1. A method of managing a service offered to a user of a terminal in a network, the network having a service platform and equipment including session border controllers that communicate with the service platform, a session border controller routing messages received from the terminal to the service platform, said method comprising the steps of:
deciding at the session border controller that the service platform is not accessible on the basis of a platform accessibility check; and
operating in an autonomous operating mode in which the session border controller selects an equipment of the network separate from the service platform and routes at least one message received from the terminal and intended for a destination terminal, to said selected network equipment, in which:
if an other session border controller of a group of session border controllers has access to the service platform, said selected network equipment is the other session border controller having access to the service platform, the message routed to said selected network equipment being transmitted from the selected network equipment to the service platform; and
otherwise, if no session border controller of the group of session border controllers has access to the service platform, the selected network equipment is an equipment in charge of managing the destination terminal of said message, the message routed to said selected network equipment being transmitted from the session border controller to the destination terminal without passing through the service platform;
wherein:
each session border controller implements the platform accessibility check and said operating step includes the steps of:
transmitting a proxy request to at least one other session border controller of the network; and
if at least one response to said proxy request is received, selecting, as a proxy, a session border controller from the session border controllers having sent a response; and
each session border controller maintains a local database indicating terminals that said session border controller manages, and said operating step further includes the steps of:
transmitting a destination request message from said session border controller to at least one other session border controller; and
if a response to the destination request is received, selecting the session border controller having sent said response; a session border controller deciding to transmit a response to the destination request according to the local database.
2. A method of managing a service according to claim 1, wherein:
in said operating step, the session border controller receives a message from the terminal intended for a destination terminal;
said selected network equipment is a service gateway connecting said first network to a second network in charge of managing said destination terminal; and
the message routed to said selected network equipment being transmitted from the selected network equipment to the destination terminal.
3. A method of managing a service according to claim 1, wherein the platform accessibility check includes the following steps:
transmitting a check message from the session border controller to the service platform and starting a timer;
checking if a response to the check message is received from the service platform before said timer elapses;
repeating said step of transmitting and said step of checking N times, N being a predetermined integer; and
if no response is received before the timer elapses for the N times, deciding that the service platform is not accessible.
4. A session border controller in a network offering a service to a user of a terminal, said network having a service platform and other session border controllers, said session border controllers communicating with the service platform, said session border controller transmitting messages received from the terminal to the service platform and comprising:
a control unit that decides that the service platform is not accessible on the basis of platform accessibility check; and
an operating mode management unit that switches into an autonomous operating mode, according to a decision taken by the control unit, in which the session border controller selects an equipment of the network separate from the platform and routes at least one message received from the terminal and intended for a destination terminal, to said selected equipment of the network, and:
if an other session border controller of a group of session border controllers has access to the service platform, said selected network equipment is the other session border controller having access to the service platform, the message routed to said selected network equipment being transmitted from the selected network equipment to the service platform; and
otherwise, if no session border controller of the group of session border controllers has access to the service platform, the selected network equipment is an equipment in charge of managing the destination terminal, the message routed to said selected network equipment being transmitted from the session border controller to the destination terminal without passing through the service platform;
wherein:
each session border controller implements the platform accessibility check and said operating step includes the steps of:
transmitting a proxy request to at least one other session border controller of the network; and
if at least one response to said proxy request is received, selecting, as a proxy, a session border controller from the session border controllers having sent a response; and
each session border controller maintains a local database indicating terminals that said session border controller manages, and said operating step further includes the steps of:
transmitting a destination request message from said session border controller to at least one other session border controller; and
if a response to the destination request is received, selecting the session border controller having sent said response; a session border controller deciding to transmit a response to the destination request according to the local database.
5. A service gateway in a first network offering a service to a user of a terminal and in a second network, said first network comprising session border controllers in communication with the service platform, said service gateway comprising:
means for receiving, from a session border controller of the first network, a destination request indicating a destination terminal to which a message received by the session border controller from a terminal belonging to the first network is intended; and
means for responding to said destination request if the destination terminal is managed in said second network;
means for receiving said message from the session border controller without passing through the service platform; and
means for transmitting said message to the destination terminal without passing through the service platform;
wherein:
each session border controller implements the platform accessibility check and said operating step includes the steps of:
transmitting a proxy request to at least one other session border controller of the network; and
if at least one response to said proxy request is received, selecting, as a proxy, a session border controller from the session border controllers having sent a response; and
each session border controller maintains a local database indicating terminals that said session border controller manages, and said operating step further includes the steps of:
transmitting a destination request message from said session border controller to at least one other session border controller; and
if a response to the destination request is received, selecting the session border controller having sent said response; a session border controller deciding to transmit a response to the destination request according to the local database.
