US5406620A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of allocating international transit traffic among a plurality of carriers in a terminating country
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1993-12-14
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Granted: 1995-04-11
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Expires: 2013-12-14
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a system for allocating international transit calls among a plurality of carriers in a terminating country in accordance with routing information that has been previously specified by the originating carrier. Originating carriers may select one of a plurality of routing treatment options which specify how international transit calls should be allocated among the plurality of carriers serving a given terminating country. Carrier treatment tables maintain the routing information specified by each originating carrier for each terminating country. Upon receipt of an international transit call, an originating gateway switch can access the appropriate carrier treatment table and retrieve the routing information specified by the originating carrier for the indicated terminating country. In this manner, a terminating carrier can be selected to receive the transit call based on the routing information previously specified by the originating carrier.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric T. Pei
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:33
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/64; H04Q3/66; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13103; H04Q2213/13141; H04Q2213/13148; H04Q2213/13204; H04Q2213/13353
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A system for use by a transit carrier for allocating an international transit call received from an originating carrier among a plurality of carriers in a terminating country, said allocation system comprising: a computing system having a processor and storage means; means for retrieving from said originating carrier a specification of how calls destined for said terminating country should be allocated among said plurality of terminating carriers; a table in said storage means associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country; means for storing said retrieved specification in said table; said processor further comprising: means for identifying said originating carrier and said terminating country associated with said received international transit call; means for accessing said table associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country to retrieve said stored specification; and means for assigning one of said plurality of terminating carriers to receive said international transit call based upon said stored specification.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
153 words
A system for use by a transit carrier for allocating an international transit call received from an originating carrier among a plurality of carriers in a terminating country, said allocation system comprising: a computing system having a processor and storage means; means for retrieving from said originating carrier a specification of how calls destined for said terminating country should be allocated among said plurality of terminating carriers; a table in said storage means associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country; means for storing said retrieved specification in said table; said processor further comprising: means for identifying said originating carrier and said terminating country associated with said received international transit call; means for accessing said table associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country to retrieve said stored specification; and means for assigning one of said plurality of terminating carriers to receive said international transit call based upon said stored specification.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The allocating system according to claim 1, further including means for apportioning all international transit calls destined for said terminating country to one of said plurality of terminating carriers indicated by said originating carrier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The allocating system according to claim 1, further including means for apportioning said international transit calls destined for said terminating country based on an order of preference indicated by said originating carrier for each of said plurality of terminating carriers in said terminating country.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The allocating system according to claim 1, further including means for apportioning said international transit calls destined for said terminating country among said plurality of terminating carriers based on percentages indicated by said originating carrier for each of said plurality of terminating carriers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The allocating system according to claim 4, wherein said means for apportioning employs a process which ensures that the probability that any one of said plurality of terminating carriers will be said assigned terminating carrier is equal to a predetermined probability specified by said originating carrier for a statistically significant number of calls.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The allocating system according to claim 1, further including means for receiving from said originating carrier an indication of an overflow terminating carrier that may handle the call if there are no routes available to the initially assigned carrier.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
111 words
A system for use in a telecommunications switch of a transit carrier for allocating an international transit call among a plurality of carriers in a terminating country, said international transit call being received by said transit carrier from an originating carrier in an originating country, said telecommunications switch employing a computing system having a processor and storage means, said allocation system comprising: means for receiving from said originating carrier a specification of how said international transit call should be allocated among said plurality of terminating carriers in said terminating country; and means for assigning said international transit call to one of said plurality of terminating carriers based on said received specification.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
111 words
A system for use in a telecommunications switch of a transit carrier for allocating an international transit call among a plurality of carriers in a terminating country, said international transit call being received by said transit carrier from an originating carrier in an originating country, said telecommunications switch employing a computing system having a processor and storage means, said allocation system comprising: means for receiving from said originating carrier a specification of how said international transit call should be allocated among said plurality of terminating carriers in said terminating country; and means for assigning said international transit call to one of said plurality of terminating carriers based on said received specification.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The allocating system according to claim 7, further including means for storing said received specification in a table in said storage means associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The allocating system according to claim 8, wherein said means for assigning said call to a terminating carrier further includes means for accessing said table associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country to retrieve said stored specification.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The allocating system according to claim 7, wherein said means for assigning said call further includes means for apportioning all international transit calls destined for said terminating country to one of said plurality of terminating carriers indicated by said originating carrier.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
The allocating system according to claim 7, wherein said means for assigning said call further includes means for apportioning said international transit calls destined for said terminating country based on an order of preference indicated by said originating carrier for each of said plurality of terminating carriers in said terminating country.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
The allocating system according to claim 7, wherein said means for assigning said call further includes means for apportioning said international transit calls destined for said terminating country among said plurality of terminating carriers based on percentages indicated by said originating carrier for each of said plurality of terminating carriers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
The allocating system according to claim 12, wherein said means for apportioning employs a process which ensures that the probability that any one of said plurality of terminating carriers will be said assigned terminating carrier is equal to a predetermined probability specified by said originating carrier for a statistically significant number of calls.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
