Method, system and apparatus for call path reconfiguration

• US 7,206,582 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Windstream Intellectual Property Services, Inc. (Windstream Holdings II LLC)
• Original Assignee: Newstep Networks, Inc. (Canada) (Windstream Holdings II LLC)
• Inventors: Raguparan, Masilamany, Williams, Lloyd, Tom, Frank C., Markman, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehrpour; Naghmeh
• Application Number:
  US11/020,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/3.02, 455/414.4, 455/432.2, 455/461, 379/211.01, 379/221.08, 379/211.04, 379/207.02, 379/207.16, 379/221.12, 379/229, 379/230
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for reconfiguring communications call paths enables more efficient use of communications network resources and enhanced service offerings. A plurality of feature control points (FCPs) located in a plurality of different types of communications carrier networks are controlled by a single call service node (CSN). The CSN receives a report from a FCP each time the FCP receives a call control signaling message. The CSN uses the reports to map the call path, so that when a connection change request is received, the CSN can select which of the FCPs to use to effect the requested change based on predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A method for reconfiguring a communications call, comprising:

receiving at a call service node (CSN) a report from at least two feature control points (FCPs) in a call control path set up for the call across at least two different communications networks;

receiving at the CSN a connection change request, the connection change request including information for identifying the call and how the call is to be changed;

selecting at the CSN one of the FCPs to effect the requested connection change in accordance with a predetermined criterion; and

sending instructions from the CSN to the selected FCP to effect the requested connection change to the call.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising sending call processing instructions from the CSN to one or more FCPs involved in the call, the call processing instructions providing the one or more FCPs with information about handling a call control signaling message.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising using the reports to map the call control path across the at least two different communications networks.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising on receipt of a first one of the reports from a first FCP in the call control path, generating a call session identifier (SID) for the call and returning the SID to the first FCP with instructions to insert the SID into a call signaling message that caused the first one of the reports to be sent to the CSN.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein generating the SID for the call comprises selecting a SID from a predefined set of SIDs.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein selecting the SID further comprises selecting a SID uniquely associated with the first FCP.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein receiving the connection change request further comprises receiving the connection change request directly from one of the party to the call and a third party control via a parallel network, and the information for identifying the call includes one of a directory number and a termination address of the party to the call.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein receiving the connection change request further comprises receiving a connection change request from an FCP in the call control path in response to an indication received from the party to the call that the change in connection is requested, and the information for identifying the call includes the SID.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the indication received by the FCP comprises one of:

receiving a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) signal retrieved from one of a bearer path and a service node involved in the call;

receiving a message sent by the calling party from a telephone involved in the call; and

receiving a message sent by the calling party via a parallel network.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein receiving the connection change request further comprises receiving a request that a call to one of a directory number and a termination address be established between at least one of the parties to the call, and the connection change request further includes the one of a directory number and a termination address and an indication of a type of the reconfigured call.

11. A call service node (CSN) for reconfiguring communications calls, comprising:

service logic that receives reports from a plurality of feature control points (FCPs) in different communications networks, each of the reports indicating that the sending FCP is in a call control path of a one of the calls;

service logic that receives connection change requests from parties connected to respective ones of the calls, each connection change request including information for identifying the call and how the call is to be changed; and

service logic that responds to a connection change request by selecting one of the FCPs in the call control path to effect the requested connection change in accordance with a predefined criterion, and sends instructions to the selected FCP to direct the FCP to effect the requested connection change.

12. The CSN as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

service logic that receives in the reports from the FCPs at least selected content of call control signaling messages received by the FCPs; and

service logic that sends in reply to the reports call processing instructions for indicating how the FCPs should handle the call control signaling messages.

13. The CSN as claimed in claim 12 further comprising:

service logic that inspects a report associated with a call control path to determine whether a service identifier (SID) is contained in the report;

service logic that maps an FCP that sent the report with a call control path identified by the SID, if the SID is contained in the report;

service logic that selects a SID if a SID is not contained in the report; and

service logic that sends the selected SID to the FCP that sent the report with instructions that the FCP is to insert the SID in a reported call control signaling message before the call control signaling message is forwarded along the call control path.

14. The CSN as claimed in claim 13 further comprising service logic that directs the FCP that sent the report to insert the SID into a field in the call control signaling message.

15. The CSN as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

service logic that determines whether the connection change request was sent directly from the party to the CSN, or from a FCP in the call control path for the CSN;

service logic that extracts the SID from the connection change request to associate the connection change request with the call if the connection change request was sent from a FCP; and

service logic that uses other information included in the connection change request to identify the call if the connection change request was sent directly from the party.

16. A system for reconfiguring communications call paths, the system comprising:

a plurality of feature control points (FCPs) in different telecommunications networks for controlling calls to effect connection changes to the calls; and

a call service node (CSN) provisioned to;

receive a report from an FCP each time the FCP receives a call control signaling message associated with a call;

to receive connection change requests, each connection change request including information for identifying the call and indicating how the call is to be reconfigured;

to select one of the FCPs, from which a report was received indicating that the FCP is in a call control path of the call, for reconfiguring the call based on a predefined criterion; and

to send instructions to the selected FCP to effect the requested connection change.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the FCPs further comprise at least one of the following:

a virtual switching point in a circuit switched telephone network that handles call control signaling messages under control of the CSN;

a virtual routing point in a packet switched network that handles call control signaling messages under control of the CSN; and

customer premise equipment adapted to distribute calls as directed by a call application that is in communications with the CSN.

18. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the CSN receives the connection change request from the party to the call, and identifies the call using information associated with the call included in the connection change request.

19. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the CSN receives the connection change request from a FCP and identifies the call using a service identifier (SID) in the service change request.

20. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the CSN is provisioned to provide instructions to a FCP each time a report is received from the FCP, the instructions dictating how the FCP is to handle the call control signaling message.