Systems, methods, and apparatus to prioritize communications in IP multimedia subsystem networks

• US 8,077,701 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP A Nevada Partnership
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ku, Bernard, Yasrebi, Mehrad
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr., Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/458,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20080019267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/466, 370/471, 370/392, 370/220.01, 370/353, 709/204, 709/224, 709/227, 709245-246, 709/206, 375/224
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed to prioritize communications in Internet protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks. An example method disclosed herein includes receiving a telephone number (TN), locating an ENUM database record for the TN specifying at least one non-IMS destination, receiving a plurality of current call parameters, and accessing a prioritization profile comprising a plurality of selection parameters. The example method further discloses evaluating at least one of the plurality of current call parameters based on the prioritization profile to select at least one of a plurality of non-SIP and non-TN URIs as a destination for the TN, and routing a communication session between the calling device and the selected URI. The plurality of non-SIP and non-TN URIs including at least one of an e-mail URI, an instant message URI, a fax URI, or a web URI.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a processor to:

receive a telephone number from a calling device;

locate a data record based on the telephone number, the data record comprising a plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers;

receive a current call parameter value associated with at least one of the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers;

access a prioritization profile comprising a selection parameter having a first priority order value, the first priority order value linked to the current call parameter value;

generate a ranked list of the plurality of non session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non telephone number uniform resource identifiers based on the current call parameter value at a first time;

adjust the selection parameter from the first priority order value to a second priority order value in response to a change of the current call parameter value at a second time;

compare the current call parameter value at the second time to the prioritization profile to select one of the plurality of ranked non session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers as a destination for the telephone number; and

establish a communication session between the calling device and the one of the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers selected.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone uniform resource identifiers comprise at least one of an e-mail uniform resource identifier, an instant message uniform resource identifier, a fax uniform resource identifier, or a web uniform resource identifier.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a resolver to locate the data record based on the telephone number, the resolver comprising an ENUM query engine to query an ENUM database.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a prioritizer to compare the current call parameter value with a threshold to select the destination for the telephone number.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the prioritizer comprises a process designer to at least one of create, delete, or modify the prioritization profile.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the prioritizer comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) to facilitate at least one of prioritization profile design, creation, deletion, or modification.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the prioritizer comprises a memory to store at least one of the prioritization profile, the current call parameter value, or the selection parameter.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the prioritizer comprises a process executor to execute the prioritization profile.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the process executor executes the prioritization profile by selecting the one of the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers.

10. An apparatus comprising:

an interactive Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS); and

an electronic processor to;

locate a data record based on a telephone number; and

execute a prioritization process to generate a ranked list of non-session initiation protocol or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers based on a first priority order value linked to a current call parameter value at a first time, adjust the first priority order value to a second priority order value in response to a change of the current call parameter value at a second time, compare the current call parameter value at the second time to a prioritization profile, and route a communication session initiated for the telephone number to a destination associated with the ranked non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier or the ranked non-telephone number uniform resource identifier based on the comparison.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier or non-telephone number uniform resource identifier comprises at least one of an e-mail uniform resource identifier, an instant message uniform resource identifier, a fax uniform resource identifier, or a web uniform resource identifier.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising a memory to store the data record as at least one of an ENUM data record or a naming authority pointer (NAPTR) record.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is to:

prioritize the at least one of the non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier or the non-telephone number uniform resource identifier; and

select one of the at least one of the non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier or the non-telephone number uniform resource identifier matching a priority threshold.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the priority threshold comprises at least one of a message urgency, a message cost, a message protocol type, a message service type, a destination device capability, or a time of day.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the prioritization process comprises a predetermined uniform resource identifier priority to select the communication session.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the communication session comprises at least one of e-mail messages, instant messaging, fax messages, or web page communication.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) to enable prioritization process design.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein a caller designs the prioritization process via the GUI.

19. A method comprising:

locating, with a resolver, an ENUM database record for a telephone number specifying at least one non-Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) destination;

accessing, with a prioritizer, a prioritization profile comprising a selection parameter having a first priority order value linked to a current call parameter value;

generating a ranked list of a plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers based on the current call parameter value at a first time;

adjusting the selection parameter from the first priority order value to a second priority order value in response to a change of the current call parameter value at a second time;

comparing the current call parameter value at the second time to the prioritization profile to select at least one of the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers as a destination for the telephone number; and

establishing a communication session between the calling device and the selected uniform resource identifier.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers comprise at least one of an e-mail uniform resource identifier, an instant message uniform resource identifier, a fax uniform resource identifier, or a web uniform resource identifier.

21. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the selection parameter in the prioritization profile ranks the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers based on at least one of a communication session cost, a time of day, a destination device capability, a callee group, a communication session urgency, or a communication session service type.

22. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein ranking based on the destination device capability further comprises:

receiving a failure notice for a first communication session attempt; and

initiating a second communication session attempt with an alternate non-IMS destination.

23. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising initiating a second communication session attempt with an alternate non-IMS destination when a response to a first communication session attempt is at least one of success, failure, or undetermined.

24. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein ranking based on the communication session cost further comprises:

determining the cost of a plurality of communication sessions;

ranking the plurality of communication sessions based on the cost; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of communication sessions based on a cost threshold.

25. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein the communication session service type is at least one of e-mail, voice-mail, instant messaging, or fax.

26. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein ranking based on the communication session urgency enables the uniform resource identifier selection without regard to at least one of the communication session cost, or the communication session service type.

27. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising selecting an alternate uniform resource identifier from the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers when the routed communication session between the calling device and the selected uniform resource identifier fails.

28. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein selecting the alternate uniform resource identifier comprises selecting additional alternate uniform resource identifiers from the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers.

49. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising dynamically updating an order of the ranked list based on a change in the current call parameter value.

50. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising:

retrieving an update of the current call parameter value, the current call parameter value being indicative of a cost to use at least one of the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers; and

reordering the ranked list of the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers based on the updated current call parameter value.

29. A tangible article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to, at least:

locate an ENUM database record for a telephone number specifying a non-Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) destination;

receive a current call parameter value associated with each of a plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers;

access a prioritization profile comprising a selection parameter associated with each of the uniform resource identifiers and having a first priority order value;

generate a ranked list of the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers based on the current call parameter value at a first time;

adjust the selection parameter from the first priority order value to a second priority order value in response to a change of the current call parameter value at a second time;

compare the current call parameter value at the second time to the prioritization profile to select at least one of the plurality of ranked non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and ranked non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers as a destination for the telephone number; and

establish a communication session between the calling device and the selected uniform resource identifier.

30. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 29, wherein the non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers comprise at least one of an e-mail uniform resource identifier, an instant message uniform resource identifier, a fax uniform resource identifier, or a web uniform resource identifier.

31. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 29, wherein the executable instructions further cause the machine to rank the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers based on at least one of a communication session cost, a time of day, a destination device capability, a callee group, a communication session urgency, or a communication session service type.

32. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 31, wherein the executable instructions further cause the machine to receive a failure notice for a first communication session attempt, and initiate a second communication session attempt with an alternate non-IMS destination.

33. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 29, wherein the executable instructions further cause the machine to initiate a second communication session attempt with an alternate non-IMS destination when a response to a first communication session attempt is at least one of success, failure, or undetermined.

34. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 31, wherein the executable instructions further cause the machine to:

determine the cost of a plurality of communication sessions;

rank the plurality of communication sessions based on the cost; and

select at least one of the plurality of communication sessions based on a cost threshold.

35. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 31, wherein the executable instructions further cause the machine to route a communication service type of at least one of e-mail, voice-mail, instant messaging, or fax.

36. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 31, wherein the executable instructions rank the uniform resource identifier based on the communication session urgency without regard to at least one of the communication session cost, or the communication session service type.

37. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 29, wherein the executable instructions further cause the machine to select an alternate uniform resource identifier from the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers when the routed communication session between the calling device and the selected uniform resource identifier fails.

38. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 37, wherein the executable instructions cause the machine to select additional alternate uniform resource identifiers from the plurality of non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers Of and non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers.

39. A tangible article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to invoke a user interface for prioritizing communications in Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem networks, the user interface comprising:

a prioritization profile screen area to display a plurality of selection parameters; and

a selection parameter configuration area to display a plurality of selection parameter thresholds and a ranked list of non-session initiation protocol or non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers generated based on current call parameters at a first time and to display an adjusted ranked list in response to a comparison between the plurality of selection parameter thresholds and current call parameters at a second time.

40. An apparatus to prioritize Internet multimedia subsystem (IMS) network communication comprising:

an ENUM database to store a plurality of non-telephone number and non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers in association with respective telephone numbers;

a resolver to receive a telephone number from a caller, the resolver to generate a base list of non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers and non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers; and

a prioritizer to generate a first ranked list of the plurality of non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers and non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers from the base list based on a comparison between a prioritization profile having first priority order values associated with each of the uniform resource identifiers, the first priority order values based on current call parameters during a first time, and the prioritizer to adjust the first priority order values to second priority order values based on current call parameters during a second time to generate a second ranked list of the uniform resource identifiers, at least one of the resolver or the prioritizer comprising a logic circuit.

41. An apparatus as defined in claim 40, wherein the resolver comprises an ENUM query engine to query the ENUM database.

42. An apparatus as defined in claim 40, wherein the resolver is to receive the telephone number as an E.164 number.

43. An apparatus as defined in claim 40, wherein the prioritizer comprises a process executor to retrieve the prioritization profile from a memory, the process executor to compare the list of non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers and non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers with the prioritization profile.

44. An apparatus as defined in claim 43, wherein the prioritization profile comprises a plurality of selection parameters, the process executor is to select at least one of the plurality of non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers and non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers based on the comparison between the selection parameters and the list of non-telephone number uniform resource identifiers and non-session initiation protocol uniform resource identifiers.

45. An apparatus as defined in claim 44, wherein the selection parameters comprise at least one of a message urgency, a message cost, a message protocol type, a message service type, a destination device capability, or a time of day.

46. An apparatus as defined in claim 44, wherein the selection parameters comprise at least one of a threshold limit or a threshold range.

47. An apparatus as defined in claim 40, wherein the prioritizer comprises a process designer to at least one of create the prioritization profile, modify the prioritization profile, or delete the prioritization profile.

48. An apparatus as defined in claim 47, further comprising a graphical user interface to access the process designer.