Remote intelligent peripheral routing method and apparatus

• US 6,591,315 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ricciardi, Dominic M., Hanlon, Edite M., Caceres, Mayra F., Bhagat, Promod Kumar, Nater, Alfred, Marchiano, Patricia S., Shih, Chia-Fang, Munson, Gary A., Chen, Jiayu, Carnazza, James M., Brush, Wesley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): SORRELL, ERON J
• Application Number:
  US09/574,278
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 710/3-5, 710/15, 710/17, 710/20, 710/33, 710/36-38, 710/118, 709/204-207, 709/217-219, 709/238-242
• US Class Current: 710/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13546 Intelligent Peripheral
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/665 Circuit arrangements therefor

Abstract

This invention provides a telecommunications routing system and method that allows a switch (e.g., an intelligent peripheral) to control the routing to a special applications device, which results in savings of time, cost and capacity throughout the entire network. Control of the routing lies within the Service Switching Point (SSP) which reduces the need to requery a Service Control Point (SCP) in error situations. This invention incorporates into the SSP a remote IP routing table containing routing instructions for IPs. The SSP will know if an alternate route is possible, based on the error from the IP. The SSP will have a rudimentary intelligence about routing which allows it to reroute when necessary, without requerying back to the SCP. The remote IP routing table will also allow the SSP to route to a successive IP if the local IP, although operative, cannot process the request.

Claims

1. A method of routing to an intelligent peripheral device, comprising:

storing routing information in a routing table at a service switching point for routing to an intelligent peripheral device, said routing table having a listing of intelligent peripheral devices, each of said intelligent peripheral devices having an assigned alternate intelligent peripheral device;

generating a routing request at a service control point for routing a call to a first intelligent peripheral device;

receiving the routing request at the service switching point from the service control point, the routing request including a destination address for the first peripheral device;

accessing the routing table and retrieving routing information at a service switching point for routing the call to the first peripheral device based on the destination address received from the service control point;

initially routing the call to the first intelligent peripheral device;

receiving an error condition from the first intelligent peripheral;

determining at the service switching point whether to clear the call or route the call to the alternate intelligent peripheral device;

in the event that the service switching point elects to route the call to the alternate intelligent peripheral device, accessing the routing table at the service switch point and retrieving routing information for routing the call to the alternate intelligent peripheral device; and

routing the call at the service switch point to the alternate intelligent peripheral device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether the destination address generated by the service control point is assigned to a local intelligent peripheral device connected to the service switching point, and if so, connecting the call to the local intelligent peripheral device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the call to the first and alternate intelligent peripheral devices is routed irrespective of the identity of the calling party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step includes associating a plurality of alternate intelligent peripheral devices to the first intelligent peripheral device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of associating includes sequentially listing the plurality of alternate intelligent peripheral devices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of sequentially routing the call to each of the alternate peripheral devices until the call is completed.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of playing an announcement after the call is completed at the alternate intelligent peripheral device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of collecting digits from a calling party.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating a routing request includes determining a service provided by the first intelligent peripheral device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending a routing query to the service control point for routing the call.

10. An intelligent peripheral routing system in a communications network, comprising:

a service control point for generating a routing request for routing a call to a first intelligent peripheral device; and

a service switching point having a routing table for storing routing information, said routing table having a listing of intelligent peripheral devices, each of said intelligent peripheral devices having an assigned alternate intelligent peripheral device and adapted for receiving the routing request from the service control point, the routing request including a destination address for the first intelligent peripheral device, and for accessing the routing table and for routing the call to the first intelligent peripheral device based on the destination address received from the service control point, the service switching point being operable for initially routing the call to the first intelligent peripheral device and for receiving an error condition from the first intelligent peripheral device, the service switching point being adapted to be responsive to the error condition and being operable for determining whether to clear the call or route the call to the alternative intelligent peripheral device, in the event that the service switching point elects to route the call to the alternate intelligent peripheral device, the service switching point being operable for accessing the routing table and for retrieving routing information and for routing the call to the alternate intelligent peripheral device.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the service switching point is adapted for determining whether the destination address generated by the service control point is assigned to a local intelligent peripheral device connected to the service switching point and if so connecting the call to the local intelligent peripheral device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the service switching point is adapted to route the call to the first and alternate intelligent peripheral devices irrespective of the identity of the calling party.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the routing table includes a list of a plurality of alternate intelligent peripheral devices associated with the first alternate intelligent peripheral device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the list includes a sequential routing list of the plurality of alternate intelligent peripheral devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the service switching point is adapted for routing a call in accordance with the sequential routing list after receiving the error condition from the first alternate intelligent peripheral device.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a means for announcing a message at the alternate peripheral device, after the call is completed.