Routing tree enhancements based on real time performance statistics

• US 9,531,886 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somos, Inc. (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Somos, Inc. (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Suk Yee, Carter, William
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US14/984,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20160127808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112.04, 379/114.02, 379/114.03, 379/114.1, 379/114.12, 379/115.02, 379/112.07, 379/112.08, 379/114.08, 379/112.02, 379/114.01, 379/111, 379/112.06
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/125 based on throughput or bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/755 Account identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8061 Selecting least cost route depending on origin or type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/555 Statistics, e.g. about subscribers but not being call statistics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2263 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 : by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42306 : Number translation services, e.g. premium-rate, freephone or vanity number services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 : where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 : Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 : Network testing or monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0091 : Congestion or overload control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing

Abstract

A call path score that utilizes real time network statistics, sourced from carriers and the public domain that may be provided to LCR and SCPs to determine the net “value” of a route such that, depending on customer choice, a call completion pattern may be created. Calls may be completed optimizing distance, quality or cost based on real time network and carrier database. This function may be further enhanced to provide a customer sourced rating score that enhances call routing. This may be utilized for real time carrier performance statistics to analyze network congestion. Multiple carriers may be assigned based on network performance and carrier congestion.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating at least two toll-free call routing tables based on a congestion threshold node in a call routing tree, wherein the first of the two call routing tables is to be used when toll-free call volumes occurring within a toll-free telecommunications carrier network are below the congestion threshold, and the second of the two call routing tables is to be used when toll-free call volumes occurring within a toll-free telecommunications carrier network are equal to or above the congestion threshold;

providing the call routing tables to at least one service control point that is associated with the toll-free telecommunications carrier network;

monitoring toll-free call volumes and durations occurring within a toll-free telecommunications carrier network;

receiving at least one of a call count datum or call duration datum from the toll-free telecommunications carrier network wherein the call count datum or call duration datum indicates a change in call volumes over the toll-free telecommunications carrier network from below the congestion threshold to above the congestion threshold; and

instructing the service control point to switch from using the first call routing table to the second call routing table without a need to change the routing tree.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the call volume is expressed as a percentage of the total call volume occurring over the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the call volume is a indication of a network failure to transmit calls.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call volume is specific to an entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity is a carrier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity is a call center.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity is a service control point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the switch to the second call routing table occurs in real time with no additional changes to routing tree required.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein decision nodes of the first and second call routing tables are loaded into the service control point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the call volumes are used to create a call path score for a possible call route path that is available on the network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the call path score is based at least in part on a call travel distance estimate.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the call path score is based at least in part on a call travel speed estimate.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the call path score is used in association with the congestion threshold criterion to determine the switch to the second call route table.

14. A method comprising:

creating at least two toll-free call routing tables based on a congestion threshold criterion, wherein the first of the two call routing tables is to be used when toll-free call volumes occurring within a toll-free telecommunications carrier network are below the congestion threshold, and the second of the two call routing tables is to be used when toll-free call volumes occurring within a toll-free telecommunications carrier network are equal to or above the congestion threshold;

providing the call routing tables to at least one service control point that is associated with the toll-free telecommunications carrier network;

monitoring toll-free call volumes and durations occurring within a toll-free telecommunications carrier network;

receiving at least one of a call count datum or call duration datum from the toll-free telecommunications carrier network wherein the call count datum or call duration datum indicates a change in call volumes over the toll-free telecommunications carrier network from below the congestion threshold to above the congestion threshold;

creating a second congestion threshold criterion based on the data received from the toll-free telecommunications network; and

creating a third call routing table based on the second congestion threshold criterion.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the toll-free call traffic occurring within a toll-free telecommunications network is switched based at least in part on one of the first or second congestion threshold criterion.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the third call routing table is used to route an incoming toll-free call received subsequent to the creation of the third call routing table.