versions or copies are necessary, or if any of the value-added
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`services are required to operate on the payload, and if so,
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`whether this should take place locally or at a remote server
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`or workstation having the payload delivery system. If the
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`conversion is to take place locally, then the input manager
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`sends the payload to the media/protocol converter for
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`conversion, and subsequently to the output manager.
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`Otherwise,
`the input manager sends the payload to the
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`output manager for delivery. The scheduler works in con-
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`junction with the input and output managers to schedule
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`delivery of messages to take advantage of tariffs, and
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`resource availability.
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`An application interface is connected to the input manager
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`and the output manager for receiving payloads from and
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`placing payloads on the associated network for delivery. The
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`application interface may contain or interface with a net-
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`work interface that allows the invention to interface to the
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`appropriate network, examples of which include a local area
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`or an Access Network.
`network
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`In the case of an incoming payload, the input manager
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`receives the payload, determines if media conversion is
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`necessary, and if so, then sends the payload to the media/
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`protocol converter. The input manager further coordinates
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`the copying of the payload by the copier and the storage of
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`the payload in the payload store. The input manager then
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`sends the payload to the output manager in order to complete
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`delivery of the payload by providing the recipient with a
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`40
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`60
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`65
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`Page 13 of 20
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`4
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`copy, or in order to send the payload on to a next payload
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`delivery system location that is in route to the recipient. The
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`output manager is essentially a slave of the input manager in
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`that the output manager is typically instructed what to do
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`with the payload by the input manager.
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`In addition, the input manager can send a message to the
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`sender via the output manager to notify the sender whether
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`the delivery was successful, whether the recipient has
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`received the payload, or whether the payload has been sent
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`to the next payload delivery system location in route.
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`Further, the input manager can utilize the output manager to
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`send a message to the sender in order to request the sender
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`for additional instructions if the delivery was not successful,
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`or in order to allow the sender to query the status of a sent
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`payload. The notifications received by the input manager
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`that are destined for another payload delivery system are
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`merely passed to the output manager and sent to the next
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`payload delivery system. The notifications received by the
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`input manager for that payload delivery system are provided
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`to the sender.
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`It
`is envisioned that on successful delivery to the
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`recipient, the invention maintains an archived copy of the
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`is
`payload with the delivery details for a duration that
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`consistent with security, business and service parameters.
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`The present
`invention can also be conceptualized as
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`providing for a payload delivery method for providing
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`media independent, guaranteed delivery of a payload in
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`accordance with delivery parameters defined by the sender.
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`The payload delivery method can be broadly generalized as
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`follows. Initially, the sender generates a payload for delivery
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`in a first media, for instance, an e-mail or fax. Next, the
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`sender establishes the parameters of the delivery, including
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`the number of attempts within a given period of time, the
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`allowable cost of transmission, the types and/or frequency of
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`notification, etc. The payload is then passed on to the
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`payload delivery system for delivery to the recipient. The
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`payload delivery system can be located at
`the sender’s
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`desktop workstation, the sender’s or receiver’s server, or a
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`digital switch at either the sender’s or receiver’s end. The
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`payload delivery system performs the function of converting
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`the entire payload (or, a portion thereof), if necessary, from
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`the first media to an alternate media in order to complete
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`delivery of the payload to the recipient. For example, if the
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`sender prepared an e-mail in a format that is not compatible
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`with the e-mail of the recipient, or could not be delivered as
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`an e-mail, then the present invention converts the sender’s
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`e-mail message into a format compatible with the recipient’s
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`e-mail, or alternatively, from e-mail to fax. As yet another
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`alternative, the present invention may convert the protocol
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`of the payload to one compatible with the protocol recipients
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`system. Consequently, if the e-mail proves undeliverable for
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`whatever reason, then the e-mail of the sender is converted
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`into an alternate media designated in the delivery parameters
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`so that further attempts at delivery can be made in accor-
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`dance with the delivery parameters. As a part of the present
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`invention, notifications that the recipient could receive are
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`that the recipient has received the payload, that delivery by
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`a specified media has not been successful, or that a media
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`conversion was performed. The sender, on the other hand,
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`not only may receive the same notifications as those pro-
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`vided to the recipient, the sender is preferably always given
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`notification of delivery so that the sender is guaranteed that
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`the payload has been received by the recipient.
