Internetwork telephony with enhanced features

• US 6,272,126 B1
• Filed: 07/24/1997
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Farris, Robert D., Strauss, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, STEVEN H D
• Application Number:
  US08/899,813
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/213, 379/215, 379/220, 379/207, 379/93.01, 379/88.17, 379/900
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13286 Direct in-dialling in PBX, DDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13331 Abbreviated dialling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

Interconnect traffic between local exchange carrier (LECs) networks and other carrier networks, particularly competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) networks, dictates a need for efficient monitoring and analysis of the interconnect traffic. In accord with the invention, monitor equipment on the LEC network captures call related messages produced by the LEC network and compiles data from those messages to form call detail records for the interconnect traffic. These records are loaded into a relational database. A data preparation routine enhances the data, for example, by translating certain codes from the records into more useful text and by spreading or binning usage over predefined time intervals. An on-line analytical processing program runs one or more applications to allow the LEC to analyze the interconnect traffic between the LEC network and the other carrier'"'"'s network. The analysis provides useful traffic data for accounting purposes, e.g. for use in determining jurisdictional factors for reciprocal compensation calculations. The data also enables the LEC to engineer upgrades of the network to provide cost effective service for the traffic to and from the other carrier'"'"'s network.

Claims

1. In a hybrid communication system including telecommunication networks and a packet data network, said telecommunications networks linked to user terminals, the combination comprising:

a first of said user terminals having associated therewith a plurality of destination terminal numbers;

a first gateway including a storage related to said first user terminal and containing said plurality of destination terminal numbers and a plurality of dialing numbers which may be dialed to connect said first user terminal to said gateway via a first of said telecommunication networks, each of said plurality of destination numbers corresponding to one of said plurality of dialing numbers;

said first gateway including server means to translate a voice or data signal received by said first gateway from said first user terminal into a signal for communicating with a first gateway processor of said packet data network;

a second gateway including server means to translate a signal received from a second gateway processor of said packet data network to a voice or data signal for communicating with a second user terminal connected to a second of said telecommunication networks;

whereby

dialing of one of said numbers in said first series of numbers from said first user terminal to connect to said first gateway results in communicating through said packet data network to said second gateway the number corresponding to the dialed number which is thereby dialed to connect said second gateway to a destination terminal having such dialed destination terminal number and establish a link between said first and destination terminals through said packet data network; and

further including a connection between said first of said user terminals and said first gateway which bypasses said server means.

2. A method of routing of voice and data communication between terminals having respective telephone numbers via a communication system that includes telecommunication networks and a data packet network, said method comprising the steps of:

in response to input of digits of a first telephone number at a terminal originating a telephone call, connecting the originating terminal through a first telephone switching network to a first service provider;

communicating to said first service provider the telephone number of the originating terminal;

accessing a storage medium of said first service provider to obtain a table, associated with the originating telephone number, having a record in which the first telephone number is correlated with a single destination telephone number, said destination telephone number being associated with an address of a second service provider, to obtain from said table said destination telephone number address;

communicating from said first service provider to said second service provider, via said packet data network, said destination telephone number;

originating, at said second service provider, a call to the destination telephone number via a second telephone switching network; and

establishing a voice and data communication link between said originating and destination terminals via said packet data network and said first and second telephone switching networks;

wherein said record is one of a plurality of records that correlate dialing numbers with respective destination telephone numbers in said table; and

wherein said storage medium comprises a plurality of tables associated with respective originating terminals, each of the plurality of tables containing in common a set of said dialing numbers, each of the dialing numbers in said set in each table being correlated on an individual basis with respective destination telephone numbers.

3. A system for routing voice and data communication between terminals having respective telephone numbers via hybrid paths containing both analog voice and data packet format, said system comprising:

a first telephone switching network linked to a first plurality of user terminals and a first Internet gateway;

a second telephone switching network linked to a second plurality of user terminals and a second Internet gateway; and

a first service provider connected to said first telephone network, said first service provider comprising a storage medium containing a plurality of tables associated with respective ones of said first plurality of user terminals, the plurality of tables containing in common a set of dialing numbers for connection to the first service provider, each of the dialing numbers in said set in each table being correlated independently with a respective destination telephone number of said second plurality of user terminals;

wherein

in response to input of one of said dialing numbers at one of said first plurality of user terminals, one of said tables is accessed to obtain a destination telephone number that corresponds to the dialing number input, and said destination telephone number is transmitted to said second Internet gateway for establishing a voice and data communication link between originating and destination terminals via said packet data network and said first and second telephone switching networks.