System and method for routing calls

• US 7,974,277 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, James David, Henning, Scott A., Pearce, Christopher E., Bao, Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aga; Sori A
• Application Number:
  US11/068,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20050147088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,318 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13343 Neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

Routing calls includes receiving a call request at a call manager from a first endpoint. The call request includes a uniform resource identifier that associates with a second endpoint. A determination is made whether the call request associates with the call manager that received the call request. To route the call request, the call manager searches a call search space for a match to the call request. The call manager communicates the call request to the routing target.

Claims

1. A method for routing calls, comprising:

receiving a call request at a call manager from a first endpoint, the call request including a uniform resource identifier (URI) comprising a first portion identifying a user associated with a second endpoint and a second portion identifying a location associated with the second endpoint;

modifying the call request according to the second endpoint;

determining whether the modified call request associates with the call manager that received the call request, the determination based on whether the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager;

searching a call search space including a plurality of partitions in the call manager, each partition comprising patterns in a logical grouping for determining a match to the modified call request, wherein searching a call search space comprises;

searching the call search space for the first portion of the URI that identifies the user associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager that received the call request;

searching the call search space for the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is not associated with the call manager that received the call request;

communicating the call request to a routing target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein searching a call search space includes selecting one or more patterns that match the URI in the modified call request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the patterns in the plurality of partitions do not match a format of the URI in the call request, and wherein searching a call search space comprises:

searching the plurality of partitions for a plurality of candidate matches to the URI in the modified call request; and

determining a best match to the URI from one or more patterns that match the URI in the plurality of candidate matches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the call request to the routing target includes communicating the call request to the second endpoint having the URI that best matches the URI of the call request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an error response if the call search space does not have a best match to the URI denoted by the call request.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the call search space comprises using one or more wildcards in at least one of the first portion of the URI or the second portion of the URI to expand the search.

6. A call manager, comprising:

a call control module operable to receive a call request from a first endpoint, the call request including a uniform resource identifier (URI) comprising a first portion identifying a user associated with a second endpoint and a second portion identifying a location associated with the second endpoint, the call control module further operable to modify the call request according to the second endpoint;

a digit analysis module operable to;

receive the URI included in the call request from the call control module, determine whether the modified call request is associated with the call manager that received the call request based on whether the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager, search a call search space including a plurality of partitions, each partition comprising patterns in a logical grouping to determine a routing target associated with the modified call request, wherein the digit analysis module;

searches the call search space for the first portion of the URI that identifies the user associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager that received the call request;

searches the call search space for the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is not associated with the call manager that received the call request.

7. The call manager of claim 6, wherein the call control module is operable to:

receive the routing target from the digit analysis module, the call control module operable to communicate the call request to the routing target.

8. The call manager of claim 6, wherein the URI includes a selected one of a domain name or an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

9. The call manager of claim 6, wherein the call control module is operable to communicate the call request to the routing target having the URI that best matches the URI of the call request.

10. The call manager of claim 6, wherein the digit analysis module selects one or more patterns that match the URI in the modified call request.

11. The call manager of claim 6, wherein the patterns in the plurality of partitions do not match a format of the URI in the call request, and wherein the digit analysis module is operable to search the call search space by:

searching the plurality of partitions for a plurality of candidate matches to the URI in the modified call request; and

determining a best match for the URI from one or more patterns that match the URI in the plurality of candidate matches.

12. The call manager of claim 6, wherein call control module is operable to generate an error response if the call request is not in a partition table.

