Method for the distribution of calls in a communication network

• US 5,563,941 A
• Filed: 06/09/1995
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Stademann, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US08/488,496
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112, 379/113, 379/114, 379/115, 379/201, 379/207, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/133, 379/134, 379/230
• US Class Current: 379/266.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

For distributing calls in a communication network, a central network authority that forwards calls from subscribers to servers for further servicing of the calls provides an optimally successful distribution, i.e. a low load-conditioned cleardown rate by the servers, even when it cannot directly register the workload of a server. In order to achieve this, the central network authority monitors the reason for the cleardown of a call by a server and excludes a server from the call distribution procedure for a specific time span when this server clears an allocated calldown due to lack of adequate capacity.

Claims

1. A method for distributing calls in a communication network, comprising the steps of:

registering calls by a central authority of the communication network and subsequently allocating the calls to servers that then service the calls;

also servicing calls with the servers that have not been registered and allocated by the central authority;

after a successful allocation, monitoring with the central authority whether a server does a cleardown of an allocated call due to lack of capacity; and

in case of the cleardown of the call due to lack of capacity, excluding the server from a further allocation of a call by the central authority for a specific time span or reducing a probability for a further allocation for said time span.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein in case of cleardown of the call due to lack of adequate capacity, the call is allocated to a different server without an ensuing cleardown being perceptible for a calling party.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the allocation by the central authority is implemented with assistance of display values about reserve capacities of the servers, a display value of reserve capacity of a server is formed or updated in that a previous display value is deincremented at every successful allocation of a call to the server by a capacity of the call and is correspondingly incremented given every occurring cleardown, and the allocation to a server is only allowed to occur when the display value belonging to the server indicates an adequate reserve capacity.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein in case of the cleardown of the call by the server due to lack of adequate capacity, the probability for a further allocation of a call to this server is diminished since the display value of the reserve capacity of the server is reduced by a correction value for a specific time span, and wherein the correction value corresponds to the display value at the point in time of the unsuccessful allocation or of the cleardown.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein a charging of the display value of the reserve capacity with a correction value is completely retracted after expiration of said time span.

6. A method according to claim 4 wherein a charging of the display value of the reserve capacity with a correction value is retracted step-by-step, a step length corresponding to said time span.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein calls that cannot be immediately distributed due to lack of adequate capacity of the servers are first intermediately stored in a queue, a hold request being communicated to the calling party as warranted.

8. A method for distributing calls in a communication network, comprising the steps of:

registering calls by a central authority of the communication network and subsequently allocating the calls to servers that then service the calls;

also servicing calls with the servers that have not been registered and allocated by the central authority;

after a successful allocation, monitoring with the central authority whether a server does a cleardown of an allocated call due to lack of capacity; and

in case of the cleardown of the call due to lack of capacity, performing one of the functions of excluding the server from a further allocation of a call by the central authority for a specific time span, and reducing a probability for a further allocation for said time span.