6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer instructions recorded thereon, the computer instructions configured to perform a method of managing a service offered to a user of a terminal in a network when executed by a session border controller, the network including a service platform and additional session border controllers, the method comprising the steps of:
deciding at the session border controller that the service platform is not accessible on the basis of a platform accessibility check; and
operating in an autonomous operating mode in which the session border controller selects an equipment of the network separate from the service platform and routes at least one message received from the terminal and intended for a destination terminal, to said selected network equipment, in which
if another session border controller of a group of session border controllers has access to the service platform, said selected network equipment is the other session border controller having access to the service platform, the message routed to said selected network equipment being transmitted from the selected network equipment to the service platform; and
otherwise, if no session border controller of the group of session border controllers has access to the service platform, the selected network equipment is an equipment in charge of managing the destination terminal of said message, the message routed to said selected network equipment being transmitted from the session border controller to the destination terminal without passing through the service platform
wherein:
each session border controller implements the platform accessibility check and said operating step includes the steps of:
transmitting a proxy request to at least one other session border controller of the network; and
if at least one response to said proxy request is received, selecting, as a proxy, a session border controller from the session border controllers having sent a response; and
each session border controller maintains a local database indicating terminals that said session border controller manages, and said operating step further includes the steps of:
transmitting a destination request message from said session border controller to at least one other session border controller; and
if a response to the destination request is received, selecting the session border controller having sent said response; a session border controller deciding to transmit a response to the destination request according to the local database.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. We claim a new device to create downforce for a tractor-mounted post hole auger or other farm implement, with said downforce unit being comprised of several components:
a) an Upper Mount which captures the proximal end of the auger boom and includes an angled, straight or curved slot which defines the travel path of said proximal end of auger boom. Said angulation or curvature of said slot serves to compensate the the distal portion of the Auger Boom traveling through an arc, and changes that arc travel to a substantially vertical plane of travel such that holes are more easily created vertically in the ground. Said Upper Mount includes a multitude of mounting holes to permit affixing of other farm implements when the Auger is removed. Said Upper Mount further includes holes below said slots, for the purpose of anchoring the proximal portion of Auger Boom in the lowermost position of said slots, for use in Conventional Mode, without downforce. Said Upper Mount further includes holes for the mounting of diagonal support bars to support the distal portion of the Lower mount.
b) a Lower Mount which extends rearward from the tractor’s pulling hitch. Said Lower Mount’s purpose is to provide a stable lower anchor pivot point for the Vertical Bars which comprise the Downforce Pivot Point. Said Lower mount is further supported by two diagonal support bars connecting the rearward, distal point of the Lower Mount with the lateral aspects of the Upper Mount which is bolted to the tractor.
c) Vertical Bars which extent vertically from the distal end of the Lower Mount, with a multitude of holes or notches, for purpose of anchoringindexing with Outer Slider tubes.
d) Outer Sliders, which slide longitudinally over said Vertical Bars and have a set of corresponding holes such that pins can be inserted through Outer Sliders and Vertical Bars anchoring them together. Alternatively Outer Sliders can incorporate spring loaded pins or teeth which index in notches in the Vertical Bars, in a ratcheting method. Said Outer Sliders bolt together on either side of a mounting tab on the superior aspect of the Auger Boom, at a point proximate to halfway along its length. Said bolted union of Outer Sliders and Auger Boom comprises the Downforce Pivot Point which allows the generation of downforce when the proximal end of the Boom is unpinned from the anchor holes in said Upper Mount and permitted to travel vertically.
e) optional addition of a two-piece clamshell type assembly which surrounds and captures the auger boom and provides an attachment point for the secondary pivot. This is only necessary when using the downforce unit with an auger boom which does not have a suitable hole for a secondary pivot point.
2. We claim a method of mechanically creating downward force for tractor-mounted implements, through the creation of a secondary pivot point of variable height, located away from the tractor and the creation of a variable-height proximal attachment point at the rear of the tractor. This secondary pivot point makes it possible for the lifting action of the tractor’s 3-point hitch to be translated into downward force on the opposite end of the secondary pivot point, greatly facilitating the use of implements such as post hole augers as well as making said augers safer to use and easier to control.