Reduction of Wireless Communication Costs in Enterprises

• US 20130252619A1
• Filed: 05/28/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Buford, John, Krishnaswamy, Venkatesh, Milton, Stephen M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,788,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• 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 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for reducing wireless telecommunication costs for enterprises having a plurality of PBX-equipped sites, connected by either a public network (e.g., the PSTN, the Internet, etc.), a private network (e.g., leased lines, a virtual private network [VPN] over the Internet, etc.), or some combination of public and private networks. In particular, the illustrative embodiments of the present invention attempt to reduce telecommunication costs by advantageously routing calls from an off-premises wireless terminal belonging to the enterprise via one or more of the enterprise'"'"'s private branch exchanges. The present invention is especially advantageous in that it can reduce telecommunication costs for calls from an off-premises wireless terminal to any type of destination: another cell phone, a wireline terminal, a private branch exchange, etc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

tracking a change in a geo-location of an off-premises terminal that is affiliated with a first private branch exchange;

determining, via a processor, a least-cost route for a call between the off-premises terminal and the first private branch exchange; and

routing the call between the off-premises terminal and the first private branch exchange via a second private branch exchange, wherein the second private branch exchange is selected based on the least-cost route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the off-premises terminal is associated with a telephone number in an address space of the first private branch exchange.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the off-premises terminal is associated with a second telephone number in a second address space of the second private branch exchange when the call is routed via the second private branch exchange.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a subscription request from the second private branch exchange; and

transmitting to the off-premises terminal information concerning the second private branch exchange.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second private branch exchange is selected from a plurality of private branch exchanges based on the least-cost route.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second private branch exchange is selected from a plurality of private branch exchanges based on the geo-location of the off-premises terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is further routed via a server connected to the first private branch exchange.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a call at a number associated with a server connected to the first private branch exchange; and

routing the call from the first private branch exchange to the server.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

establishing a second call from the server to the second private branch exchange;

dropping from the second call a portion of an associated route that connects the server to the first private branch exchange; and

connecting the call and the second call to yield a connected call.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising extending the connected call to the off-premises terminal at a telephone number in an address space associated with the second private branch exchange.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

tracking a change in a geo-location of an off-premises terminal that is affiliated with a first private branch exchange;

determining, via a processor, a least-cost route for a call between the off-premises terminal and the first private branch exchange; and

routing the call between the off-premises terminal and the first private branch exchange via a second private branch exchange, wherein the second private branch exchange is selected based on the least-cost route.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the off-premises terminal is associated with a telephone number in an address space of the first private branch exchange.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the off-premises terminal is associated with a second telephone number in a second address space of the second private branch exchange when the call is routed via the second private branch exchange.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second private branch exchange is selected from a plurality of private branch exchanges based on the least-cost route and the geo-location of the off-premises terminal.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the call is further routed via a server connected to the first private branch exchange.

16. A computer-readable storage device having stored therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

tracking a change in a geo-location of an off-premises terminal that is affiliated with a first private branch exchange;

determining, via a processor, a least-cost route for a call between the off-premises terminal and the first private branch exchange; and

routing the call between the off-premises terminal and the first private branch exchange via a second private branch exchange, wherein the second private branch exchange is selected based on the least-cost route.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the off-premises terminal is associated with a telephone number in an address space of the first private branch exchange.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the off-premises terminal is associated with a second telephone number in a second address space of the second private branch exchange when the call is routed via the second private branch exchange.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the second private branch exchange is selected from a plurality of private branch exchanges based on the least-cost route and the geo-location of the off-premises terminal.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the call is further routed via a server connected to the first private branch exchange.