Method, System, and Computer Program Product for Managing Routing Servers and Services

• US 20090245236A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Vertical Communications Acquisition Corporation (Vertical Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wong, William, Yao, Min, Cheng, Anita, Ho, Simon, Irimescu, George, Zadeh, Row J., Voineag, Dorel, Scott, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,479,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/304 Route determination for signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/3065 for real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for routing network traffic (calls in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)), which expands the capabilities of existing systems by providing faster and more efficient direction of network traffic, is disclosed. A routing management system includes a routing manager which maintains a list of local routes, establishes and manages connections to the routing server(s), exports routes to the routing server(s), imports disseminated routes from the routing server(s), obtains static global and dynamic routes from the routing server(s), caches those routes for future use, finds all matching routes for a particular number dialed by the user, and prioritizing those routes based on timing, access and ordering information. An additional embodiment contains at least one routing server which provides look-up services for gateway server(s), allows export of local routes from gateway server(s), and distributes translation data; and at least one gateway server which handles calls received on either the Internet protocol (IP) or traditional telephony networks. The gateway server bridges calls between the different kinds of networks, interacts with users, interfaces with the routing system.

Claims

1. A system for providing voice communications over a packet-switched network, comprising:

a gateway server that handles calls received from a public switched telephone network and a packet-switched network;

a routing server; and

a database server, wherein messages can be sent between each of the gateway server, routing server, and database server over the packet-switched network.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a provisioning system coupled to said database server.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a management system;

wherein messages can be sent between each of the gateway server, routing server, database server, and management system over the packet-switched network.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a network manager that automatically queries a client database to determine an update, and sends a message representative of the update to at least one of the gateway server, routing server, database server, and management system over the packet-switched network.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a licensing server.

6. A system for a gateway server, comprising:

first handling means for handling calls on a packet-switched network;

second handling means for handling calls on a telephony network;

bridging means for bridging said calls with routes between both a packet-switched network and a telephony network;

first interacting means for interacting with calls to collect user information;

first interfacing means for interfacing with routing system;

second interfacing means for interfacing with database system; and

second interacting means for interacting with other gateway servers.

7. A system of claim 6, wherein said routes comprise:

querying means for querying for a route; and

providing means for providing said route, wherein said route is stored locally on the gateway server.

8. A method of providing voice communications over a packet-switched network, comprising the steps of:

handling calls received from a public switched telephone network and a packet-switched network with a gateway server that;

distributing call routing information with a routing server; and

managing user and call information with a database server, wherein messages can be sent between each of the gateway server, routing server, and database server over the packet-switched network.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

accessing database records with a provisioning system coupled to said database server.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

configuring system properties with a management system, wherein messages can be sent between each of the gateway server, routing server, database server, and management system over the packet-switched network.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

updating system components with a network manager that automatically queries a client database to determine an update, and sends a message representative of the update to at least one of the gateway server, routing server, database server, and management system over the packet-switched network.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

registering system components with a licensing server.

13. A method of a gateway server, comprising the steps of:

handling calls on a packet-switched network;

handling calls on a telephony network;

bridging said calls with routes between both a packet-switched network and a telephony network;

interacting with calls to collect user information;

interfacing with routing system;

for interfacing with database system; and

for interacting with other gateway servers.

14. A method of claim 13, wherein said routes comprise:

querying for a route; and

providing said route, wherein said route is stored locally on the gateway server.

15. A method of ordering routes, comprising the steps of:

checking the address of a route;

checking the preference of a route;

checking the cost estimate of a route;

checking the quality of service of a route; and

checking the type of route.

16. A method of prioritizing routes, comprising the steps of:

checking a route address entry;

checking route timing information;

checking a route access entry;

checking route ordering information;

determining a reduced route;

comparing a requested route with said reduced route; and

providing a list of routes.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic stored therein, said computer program logic comprising:

means for enabling a computer to handle calls received from a public switched telephone network and a packet-switched network with a gateway server;

means for enabling a computer to distribute call routing information with a routing server; and

means for enabling a computer to manage user and call information with a database server, wherein messages can be sent between each of the gateway server, and database server over the packet-switched network.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

means for enabling a computer to access database records with a provisioning system coupled to said database server.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

means for enabling a computer to configure system properties with a management system;

wherein messages can be sent between each of the gateway server, routing server, database server, and management system over the packet-switched network.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

means for enabling a computer to update system components with a network manager that automatically queries a client database to determine an update, and sends a message representative of the update to at least one of the gateway server, routing server, database server, and management system over the packet-switched network.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

means for enabling a computer to register system components with a licensing server.

22. A computer program product of a gateway server, comprising:

means for enabling a computer to handle calls on a packet-switched network;

means for enabling a computer to handle calls on a telephony network;

means for enabling a computer to bridge said calls with routes between both a packet-switched network and a telephony network;

means for enabling a computer to interact with calls to collect user information;

means for enabling a computer to interface with routing system;

means for enabling a computer to interface with database system; and

means for enabling a computer to interact with other gateway servers.

23. A computer program product of claim 22, wherein said routes comprise:

means for enabling a computer to query for a route; and

means for enabling a computer to provide means for providing said route, wherein said route is stored locally on the gateway server.

24. A computer program product of ordering routes, comprising:

means for enabling a computer to check the address of a route;

means for enabling a computer to check the preference of a route;

means for enabling a computer to check the cost estimate of a route;

means for enabling a computer to check the quality of service of a route; and

means for enabling a computer to check the type of route.

25. A computer program product of prioritizing routes, comprising:

means for enabling a computer to check a route address entry;

means for enabling a computer to check route timing information;

means for enabling a computer to check route access entry;

means for enabling a computer to check route ordering information;

means for enabling a computer to determine a reduced route;

means for enabling a computer to compare a requested route with said reduced route; and

means for enabling a computer to provide a list of routes.