Method and system for providing multiple classes of telephone access service

• US 6,404,885 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wunderlich, Eberhard F., Liu, Danielle, Levy, Yonatan Aharon, Heyman, Daniel Paul, Field, Frank A., Polhemus, Jeffrey J., Hubbard, R. Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/303,079
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265-1-2, 379/266-1-2, 379/201-1-2, 379/242, 379/243, 379/244, 379/245
• US Class Current: 379/266.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained

Abstract

A telecommunications method and system for providing and monitoring multiple classes of service to users seeking dial-up access to a given resource. Incoming calls from two user groups, one group subscribing to a first service level and the other group subscribing to a second service level, are initially assigned to open circuits in a first shared dial hunt group. When all circuits are busy, only calls from users subscribing to the second service level are routed to open circuits in a second dedicated dial hunt group so that second level service subscribers will have fewer calls blocked than first level service subscribers. In an alternative implementation, calls from users subscribing to a first service level are routed only to open circuits in a first dial hunt group and calls from users subscribing to a second service level are routed initially to open circuits in a second dial hunt group. When all circuits in the second dial hunt group are busy, calls from second level service subscribers are routed to the first dial hunt group. Service levels are monitored by placing test calls and measuring the number of blocked calls. Hunt group capacities can then be adjusted accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for providing multiple levels of telephone access service to a given resource comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first shared dial hunt group accessible by a first user group subscribing to a first service level and a second user group subscribing to a second service level;

b) providing a second dedicated dial hunt group accessible only by said second user group subscribing to said second service level;

c) identifying incoming calls for either first level service treatment or second level service treatment;

d) initially assigning calls from both first level service subscribers and second level service subscribers to circuits in said first dial hunt group; and

e) when all circuits in said first dial hunt group are busy, routing new calls from said second level service subscribers to circuits in said second dial hunt group so that second level service subscribers will have fewer calls blocked than first level service subscribers.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(f) monitoring both of said dial hunt groups to ensure that enough circuits are available given the calling volume and that an appropriate level of service is being provided to each of said subscriber groups.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said monitoring is accomplished by placing test calls to simulate usage by both said first level service subscribers and said second level service subscribers and measuring the percentage of said test calls that are blocked.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of identifying incoming calls for service treatment is accomplished by providing first level service subscribers with a first dial-up access number that can only be served by said first dial hunt group, while providing said second level service subscribers with a second dial-up access number that can be served by either said first dial hunt group or said second dial hunt group.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of identifying incoming calls for service treatment is based on a caller'"'"'s originating phone number.

6. A telecommunications system for providing multiple classes of service to users seeking dial-up access to a given resource comprising:

a) a first shared dial hunt group accessible by a first user group subscribing to a first service level and a second user group subscribing to a second service level;

b) a second dedicated dial hunt group accessible only by said second user group subscribing to said second service level; and

c) a call processor/identifier for determining a service treatment level for incoming calls and for distributing said calls between said dial hunt groups;

wherein calls from both said first level service subscribers and said second level service subscribers are initially assigned by said call processor to circuits in said first dial hunt group, and when all circuits in said first dial hunt group are busy, new calls from said second level service subscribers are routed by said call processor to circuits in said second dial hunt group so that second level service subscribers will have fewer calls blocked than first level service subscribers.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 6 further comprising:

e) a call monitor/simulator for placing test calls to simulate usage by both said first level service subscribers and said second level service subscribers and for measuring the percentage of said test calls that are blocked.

8. A method for providing multiple levels of telephone access (dial up) service to a given resource comprising:

a) providing a first shared dial hunt group accessible by a first user group subscribing to a first service level and a second user group subscribing to a second service level;

b) providing a second dedicated dial hunt group accessible only by said second user group subscribing to said second service level;

c) identifying incoming calls for either first level service treatment or second level service treatment;

d) initially assigning calls from said first level service subscribers to circuits in said first dial hunt group and calls from said second level service subscribers to circuits in said second dial hunt group; and

e) when all circuits in said second dial hunt group are busy, routing new calls from said second level service subscribers to circuits in said first dial hunt group so that second level service subscribers will have fewer calls blocked than first level service subscribers.

9. A telecommunications system for providing multiple classes of service to users seeking dial-up access to a given resource comprising:

a) a first shared dial hunt group accessible by a first user group subscribing to a first service level and a second user group subscribing to a second service level;

b) a second dedicated dial hunt group accessible only by said second user group subscribing to said second service level; and

c) a call processor/identifier for determining the service treatment level for incoming calls and for distributing said calls between said dial hunt groups

wherein calls from said first level service subscribers are only assigned to circuits in said first dial hunt group and calls from said second level service subscribers are initially assigned to circuits in said second dial hunt group, and when all circuits in said second dial hunt group are busy, new calls from said second level service subscribers are routed by said call processor to circuits in said first dial hunt group so that second level service subscribers will have fewer calls blocked than first level service subscribers.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 9 further comprising:

e) a call monitor/simulator for placing test calls to simulate usage by both said first level service subscribers and said second level service subscribers and for measuring the percentage of said test calls that are blocked.

11. A method for providing multiple classes of service to users seeking dial-up access to a given resource comprising:

a) offering N different classes of service to subscribing users, where N is greater than or equal to two, with the Nth class of service being the highest class of service;

b) providing (N−

1) shared dial hunt groups, where the nth hunt group (1≦

n≦

(N−

1)) is accessible by all users subscribing to a service class x, where n≦

×

≦

N;

c) providing one dedicated dial hunt group accessible only by users subscribing to said highest service class N;

d) identifying incoming calls for appropriate class of service treatment;

e) initially assigning calls from users subscribing to the nth class of service to available circuits in the lowest numbered hunt group y, where 1≦

y≦

n; and

f) when all circuits in said dial hunt group y are busy, routing new calls from said users subscribing to the nth class of service to available circuits in the next highest numbered hunt group, y+1, where 2≦

(y+1)≦

n, so that higher level service subscribers will have fewer calls blocked than lower level service subscribers.