1. A method for controlling communications networks, comprising:
gathering network performance information from a first communications network using performance information packet (PIP) data packets;
controlling a network operator of the first communications network from a secondary communications network using the PIP data packets; and
implementing changes to the network operator based on instructions included in the PIP data packets.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
compiling global network performance information for a plurality of communications networks; and
sharing the global network performance among the plurality of communications networks.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the global performance information is stored in a central resource accessible by the plurality of communications networks.
4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:
combining the global network performance information with the network performance information for storage in the first communications network
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the secondary communications network controls a connection admission control (CAC) manager managing the network operator of the first communications network.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the CAC manager controls only network components used to route network traffic to the secondary network.
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the CAC manager manages network components based on permissions.
8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the CAC manager sends the instructions to configure the network operator.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
changing a level of access the secondary communications network is provided based on a predefined event.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein changing the level of access is automatically triggered based on a network emergency, wherein the level of access is reduced so that the secondary communications network is unable to control the first communications network.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein changing further comprises:
expanding the level of access the secondary communications network is provided.
12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
gathering the network performance information over time for historic use in controlling the first communications network.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instructions perform any of throttle bandwidth, block data traffic, reroute data traffic, and reconfigure the network operator.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modifying is implemented based on whether the data transmitted through the network operator is real-time data or non real-time data.
15. A communication system for managing network communications comprising:
a processing system configured to gather network performance information from a first communications network using PIP data packets, control a network operator of the first communications network using PIP data packets, and implement changes to the network operator based on instructions included in the PIP data packets; and
the first communications network configured to communicate data to the one or more secondary communications networks.
16. The communication system of claim 15, further comprising:
a rule-based engine configured to generate the instructions.
17. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the changes are sent from the one or more secondary communications network to the first communications network, and wherein the secondary communications network controls a connection admission control (CAC) manager managing the network operator of the first communications network.
18. A network manager comprising:
a processor configured to execute a set of instructions;
a memory configured to store the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions gather network performance information from a first communications network using PIP data packets, control a network operator of the first communications network from a secondary communications network using PIP data packets, and implement changes to the network operator based on instructions included in the PIP data packets.
19. The network manager of claim 18, wherein the set of instructions are implemented by a control admission control CAC manager
20. The network manager of claim 18, wherein the set of instructions further change a level of access the secondary communications network is provided based on a predefined event, gather the network performance information over time for historic use in controlling the first communications network.
21. The network manager of claim 18, wherein the changes are sent from the one or more secondary communications network to the first communications network, and wherein the secondary communications network controls a CAC manager managing the network operator of the first communications network.
22. The network manager of claim 18, further comprising:
a database in communication with the processor configured to store historical network performance information used to implement the changes.
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. A method for facilitating a transaction using a plurality of calling card issuer owned data sets on a transaction instrument, the method comprising the steps of:
facilitating enrollment of a first call carrier data set owner and a second call carrier data set owner into a RF transaction instrument program;
facilitating adding to a database, a first calling card data set of a first format at the transaction instrument, wherein said first data set is owned by said first call carrier data set owner;
facilitating adding to a database, a second calling card data set of a second format at the transaction instrument, wherein said second data set is owned by said second call carrier data set owner, wherein said first owner is distinct from said second owner, and said first format is different from said second format,
wherein said first call carrier data set is stored in accordance with said first format, and said second call carrier data set is stored in accordance with said second format; and
wherein said transaction instrument is operable to complete a calling card call in accordance with at least one of said first and second format.
2. A method of claim 1, further including the step of providing at least one of said first and second call carrier data set is formatted to communicate with a RFID reader via RF communications.
3. A method of claim 2, wherein said RFID reader is operable to receive at least one of said first and second call carrier data in magnetic stripe format.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said at least one of said first and second call carrier data is in magnetic stripe format.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing a calling card transaction account associated with at least one of said first and second call carrier data, said calling card transaction account having a value associated with transaction account usage, said first and second call carrier having no value related for use in satisfying a transaction account, and wherein said calling card transaction results in a depletion of value of the calling card account.
6. A system for a transaction device for storing multiple calling card accounts numbers distinctly stored on a RF operable transaction instrument,
said RF transaction instrument comprising
at least a first data storage area configured to store a first calling card number in a first format and a second data storage area configured to store a second calling card number in a second format different from said first format,
said first calling card number associated with a first owner and said data storage area configured to store said first calling card number in said first format independent of said second data set.
7. A system according to claim 6, further including
a remote calling card validation database for authorizing calling card account transactions, said validation database in communication with a rating database for use in determining cost associated with completing a calling card transaction request.