Automatic termination path configuration

• US 8,437,338 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• 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): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US12/551,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20100061274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 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 obtaining an international termination of a voice transmission from a customer to a predetermined termination destination, comprising the steps of:

a. obtaining said predetermined termination destination from the customer;

(b1) selecting a carrier that can provide access to said termination destination, and,

(b2) negotiating a rate structure with said selected carrier, wherein the rate structure is based at least in part on the cost of access to said termination destination provided by the carrier,

c. determining a routing for a signal path between a customer entry point accessible by the customer and a carrier exit point accessible by said selected carrier, wherein said signal path passes through at least one electronic switching device;

d. activating a computer program;

e. entering said routing structure into said computer program;

f. within said computer program, translating said routing structure into a plurality of switch instructions;

g. electronically communicating at least a portion of said plurality of switch instructions from said computer program to each of said at least one electronic switching devices in said signal path to in order to implement said routing;

h. updating at least one routing table on each of said at least one electronic switching devices in said signal path in accordance with the at least portion of said plurality of switch instructions;

i. receiving said voice transmission from said customer via said customer entry point;

j. transmit said voice transmission from said customer entry point to said carrier exit point via said implemented routing according to said transmitted plurality of switch instructions; and

k. provide said transmitted voice transmission to said selected carrier at said carrier exit point;

l. using at least said negotiated rate structure to determine a charge for said transmission of step (j); and

,

m. assessing said charge against said customer.

2. The method as recited in 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.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (j) comprises the steps of:

(j1) compressing said voice transmission to produce a compressed signal,

(j2) transmitting said compressed signal from said customer entry point to said carrier exit point via said implemented routing according to said transmitted plurality of switch instructions,

(j3) expanding said transmitted compressed signal to produce an expanded voice transmission, and, wherein step (k) comprises the step of;

(k1) providing said expanded voice signal to said selected carrier at said carrier exit point.

4. A system configured to obtain an international termination of a voice transmission from a customer to a predetermined termination destination, the apparatus comprising one or more computer based controllers configured to:

obtain said predetermined termination destination from the customer;

select a carrier that can provide access to said termination destination;

negotiate a rate structure with said selected carrier, wherein the rate structure is based at least in part on the cost of access to said termination destination provided by the carrier;

determine a routing for a signal path between a customer entry point accessible by the customer and a carrier exit point accessible by said selected carrier, wherein said signal path passes through at least one electronic switching device;

translate said routing structure into a plurality of switch instructions;

electronically communicate at least a portion of said plurality of switch instructions to each of said at least one electronic switching devices in said signal path to in order to implement said routing;

update at least one routing table on each of said at least one electronic switching devices in said signal path in accordance with the at least portion of said plurality of switch instructions;

receive said voice transmission from said customer via said customer entry point;

transmit said voice transmission from said customer entry point to said carrier exit point via said implemented routing according to said transmitted plurality of switch instructions;

provide said transmitted voice transmission to said selected carrier at said carrier exit point;

use at least said negotiated rate structure to determine a charge for said voice transmission; and

assess said charge against said customer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said voice transmission is selected from a group consisting of an audio transmission, a video transmission, a fax transmission, and a data transmission.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said one or more computer based controllers is further configured to:

compress said voice transmission to produce a compressed signal,

transmit said compressed signal from said customer entry point to said carrier exit point via said implemented routing according to said transmitted plurality of switch instructions,

expand said transmitted compressed signal to produce an expanded voice transmission; and

provide said expanded voice signal to said selected carrier at said carrier exit point.

7. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a database storing a computer program for use in translating said routing structure into said plurality of switching instructions.