Server generated timing of location updates for call routing decisions

• US 10,542,150 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2016
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Miskovic, Slobodan
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maglo, Emmanuel K
• Application Number:
  US15/146,559
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server is configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices. The VoIP server receives, from applications running on the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, location updates identifying geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices. The VoIP server modifies a location database to include entries specifying the geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices. Telephone calls are routed based upon the entries specifying geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices. Based upon input parameters, a set of periodic update timings are generated and sent to the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices.

Claims

1. A method for use with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server that is configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at the VoIP server and from applications running on the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, location updates identifying geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices;

modifying, in response to a mismatch between a comparison of the geographic locations, a location database to include entries specifying the geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices;

routing telephone calls based upon the entries specifying geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices;

determining, based on call summary data associated with actual use of the VoIP server, a likelihood that an amount of server resources is available;

generating, based upon input parameters indicative of the determined likelihood that the amount of server resources is available, a set of periodic update timings specifying rates for the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices to provide the geolocation information to the VoIP server to meet a target rate for location updates performed by the VoIP server; and

sending the periodic update timings to the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the set of periodic update timings includes setting values for the set of periodic update timings to meet the target rate for location updates received by the VoIP server, and indicates to, the VoIP-capable endpoint devices, timings for sending the geolocation information to the VoIP server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the input parameters includes a server load of the VoIP server, and the location updates include geographic information received by the VoIP server from the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the set of periodic update timings includes generating a respective set of values for each of the input parameters, the values represented as a percentage and offset and applying the generated values to a default update timing.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying congestion points by predicting when location updates would be received by the plurality of endpoint devices, and using the congestion points as input parameters for generating the set of period update timings.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing, in response to the congestion points, a start time to the plurality of endpoint devices, wherein the start time indicates a timer start point for the plurality of endpoint devices to determine respective periodic update timings.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the set of periodic update timings includes applying a scaling factor that is based upon the expected number of telephone calls that would be incorrectly routed at a particular update timing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the input parameters includes an expected mobility of a respective endpoint device of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, and generating the set of periodic update timings includes applying a scaling factor that is based upon the expected number of telephone calls that would be routed at a particular update timing based on the call summary data.

9. A system comprising:

a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) server that includes one or more computer processor circuits and memory circuits that are configured to provide VoIP services to a plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices by;

receiving, at the VoIP server and from applications running on the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices, location updates identifying geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices;

modifying, in response to a mismatch between a comparison of the geographic locations, a location database to include entries specifying the geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices;

routing telephone calls based upon the entries specifying geographic locations of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices;

determining, based on call summary data associated with actual use of the VoIP server, a likelihood that an amount of server resources is available;

generating, based upon input parameters indicative of the likelihood that amount of server resources is available, a set of periodic update timings specifying rates for the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices to provide the geolocation information to the VoIP server to meet a target rate for location updates performed by the VoIP server; and

sending the periodic update timings to the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the generating the set of periodic update timings includes setting values for the set of periodic update timings to meet the target rate for location updates received by the VoIP server.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the input parameters includes a server load of the VoIP server.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the generating the set of periodic update timings includes generating a respective set of values for each of the input parameters, the values represented as a percentage and offset and applying the generated values to a default update timing.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the VoIP server is further configured to identify congestion points by predicting when location updates would be received by the plurality of endpoint devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the VoIP server is further configured to provide, in response to the congestion points, a start time to the plurality of endpoint devices, wherein the start time indicates a timer start point for the plurality of endpoint devices to determine respective periodic update timings.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the generating the set of periodic update timings includes applying a scaling factor that is based upon the expected number of telephone calls that would be incorrectly routed at a particular update timing.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the input parameters includes an expected mobility of a respective endpoint device of the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the VoIP server is further configured to provide, in response to the congestion points, a start time for each of the plurality of endpoint devices to provide location updates to the VoIP server, and provide the respective start times as the set of periodic update timings.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the VoIP server is further configured to identify congestion points by:

predicting when location updates would be received by the VoIP server and from the plurality of endpoint devices; and

predicting an expected number of telephone calls that would be routed at a particular update timing using the call summary data; and

the VoIP server further uses the identified congestion points as the input parameters.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein the periodic update timings sent to the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices are indicative of times for the plurality of endpoint devices to send the geolocation information to the VoIP server and at least a portion of the geolocation information includes Global Positioning System (GPS) information.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein the call summary data is indicative of call volume at different times of the day and the set of periodic update timings specifying rates for the plurality of VoIP-capable endpoint devices is set differently for different geographic locations.