Automatic termination path configuration

• US 8,406,221 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: DeConcilis, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US11/590,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20080101235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,338 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/034 Codec; PCM compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/05 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13 Charging
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13138 Least cost routing, LCR
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13514 quality of service - inc. grade of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13524 cost management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13541 routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13567 negotiation, management policy, goals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/138 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/06 for group or trunk group selectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

There is provided herein a system and method for automatic configuration of data routings for use with electronic data such as phone calls, faxes, etc. In the preferred embodiment, when more than one carrier might potentially terminate the transmission, the carriers are ordered based on some screening criterion (e.g., transmission price). Data transmissions are then assigned to the carriers based on the sorting order, with the second place and lower carriers (e.g., the higher priced carriers) not being selected unless the first carrier cannot complete the transaction. The switch instructions necessary to implement this scheme are generated automatically.

Claims

1. A method of sending voice transmissions to an international termination destination, comprising the steps of:

a. accessing a computerized database;

b. reading from said computerized database a plurality of carriers that can provide access to said international termination destination, wherein

(b1) each of said plurality of carriers has at least one screening variable value associated therewith, wherein the at least one screening variable value for each of said plurality of carriers is selected from the group consisting of a price and a quality associated therewith, and,

(b2) each of said plurality of carriers is in electronic communication with at least one of a matching plurality of carrier exit points;

c. ordering said plurality of carriers according to said at least one screening variable values, thereby producing an ordered plurality of carriers;

d. determining a network routing between a customer entry point and each of said matching plurality of carrier exit points, wherein each of said network routings passes through at least one electronic switching device;

e. converting at least a portion of said determined network routings to machine readable form;

f. using at least said converted portion of said determined network routings to machine readable form and said ordered plurality of carriers to automatically generate a plurality of switch commands, wherein,

(f1) said plurality of switch commands when applied to each of said at least one electronic switching devices creates a signal path between said customer entry point and each of said matching plurality of carrier exit points, and,

(f2) said plurality of switch commands includes commands for automatically switching in order between said ordered plurality of carriers;

g. communicating at least a portion of said plurality of switch commands to each of said at least one electronic switching devices;

h. applying said communicated switch commands to each of said at least one electronic switching devices, thereby configuring the at least one electronic switching device to handle voice transmissions at least in part in accordance with said communicated switch commands;

i. subsequent to the applying (h) step;

(i1) receiving a voice transmission via said customer entry point;

(i2) determining whether a first of said ordered plurality of carriers can accept said voice transmission;

(i3) if said first of said ordered plurality of carriers can accept said voice transmission, selecting said first of said ordered plurality of carriers;

(i4) if said first of said ordered plurality of carriers cannot accept said voice transmission, selecting a second of said ordered plurality of carriers; and

(i5) transmitting said voice transmission to said selected carrier.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (i4) comprises the steps of:

if said first of said ordered plurality of carriers will not accept said voice transmission, sequentially determining in order a next of said plurality of ordered carriers that will accept said voice transmission, and,

selecting next of said plurality of ordered carriers that will accept said voice transmission.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said voice transmission is selected from a group consisting of an audio transmission, a video transmission, a fax transmission, and a data transmission.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one screening variable value is a transmission cost from a selected one of said matching carrier exit point to said international termination destination.

5. A method of provisioning communications between a customer to a termination destination, comprising the steps of:

a. accessing a computerized database;

b. reading from said computerized database a plurality of carriers that can provide access to said termination destination, wherein

(b1) each of said plurality of carriers has at least one screening variable value associated therewith, wherein the at least one screening variable value for each of said plurality of carriers is selected from the group consisting of a price and a quality associated therewith, and,

(b2) each of said plurality of carriers is in electronic communication with at least one of a matching plurality of carrier exit points;

c. ordering said plurality of carriers according to said at least one screening variable values, thereby producing a machine readable list comprising an ordered plurality of carriers;

d. determining a network routing between a customer entry point and each of said matching plurality of carrier exit points, wherein each of said network routings passes through at least one electronic switching device;

e. converting at least a portion of said determined network routings to machine readable form;

f. using at least said converted portion of said determined network routings to machine readable form and machine readable list to automatically generate a plurality of switch commands, wherein,

(f1) said plurality of switch commands when applied to each of said at least one electronic switching devices creates a signal path between said customer entry point and each of said matching plurality of carrier exit points, and,

(f2) said plurality of switch commands includes commands for automatically switching in order between said ordered plurality of carriers;

g. communicating at least a portion of said plurality of switch commands to each of said at least one electronic switching devices;

h. applying said communicated switch commands to each of said at least one electronic switching devices, thereby configuring the at least one electronic switching device to handle communications at least in part in accordance with said communicated switch commands;

i. subsequent to the applying (h) step;

(i1) receiving a communication via said customer entry point;

(i2) determining whether a first of said ordered plurality of carriers can accept said communication;

(i3) if said first of said ordered plurality of carriers can accept said communication, selecting said first of said ordered plurality of carriers;

(i4) if said first of said ordered plurality of carriers cannot accept said communication, selecting a second of said ordered plurality of carriers; and

(i5) transmitting said communication to said selected carrier.