Method and system for dynamically routing voice calls to one of a plurality of associated subscriber terminals

• US 7,260,403 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Zhang, Baoquan
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAMER, TEMICA M
• Application Number:
  US10/999,279
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/456.1, 455/458, 455/417
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42246 where the subscriber uses a multi-mode terminal which moves and accesses different networks with at least one network having a wireline access including cordless PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A system and method for carrying out a dynamic-routing service is provided. The system includes a service control point (“SCP”) that is operable to provide routing instructions for the plurality of subscriber terminals. And each of the plurality of subscriber terminals has a subscriber address and an associated call history. In carrying out a dynamic-routing service, the SCP receives a request for routing instructions for terminating a voice call to a call-subscriber address of the plurality of subscriber addresses. Responsively, the SCP selects from the plurality of subscriber addresses a delivery address for terminating the voice call to based on the call histories associated with the plurality of subscriber addresses. After selecting the delivery address, the SCP develops routing instructions for terminating the voice call to the delivery address, and then provides the routing instructions for terminating the voice call to the delivery address.

Claims

1. In a system that includes a service control point that is operable to provide routing instructions for a plurality of subscriber terminals associated with a given subscriber, wherein each of the plurality of subscriber terminals has a subscriber address and associated call history including an associated call origination history comprising at least one indication of when a prior voice call was originated from its associated subscriber address, a method for carrying out a dynamic-routing service for routing voice calls to one of the plurality of subscriber addresses comprising, in combination:

the service control point receiving a request for routing instructions for terminating a voice call to a called subscriber address of the plurality of subscriber addresses;

the service control point selecting from the plurality of subscriber addresses a delivery address for terminating the voice call to, wherein the selection of the delivery address is based on the call histories, including at least the call origination histories, associated with the plurality of subscriber addresses;

the service control point developing routing instructions for terminating the voice call to the delivery address; and

the service control point providing, in reply to the request, the routing instructions for terminating the voice call to the delivery address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery address is the called-subscriber address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery address is not the called-subscriber address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one indication of when a prior voice call was originated from its associated subscriber address is a timestamp.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the call histories includes at least one indication of when a prior voice call was terminated to its associated subscriber address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one indication of when a prior voice call was terminated to its associated subscriber address is a timestamp.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises:

predicting, as a function of call histories associated with the plurality of subscriber addresses, including at least the call origination histories, which one subscriber address of the plurality of subscriber addresses is most likely to successfully terminate a voice call; and

setting the delivery address to such subscriber address.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of predicting which one subscriber address of the plurality of subscriber addresses is most likely to successfully terminate a voice call comprises:

developing call patterns for each of the plurality of subscriber addresses by statistically analyzing the call histories associated with the plurality of subscriber addresses, and

comparing the request for routing instructions to the call patterns to determine which one of the plurality of subscriber addresses is most likely to successfully terminate a voice call.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the call histories includes a collection of indicators that indicate when, over a predetermined period of time, voice calls were originated from its associated subscriber address, wherein each of the call patterns indicates when its associated subscriber address has historically originated voice calls during a day, and wherein the step of comparing the request for routing instructions to the call patterns comprises:

comparing to each of call patterns when the request for routing instructions was received so as to determine which one of the call patterns best matches when the request for routing instructions is received; and

selecting the subscriber address associated with such call pattern.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the call histories includes a collection of indicators that indicate when, over a predetermined period of time, voice calls were terminated to its associated subscriber address, wherein each of the call patterns indicates when its respective subscriber address has historically terminated voice calls during a day, and wherein the step of comparing the request for routing instructions to the call patterns comprises:

comparing to each of call patterns when the request for routing instructions was received so as to determine which one of the call patterns best matches when the request for routing instructions is received; and

selecting the subscriber address associated with such call pattern.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the call histories includes a collection of indicators that indicate when, over a predetermined period of time, voice calls were terminated to its associated subscriber address, wherein each of the call patterns indicates when its respective subscriber address has historically terminated voice calls during a day, and wherein the step of comparing the request for routing instructions to the call patterns comprises:

