Communications system
First Claim
1. A method of routing communications from and/or to a subscriber connected to an originating carrier, via a combination of communications carriers selected from a plurality of possible communications carriers, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving communications control signals associated with outgoing and/or incoming communications, from one or more communications switching means at one or more control means, at least one of which is external to said originating carrier;
processing said communications control signals at said control means in dependence upon third party directions, using information comprising information associated with the communications services of each communications carrier of said plurality of possible communications carriers and possible combinations thereof, to select a combination of communications carriers for routing communications based on said information, and to generate processed communications control signals for routing of the communication via said combination of communications carriers in accordance with the selection;
returning the processed communication control signals to said communications switching means; and
switching the communications from and/or to the subscriber, to effect said routing of the communications via said selected combination of communications carriers in accordance with the processed communications control signals.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a communication network where a subscriber is connected to switches in an originating carrier communications are routed to and/or from the subscriber via at least one communications carrier selected from a plurality of possible communications carriers. Communications control signals associated with outgoing and/or incoming communications are received from the switch at a controller external to the originating carrier. The communications control signals are processed at the controller in dependence upon directions from a third party using information on communications costs for each of the possible communications carriers to select at least one communications carrier for routing communications based on the information on communications cost to generate process communications control signals for routing the communications in accordance with the selection. Process communication control signals will then return to the switch in the originating carrier and the communications from and/or to the subscriber are switched to route the communications via the or each selected communications carrier in accordance with the process communications control signals.
75 Citations
78 Claims
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1. A method of routing communications from and/or to a subscriber connected to an originating carrier, via a combination of communications carriers selected from a plurality of possible communications carriers, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving communications control signals associated with outgoing and/or incoming communications, from one or more communications switching means at one or more control means, at least one of which is external to said originating carrier;
processing said communications control signals at said control means in dependence upon third party directions, using information comprising information associated with the communications services of each communications carrier of said plurality of possible communications carriers and possible combinations thereof, to select a combination of communications carriers for routing communications based on said information, and to generate processed communications control signals for routing of the communication via said combination of communications carriers in accordance with the selection;
returning the processed communication control signals to said communications switching means; and
switching the communications from and/or to the subscriber, to effect said routing of the communications via said selected combination of communications carriers in accordance with the processed communications control signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A communications control system for routing communications from and/or to a subscriber connected to an originating carrier, via a combination of communications carriers selected from a plurality of possible communications carriers, the system being external to said originating carrier and comprising:
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receiving means for receiving communications control signals associated with outgoing and/or incoming communications from one or more communications switching means;
processing means for processing said communications control signals in dependence upon directions from a third party and using information comprising information associated with the communications services of each of said plurality of possible communications carriers and possible combinations thereof, to select a combination of communications carriers for routing communications based on said information, and to generate processed communications control signals for routing the communications in accordance with the selection; and
means for returning the processed communications control signals to said communications switching means to switch the communications from and/or to the subscriber and route the communications via the selected combination of communications carriers in accordance with the processed communications control signals. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A method of routing communications from and/or to a subscriber connected to an originating carrier, via a combination of communications carriers selected from a plurality of possible communications carriers, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating information for processing outgoing and/or incoming communications control signals in dependence upon third party directions and using information comprising information associated with the communications services of each of said plurality of possible communications carriers and possible combinations thereof at control means external to said originating carrier for selecting said combination;
passing the generated information to a controller in the originating carrier and/or other carriers used for said routing;
receiving communications control signals associated with said communications from a communications switching means at one or more of said controllers;
processing said communications control signals at said one or more controllers using the generated information to select a combination of communications carriers for routing communications to the destination based on the said information comprising information, and to generate processed communications control signals for routing the communications in accordance with the selected combination;
returning the processed communication control signals to said communications switching means; and
switching the communications from and/or to the subscriber to route the communications via the selected combination of communications carriers in accordance with the processed communications control signals. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75)
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76. A communications control system for routing communications from and/or to a subscriber connected to an originating carrier to a destination via a combination of communications carriers selected from a plurality of possible communications carriers, the system being independent to said originating carrier and comprising:
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means for generating information for processing outgoing and/or incoming communications control signals in dependence upon directions from a third party and using information comprising information associated with the communications services of each of said plurality of possible communications carriers and possible combinations thereof; and
means for passing the generated information to a controller in the originating carrier;
whereby the controller receives communications control signals associated with communications from said communications switching means, processes said communications control signals using the generated instructions to select a combination of communications carriers for routing communications to the destination based on the said information comprising information and to generate processed communications signals for routing the communications in accordance with the selection, and returns the processed communications control signals to said communications switching means, and the communications from and/or to the subscriber are switched to route the communications via the selected combination of communications carriers in accordance with the processed communications control signals. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78)
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Specification