Intelligent call processing based upon complete identification of calling station

• US 5,481,603 A
• Filed: 09/28/1993
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T IPM Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peters, Robert Y. Jr., Thirunagari, Aruna, Gutierrez, Franklin, Young, Joel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/127,864
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142, 379/220, 379/229, 379/240, 379/207, 379/201, 379/221, 379/127
• US Class Current: 379/221.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13541 routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/47 using translators

Abstract

An intelligent call processing system is arranged so that each originating switch is provided with a local database called a "global title translation (GTT)" database, which receives a query fully identifying the calling station, typically in terms of its 10 digit number (i.e., three digit [NPA] area code, three digit [NXX] exchange, and four digit line identification). The GTT database responds to the query by identifying the particular NCP in the telecommunications network that contains the appropriate record for completing the call. If the GTT database does not contain an entry, or an error condition exists, a further query is launched to a centralized database, called a "universal global translation (UGT)" database. The UGT database then retrieves information identifying the particular NCP in the telecommunications network that contains the appropriate record for completing the call, and provides this information to the originating switch. The same information may also be provided to and stored in the GTT database, so that the GTT database is "self provisioning".

Claims

1. Apparatus for intelligent processing of telephone calls, said apparatus including:

an originating switch arranged to route a received telephone call in accordance with a call processing record associated with a station from which said received telephone call was originated;

a local database containing a first set of information indicating locations of a plurality of telecommunications network databases that contain call processing records for completing received telephone calls;

means responsive to receipt of said received telephone call and information identifying said station from which said received telephone call was originated, for routing a query to said local database to retrieve the location of a particular one of said telecommunications network databases that contains said call processing record for completing said received telephone call; and

means responsive to an indication that said local database does not contain said information indicating the location of a particular one of said telecommunications network databases that contains said call processing record for completing said received telephone call, for routing a query to a centralized database containing a second set of information indicating the locations of said particular one of said telecommunications network databases that contains said call processing record for completing said received telephone call.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including means for updating the information in said local database with information retrieved from said centralized database.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including:

means for obtaining a call processing record from said particular one of said telecommunications network databases indicated in response to a query to said local database or said centralized database; and

means for executing said call processing record obtained from said particular one of said telecommunications network databases to obtain routing information for said switch.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said telecommunications network databases is a network control point.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said information identifying said station from which said received telephone call was originated is obtained from automatic number identification (ANI) information.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said ANI information includes a telephone number of said station in a format NPA-NXX-XXXX, where NPA represents a numbering plan area of said station, N is a digit 1-9, and X is a digit 0-9.

7. A system for intelligent processing of telephone calls in accordance with prestored instructions associated with a station from which the telephone calls are originated, said system comprising:

a local database and a centralized database, each containing information indicating locations of a plurality of telecommunications network databases that contain call processing records for completing telephone calls;

means responsive to receipt of a telephone call and information identifying a particular station from which said received telephone call was originated, for routing a query to said local database to retrieve the location of a particular one of said plurality of telecommunications network databases that contains a call processing record for completing said received telephone call; and

means for routing a query to said centralized database to retrieve said location of a particular one of said plurality of telecommunications network databases that contains said call processing record for completing said received telephone call only if said local database does not contain an entry associated with said particular station.

8. The System as defined in claim 7, further including means for updating said local database with information obtained from said centralized database.

9. The system as defined in claim 7, further including means for periodically deleting information stored in said local database.

10. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein said information identifying a particular station from which said received telephone call was originated includes automatic number identification (ANI) information.

11. A telephone network arrangement including:

a global title translation (GTI) database;

a network switch;

means in said network switch arranged, in response to receipt of a call that requires intelligent call processing, to route a first query fully identifying the calling station from which said call was originated, to said GTT database;

means in said GTT database for storing information identifying a particular network control point (NCP) in the telecommunications network that contains a call processing record for completing said received call and for providing said information to said network switch in response to said first query;

a centralized universal global translation (UGT) database;

means in said network switch arranged to route a second query to said UGT database if said GTT database does not respond to said first query; and

means in said UGT database for storing information identifying a particular NCP in the telecommunications network that contains a call processing record for completing said received call and for providing said information to said network switch in response to said second query.

12. The telephone network arrangement as defined in claim 11 further including means for updating information in said GTT database with information obtained from said UGT database in response to the second query.

13. The telephone network arrangement as defined in claim 11, wherein said first and second queries each include a 10 digit telephone number for identifying the calling telephone station.

14. A method for intelligent processing of telephone calls in accordance with prestored instructions associated with a station from which said telephone calls are originated, said method including the steps of:

storing information indicating locations of a plurality of telecommunications network databases that contain call processing records for completing telephone calls in a local database and a centralized database;

responsive to receipt of a telephone call and information identifying a particular station from which said received telephone call was originated, routing a query to said local database to retrieve the location of a particular one of the plurality of telecommunications network databases that contains a call processing record for completing said received telephone call; and

routing a query to said centralized database to retrieve said location of a particular one of said plurality of telecommunications network databases that contains said call processing record for completing said received telephone call only if said local database does not contain an entry associated with said particular station.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 further including a step of updating the local database with information obtained from the centralized database.

16. The method as defined in claim 14 further including a step of periodically deleting information stored in said local database.

17. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said information identifying a particular station from which said telephone call was originated includes automatic number identification (ANI) information.

18. A method for routing calls through a telephone network including the steps of:

storing information identifying a particular network control point (NCP) database in said telephone network that contains a call processing record for completing calls in a first global title translation (GTI) database and in a second universal global translation (UGT) database;

responsive to receipt of a call that requires intelligent call processing, routing a first query fully identifying a calling station from which said received call was originated, to said first GTT database and providing information obtained in response to said first query to a switch in said telephone network; and

routing a second query to said UGT database if said GTT database does not respond to said first query, and providing information obtained in response to said second query to said switch.

19. The method defined in claim 18, further including a step of updating information in said first GTT database with information obtained from said second UGT database in response to said second query.

20. The method defined in claim 18, wherein the first and second queries each include a 10 digit telephone number for identifying the calling station.