Internet service provider call redirection

• US 6,459,783 B1
• Filed: 04/27/1999
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Jeffrey, March, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/300,130
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/207.02, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221-1-2, 379/229, 379/230, 379/112.01, 379/112.08, 379/112.1, 379/114.02, 370/351-356, 370/400-402, 370/522
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A telephone network constructed according to the present invention includes call redirection functions that redirect calls intended for a toll-free-number or central number of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to one of a plurality of available Internet Protocol (IP) gateways operated by the ISP. Call redirection may be performed within a coupled signaling network during a database lookup or Service Control Point operation, at a signal switching point of a destination switch or by a PBX operated by the ISP. The call redirection may be static or may be dynamic. In static call redirection, all calls are redirected to a single IP gateway. In dynamic call redirection, one of a plurality of available IP gateways is selected based upon operating conditions. In making such selection, IP gateway loading, IP gateway availability, telephone network loading, telephone network availability and telephone network routing costs are considered.

Claims

1. In a telephone network having a plurality of intercoupled switches that form a traffic network and a plurality of intercoupled signaling network elements that form a signaling network, a method for redirecting a call intended for an Internet Service Provider, the method comprising:

receiving a call from a terminal coupled to an originating switch of the plurality of switches, the call intended for an Internet Service Provider coupled to a destination switch;

determining that the call is to be redirected;

selecting a new Internet Protocol gateway to service the call;

redirecting the call to the new Internet protocol gateway via the telephone network;

providing the new Internet protocol gateway with an IP address to be used by the terminal; and

terminating the call from the terminal to the new Internet protocol gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in selecting the new Internet protocol gateway, the new Internet protocol gateway is statically selected.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in selecting the new Internet protocol gateway the new Internet protocol gateway is selected from a plurality of Internet protocol gateways based upon operating criteria.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the operating criteria is selected from the group consisting of Internet protocol gateway loading levels, Internet protocol gateway outages, telephone network routing costs and telephone network loading levels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the call is to be redirected and selecting the new Internet protocol gateway are performed by a destination switch corresponding to the telephone number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the call is to be redirected and selecting a new Internet protocol gateway are performed by a signal switching point of the signaling network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the call is to be redirected and selecting a new Internet protocol gateway are performed by a Private Branch Exchange.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the call is to be redirected and selecting a Internet protocol gateway are performed by a signaling network element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the signaling network element comprises a signal transfer point.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the signaling network element comprises a signal control point.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the signaling network element comprises a database.

12. For operation within a telephone network that includes a traffic network and a signaling network, a telephone network component comprising:

a signaling network interface that interfaces the telephone network component to the signaling network;

a processor adapted to execute instructions and to operate upon data; and

memory adapted to store instructions and data, the memory storing instructions that cause the telephone network component to;

receive a call from a terminal coupled to an originating switch of the plurality of switches intended for an Internet Service Provider;

determine that the call is to be redirected;

determine a new Internet protocol gateway;

redirect the call to the new Internet protocol gateway via the telephone network; and

provide the new Internet protocol gateway with an Internet protocol address to be used by the terminal.

13. The telephone network component of claim 12, wherein the telephone network statically selects the telephone number.

14. The telephone network component of claim 12, wherein the telephone network component selects the new Internet protocol gateway from a plurality of Internet protocol gateways based upon operating criteria.

15. The telephone network component of claim 14, wherein the operating criteria is selected from the group consisting of Internet protocol gateway loading levels, Internet protocol gateway outages, telephone network routing costs and telephone network loading levels.

16. The telephone network component of claim 12, wherein determining that the call is to be redirected and selecting a new Internet protocol gateway are performed by a destination switch.

17. The telephone network component of claim 12, wherein the telephone network component comprises a signal switching point of the signaling network.

18. The telephone network component of claim 12, wherein the telephone network component comprises a Private Branch Exchange and the telephone network component further comprises a time switch.

19. The telephone network component of claim 12, wherein the telephone network component comprises a switch of the traffic network and the telephone network component further includes a time switch.

20. The telephone network component of claim 12, wherein the telephone network component comprises a signaling network element.

21. The telephone network component of claim 20, wherein the signaling network element comprises a signal transfer point.

22. The telephone network component of claim 20, wherein the signaling network element comprises a signal control point.

23. The telephone network component of claim 20, wherein the signaling network element comprises a database.