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`Other features and advantages of the present invention
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`will become apparent
`to one with skill
`in the art upon
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`examination of the following drawings and detailed descrip-
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`tion. It is intended that all such additional features and
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`Page 13 of 20
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`

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`5,826,034
`
`5
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`advantages be included herein within the scope of the
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`present invention, as defined by the claims.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`invention can be better understood with
`The present
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`reference to the following drawings. The elements of the
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`drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead
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`being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the
`present invention. Furthermore, referenced numerals desig-
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`nate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
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`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication network
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`incorporating the end-to-end, guaranteed, ubiquitous pay-
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`load delivery system of the present invention;
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`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an illustrative computer
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`system that includes the payload delivery system of the
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`present invention;
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`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the architecture and func-
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`tionality of the payload delivery system of FIG. 2;
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`FIG. 4 is an illustrated database entry for a recipient that
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`establishes the delivery parameters of a payload for use with
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`the delivery system of FIG. 2; and
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`FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are illustrative examples of
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`payload delivery with the delivery payload system of FIG.
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`2.
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`FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating the methodology and
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`functionality of the present invention.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`
`
`
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
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`The following description is of the best presently con-
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`templated mode of carrying out the present invention. This
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`description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made
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`merely for the purpose of describing the general principles
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`of the invention. Consequently, the scope of the invention
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`should be determined by referencing the appended claims.
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`I. Architecture
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`the end-to-end ubiquitous
`With reference to FIG. 1,
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`payload delivery system of the present invention provides a
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`payload delivery system and associated methodology that
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`can be employed in connection with a communication
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`network 12 for the purpose of providing guaranteed payload
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`delivery between users in a media independent environment.
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`The payload delivery system is preferably implemented as a
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`computer program for use by or in connection with a
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`computer-based system such as a workstation or a server. As
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`such, the payload delivery system is essentially a computer
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`application that can be stored on any computer-readable
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`medium, such as but not limited to electronic, magnetic,
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`optical, or other physical device or means that can contain
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`or store a computer program for use by or in connection with
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`a workstation or server in the communication network 12.
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`Accordingly,
`the payload delivery system is a platform
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`independent application with a versatility of being able to be
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`located in one or more locations within the communication
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`network 12 as described in more detail below.
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`The communication network 12 comprises a wide area
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`network
`13, a local area network (LAN) 38, and a
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`plurality of subscribers (e.g., 30, 32, 36). The WAN 13
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`includes a long distance portion 14, a first local digital
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`switch 24, and a second digital switch 26. The long distance
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`network portion 14 enables both domestic and international
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`long distance services via a first long distance digital switch
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`16 and a second long distance digital switch 18 which are
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`remotely located with respect to one another and intercon-
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`nected by a transport link 20. For purposes of the present
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`6
`invention, the transport link 20 may comprise any one of a
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`variety of transport technologies such as fiberoptics, wire-
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`less (e.g., radio frequency (RF) or satellite). Along distance
`server 22 that includes the payload delivery system of the
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`present invention can be connected to either of the digital
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`switches 16,18.
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`Interconnected by the long distance network portion 14
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`are the first local digital switch 24 and the second local
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`digital switch 26. The first and second local digital switches
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`24, 26 are those commonly utilize by a local exchange
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`carrier (LEC) for switching in a regional network, as well
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`known in the industry. Therefore, calls originating or termi-
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`nating within the particular regional network of a local
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`digital switch 24, 26 are routed by the local digital switch 24,
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`26 hosting that regional network to the designated recipient.
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`A local server 28 that includes the payload delivery system
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`of the present invention can be connected to either of the
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`local digital switches 24, 26.
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`Within the regional network of each local digital switch
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`24, 26 are a plurality of subscribers such as a computer
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`workstation 30 or a digital phone 32 that are interconnected
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`to the first local switch 24 via respective subscriber lines 34,
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`or a computer workstation 36 that is interconnected with the
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`second local data switch 26 via the subscriber line 40.
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`As illustrated in FIG. 1, the LAN 38 comprises a LAN
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`server 42 that networks a plurality of customer provided
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`equipment (CPE) such as a fax machine 44 and a plurality
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`of work stations 46. It is worth noting at this point that the
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`interconnections 34, 40 can be, but are not
`limited to,
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`fiberoptics, wireless, RF, coax or twisted pair. A local server
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`31 that includes the payload delivery system of the present
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`invention can be connected to the LAN server 42.
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`In accordance with an important feature in the present
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`invention, the payload delivery system of the present inven-
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`tion does not have to be located at any one particular
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`location in the communication network 12, but may reside
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`in a variety of different locations including at least any one
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`or more of the following: the workstation 46, the computer
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`workstations 30, 36, the LAN server 42, the local server 31
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`associated with the LAN 38, the local servers 28 associated
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`with local switches 24, 26, or the long distance servers 22
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`associated with long distances switches 16, 18. In addition,
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