Least cost rooting system

Claim 2

A least cost routing device for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by a user, said least cost routing device connected to at least one telephone line, said device comprising: interception means for intercepting digits dialed by the user; a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information; a telephone dialing unit for dialing digits onto the telephone line; a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and wherein said telephone dialing unit is operative to dial said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user onto the telephone line.

Claim 3

The device according to claim 1, further comprising a data server for maintaining a database containing tariff related information on local and long distance carriers, said data server operative to periodically update said tariff data held in said storage unit.

Claim 4

The device according to claim 2, wherein said data server comprises data communication means for transferring updated tariff information to said storage unit.

Claim 5

The device according to claim 1, wherein said local and long distance carriers are selected from the group consisting of: central switching offices, inter-exchange carriers, intra-exchange carriers, fax-store-and-forward providers, call-back providers.

Claim 6

The device according to claim 1, wherein said least cost router comprises means for generating call history information.

Claim 7

The device according to claim 1, wherein said least cost router comprises means for determining whether or not a volume discount applies to the telephone call.

Claim 8

The device according to claim 1, wherein said least cost router comprises means for utilizing said call history information to determine statistics of phone calls including call duration to be utilized in determining expected call cost.

Claim 9

The device according to claim 1 wherein said telephone dialing unit is formed as part of any one of the following: a centrex exchange (CTX), a private branch exchange (PBX), a cellular telephone and a personal computer.

Claim 10

A personal computer based least cost routing device for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by a user, said least cost routing device connected to at least one telephone line, said device comprising: a user interface device for inputting from the user, the digits making up the telephone call to be made; a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information; a telephone dialing unit for dialing digits onto the telephone line; a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and wherein said dialing unit is operative to dial said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user onto the telephone line.

Claim 11

A personal computer based least cost routing device for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by a user, said least cost routing device connected to at least one telephone line, said device comprising: a user interface device for inputting from the user, the digits making up the telephone call to be made; a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information; a telephone dialing unit for dialing digits onto the telephone line; a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and wherein said dialing unit is operative to dial said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user onto the telephone line.

Claim 12

The device according to claim 9, further comprising a data server for maintaining a database containing tariff related information on local and long distance carriers and the local exchange, said data server operative to periodically update said tariff data held in said storage unit.

Claim 13

The device according to claim 9, wherein said local and long distance carrier are selected from the group consisting of: central switching offices, inter-exchange carriers, intra-exchange carriers, fax-store-and-forward providers, call-back providers.

Claim 14

The device according to claim 9, wherein said least cost router comprises means for generating call history information.

Claim 15

The device according to claim 9, wherein said least cost router comprises means for determining whether or not a volume discount applies to the telephone call.

Claim 16

The device according to claim 9, wherein said least cost router comprises means for utilizing said call history information to determine statistics of phone calls including call duration to be utilized in determining expected call cost.

Claim 17

The device according to claim 10, wherein said data server comprises data communication means for transferring updated tariff information to said storage unit.

Claim 18

The device according to claim 10, where in said data server comprises data communication means for transferring updated tariff information to said storage unit via the Internet.

Claim 19

A private branch exchange (PBX) based least cost router apparatus for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by users of a PBX, said PBX connected to at least one telephone line, said apparatus comprising: input means for receiving digits dialed by the user and intercepted by the PBX; a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information; a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and said least cost router operative to send said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user to the PBX for dialing onto the telephone line.

Claim 20

A private branch exchange (PBX) based least cost router apparatus for determining and establishing an optimum route for a telephone call made by users of a PBX, said PBX connected to at least one telephone line, said apparatus comprising: input means for receiving digits dialed by the user and intercepted by the PBX; a storage unit for storing tariff and telephone call related information; a least cost router for determining said optimum route for the telephone call utilizing said tariff and telephone call related information and expected call cost, said least cost router operative to generate a dialing prefix corresponding to the carrier selected for said optimum route and to append said dialing prefix to said digits dialed by the user; and said least cost router operative to send said combination of dialing prefix and said digits dialed by the user to the PBX for dialing onto the telephone line.

Claim 21

The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a data server for maintaining a database containing tariff related information on local and long distance carriers, said data server operative to periodically update said tariff data held in said storage unit.

Claim 22

The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said data server comprises data communication means for transferring updated tariff information to said storage unit.

Claim 23

The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said data server comprises data communication means for transferring updated tariff information to said storage unit via the Internet.

Claim 24

The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said local and long distance carriers are selected from the group consisting of: central switching offices, inter-exchange carriers, intra-exchange carriers, fax-store-and-forward providers, call-back providers.

Claim 25

The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said least cost router comprises means for generating call history information.

Claim 26

The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said least cost router comprises means for determining whether or not a volume discount applies to the telephone call.

Claim 27

The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said least cost router comprises means for utilizing said call history information to determine statistics of phone calls including call duration to be utilized in determining expected call cost.

Claim 28

The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said telephone dialing unit is formed as part of any one of the following: a centrex exchange (CTX), a private branch exchange (PBX), a cellular telephone and a personal computer.