Shared dedicated access line (DAL) gateway routing discrimination

• US 7,289,522 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallant, John Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US10/097,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20020136370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 : Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 : Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 : by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 : Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 : Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 : in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 : in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 : Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 : Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 : Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 : Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 : Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 : wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 : taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 : Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 : Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 : Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 : Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 : Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/52 : for operator independent billing system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 : using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 : for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 : for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 : based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 : Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8207 : Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 : Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 : Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 : composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 : Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 : Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 : Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 : General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 : Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 : On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 : Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 : Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2013 : Fixed data network, e.g. PDN, ATM, B-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 : VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 : Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 : Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7813 : Time based data, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 : Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 : Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 : Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 : Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 : Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 : Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 : where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• 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 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

An approach for providing telephony services over a data network is disclosed. A communication system includes a gateway that receives a signal to establish a call with a called station from a calling station in a telephone network (such as a Class 3 network) associated with one of a plurality of customers. The gateway generates a message according to a prescribed application layer protocol to establish the call with the called station over the data network. The message includes an alias host address identifying the one customer. The system also includes a server that receives the message from the gateway and to route the call to the called station based upon the alias host address.

Claims

1. A communication system for providing telephony services over a data network, the system comprising:

a dedicated access line (DAL) gateway shared among a plurality of organizational customers and configured to receive a signal to establish a call with a called station from a calling station in a telephone network associated with one of the organizational customers, and to generate a message according to a prescribed application layer protocol to establish the call with the called station over the data network, wherein the message includes information identifying the one organizational customer; and

a server coupled to the gateway via the data network, the server being configured to receive the message from the gateway and to route the call to the called station based upon the identification information.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the application layer protocol includes at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol and H.323 protocol.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the identification information is an alias host address.

4. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a name server coupled to the gateway and configured to map the alias host address to a host address associated with the server.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the name server stores a plurality of alias host addresses corresponding to the organizational customers, each of the plurality of alias host addresses mapping to the host address of the server.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the telephone network interfaces with a Class 3 switch that couples to the gateway via a plurality of trunks having corresponding switch identification/trunk-group information, the identification information being based on the switch identification/trunk-group information.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the identification information includes a host field to identify the server, and a user field to specify the one organizational customer associated with the calling station.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the gateway is further configured to collect digits from the calling station, the identification information being based on the collected digits.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the gateway is further configured to receive another signal to establish another call with another called station from another calling station in another telephone network associated with another one of the enterprise customers, the gateway being configured to generate another message according to the prescribed application layer protocol to establish the other call with the other called station over the data network, wherein the other message includes other information identifying the one enterprise customer; and

the server is further configured to receive the another message from the gateway and to route the other call to the other called station based upon the identification information.

10. A method of providing telephony services over a data network, the method comprising:

receiving a signal, from a dedicated access line (DAL) gateway shared among a plurality of organizational customers, requesting establishment of a call with a called station from a calling station in a telephone network associated with one of the organizational customers;

generating a message according to a prescribed application layer protocol to establish the call with the called station over the data network, wherein the message includes information identifying the one organizational customer; and

transmitting the message over the data network to a server configured to route the call to the called station based upon the identification information.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the application layer protocol in the generating step includes at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol and H.323 protocol.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the identification information in the generating step is an alias host address.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

communicating with a name server that translates the alias host address to a host address associated with the server.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the name server in the communicating step stores a plurality of alias host addresses corresponding to the organizational customers, each of the plurality of alias host addresses mapping to the host address of the server.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the telephone network in the receiving step interfaces with a Class 3 switch via a plurality of trunks having corresponding switch identification/trunk-group information, the identification information being based on the switch identification/trunk-group information.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the identification information includes a host field to identify the server, and a user field to specify the one organizational customer associated with the calling station.

17. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

collecting digits from the calling station, wherein the message contains the collected digits, the identification information being based on the collected digits.

18. A network device for supporting telephony services over a data network, the device comprising:

a communications interface receiving a signal, from a dedicated access line (DAL) gateway shared among a plurality of organizational customers, requesting establishment of a call with a called station from a calling station in a telephone network associated with one of a plurality of organizational customers; and

a processor coupled to the communications interface generating a message according to a prescribed application layer protocol to establish the call with the called station over the data network, wherein the message includes information identifying the one organizational customer, the message being transmitted over the data network to a server to route the call to the called station based upon the identification information.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein the application layer protocol includes at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol and H.323 protocol.

20. A device according to claim 18, wherein the identification information is an alias host address.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein the communications interface communicates with a name server that is configured to map the alias host address to a host address associated with the server.

22. A device according to claim 20, wherein the name server stores a plurality of alias host addresses corresponding to the organizational customers, each of the plurality of alias host addresses mapping to the host address of the server.

23. A device according to claim 18, wherein the telephone network interfaces with a Class 3 switch that couples to the gateway via a plurality of trunks having corresponding switch identification/trunk-group information, the identification information being based on the switch identification/trunk-group information.

24. A device according to claim 18, wherein the identification information includes a host field to identify the server, and a user field to specify the one organizational customer associated with the calling station.

25. A device according to claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to collect digits from the calling station, the identification information being based on the collected digits.

