Screening inbound calls in a packet-based communications network

• US 20060274733A1
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCabe, John Joseph, Mussman, Harry Edward, Singh, Tanushree
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• 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 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A method and system is provided for performing inbound call screening in a packet-based network, such as an H.323 Voice over IP (VoIP) network. The inbound gateways on the network are registered with inbound gatekeepers, and standard messages are used between an inbound gateway, an inbound gatekeeper and an inbound screening database to decide: whether an inbound call to a particular called number (DID) is to be allowed into the network; whether the called number should be translated into a different called number; and whether a routing index should be included in the called number to indicate the destination of the call.

Claims

1. A method for routing a call in a packet-based network comprising:

receiving a call setup message in the packet-based network, wherein the call setup message comprises a request to setup a call to an endpoint connected to the packet-based network, wherein the request to setup the call specifies a called number;

sending a request to a call screening database to determine how to handle the call setup message;

receiving one or more responses from the call screening database, wherein the one or more responses comprises one or more of (i) a message indicating that the call should be allowed on the packet-based network, (ii) a translated number based on the called number, (iii) a routing index that indicates a destination of the call, and (iv) an indication to setup the call using the translated number and the routing index; and

setting up the requested call based on the response from the call screening database if the one or more responses indicates that the call should be allowed on the packet-based network.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a call setup message comprises receiving a Q.931 call setup message.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising choosing the call screening database from a plurality of call screening databases.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein choosing the call screening database comprises determining whether one of the plurality of call screening databases is a local call screening database.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein choosing the call screening database comprises choosing between a primary call screening database and a secondary call screening database.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the call screening database processing the request to set up the call, wherein the processing comprises one or more of (i) determining whether the call is to be allowed on the packet-based network, (ii) determining whether the called number should be translated, and (iii) determining whether a routing index should be included in the called number.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein sending a request to the call screening database comprises sending a location request (LRQ) message to the call screening database.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising, within the packet-based network, restarting the requested call using the translated number and the routing index.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the translated number comprises a local extension.

10. A system for routing calls through a packet-based network, the system comprising:

an inbound gateway operable to receive a request to set up a call to an endpoint coupled to the network, wherein the request specifies a called number associated with the endpoint;

an inbound gatekeeper operable to determine whether the requested call should be allowed on the network, and if the requested call should be allowed on the network, further operable to generate a translated number based on the called number and a routing index, and notify the gateway that the requested call should be set up using the translated number and the routing index.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the inbound gatekeeper uses a call screening database to determine one or more of (i) whether the request call should be allowed on the network, (ii) whether the called number should be translated, and (iii) whether a routing index should be applied.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the routing index designates one of a capability, a particular network device to complete the requested call, or an application server providing a network application.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the capability is one of facsimile transmission, video conferencing, or data communications.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the application server provides interactive voice response (IVR).

15. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the inbound gatekeeper is operable to select a first call screening database from a primary call screening database and a secondary call screening database.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the gatekeeper is operable to send a query message to the first selected call screening database, and send another query message to the other call screening database if the first selected call screening database does not respond within a predetermined time period.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which, when executed, cause a computing device coupled to a packet-based network to perform a process comprising:

receiving a called number associated with a request to set up a call with an endpoint that is in communication with the packet-based network;

selecting a first call screening database from a plurality of call screening databases;

querying the selected call screening database with the called number in order to screen the requested call; and

based on a response from the queried call screening database, translating the called number into a translated number and applying a routing index to the translated number in order to set up the requested call.