System and method for routing communications between packet networks based on intercarrier agreements

• US 20080049748A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bugenhagen, Michael K., Morrill, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/145 trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• 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 45/123 Evaluation of link metrics techniques for monitoring network metrics H04L43/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/124 using a combination of metrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/3065 for real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0084 Network monitoring; Error detection; Error recovery; Network testing

Abstract

A system and method for communicating data packets over packet network owned by different communications carriers. Rate information may be stored in a first packet network for communicating data packets over at least two other packet networks. A determination over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate data packets based on a lowest billing rate for communicating the data packets may be made. The data packets may be communicated over a packet network determined to have the lowest billing rate for communicating the data packets.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data packets over packet network owned by different communications carriers, said method comprising:

storing, in a first packet network rate information for communicating data packets over at least two other packet networks;

determining over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate data packets based on a lowest billing rate for communicating the data packets; and

communicating the data packets over a packet network determined to have the lowest billing rate for communicating the data packets.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein storing the billing rate information includes using inter-carrier agreements to obtain the billing rate information.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein storing the billing rate information includes storing billing rate information for communicating data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content separately.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the data packets to be communicated include real-time content or non-real-time content;

determining which of the at least two other packet networks has the lowest billing rate for communicating the type of data packets determined to be communicated; and

communicating the data packets over the packet network determined to have the lowest billing rate for the type of data packets to be communicated.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving the billing rate information from the at least two other packet networks.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing network performance information indicative of transmission performance of the at least two other packet networks; and

wherein determining over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate the data packets is further based on the network performance information.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein determining over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate the data packets includes determining which of the at least two other packet networks has transmission quality with the lowest bit error rate.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising updating the billing rate information stored in the packet network in response to the billing rates for communicating data packets over the at least two other packet networks changing.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein storing the billing rate information including storing the billing rate information at a central location on the packet network.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing credit information for communicating data packets for each of the at least two other packet networks; and

determining over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate the data packets based on the credit information.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein storing the credit information includes storing the credit information for communicating data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content separately;

and further comprising;

determining whether the data packets to be communicated include real-time or non-real-time content; and

communicating the data packets based on which other packet network the highest credit is associated for the type of content to be communicated in the data packets.

12. A system for communicating data packets over packet network owned by different communications carriers, said system comprising:

a storage unit, operating in a first packet network, configured to store billing rate information for communicating data packets over at least two other packet networks; and

a processing unit, in communication with said storage unit, and configured to;

determine over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate data packets based on a lowest billing rate for communicating the data packets; and

communicate the data packets over a packet network determined to have the lowest billing rate for communicating the data packets.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the billing rate information includes information associated with inter-carrier agreements.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the billing rate information distinguishing billing rate information for communicating data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

determine whether the data packets to be communicated include real-time content or non-real-time content;

determine which of the at least two other packet networks has the lowest billing rate for communicating the type of data packets determined to be communicated; and

communicate the data packets over the packet network determined to have the lowest billing rate for the type of data packets to be communicated.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein said processing unit is further configured to receive the billing rate information from the at least two other packet networks.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

access network performance information indicative of transmission performance of the at least two other packet networks; and

determine over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate the data packets based on the network performance information.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said processing unit is configured to determine over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate the data packets by determining which of the at least two other packet networks has transmission quality with the lowest bit error rate.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein said processing unit is further configured to update the billing rate information stored in the packet network in response to the billing rates for communicating data packets over the at least two other packet networks changing.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said storage unit is at a central location on the packet network.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein said storage unit is further configured to store credit information for communicating data packets for each of the at least two other packet networks;

and wherein said processing unit is further configured to determine over which of the at least two other packet networks to communicate the data packets based on the credit information.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the credit information includes separate credit information for communicating data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content;

and wherein said processing unit is further configured to;

determine whether the data packets to be communicated include real-time or non-real-time content; and

communicate the data packets based on which other packet network the highest credit is associated for the type of content to be communicated in the data packets.