Telecommunications and network traffic control and rate deck synchronization system

• US 9,276,862 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2015
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SIPnav LLC
• Original Assignee: SIPnav LLC
• Inventors: Presta, Scott, Oesterle, John, Droge, Kristofer W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Fan
• Application Number:
  US14/803,250
• Time in Patent Office: 225 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2483 involving identification of individual flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based

Abstract

A telecommunication and network traffic throttle and control and rate deck synchronization system including one or more processors coupled to a communications network. The system is configured to monitor, control, and throttle network traffic and to generate and synchronize rate decks to limit and block unwanted and harmful traffic to optimize performance of and protect telecommunications and network infrastructure. Received routing requests are parsed for subscriber identifiers that have assigned current rate decks. Routing requests are forwarded only for subscribers having unexpired assigned rate decks. When new assigned rate decks are generated with prospective effective times, the current date decks are modified to expire before the effective time, and subscribers are sent URLs having embedded security hashes, which must be downloaded before the current assigned rate decks expire. Routing requests cannot be forwarded upon expiration, and until subscribers download the new rate decks and an associated rate deck file hash.

Claims

1. A telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system, comprising:

at least one processor coupled to a memory and in communication with rate deck and subscriber repositories;

a rate deck generator coupled to the at least one processor and configured to generate (a) a new rate deck that includes an effective time, an expiration time, and a plurality of rate costs per unit time for forwarding call routing requests to respective destination numbering plan areas/local number prefixes (NPAs/NXXs), and (b) and an access uniform resource locater (URL) for the new rate deck;

a hash generator coupled to the at least one processor and configured to generate, and store in at least one of the rate deck and subscriber repositories, a unique rate deck file hash;

the rate deck generator further configured to identify in the subscriber repository, subscribers having at least one assigned current rate deck in the rate deck repository to be replaced by the new rate deck;

the rate deck generator further configured to modify an expiration time of the at least one assigned current rate deck to antedate the effective time; and

the hash generator configured to generate a unique subscriber rate deck hash for each identified subscriber, and to embed at least the unique subscriber rate deck hash into the access URL.

2. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rate deck updater coupled to the at least one processor and in communication with the rate deck generator and the rate deck and subscriber repositories, the rate deck updater configured to generate one or more messages that incorporate at least the embedded access URL and the effective time, which are to be communicated to the identified subscribers.

3. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 2, further comprising:

the rate deck updater is configured to receive one or more electronic messages from the identified subscribers that incorporate at least the embedded access URL; and

wherein the rate deck updater is configured to evaluate the unique rate deck subscriber hash to authenticate the subscribers and to communicate the new rate deck and the unique rate deck file hash in reply to the received one or more messages if the subscriber is authenticated.

4. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 3, further comprising:

the rate deck updater is configured to identify and archive from the electronic messages, one or more request source identifier data that includes one or more of a requestor identifier, a requestor email address, a URL access user name and password, one or more intermediate and source local IP addresses, and at least one source media access control MAC address.

5. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 4, further comprising:

the rate deck updater is further configured to evaluate the unique subscriber rate deck hash to authenticate the identified subscribers, and to communicate in reply to the electronic messages an error message if the evaluated unique subscriber rate deck hash does not enable authentication of the identified subscribers.

6. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 3, further comprising:

the rate deck updater is configured to generate a new rate deck download confirm upon successful communication of the new rate deck and the unique rate deck file hash.

7. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 6, further comprising:

the at least one processor configured to receive and parse subscriber identifiers from routing requests received from an external network; and

the rate deck updater further configured to;

(a) identify in the rate deck repository at least one rate deck having an expired time and being associated with the subscriber identifiers, and (b) generate a service unavailable message in reply to the routing requests, if the new rate deck download confirm is not detected.

8. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 6, further comprising:

the at least one processor configured to receive and parse subscriber identifiers from routing requests received from an external network; and

the rate deck updater further configured to;

(a) identify in the rate deck repository at least one rate deck having an unexpired time and being associated with the subscriber identifiers, and (b) forward the routing requests if the new rate deck download confirm is detected.

9. A telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system, comprising:

at least one processor coupled to a memory and in communication with subscriber and rate deck repositories and with an inbound switch fabric and an external network;

a request processor coupled to the at least one processor and configured to;

(a) receive from the external network an electronic access request to retrieve a new rate deck and an internet protocol (IP) request address,

(b) parse from the electronic access request an access uniform resource locater (URL) embedded with a unique subscriber rate deck hash, and

(c) evaluate the unique subscriber rate deck hash to generate at least one of a subscriber identifier and a rate deck identifier;

an authenticator coupled to the request processor and configured to

(a) generate and archive a request start time,

(b) query the subscriber and rate deck repositories with one or more of the subscriber and rate deck identifiers, and

(c) identify at least one new rate deck;

wherein the request processor is further configured to communicate, if a subscriber and new rate deck are identified, the new rate deck and a unique rate deck file hash in reply to the electronic access request; and

wherein the authenticator is further configured to generate and archive a request stop time and a request status message when the new rate deck and generated rate deck file hash have been communicated.

10. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 9, further comprising:

the request processor further configured to communicate in reply to the electronic access request, the request start and stop times and the request status message, and at least one request source identifier data.

11. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 9, further comprising:

the request processor further configured to identify from the electronic access request, one or more request source identifier data that include one or more of a requestor identifier, a requestor email address, a URL access user name and password, one or more intermediate and source local IP addresses, and at least one source media access control MAC address; and

the authenticator further configured to archive the identified one or more request source identifier data.

12. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 9, further comprising:

the request processor further configured to communicate an error message in reply to the electronic access request, if the evaluated embedded unique subscriber rate deck hash does not enable identification of one or more of an identified subscriber and identified new rate deck.

13. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 12, further comprising:

the authenticator further configured to archive the error message and the evaluated embedded unique subscriber rate deck hash.

14. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 9, further comprising:

the authenticator further configured to generate a download confirm if the new rate deck and the unique rate deck file hash are communicated successfully.

15. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 14, further comprising:

the at least one processor further configured to parse the subscriber identifiers from routing requests received from the external network;

wherein the authenticator detects the new rate deck download confirm and identifies in the rate deck repository, at least one rate deck having an unexpired time and being associated with the subscriber identifier; and

wherein the at least one processor forwards the routing requests if rate decks are identified as having unexpired times and the new rate deck download confirm is detected.

16. The telephony network traffic throttle and rate deck synchronization system according to claim 14, further comprising:

the at least one processor further configured to parse the subscriber identifiers from routing requests received from an external network;

wherein the authenticator does not detect the new rate deck download confirm and identifies in the rate deck repository, at least one rate deck having an expired time and being associated with the subscriber identifier; and

wherein the at least one processor communicates a service unavailable message in reply to the routing requests.

17. A method of optimizing utilization of telephony traffic networks and synchronizing call routing rate decks, comprising:

providing at least one processor having a memory and in communication with rate deck and subscriber repositories;

generating by the at least one processor (a) a new rate deck that includes an effective time, an expiration time, and a plurality of rate costs per unit time for passing call routing requests to respective destination numbering plan areas/local number prefixes (NPAs/NXXs), and (b) and an access uniform resource locater (URL) for the new rate deck;

generating by the at least one processor and storing in the rate deck repository a unique rate deck file hash for the new rate deck;

identifying by the at least one processor and the subscriber repository, subscribers having at least one assigned current rate deck in the rate deck repository to be replaced by the new rate deck;

modifying an expiration time of the at least one assigned current rate deck to antedate the effective time; and

generating by the at least one processor a unique subscriber rate deck hash for each identified subscriber, and embedding at least the unique subscriber rate deck hash into the access URL.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

generating by the at least one processor, one or more messages to be periodically communicated before and after the effective time to the identified subscribers, which messages include at least the embedded access URL and the effective time;

receiving one or more electronic access requests from the identified subscribers that incorporate at least the embedded access URL; and

evaluating the embedded access URL and parsing the unique rate deck subscriber hash therefrom to authenticate the subscribers and communicating the new rate deck and the unique rate deck file hash in reply to the received one or more electronic access requests if the subscribers are authenticated.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

identifying and archiving by the at least one processor from the electronic access requests, one or more request source identifier data that includes one or more of a requestor identifier, a requestor email address, a URL access user name and password, one or more intermediate and source local IP addresses, and at least one source media access control MAC address.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

evaluating the unique subscriber rate deck hash to authenticate the identified subscribers, and communicating in reply to the electronic access requests an error message if the evaluated unique subscriber rate deck hash does not enable authentication of the identified subscribers.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

generating a download confirm if the new rate deck and the unique rate deck file hash are communicated successfully.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

providing the at least one processor to be in communication with an inbound switch fabric and an external network;

parsing by the at least one processor, subscriber identifiers from routing requests received from the external network;

detecting a download confirm for the subscriber identifiers; and

communicating a service unavailable message in reply to the routing requests if the download confirm is not detected.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

providing the at least one processor to be in communication with an inbound switch fabric and an external network;

parsing by the at least one processor, subscriber identifiers from routing requests received from the external network;

detecting a download confirm for the subscriber identifiers and an assigned rate deck having an unexpired time; and

forwarding the routing requests if the download confirm is detected.

24. A method of optimizing utilization of telephony networks and synchronizing call routing rate decks, comprising:

providing at least one processor having a memory and in communication with rate deck and subscriber repositories, and with an inbound switch fabric and an external network;

receiving electronic access requests from the external network to retrieve a new rate deck, the requests including an access URL embedded with a unique subscriber rate deck hash, and an internet protocol (IP) address;

generating and archiving by the at least one processor a request start time;

evaluating by the at least one processor the embedded unique subscriber rate deck hash to identify a subscriber;

identifying by the at least one processor and the identified subscriber, and the subscriber and rate deck repositories, an identified new rate deck;

communicating, if the corresponding new rate deck is identified, the new rate deck and a rate deck file hash in reply to the received electronic access requests; and

generating and archiving a request stop time and a request status message after the rate deck and unique rate deck file hash have been communicated.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

communicating the request start and stop times and the status message, and at least one request source identifier data in reply to the electronic access requests; and

archiving the start and stop request times and the request status message to an external archive.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

identifying from the electronic access requests, one or more request source identifier data that includes one or more requestor identifiers that include one or more of a requestor email address, a URL access user name and password, one or more intermediate and source local IP addresses, and at least one source media access control MAC address; and

archiving the identified one or more request source identifier data.

27. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

communicating in reply to the electronic access requests an error message if the evaluated embedded unique subscriber rate deck hash does not enable identification of one or more of an identified subscriber and new rate deck.

28. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

generating a download confirm if the new rate deck and the unique rate deck file hash are communicated successfully.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:

parsing by the at least one processor, subscriber identifiers from routing requests received from the external network;

detecting a download confirm for the subscriber identifiers; and

communicating a service unavailable message in reply to the routing requests if the download confirm is not detected.

30. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:

parsing by the at least one processor, subscriber identifiers from routing requests received from the external network;

detecting a download confirm for the subscriber identifiers and an assigned rate deck having an unexpired time; and

forwarding the routing requests if the download confirm is detected.