Telecommunications-based link monitoring system

• US 20070008894A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IDT Corporation
• Original Assignee: IDT Corporation
• Inventors: Aleynikov, Sergey, Relis, Jerome, Lynch, Thomas, Tyberg, Zev, Flemming, Eva, Zupnik, Harry, Eckstien, Leo, Stokar, Avi, Bernatowicz, Kara
• Application Number:
  US11/024,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20070008894A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/244
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13138 Least cost routing, LCR
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13343 Neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a first automated system monitors at least one call characteristic (e.g., frequency of abnormally short calls) to determine whether quality of service standards are being met by the various carriers being utilized by the system. Such an at least one call characteristic can be stored in a database for later retrieval by an automated link diagnosis system. If appropriate, a link re-routing system can respond to an analysis of the link diagnosis system in order to re-route calls—by either taking at least one link out of service or by placing at least one link back into service.

Claims

1. A method for supervising at least one link, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one characteristic of the at least one link;

comparing a result of the monitoring to a predetermined threshold; and

removing the at least one link from use when the comparing indicates failure of the at least one link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of average length of call (ALOC), call completion ratio (CCR), and average seizure ratio (ASR).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-introducing the at least one link after a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising re-introducing the at least one link after testing the at least one link.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined period of time depends at least in part on historical re-introduction information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-introducing the at least one link after testing the at least one link.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is based at least in part on historical information related to at least one of average call traffic per time of day, average call traffic per day of week, and average call traffic per telecommunications provider.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising overriding the removing when an exception time is identified.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing comprises removing the at least one link based at least in part on a call destination.

10. A system for supervising at least one link, the system comprising:

means for monitoring at least one characteristic of the at least one link;

means for comparing an output of the means for monitoring to a predetermined threshold; and

a controller configured to remove the at least one link from use when an output of the means for comparing indicates failure of the at least one link.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of average length of call (ALOC), call completion ratio (CCR), and average seizure ratio (ASR).

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for re-introducing the at least one link after a predetermined period of time.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined period of time depends at least in part on historical re-introduction information.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for testing the at least one link.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for testing the at least one link.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for re-introducing the at least one link based on an output of the means for testing.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for overriding the means for removing.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to remove the at least one link based at least in part on a call destination.

19. A system for monitoring at least one link, the system comprising:

a database containing information related to at least one link;

a search engine configured to search the database for information indicating failure of the at least one link; and

a signal to indicate the failure of the at least one link.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the information indicating failure includes at least one of average length of call (ALOC), call completion ratio (CCR), and average seizure ratio (ASR).

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a signal to indicate that the at least one link is no longer in failure.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the search engine searches the database by joining the information related to at least one link with threshold information.