Route selection service control system

• US 6,366,560 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1998
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ohiwane, Hiroshi, Kumano, Hirokazu, Fujimoto, Hidehiko, Kabatani, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRINH, DUNG N
• Application Number:
  US09/137,336
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 370/238, 370/351, 370/400, 370/465, 379/114.02, 379/121.02, 379/127.05
• US Class Current: 370/238
• 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 45/124 using a combination of metrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A route selection service control system for selecting an optimum one of routes connecting an originating-side terminal to each of terminals owned by an identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks operated by different telecommunication carriers. On receiving the identification number of a terminating-side subscriber, a reading unit refers to terminal type storing unit and reads out the terminal types and terminal numbers of a plurality of terminating-side terminals associated with the identification number. A position information acquiring unit acquires the current positions of the terminating-side terminals. A distance calculating unit calculates the distance between the position of an originating-side terminal and the current position of each of the terminating-side terminals. A unit charge extracting device refers to a unit charge storing device and extracts, with respect to each of the terminating-side terminals, a unit charge applicable to the originating-side terminal type, to the terminating-side terminal type, and to the distance. A selecting/notifying unit selects a terminating-side terminal which shows a minimum value among the extracted unit charges and notifies an originating-side communication network of the selected terminal.

Claims

1. A route selection service control system provided in a common communication network to which are connected communication networks operated by a plurality of telecommunication carriers adopting different call charging systems, for selecting a specific route from among routes connecting an originating-side terminal to each of terminals owned by an identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks operated by different carriers, said route selection service control system comprising:

terminal type storing means for storing an identification number of a subscriber and terminal types and terminal numbers of a plurality of terminals owned by the subscriber in a manner associated with one another;

unit charge storing means for storing, with respect to each terminal type of originating side, unit charges applicable to different terminal types of terminating side and to different distances between terminals of originating and terminating sides;

reading means for receiving an identification number of a terminating-side subscriber from an originating-side terminal, and reading out the terminal types and terminal numbers of a plurality of terminating-side terminals associated with the identification number of the subscriber by referring to said terminal type storing means;

position information acquiring means which, if the terminating-side terminals read out by said reading means include a mobile communication terminal, makes an inquiry to a position information management section associated with the terminal to obtain a current position of the terminal;

distance calculating means for calculating a distance between the current position of the terminating-side terminal obtained by said position information acquiring means and the position of the originating-side terminal;

unit charge extracting means for referring to said unit charge storing means to extract, with respect to each of the terminating-side terminals, a unit charge applicable to the terminal type of originating side, to the terminal type of terminating side read out by said reading means, and to the distance calculated by said distance calculating means; and

selecting/notifying means for selecting a terminating-side terminal which shows a minimum value among the unit charges extracted by said unit charge extracting means and associated with the respective terminating-side terminals, and notifying an originating-side communication network of the terminal number of the selected terminal.

2. The route selection service control system according to claim 1, wherein said unit charge storing means stores, with respect to each terminal type of originating side, unit charges applicable to different terminal types of terminating side, to different distances between terminals of originating and terminating sides, and to different time zones, and

said unit charge extracting means refers to said unit charge storing means to extract, with respect to each of the terminating-side terminals, a unit charge applicable to the terminal type of originating side, to the terminal type of terminating side read out by said reading means, to the distance calculated by said distance calculating means, and to a time of origination.

3. A route selection service control system provided in a common communication network to which are connected communication networks operated by a plurality of telecommunication carriers adopting different call charging systems, for selecting a specific route from among routes connecting an originating-side terminal to each of terminals owned by an identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks operated by different carriers, said route selection service control system comprising:

terminal type storing means for storing an identification number of a subscriber and terminal types and terminal numbers of a plurality of terminals owned by the subscriber in a manner associated with one another;

reading means for receiving an identification number of a terminating-side subscriber from an originating-side terminal, and reading out the terminal types and terminal numbers of a plurality of terminating-side terminals associated with the identification number of the subscriber by referring to said terminal type storing means;

position information acquiring means which, if the terminating-side terminals read out by said reading means include a mobile communication terminal, makes an inquiry to a position information management section associated with the terminal to obtain a current position of the terminal;

notifying means for notifying an originating-side communication network of the terminal types and terminal numbers of said plurality of terminating-side terminals read out by said reading means and the current position of the terminating-side terminal obtained by said position information acquiring means; and

terminating-side information providing means provided in the originating-side communication network, for providing the information notified by said notifying means to the originating-side terminal to request selection of one of the terminating-side terminals.

4. A route selection service control system provided in a common communication network to which are connected communication networks operated by a plurality of telecommunication carriers adopting different call charging systems, for selecting a specific route from among routes connecting an originating-side terminal to each of terminals owned by an identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks operated by different carriers, said route selection service control system comprising:

terminal type storing means for storing an identification number of a subscriber and terminal types, terminal numbers and order of selection of a plurality of terminals owned by the subscriber in a manner associated with one another;

reading means for receiving an identification number of a terminating-side subscriber from an originating-side terminal, and reading out the terminal types, terminal numbers and order of selection of a plurality of terminating-side terminals associated with the identification number of the subscriber by referring to said terminal type storing means;

terminating-side information providing means for providing the information read out by said reading means to an originating-side communication network; and

connecting means provided in the originating-side communication network, for successively trying connection with the terminating-side terminals in the order of selection based on the information provided by said terminating-side information providing means.

5. The route selection service control system according to claim 4, further comprising selection order changing means for changing the order of selection stored in said terminal type storing means in response to a change request sent from a subscriber via a terminal.

6. A route selection service control system provided in a common communication network to which are connected communication networks operated by a plurality of telecommunication carriers adopting different call charging systems, for selecting a specific route from among routes connecting an originating-side terminal to each of terminals owned by an identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks operated by different carriers, said route selection service control system comprising:

terminal type storing means for storing terminal types and terminal numbers of terminals owned by each identical subscriber and connected to respective communication networks operated by different carriers in a manner such that the terminal types and the terminal numbers are grouped by subscriber;

unit charge storing means for storing, with respect to each terminal type of originating side, unit charges applicable to different terminal types of terminating side and to different distances between terminals of originating and terminating sides;

reading means which, on receiving a signal indicative of request for execution of route selection service and a terminal number of a terminating-side terminal from an originating-side terminal, finds a group including the terminal number by referring to said terminal type storing means and reads out the terminal types and terminal numbers of all terminals included in the group;

position information acquiring means which, if the terminating-side terminals read out by said reading means include a mobile communication terminal, makes an inquiry to a position information management section associated with the terminal to obtain a current position of the terminal;

distance calculating means for calculating a distance between the current position of the terminating-side terminal obtained by said position information acquiring means and the position of the originating-side terminal;

unit charge extracting means for referring to said unit charge storing means to extract, with respect to each of the terminating-side terminals, a unit charge applicable to the terminal type of originating side, to the terminal type of terminating side read out by said reading means, and to the distance calculated by said distance calculating means; and

selecting/notifying means for selecting a terminating-side terminal which shows a minimum value among the unit charges extracted by said unit charge extracting means and associated with the respective terminating-side terminals, and notifying an originating-side communication network of the terminal number of the selected terminal.