Method and system for routing a communication through an alternate carrier

• US 7,295,665 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coranado, M. Lourdes, Culli, Laura, Plunkett, William, Tamasi, Mark, Simino, John, Nance, Bruce A., Hickman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US11/342,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20060140384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/115.01, 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/211.02, 379/211.03, 379/212.01, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/221.02, 379/221.05, 379/221.06, 379/221.08, 379/221.14
• US Class Current: 379/221.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1325 Priority service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 : Traffic distributors

Abstract

A method and system for routing a communication through an alternate carrier. The A method includes recognizing an input number upon which a call is based, assigning primary, alternate and secondary interexchange carriers responsive to the recognizing, and sequentially routing an input number from a node among primary, alternate, and secondary carriers until a connection is established.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium storing a program, executable by a computer, for facilitating sequential routing of a call to a destination via a service location of a plurality of service locations and a selected interexchange carrier (IXC), the call being directed to a telephone number associated with a telecommunications service and also with the destination, the medium comprising:

a priority code segment executable to store a priority order of a plurality of IXCs for each of the service locations, the priority order being changeable based at least in part on a dialed number comprising the telephone number;

wherein the call is attempted to be routed from a selected service location to the destination associated with the telephone number via a highest priority IXC assigned to the selected service location; and

wherein, if the highest priority IXC is unavailable, the call is attempted to be routed from the selected service location to the destination associated with the telephone number via a second highest priority IXC assigned to the selected service location.

2. The medium of claim 1, further comprising a manual selection receiving code segment executable to receive a manual selection of an IXC, the manually selected IXC being designated the highest priority IXC.

3. The medium of claim 2, further comprising a new priority determining code segment executable to determine a new priority order of remaining IXCs in response to the receiving the manual selection, the new priority order indicating the second highest priority IXC.

4. The medium of claim 2, further comprising an alternate IXC eliminating code segment executable to assign no IXC as the second highest priority IXC, wherein if the highest priority IXC is unavailable, the call is not completed.

5. The medium of claim 1, further comprising a PIC assigning code segment executable to designate the highest priority IXC based on a local primary interexchange carrier (PIC) of a caller.

6. The medium of claim 5, further comprising:

a PIC analysis code segment executable to determine whether the PIC is an authorized carrier,

wherein, when the PIC is an authorized carrier, designating the highest priority IXC as the local (PIC) of the caller, and when the PIC is not an authorized carrier, using the stored priority order.

7. The medium of claim 1, further comprising a reporting code segment executable to report a sequence of selected IXCs.

8. The medium of claim 2, in which the manual selection receiving code segment recognizes a prefix code identifying the manually selected IXC.

9. The medium of claim 1, in which the telephone number comprises a dedicated number.

10. The medium of claim 1, in which the call is placed from a pay phone, the call being completed without charging a calling party.

11. A method for routing a call via a selected interexchange carrier (IXC), the call being directed to a telephone number associated with a telecommunications service that is partially executed within a plurality of service end offices, the routing method comprising:

receiving the call placed to the telephone number at a selected one of the service end offices, each of the service end offices having a priority order of a plurality of IXCs, the priority order being alterable based at least in part on a dialed number comprising the telephone number;

attempting to route the call from the selected service end office to a destination associated with the telephone number via a highest priority IXC assigned to the selected end office; and

if the highest priority IXC is unavailable, attempting to route the call from the selected end office to the destination associated with the telephone number via a second highest priority IXC assigned to the selected end office.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a manual selection of an IXC, the manually selected IXC being designated the highest priority IXC.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a new priority order of remaining IXCs in response to the manual selection, the new priority order designating the second highest priority IXC.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising assigning no IXC as the second highest priority IXC, wherein if the highest priority IXC is unavailable, the call is not completed.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising designating the highest priority IXC based on a local primary interexchange carrier (PIC) of a caller.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether the PIC is an authorized carrier,

wherein, when the PIC is an authorized carrier, designating the highest priority IXC as the local (PIC) of the caller, and when the PIC is not an authorized carrier, using the received priority order assignment.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising reporting a sequence of selected IXCs.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising recognizing a prefix code of the received manual selection.

19. The method of claim 11, in which the telephone number comprises a dedicated number.

20. The method of claim 11, in which the call is placed from a pay phone, the call being completed without charging a calling party.