Method and system for routing calls over a packet switched computer network

• US 8,396,056 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transnexus Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Transnexus Incorporated
• Inventors: Dalton, James P. G. Jr., Isakbayev, Dmitry, Mathur, Vikrant
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US12/776,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20100278173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/395.52, 370/450, 379/221.08
• US Class Current: 370/352
• 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 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers

Abstract

The present invention describes how a trusted network routing authority, such as a VoIP inter-exchange carrier or clearinghouse can provide routing and secure access control across multiple network domains with a single routing and admission request. This technology can improve network efficiency and quality of service when an Internet Protocol (IP) communication transaction, such as a Voice over IP (VoIP), must be routed across multiple devices or administrative domains. This technology defines the technique of performing multiple route look-ups at the source of the call path to determine all possible routes across intermediate domains to the final destination. The VoIP inter-exchange carrier or clearinghouse then provides routing and access permission tokens for the entire call path to the call source.

Claims

1. A method for completing a phone IP communication transaction over a computer network, comprising:

scanning the computer network for destination networks that are able to complete the IP communication transaction;

scanning the computer network for intermediate networks that are linked to one of another intermediate network and a destination network capable of completing the IP communications transaction;

for each intermediate network that is discovered, determining if the intermediate network is capable of further routing the IP communications transaction to one of another intermediate network and destination network;

forming a list of one or more IP communications transaction paths, each IP communications transaction path comprising at least one of an intermediate network for further routing the IP communication transaction and a destination network for completing the IP communication transaction;

generating an authorization token for each network in an IP communication transaction path; and

providing access to the list in response to the request for competing the IP communications transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an authorization token further comprises generating the authorization token comprising a list of alternate networks that can service an IP communication transaction in case of IP communication transaction failure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an authorization token further comprises generating the authorization token comprising pricing information for servicing an IP communication transaction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an authorization token further comprises generating the authorization token comprising quality of service information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating weights for each IP communication transaction path in the list.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking an order of the list based on weights associated with each network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating weights for each IP communication transaction path further comprises multiplying weights of each network in an IP communication transaction path.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating weights for each IP communication transaction path further comprises normalizing the weights of each network in an IP communication transaction path.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein normalizing the weights of each network in an IP communication transaction path further comprises dividing a weight of each network by a sum of all weights in a same IP communication transaction leg.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the list for duplicate IP communication transaction paths.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting the list for duplicate IP communication transaction paths further comprises keeping IP communication transaction paths with higher weights and removing IP communication transaction paths from the list with lower weights.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting the list for duplicate IP communication transaction paths further comprises removing IP communication transaction paths from the list that use a same intermediate network or a same destination network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an authorization token for each network in a IP communication transaction path further comprises generating authorization tokens for alternate networks in a IP communication transaction path when alternate networks exist in a particular IP communication transaction path.

14. A system for completing IP communication transactions over a packet switched computer network, comprising:

a source network for originating an IP communication transaction;

an intermediate network for routing the IP communication transaction and operatively linked to the source network;

a destination network for completing the IP communication transaction and operatively linked to the intermediate network;

a clearinghouse database operatively linked to the source network, the intermediate network, and the destination network;

the clearinghouse database comprising data for correlating telephone numbers and computer network addresses and data describing relationships between intermediate networks and destination networks, the clearinghouse database forming a list of one or more IP communication transaction paths that comprise at least one of an intermediate network for further routing the IP communication transaction and a destination network for completing the IP communication transaction, the clearinghouse database generating an authorization token for each network in an IP communication transaction path.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the clearinghouse database determines if each intermediate network is capable of further routing the IP communication transaction to one of another intermediate network and destination network.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein each intermediate network comprises an IP communication transaction proxy device.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one destination network comprises an IP communication transaction 1 destination network.

18. A method for completing an IP communication transaction, comprising:

scanning the Internet for destination networks that are able to complete the IP communication transaction;

scanning the Internet for intermediate networks that are linked to one of another intermediate network and a destination network capable of completing the IP communication transaction;

for each intermediate network that is discovered, determining if the intermediate network is capable of further routing the IP communication transaction to one of another intermediate network and destination network;

forming a list of one or more IP communication transaction paths, each IP communication transaction path comprising at least one of an intermediate network and a destination network;

generating an authorization token for each network in a IP communication transaction path; and

ranking the list of IP communication transaction paths based on weights associated with each network in a IP communication transaction path.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising calculating weights for each IP communication transaction path in the list.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising recording in the authorization token a value indicating how much at least one of an intermediate network and a destination network is paid to complete the IP communication transaction.