PSTN call routing control features applied to a VoIP

• US 7,016,343 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: McDonell, David, Mermel, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US10/035,608
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 370/356, 370/352, 370/353, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• 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 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A system and method of sending and receiving voice calls over the Internet is described. The system includes a PSTN-derived intelligent call routing engine that receives call control messages from the Voice over IP (VoIP) network and routes calls via previously stored, customized routing procedures. Special dialing plan, 800 numbers, minimized cost routing, time and day-based least cost routing, transferring, conferencing, and additional messaging capabilities are provided. The system operates on standard server computers with interface cards connected to the packetized networks via TCP/IP and, indirectly, to VoIP gateways to accessing PSTN networks and to virtual and/or private networks (PBXs).

Claims

1. A method for deploying a public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine in the management of voice calls on a digital packetized communications network employing an Internet protocol comprising the steps of:

packetizing voice call messages containing control messages and data, wherein call control messages include call control operations and parameters,

intercepting call control messages,

directing the call control messages to a communications network applications manager,

mapping call control operations and parameters to public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine call operations and parameters,

resolving destination and endpoints from the mapped call control operations and parameters,

executing a user defined script that further resolves destination and endpoints, and

re-mapping public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine operations and parameters to the resolved destination and endpoints.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining least cost routing, percent allocation, time of day, day of the week, predefined priorities and conditional re-direct information.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of routing the call with respect to the predefined business rules of the user.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the steps of allocating a plurality of gateways to a gatekeeper.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of determining the availability of the user'"'"'s agents.

6. Apparatus for deploying a public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine in the management of voice calls on a digital packetized communications network employing an Internet protocol comprising:

a digitizer for digitizing and packetizing voice call messages containing control messages and data, wherein call control messages include call control operations and parameters,

means for intercepting call control messages,

means for directing the call control messages to a communications network applications manager,

means for mapping call control operations and parameters to public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine call operations and parameters,

means for resolving destination and endpoints from the mapped call control operations and parameters,

means for executing a user defined script that further resolves destination and endpoints, and

means for re-mapping public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine operations and parameters to the resolved destination and endpoints.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising means for determining least cost routing, percent allocation, time of day, day of the week, predefined priorities and conditional re-direct information.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising means for routing the call with respect to the predefined business rules of the user.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising means for allocating a plurality of gateways to a gatekeeper.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising means for determining the availability of the user'"'"'s agents.

11. A computer system including processors, electronic memories, and interface electronics, all of which may be programmable, where the interface electronics includes gateways, gatekeepers, network managers, and network interfaces to digital packetized communication networks and to public system telephone networks, the computer system constructed and arranged for deploying a public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine in the management of voice calls on a digital packetized communications network employing an Internet protocol comprising:

a digitizer for digitizing and packetizing voice call messages containing control messages and data, wherein call control messages include call control operations and parameters,

means for intercepting call control messages,

a manager for directing the call control messages to a communications network applications manager,

a first mapper for mapping call control operations and parameters to public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine call operations and parameters,

means for resolving destination and endpoints from the mapped call control operations and parameters,

a user defined script that when executed further resolves destination and end-points, and

a second mapper for re-mapping public switched telephone network intelligent call routing engine operations and parameters to the resolved destination and endpoints.