comparing to each of call patterns when the request for routing instructions was received so as to determine which one of the call patterns best matches when the request for routing instructions is received; and

selecting the subscriber address associated with such call pattern.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the call histories includes indications of when and how many times voice calls were originated from its associated subscriber address, and wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises:

evaluating each of the call histories to determine how many times during predefined periods of a day each of the plurality of subscriber addresses originated a voice call,

comparing to the predefined periods when the request for routing instructions was received so as to determine a designated period during which the request for routing instructions was received;

determining for the designated period which one subscriber address of the plurality of subscriber addresses originated a greatest number of voice calls; and

setting the delivery address to such subscriber address.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein if two subscriber addresses of the plurality of addresses have originated an equal amount of voice calls during the designated period, then setting the delivery address to the either of the two subscriber addresses.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the call histories includes indications of when and how many times voice calls were terminated to its associated subscriber address, and wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises:

evaluating each of the call histories to determine how many times during predefined periods of a day each of the plurality of subscriber addresses terminated a voice call,

comparing to the predefined periods when the request for routing instructions was received so as to determine a designated period during which the request for routing instructions was received;

determining for the designated period which one subscriber address of the plurality of subscriber addresses terminated a greatest number of voice calls; and

setting the delivery address to such subscriber address.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein if two subscriber addresses of the plurality of addresses have terminated an equal amount of voice calls during the designated period, then setting the delivery address to the either of the two subscriber addresses.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises evaluating each of the call histories to determine which one of the plurality of subscriber addresses has most recently engaged in a prior voice call;

and setting the delivery address to such subscriber address.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises evaluating each of the call histories to determine which one of the plurality of subscriber addresses has most recently engaged in originating a prior voice call;

and setting the delivery address to such subscriber address.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises evaluating each of the call histories to determine which one of the plurality of subscriber addresses has most recently engaged in terminating a prior voice call;

and setting the delivery address to such subscriber address.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises evaluating each of the call histories to determine which one of the subscriber addresses has engaged in a consecutive number of most recently originated and terminated voice calls;

and setting the delivery address to such subscriber address.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises evaluating each of the call histories to determine which one of the subscriber addresses has engaged in a consecutive number of most recently originated or terminated voice calls;

and setting the delivery address to such subscriber address.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a delivery address comprises evaluating each of the call histories to determine if each of the subscriber addresses has not engaged in a voice call within a predetermined amount of time, and if not, setting the delivery address to the called subscriber address.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting additional call history for at least one subscriber address when its associated subscriber terminal engages in a voice call.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting additional call history for at least one subscriber address when its associated subscriber terminal successfully terminates a voice call.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising purging from each call history at least one indication of a voice call origination older than a predetermined time.

24. A method for carrying out a dynamic-routing service for routing voice calls to one of a plurality of subscriber terminals associated with a given subscriber, wherein each of the plurality of subscriber terminals has a subscriber address, the method comprising, in combination:

collecting a call history for each of the plurality of subscriber addresses, wherein the call history for each subscriber address includes an associated call origination history comprising at least one indication of when a prior voice call was originated from the subscriber address;

receiving a request for routing instructions for terminating a voice call to a called-subscriber address of the plurality of subscriber addresses;

selecting from the plurality of subscriber addresses a delivery address for terminating the voice call to, wherein the selection of the delivery address is based on the call histories, including at least the call origination histories, associated with the plurality of subscriber addresses;

developing routing instructions for terminating the voice call to the delivery address; and

providing, in reply to the request, the routing instructions for terminating the voice call to the delivery address.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of collecting the call history for each of the plurality of subscriber addresses comprises storing in each call history an indicator that indicates when its associated subscriber terminal engages in a voice call.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising purging from each call history indicators older than a predetermined time.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of collecting the call history for each of the plurality of subscriber addresses comprises storing in each call history an indicator that indicates when a voice call is terminated to the subscriber address associated with the call history.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising purging from each call history indicators older than a predetermined time.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of collecting the call history for each of the plurality of subscriber addresses comprises storing in each call history an indicator that indicates when its associated subscriber terminal successfully terminates a voice call.