Method and apparatus for providing access and egress uniform resource identifiers for routing

• US 7,630,372 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ibezim, James, Fishman, Saul, Androski, Frank J., Mansell, James J., Kittredge, Barbara J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/322,925
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 379/351, 379/354, 379/912, 370/230, 370/392, 370/352, 370/356, 370/349
• US Class Current: 370/392
• 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: H04L 45/3065 for real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing routing of calls in a packet network, e.g., a Voice over Internet Protocol (IP) network, using one or more criteria extracted from signaling information to determine the routing for the calls are disclosed. In one embodiment, the routing criteria extracted from signaling messages comprises at least one of: an access Uniform Resource Identifier, a destination phone number, a destination URI host, a calling party number, a calling party URI host, an incoming IP address, or a requested codec. An access URI and the egress URI are used to enhance routing decisions in a VoIP network. For instance, the egress URI can be used to specify egress route selections from the egress point of a VoIP network. The access URI can be used to influence the routing decisions within the VoIP network as well as the routing decisions with regard to egress routes from the egress point of the VoIP network.

Claims

1. A method for routing a call in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a first call setup message;

identifying an access identification (ID) parameter associated with said first call setup message;

generating a second call set up message by incorporating said access identification (ID) parameter into said first call setup message;

determining a routing decision in accordance with said access identification (ID) parameter in said second call set up message;

applying said routing decision for identifying an egress identification (ID) parameter, wherein said egress identification (ID) parameter comprises one or more egress Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs); and

generating a third call setup message by incorporating said egress identification (ID) parameter into said second call setup message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said third call setup message is forwarded to an egress border element (BE).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said egress ID parameter is inserted in a call setup message header of said third call set up message.

4. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps of a method for routing a call in a communication network, comprising:

receiving a first call setup message;

identifying an access identification (ID) parameter associated with said first call setup message;

generating a second call set up message by incorporating said access identification (ID) parameter into said first call setup message; and

determining a routing decision in accordance with said access identification (ID) parameter in said second call set up message;

applying said routing decision for identifying an egress identification (ID) parameter, wherein said egress identification (ID) parameter comprises one or more egress Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs); and

generating a third call setup message by incorporating said egress identification (ID) parameter into said second call setup message.

5. A system for routing a call in a communication network, comprising:

means for receiving a first call setup message;

means for identifying an access identification (ID) parameter associated with said first call setup message;

means for generating a second call set up message by incorporating said access identification (ID) parameter into said first call setup message;

means for determining a routing decision in accordance with said access identification (ID) parameter in said second call set up message;

means for applying said routing decision for identifying an egress identification (ID) parameter, wherein said egress identification (ID) parameter comprises one or more egress Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs); and

means for generating a third call setup message by incorporating said egress identification (ID) parameter into said second call setup message.