Method and system for providing direct routing of local number portability (LNP) calls to alternate terminations

• US 7,042,999 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Tucker, Roger N., Goldstein, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US10/645,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20050041795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 379/219, 379/221.13
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13148 Maximum profit routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability

Abstract

An approach for processing a call over a telecommunications system is disclosed. A call processor (e.g., a Service Control Point (SCP)) communicates with a switch to provide an alternative route for a call, received by the switch, that is determined to be a local portability number (LNP). A database coupled to the call processor stores the alternative routes associated with the LNP call; at least one of the alternative routes specifies a route that bypasses a local exchange network capable of terminating the call, whereby local access charges are avoided.

Claims

1. A method of processing a call, the method comprising:

receiving a query from a switch associated with a service provider for an instruction for terminating the call, wherein the service provider includes an interexchange carrier;

determining whether the call is a local number portability (LNP) call; and

if the call is a LNP call, selectively instructing, in response to the query, the switch to terminate the call without incurring a local access charge for the call assessable by a local carrier capable of terminating the call,

wherein the call is terminated over a Dedicated Access Line (DAL) circuit of the service provider.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

specifying that the call is alternatively to be terminated over a communication mechanism including one of a wireless communication channel, a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) session, or a cable communication channel.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the communication mechanism is unavailable to terminate the call, the method further comprising:

instructing the switch to terminate the call over another communication mechanism different from the communication mechanism.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of instructing the switch is iteratively performed until an available communication mechanism exists or an overflow condition is determined whereby the call is routed over a local carrier network.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the query in the receiving step is a Service Control Point (SCP) query.

6. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for processing a call, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a query from a switch associated with a service provider for an instruction for terminating the call, wherein the service provider includes an interexchange carrier;

determining whether the call is a local number portability (LNP) call; and

if the call is a LNP call, selectively instructing, in response to the query, the switch to terminate the call without incurring a local access charge for the call assessable by a local carrier capable of terminating the call,

wherein the call is terminated over a Dedicated Access Line (DAL) circuit of the service provider.

7. A computer-readable medium according to claim 6, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

specifying that the call alternatively is to be terminated over a communication mechanism including one of a wireless communication channel, a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) session, or a cable communication channel.

8. A computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the communication mechanism is unavailable to terminate the call, and the one or more processors further perform the step of:

instructing the switch to terminate the call over another communication mechanism different from the communication mechanism.

9. A computer-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the step of instructing the switch is iteratively performed until an available communication mechanism exists or an overflow condition is determined whereby the call is routed over a local carrier network.

10. A computer-readable medium according to claim 6, wherein the query in the receiving step is a Service Control Point (SCP) query.

11. A method for routing a call over an interexchange carrier network, the method comprising:

receiving the call destined for a station directly reachable by the interexchange carrier network;

transmitting a query to a call processor configured to provide service intelligence relating to the call, the query requesting information for routing the call to the station, wherein the

call processor determines that the call is a local number portability (LNP) call; and

receiving a response to the query form the call processor, the response containing the routing information for selectively bypassing a local exchange carrier network serving the station.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the routing information in the step of receiving the response includes termination of the call over a communication mechanism including one of a Dedicated Access Line (DAL), a wireless communication channel, a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) session, or a cable communication channel.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the communication mechanism is unavailable to terminate the call, the method further comprising:

transmitting another query to the call processor for another communication mechanism different from the communication mechanism.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of transmitting the other query is iteratively performed until an available communication mechanism exists or an overflow condition is determined whereby the call is routed over a local carrier network.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the query in the transmitting step is a Service Control Point (SCP) query.

16. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for routing a call over an interexchange carrier network, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving the call destined for a station directly reachable by the interexchange carrier network;

transmitting a query to a call processor configured to provide service intelligence relating to the call, the query requesting information for routing the call to the station, wherein the call processor determines that the call is a local number portability (LNP) call; and

receiving a response to the query from the call processor, the response containing the routing information for selectively bypassing a local exchange carrier network serving the station.

17. A computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the routing information in the step of receiving the response includes termination of the call over a communication mechanism including one of a Dedicated Access Line (DAL), a wireless communication channel, a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) session, or a cable communication channel.

18. A computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the communication mechanism is unavailable to terminate the call, and the one or more processors further perform the step of:

transmitting another query to the call processor for another communication mechanism different from the communication mechanism.

19. A computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting the other query is iteratively performed until an available communication mechanism exists or an overflow condition is determined whereby the call is routed over a local carrier network.

20. A computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the query in the transmitting step is a Service Control Point (SCP) query.

21. A telecommunication system for call processing, the system comprising:

a call processor communicating with a switch and being configured to provide an alternative route for a call, received by the switch, that is determined to be a local number portability (LNP); and

a database coupled to the call processor for storing the alternative route among a plurality of alternative routes associated with the LNP call, the alternative route specifying bypass of a local exchange network capable of terminating the call,

wherein the switch is operated by an interexchange carrier and the alternative route includes a circuit of the interexchange carrier for directly terminating the call.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the circuit is a Dedicated Access Line (DAL), and the alternative route further includes termination- over a communication mechanism including one of a wireless communication channel, a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) session, or a cable communication channel.

23. A system according to claim 21, wherein the call processor repeatedly provides another one of the alternative routes until an available alternative route is determined or an overflow condition is determined whereby the call is routed over a local carrier network.

24. A system according to claim 21, wherein the query in the receiving step is a Service Control Point (SCP) query.

25. A telecommunication system for processing a call, the system comprising:

means for communicating with a switch and for providing an alternative route for a call, received by the switch, that is determined to be a local number portability (LNP); and

means for storing the alternative route among a plurality of alternative routes associated with the LNP call, the alternative route specifying bypass of a local exchange network capable of terminating the call,

wherein the switch is operated by an interexchange carrier and the alternative route includes a circuit of the interexchange carrier for directly terminating the call.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the circuit is a Dedicated Access Line (DAL), and the alternative route further includes termination over a communication mechanism including one of a wireless communication channel, a Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) session, or a cable communication channel.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein the means for communicating repeatedly provides another one of the alternative routes until an available alternative route is determined or an overflow condition is determined whereby the call is routed over a local carrier network.

28. A system according to claim 25, wherein the query in the receiving step is a Service Control Point (SCP) query.