Least cost rooting system
First Claim
1. A least cost routing device for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by a user, said least cost routing device connected to at least one telephone line, said device comprising:
- interception means for intercepting digits dialed by the user;
a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information;
a telephone dialing unit for dialing digits onto the telephone line;
a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and
wherein said telephone dialing unit is operative to dial said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user onto the telephone line.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A least cost routing system comprises at least one telephone dialing unit, at least one least cost router and a database updating unit. The telephone dialing unit dials a telephone number to place a telephone call. Each least cost router has a corresponding routing database of tariffs of telephone service providers and determines, from information in its corresponding routing database, which telephone service provider or providers to utilize to execute the telephone call. The database updating unit electronically updates tariff information into each of the routing databases shortly after updated tariff information is entered therein.
104 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A least cost routing device for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by a user, said least cost routing device connected to at least one telephone line, said device comprising:
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interception means for intercepting digits dialed by the user; a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information; a telephone dialing unit for dialing digits onto the telephone line; a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and wherein said telephone dialing unit is operative to dial said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user onto the telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A personal computer based least cost routing device for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by a user, said least cost routing device connected to at least one telephone line, said device comprising:
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a user interface device for inputting from the user, the digits making up the telephone call to be made; a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information; a telephone dialing unit for dialing digits onto the telephone line; a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and wherein said dialing unit is operative to dial said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user onto the telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A private branch exchange (PBX) based least cost router apparatus for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by users of a PBX, said PBX connected to at least one telephone line, said apparatus comprising:
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input means for receiving digits dialed by the user and intercepted by the PBX; a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information; a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and said least cost router operative to send said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user to the PBX for dialing onto the telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by a user over at least one telephone line, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing tariff and telephone call related information within a database; obtaining from the user, the digits making up the telephone call to be made; determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost; generating a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route; appending said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and dialing said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user onto the telephone line.
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Specification