Methods, systems, and computer program products for routing calls based on the originating network

• US 7,274,784 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jung, George, Bedingfield, James Carl Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H.
• Application Number:
  US10/701,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09
• US Class Current: 379/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/70 Identification of class of calling subscriber

Abstract

A method of routing calls in a communication system. A call is received from an originating network in the communication system. The identity of the originating network is determined, and the call is routed in the communication system based on the identity of the originating network.

Claims

1. A method of routing calls in a communication system, the method comprising:

receiving a call from an originating network in the communication system;

determining an identity of the originating network of the call; and

routing the call in the communication system based on the identity of the originating network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a called number to which the call is directed; and

routing the call to a destination in the communication system based on the identity of the originating network and based on the called number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein routing the call to a destination in the communication system based on the identity of the originating network and based on the called number comprises routing the call to a destination in the communication system based on whether the called number comprises a toll-free long-distance number that is associated with a predetermined telecommunications carrier, and based on whether the originating network identity is associated with the predetermined telecommunications carrier.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the call is routed to a destination in the communication system based on a called party address in a SS7 call query.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating network identifications with phone numbers, alternate carrier identification codes, and alternate phone numbers;

identifying a called number to which the call is directed; and

identifying an alternate carrier identification code and an alternate phone number based on the identity of the originating network and the called number; and

routing the call in the communication system based on the identified alternate carrier identification code and the identified alternate phone number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the call in the communication system based on the identity of the originating network comprises routing the call to a first destination when the identity of the originating network corresponds to a predetermined telecommunications carrier, and routing the call to a second destination when the identity of the originating network does not correspond to the predetermined telecommunications carrier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is routed in the communication system based on an originating point code in a SS7 call query.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising routing the call to a destination in the communication system based on the originating point code and based on a called party address in the SS7 call query.

9. A communication system for routing calls, the communication system comprising:

a switch that is configured to selectively couple calls between communication devices over networks; and

a switch controller that is configured to determine an identity of a network from which a call originated, and that is configured to route the call through the switch to a destination communication device based on the identity of the originating network.

10. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the switch controller comprises a service control point.

11. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the switch controller is configured to identify a called number to which a call is directed, and is configured to route the call through the switch based on the identity of the network from which the call originated and based on the called number.

12. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the switch controller is configured to route the call through the switch based on whether the called number comprises a toll-free long-distance number and based on whether the identity of the network from which the call originated is associated with a predetermined telecommunications carrier.

13. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the switch controller is configured to route the call through the switch based on whether the called number comprises a toll-free long-distance number that is associated with the predetermined telecommunications carrier.

14. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the switch controller is configured to route the call based on a called party address in a SS7 call query.

15. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the switch controller is configured to determine an association between the called number to which the call is directed and a plurality of call numbers that are associated with a predetermined telecommunications carrier in response to the call, and is configured to route the call based on the determined association.

16. The communication system of claim 10, further comprising a database associating network identifications with phone numbers, alternate carrier identification codes, and alternate phone numbers, and wherein the switch controller is configured to identify a called number to which the call is directed, and is configured to identify an alternate carrier identification code and an alternate phone number based on the identity of the originating network and the called number, and is configured to route the call in the communication system based on the identified alternate carrier identification code and the identified alternate phone number.

17. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the switch controller is configured to route the call based on an originating point code in a SS7 call query.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the switch controller is configured to route the call based on the originating point code and based on a called party address in the SS7 call query.

19. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising computer program code for routing calls in a communication system, the computer program code comprising:

program code that is configured to receive a call from an originating network in the communication system;

program code that is configured to determine an identity of the originating network of the call; and

program code that is configured to route the call in the communication system based on the identity of the originating network.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19, further comprising:

program code that is configured to identify a called number to which the call is directed; and

program code that is configured to route the call to a destination in the communication system based on the identity of the originating network and based on the called number.

21. The computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising:

program code that is configured to route the call to a destination in the communication system based on whether the called number comprises a toll-free long-distance number that is associated with a predetermined telecommunications carrier, and based on whether the originating network identity is associated with the predetermined telecommunications carrier.

22. The computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the program code that is configured to identify a called number to which the call is directed comprises program code that is configured to identify a called party address in an SS7 call query that is associated with the call, and further comprising program code that is configured to route the call based on the called party address.

23. The computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the program code that is configured to determine an identity of the originating network of the call comprises program code that is configured to identify an originating point code in an SS7 call query that is associated with the call, and further comprising program code that is configured to route the call based on the originating point code.

24. The computer program product according to claim 19, further comprising:

program code that is configured to associating network identifications with phone numbers, alternate carrier identification codes, and alternate phone numbers;

program code that is configured to identify a called number to which the call is directed;

program code that is configured to identify an alternate carrier identification code and an alternate phone number based on the identity of the originating network and the called number; and

program code that is configured to route the call in the communication system based on the identified alternate carrier identification code and the identified alternate phone number.