26. A server apparatus for supporting telephony services over a data network, the apparatus comprising:

a communications interface coupled to a dedicated access line (DAL) gateway shared among a plurality of organizational customers over the data network and to receive a message from the gateway, the gateway being configured to receive a signal to establish a call with a called station from a calling station in a telephone network associated with one of the organizational customers, and to generate the message according to a prescribed application layer protocol to establish the call with the called station over the data network, wherein the message includes information identifying the one organizational customer; and

a processor coupled to the communications interface and configured to route the call to the called station based upon the identification information.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the application layer protocol includes at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol and H.323 protocol.

28. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the identification information is an alias host address.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising:

a name server coupled to the gateway and configured to map the alias host address to a host address associated with the apparatus.

30. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the name server stores a plurality of alias host addresses corresponding to the organizational customers, each of the plurality of alias host addresses mapping to the host address of the apparatus.

31. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the telephone network interfaces with a Class 3 switch that couples to the gateway via a plurality of trunks having corresponding switch identification/trunk-group information, the identification information being based on the switch identification/trunk-group information.

32. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the identification information includes a host field to identify the apparatus, and a user field to specify the one organizational customer associated with the calling station.

33. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the gateway is further configured to collect digits from the calling station, the identification information being based on the collected digits.

34. A network device for supporting telephony services over a data network, the device comprising:

means for receiving a signal, from a dedicated access line (DAL) gateway shared among a plurality of enterprise customers, requesting establishment of a call with a called station from a calling station in a telephone network associated with one of the enterprise customers; and

means for generating a message according to a prescribed application layer protocol to establish the call with the called station over the data network, wherein the message includes information identifying the one enterprise customer, the message being transmitted over the data network to a server configured to route the call to the called station based upon the identification information.

35. A device according to claim 34, wherein the application layer protocol includes at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol and H.323 protocol.

36. A device according to claim 34, wherein the identification information is an alias host address.

37. A device according to claim 36, further comprising:

means for communicating with a name server that translates the alias host address to a host address associated with the server.

38. A device according to claim 37, wherein the name server stores a plurality of alias host addresses corresponding to the enterprise customers, each of the plurality of alias host addresses mapping to the host address of the server.

39. A device according to claim 34, wherein the telephone network interfaces with a Class 3 switch via a plurality of trunks having corresponding switch identification/trunk-group information, the identification information being based on the switch identification/trunk-group information.

40. A device according to claim 34, wherein the identification information includes a host field to identify the server, and a user field to specify the one enterprise customer associated with the calling station.

41. A device according to claim 34, further comprising:

means for collecting digits from the calling station, wherein the identification information is based on the collected digits.

42. A computer-readable non-volatile or volatile storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for supporting telephony services over a data network, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a signal, from a dedicated access line (DAL) gateway shared among a plurality of enterprise customers, requesting establishment of a call with a called station from a calling station in a telephone network associated with one of a the enterprise customers; and

generating a message according to a prescribed application layer protocol to establish the call with the called station over the data network, wherein the message includes information identifying the one enterprise customer, wherein the message is transmitted over the data network to a server configured to route the call to the called station based upon the identification information.

43. A computer-readable non-volatile or volatile storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the application layer protocol in the generating step includes at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol and H.323 protocol.

44. A computer-readable non-volatile or volatile storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the identification information in the generating step is an alias host address.

45. A computer-readable non-volatile or volatile storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of

communicating with a name server that translates the alias host address to a host address associated with the server.

46. A computer-readable non-volatile or volatile storage medium according to claim 45, wherein the name server in the communicating step stores a plurality of alias host addresses corresponding to the enterprise customers, each of the plurality of alias host addresses mapping to the host address of the server.

47. A computer-readable non-volatile or volatile storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the telephone network in the receiving step interfaces with a Class 3 switch via a plurality of trunks having corresponding switch identification/trunk-group information, the identification information being based on the switch identification/trunk-group information.

48. A computer-readable non-volatile or volatile storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the identification information in the generating step includes a host field to identify the server, and a user field to specify the one enterprise customer associated with the calling station.

49. A computer-readable non-volatile or volatile storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of

collecting digits from the calling station, wherein the identification information is based on the collected digits.

50. A computing system for providing telephony services over a data network, the system comprising:

a trunk side interface configured to receive a signal from a dedicated access line (DAL) gateway shared among a plurality of enterprise customers, to establish a call with a called station from a calling station in a telephone network associated with one of the enterprise customers;

a signaling interface coupled to the trunk side interface and configured to generate a message according to a prescribed application layer protocol to establish the call with the called station over the data network; and

an identifier selection module configured to select an identifier associated with the one enterprise customer, wherein the message includes the identifier is forwarded to a server configured to route the call to the called station based upon the identifier.

51. A system according to claim 50, wherein the application layer protocol includes at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol and H.323 protocol.

52. A system according to claim 50, wherein the identifier is an alias host address.

53. A system according to claim 52, wherein the alias host address is mapped by a name server to a host address associated with the server.

54. A system according to claim 53, wherein the name server stores a plurality of alias host addresses corresponding to the enterprise customers, each of the plurality of alias host addresses mapping to the host address of the server.

55. A system according to claim 50, wherein the trunk side interface couples to a plurality of trunks having corresponding switch identification/trunk-group information, the identifier being based on the switch identification/trunk-group information.

56. A system according to claim 50, wherein the identifier includes a host field to identity the server, and a user field to specify the one customer associated with the calling station.

57. A system according to claim 50, further comprising:

a voice response and prompting module coupled to the trunk side interface and configured to collect digits from the calling station, the alias host address being based on the collected digits.