The allocating system according to claim 7, wherein said means for assigning said call further includes means for reassigning said call to another terminating carrier if there are no routes available to the initially assigned carrier, said reassignment being based on an indication received from said originating carrier of an overflow terminating carrier that may handle the call.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for use in a telecommunications switch of a transit carrier for allocating an international transit call among a plurality of carriers in a terminating country, said international transit call being received by said transit carrier from an originating carrier in an originating country, said telecommunications switch employing a computing system having a processor and storage means, said allocation method comprising the steps of: receiving from said originating carrier a specification of how said international transit call should be allocated among said plurality of terminating carriers in said terminating country; and assigning said international transit call to one of said plurality of terminating carriers based on said received allocation.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for use in a telecommunications switch of a transit carrier for allocating an international transit call among a plurality of carriers in a terminating country, said international transit call being received by said transit carrier from an originating carrier in an originating country, said telecommunications switch employing a computing system having a processor and storage means, said allocation method comprising the steps of: receiving from said originating carrier a specification of how said international transit call should be allocated among said plurality of terminating carriers in said terminating country; and assigning said international transit call to one of said plurality of terminating carriers based on said received allocation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The allocating method according to claim 15, further including the step of storing said received specification in a table in said storage means associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The allocating method according to claim 16, wherein said step of assigning said call to a terminating carrier further includes the step of accessing said table associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country to retrieve said stored specification.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The allocating method according to claim 15, wherein said step of assigning further includes the step of apportioning all international transit calls to one of said plurality of terminating carriers indicated by said originating carrier.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
45 words
The allocating method according to claim 15, wherein said step of assigning further includes the step of apportioning said international transit calls based on an order of preference indicated by said originating carrier for each of said plurality of terminating carriers in said terminating country.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The allocating method according to claim 15, wherein said step of assigning further includes the step of apportioning said international transit calls based on percentages indicated by said originating carrier for each of said plurality of terminating carriers.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for use by a transit carrier for allocating an international transit call received from an originating carrier among a plurality of terminating carriers in a terminating country, said allocation method employing a computing system having a processor and storage means, said allocation method comprising the steps of: receiving from said originating carrier a specification of how calls destined for said terminating country should be allocated among said plurality of terminating carriers; creating a table in said storage means associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country; storing said received specification in said table; processing said received international transit call to identify said originating carrier and said terminating country; accessing said table associated with said originating carrier and terminating country; retrieving said stored specification from said accessed table; and assigning one of said plurality of terminating carriers to receive said international transit call based upon said stored specification.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for use by a transit carrier for allocating an international transit call received from an originating carrier among a plurality of terminating carriers in a terminating country, said allocation method employing a computing system having a processor and storage means, said allocation method comprising the steps of: receiving from said originating carrier a specification of how calls destined for said terminating country should be allocated among said plurality of terminating carriers; creating a table in said storage means associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country; storing said received specification in said table; processing said received international transit call to identify said originating carrier and said terminating country; accessing said table associated with said originating carrier and terminating country; retrieving said stored specification from said accessed table; and assigning one of said plurality of terminating carriers to receive said international transit call based upon said stored specification.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The allocating method according to claim 21, wherein said step of assigning further includes the step of apportioning all international transit calls to one of said plurality of terminating carriers indicated by said originating carrier.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
The allocating method according to claim 21, wherein said step of assigning further includes the step of apportioning said international transit calls based on an order of preference indicated by said originating carrier for each of said plurality of terminating carriers in said terminating country.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
The allocating method according to claim 21, wherein said step of assigning further includes the step of apportioning said international transit calls based on percentages indicated by said originating carrier for each of said plurality of terminating carriers.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for use in a first telecommunications switch of a telecommunications network of a transit carrier for routing an international transit call to a terminating country having a plurality of terminating carriers, said international transit call being received at said first switch from an originating carrier in an originating country, said allocation method employing a computing system having a processor and storage means, said allocation method comprising the steps of: assigning said international transit call to one of said plurality of terminating carriers in accordance with routing information that has been previously specified by said originating carrier; identifying a second switch in said network which can directly complete said international transit call to said assigned terminating carrier; and routing said international transit call to said identified second switch with associated call information that includes an indication of said assigned terminating carrier.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for use in a first telecommunications switch of a telecommunications network of a transit carrier for routing an international transit call to a terminating country having a plurality of terminating carriers, said international transit call being received at said first switch from an originating carrier in an originating country, said allocation method employing a computing system having a processor and storage means, said allocation method comprising the steps of: assigning said international transit call to one of said plurality of terminating carriers in accordance with routing information that has been previously specified by said originating carrier; identifying a second switch in said network which can directly complete said international transit call to said assigned terminating carrier; and routing said international transit call to said identified second switch with associated call information that includes an indication of said assigned terminating carrier.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The routing method according to claim 25, wherein said previously specified routing information is stored in a table in said storage means associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
42 words
The routing method according to claim 26, wherein said step of assigning said call to a terminating carrier further includes the step of accessing said table associated with said originating carrier and said terminating country to retrieve said previously specified routing information.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-04-10 | 1998-10-10 | 1999-04-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-04-10 | 2002-10-10 | 2003-04-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-04-10 | 2006-10-10 | 2007-04-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |