Intelligence engine

• US 6,961,334 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sonus Networks Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaczmarczyk, Casimer M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shew, John
• Application Number:
  US09/821,507
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/270, 370351-356, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/410, 370/411, 370/422, 370465-469, 379/201.02, 379/201.03, 379/207.02, 379/218.01, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.03, 379/221.06, 379/221.08
• US Class Current: 370/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

One aspect of the invention is an intelligence engine. The intelligence engine includes a distributor layer operable to communicate with at least one call agent in a telecommunications network. The call agent may receive state-driven information associated with a call between an originator and a termination point. The intelligence engine also includes a telephony management layer. The telephony management layer is operable to receive a plurality of stateless requests from the distributor layer, access a database entry associated with the requests, spawn at least one request to obtain information associated with the originator and the termination point if necessary to route the call, and send the information to the call agent to route the call. In a particular embodiment, the intelligence engine further includes a facility management command and control layer. The facility management command and control layer is operable to receive an indicator signal associated with the call from the network. The call is controlled by the call agent. The facility management command and control layer is also operable to access a database entry associated with the call agent in response to the indicator signal and to reassign control of the call from the call agent to a second call agent.

Claims

1. A method for managing a packet network, comprising:

receiving an indicator signal associated with time-sensitive data traffic in a network, the traffic controlled by a call agent;

accessing a database entry associated with the call agent in response to the indicator signal; and

reassigning control of the data traffic from the call agent to a second call agent, wherein reassigning comprises changing the database entry from an IP address associated with the call agent to a second IP address associated with the second call agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator signal comprises a keepalive signal, a congestion indicator, a failure indicator, or a malfunction indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the database comprises accessing at least one table.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the database entry comprises dispatch group information, dispatch trunk information, or dispatch control information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data traffic comprises Internet Protocol, voice, video, or multimedia data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data traffic comprises data associated with a call.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

distributing at least a portion of the database across the network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by a distributor layer, state-driven information associated with at least one call between an originator and a termination point from the first or second call agent;

receiving a plurality of stateless requests from the distributor layer; and

accessing a database entry associated with the requests.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of requests comprises a routing request, an originating ANI lookup request, or a terminating ANI request.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

spawning at least one request to obtain information associated with an originator and a termination point from the first or second call agent.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring information associated with an originator and a termination point to the first or second call agent.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a stateless business request from a distributor layer; and

accessing a database entry associated with the business request.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

associating information from the database entry, relating to billing information or accounts information, with the request.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the database entry comprises information associated with a visitor'"'"'s location registry, a home location registry, subscriber information, ANI information, or IMSI information.

15. A system for managing a packet network, comprising:

a database; and

a distributor layer operable to;

receive an indicator signal associated with time-sensitive data traffic in a network, the traffic controlled by a call agent;

access an entry in the database associated with the call agent in response to the indicator signal;

reassign control of the data traffic from the call agent to a second call agent; and

change the entry from an IP address associated with the call agent to a second IP address associated with the second call agent.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the indicator signal comprises a keepalive signal, a congestion indicator, a failure indicator, or a malfunction indicator.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the entry comprises at least one table.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the entry comprises dispatch group information, dispatch trunk information, or dispatch control information.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the data traffic comprises Internet Protocol, voice, video, or multimedia data.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the data traffic comprises a call.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the distributor layer is further operable to:

communicate with a first or second call agent, the call agent receiving state-driven information associated with a call between an originator and a termination point.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the distributor layer is further operable to:

generate a plurality of stateless requests.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of requests comprises a routing request, an originating ANI lookup request, or a terminating ANI request.

24. The system of claim 15, further comprising a telephony management layer operable to:

receive a plurality of stateless requests from the distributor layer;

access a database entry associated with the requests, wherein the database entry has associated information; and

send the information to the first or second call agent to route the call.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the telephony management layer is further operable to:

spawn at least one request to obtain information associated with an originator and a termination point if necessary to route the call.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the database entry comprises dispatch group information, dispatch trunk information, or dispatch control information.

27. The system of claim 15, further comprising a customer managed layer operable to:

receive a stateless business request from the distributor layer; and

access a database entry associated with the business request.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a customer managed layer operable to:

associate information from the database entry, related to billing information or accounts information, with the request.

29. The system of claim 15, wherein the database entry comprises a visitor'"'"'s location registry, a home location registry, subscriber information, ANI information, or IMSI information.

30. The system of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the database is distributed across the network.

31. The system of claim 15, wherein the distributor layer is further operable to:

receive state-driven information associated with an originator and a termination point from a first call agent or a second call agent; and

generate a plurality of stateless requests.