25. The call manager of claim 6, wherein while searching the call search space, the digit analysis module uses one or more wildcards in at least one of the first portion of the URI or the second portion of the URI to expand the search.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including logic for routing calls, the logic operable to:

receive a call request at a call manager from a first endpoint, the call request including a uniform resource identifier (URI) comprising a first portion identifying a user associated with a second endpoint and a second portion identifying a location associated with the second endpoint;

modify the call request according to the second endpoint;

determine whether the modified call request associates with the call manager that received the call request, the determination based on whether the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager;

search a call search space including a plurality of partitions, each partition comprising patterns in a logical grouping for determining a best match to the modified call request, wherein searching a call search space comprises;

searching the call search space for the first portion of the URI that identifies the user associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager that received the call request;

searching the call search space for the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is not associated with the call manager that received the call request;

communicate the call request to a routing target.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein searching a call search space includes selecting one or more patterns that match the URI in the modified call request.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the patterns in the plurality of partitions do not match a format of the URI in the call request, and wherein searching a call search space comprises:

searching the plurality of partitions for a plurality of candidate matches to the URI in the modified call request; and

determining a best match to the URI from one or more patterns that match the URI in the plurality of candidate matches.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein communicating the call request to the routing target includes communicating the call request to the second endpoint having the URI that best matches the URI of the call request.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the logic is operable to:

generate an error response if the call request is not in a partition table.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein searching the call search space comprises using one or more wildcards in at least one of the first portion of the URI or the second portion of the URI to expand the search.

18. A call manager, comprising:

means for receiving a call request at a call manager from a first endpoint, the call request including a uniform resource identifier (URI) comprising a first portion identifying a user associated with a second endpoint and a second portion identifying a location associated with the second endpoint;

means for modifying the call request according to the second endpoint;

means for determining whether the call request associates with the call manager that received the modified call request, the determination based on whether the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager;

means for searching a call search space including a plurality of partitions, each partition comprising patterns in a logical grouping for determining a best match to the modified call request, wherein means for searching a call search space comprises;

means for searching the call search space for the first portion of the URI that identifies the user associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager that received the call request;

means for searching the call search space for the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is not associated with the call manager that received the call request;

means for communicating the call request to a routing target.

19. The call manager of claim 18, further comprising:

means for selecting one or more patterns that match the URI in the modified call request.

20. The call manager of claim 18, wherein the patterns in the plurality of partitions do not match a format of the URI in the call request, and wherein the means for searching the call search space comprises:

means for searching the plurality of partitions for a plurality of candidate matches to the URI in the modified call request; and

means for determining a best match to the URI from one or more patterns that match the URI in the plurality of candidate matches.

21. The call manager of claim 18, further comprising:

means for generating an error response if the call search space does not have a best match to the URI denoted by the call request.

27. The call manager of claim 18, wherein the means for searching the call search space comprises means for using one or more wildcards in at least one of the first portion of the URI or the second portion of the URI to expand the search.

22. A system for routing calls, comprising:

a plurality of subscribers operable to communicate with each other;

a call manager operable to control the communication between the plurality of subscribers, wherein the call manager includes a call control module operable to receive a call request from a first endpoint, the call request including a uniform resource identifier (URI) comprising a first portion identifying a user associated with a second endpoint and a second portion identifying a location associated with the second endpoint, the call control module operable to modify the call request according to the second endpoint;

a digit analysis module operable to receive the URI included in the modified call request from the call control module, the digit analysis module operable to determine whether the modified call request is associated with the call manager that received the call request, the determination based on whether the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager, the digit analysis module operable to search a call search space including a plurality of partitions, each partition comprising patterns in a logical grouping, wherein the digit analysis module is further operable to;

search the call search space for the first portion of the URI that identifies the user associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is associated with the call manager that received the call request;

searching the call search space for the second portion of the URI that identifies the location associated with the second endpoint if the location associated with the second endpoint is not associated with the call manager that received the call request.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the patterns in the plurality of partitions do not match a format of the URI in the call request, and wherein the digit analysis module is operable to search the call search space by:

searching the plurality of partitions for a plurality of candidate matches to the URI in the modified call request; and

determining a best match to the URI from the patterns that match the URI in the plurality of candidate matches.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein while searching the call search space, the digit analysis module uses one or more wildcards in at least one of the first portion of the URI or the second portion of the URI to expand the search.