Switched integrated network access system
First Claim
1. A method for processing telephone calls in a switched integrated network access (INA) network, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining within a local exchange company (LEC) central office of the network that there are insufficient links to handle a terminating call to a competitive LEC (C-LEC) customer; and
(b) changing within the LEC central office the apparent status of the C-LEC customer, such that, if the terminating call is received by the LEC central office from a C-LEC switch, the C-LEC customer will appear to the C-LEC switch to be unavailable to receive the terminating call, even though the C-LEC customer is in fact not off hook.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
When it is determined, within a local exchange company (LEC) central office of a switched integrated network access (INA) network, that there are insufficient links to handle a terminating call to a competitive LEC (C-LEC) customer, the apparent status of the C-LEC customer is changed the LEC central office, such that, if the terminating call is received by the LEC central office from a C-LEC switch, the C-LEC customer will appear to the C-LEC switch to be unavailable to receive the terminating call, even though the C-LEC customer is in fact not off hook. The present invention avoids the prior-art inefficiencies associated with having time slots for C-LEC customers permanently nailed up by the LEC central office.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A method for processing telephone calls in a switched integrated network access (INA) network, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) determining within a local exchange company (LEC) central office of the network that there are insufficient links to handle a terminating call to a competitive LEC (C-LEC) customer; and (b) changing within the LEC central office the apparent status of the C-LEC customer, such that, if the terminating call is received by the LEC central office from a C-LEC switch, the C-LEC customer will appear to the C-LEC switch to be unavailable to receive the terminating call, even though the C-LEC customer is in fact not off hook. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An apparatus for processing telephone calls in a switched integrated network access (INA) network, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) means for determining within a local exchange company (LEC) central office of the network that there are insufficient links to handle a terminating call to a competitive LEC (C-LEC) customer; and (b) means for changing within the LEC central office the apparent status of the C-LEC customer, such that, if the terminating call is received by the LEC central office from a C-LEC switch, the C-LEC customer will appear to the C-LEC switch to be unavailable to receive the terminating call, even though the C-LEC customer is in fact not off hook. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification