Method and apparatus for providing telecommunications trunk group selection for use in a public network in accordance with customer preference

• US 6,490,347 B2
• Filed: 04/24/1998
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kohler, Joseph, McCarthy, Joseph H., Litzo, Patricia A., Demmert, Robert G., DeCaluwe, Craig L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, BING Q
• Application Number:
  US09/066,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 379/240, 379/241, 379/219, 379/220, 379/207, 379/209, 379/309, 379/266, 379/265, 379/211, 379/221, 379/112.09, 379/231, 379/232, 379/127.01, 379/207.15, 379/221.01
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13107 Control equipment for a part of the connection, distributed control, co-processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

A method of providing for customer selection of a circuit selection algorithm for use in a public network comprises the steps of storing a plurality of circuit selection algorithms in public network memory, translating a routing number for a call into customer data, matching the customer data with a trunk block circuit selection algorithm and controlling the delivery of calls to a customer in accordance with the trunk block circuit selection algorithm. The customer may also custom design their own circuit selection algorithm and input their custom designed algorithm into public network memory along with others for selection in accordance with their customer criteria, for example, time of day or day of week, low traffic period, high traffic period or other criteria. Apparatus for providing for customer selection of a circuit selection algorithm for use in a public network comprises a public network memory for storing a plurality of circuit selection algorithms and a controller for translating a routing number for a call into customer data, matching the customer data with a circuit selection algorithm and controlling the delivery of calls to a customer in accordance with the circuit selection algorithm. The apparatus preferably comprises a switching center for toll or local call switching.

Claims

1. A method of providing for customer selection of a trunk group selection algorithm for use in a public network switching center comprising the steps of

maintaining a time of day and day of week clock in a memory of said public network switching center,

maintaining a first table of a plurality of trunk group selection algorithms in said public network switching center memory,

permitting a customer to access said first table of trunk group selection algorithms in said public network switching center memory,

receiving customer data defining a preferred trunk group selection algorithm for a first period of time and a second, different trunk group selection algorithm for a different period of time than said first period of time,

maintaining said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for the first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory,

indexing by a customer identification code said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and second periods of time in said public network switching center memory,

maintaining a plurality of customer identification codes, for different customers, in said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory,

maintaining a second table of a plurality of customer identification codes, for different customers, in said public network switching center memory,

indexing by a routing number said second table with said customer identification codes,

receiving a dialed telephone number from a calling party,

translating said dialed telephone number into a routing number,

accessing said second table with said plurality of routing numbers,

determining a customer identification code for a particular customer from the routing number,

accessing said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory indexed by customer identification code,

determining a current time of day and day of week in order to select a customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm in accordance with one of said first and different periods of time,

matching a customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm with the customer identification code in response to the current time of day and day of week,

in accordance with a selected customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm, selecting a trunk group, and

utilizing said selected customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm for delivery of calls to said particular customer.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of

receiving customer data defining a preferred trunk group selection algorithm for a first threshold of data traffic and a second, different trunk group selection algorithm for a different threshold of data traffic than said first threshold of data traffic,

maintaining said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for the first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory,

indexing by a customer identification code said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory,

maintaining a plurality of customer identification codes, for different customers, in said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory,

maintaining a second table of a plurality of customer identification codes, for different customers, in said public network switching center memory,

indexing by a routing number said second table with said customer identification codes;

receiving a dialed telephone number from a calling party,

translating said dialed telephone number into a routing number,

accessing said second table with said plurality of routing numbers,

determining a customer identification code for a particular customer from the routing number,

accessing said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory indexed by customer identification code,

determining a threshold of data traffic in order to select a customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm in accordance with one of said first and different thresholds of data traffic,

matching a customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm with the customer identification code in response to the current time of day and day of week, and

in accordance with a selected customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm, selecting a trunk group for delivery of calls to said particular customer.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the preliminary step of maintaining a default trunk group circuit selection algorithm in said first table with said preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory indexed by customer identification code until receipt of customer data defining a preferred trunk group selection algorithm for a first threshold of data traffic and a second, different trunk group selection algorithm for a different threshold of data traffic than said first threshold of data traffic.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the preliminary step of maintaining a default trunk group circuit selection algorithm in said first table with said preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory indexed by customer identification code until receipt of customer data defining a preferred trunk group selection algorithm for a first period of time and a second, different trunk group selection algorithm for a different period of time than said first period of time.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 further comprising the preliminary element of said first table, with said preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory indexed by customer identification code, maintaining a default trunk group circuit selection algorithm until such time as customer data defining a preferred trunk group selection algorithm for a first period of time and a second, different trunk group selection algorithm for a different period of time than said first period of time is received.

5. An apparatus for providing for customer selection of a trunk group selection algorithm for use in a public network switching center comprising

a clock for maintaining time of day and day of week in a memory of said public network switching center,

a first table of a plurality of trunk group selection algorithms in said public network switching center memory,

input means for permitting a customer to access said first table of trunk group selection algorithms in said public network switching center memory,

input means for receiving customer data defining a preferred trunk group selection algorithm for a first period of time and a second, different trunk group selection algorithm for a different period of time than said first period of time,

said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for the first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory indexed by a customer identification code with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory, said first table maintaining a plurality of customer identification codes, for different customers, with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory,

a second table of a plurality of customer identification codes in said public network switching center memory,

said second table with said customer identification codes in said public network switching memory indexed by a routing number with said customer identification codes in said public network switching center memory, said second table maintaining a plurality of routing numbers, for different customers, with said customer identification codes in said public network switching center memory, and

a controller for receiving a dialed telephone number from a calling party, translating said dialed telephone number into a routing number, accessing said second table with said customer identification codes in said public switching center memory indexed by routing number, determining a customer identification code for a particular customer from the routing number, accessing said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different periods of time in said public network switching center memory indexed by customer identification code, determining a current time of day and day of week in order to select a customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm in accordance with one of said first and different periods of time, matching a customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm with the customer identification code in response to the current time of day and day of week, and in accordance with a selected customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm, selecting a trunk group for delivery of calls to said particular customer.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5 further comprising

input means for receiving customer data defining a preferred trunk group selection algorithm for a first threshold of data traffic and a second, different trunk group selection algorithm for a different threshold of data traffic than said first threshold of data traffic,

said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for the first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory indexed by a customer identification code with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory, said first table maintaining a plurality of customer identification codes, for different customers, with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory,

a second table of a plurality of customer identification codes in said public network switching center memory,

said second table with said customer identification codes in said public network switching memory indexed by a routing number with said customer identification codes in said public network switching center memory, said second table maintaining a plurality of routing numbers, for different customers, with said customer identification codes in said public network switching center memory, and

a controller receiving a dialed telephone number from a calling party, translating said dialed telephone number into a routing number, accessing said second table with said customer identification codes in said public switching center memory indexed by routing number, determining a customer identification code for a particular customer from the routing number, accessing said first table with said customer preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory indexed by customer identification code, determining a threshold of data traffic in order to select a customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm in accordance with one of said first and different thresholds of data traffic, matching a customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm with the customer identification code in response to the current time of day and day of week, and in accordance with a selected customer preferred trunk group selection algorithm, selecting a trunk group for delivery of calls to said particular customer.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 further comprising the preliminary element of said first table, with said preferred and different trunk group selection algorithms for said first and different thresholds of data traffic in said public network switching center memory indexed by customer identification code, maintaining a default trunk group circuit selection algorithm until such time as customer data defining a preferred trunk group selection algorithm for a first threshold of data traffic and a second, different trunk group selection algorithm for a different threshold of data traffic than said first threshold of data traffic is received.