Producing Routing Messages for Voice Over IP Communications

A packet switched communication system for establishing communications between a first participant device associated with a first participant and a second participant device associated with a second participant, the system comprising:

• a plurality of network elements that provide communication services to communication devices associated with a geographic area associated with the second participant device;
• a communication controller operable to communicate with one or more of the plurality of network elements;
• and
• a routing controller comprising at least one processor in communication with a memory storing instructions for directing the at least one processor to:
• access at least one memory that stores a first participant profile identifying at least one first participant attribute;
• receive a second participant identifier in response to the first participant using the first participant device to initiate a communication to the second participant device, the second participant identifier being associated with the second participant device;
• process the second participant identifier and the at least one first participant attribute to produce a new second participant identifier based on at least one match between the second participant identifier and the at least one first participant attribute, the new second participant identifier comprising a username with which the second participant device is associated in the communication system;
• use the new second participant identifier to identify a destination network element associated with the second participant device from among the plurality of network elements, wherein the plurality of network elements provide load sharing of the communication services to the communication devices associated with the geographic area associated with the second participant device;
• and
• produce a network routing message for receipt by the communication controller, the network routing message comprising the username and identifying a network address of the destination network element associated with the second participant device in the packet switched communication system;
• wherein the communication controller receives the network routing message and attempts to establish the communication to the second participant device based on the network address of the destination network element associated with the second participant device.

A method of establishing communications in an packet switched communication system between a first participant device associated with a first participant and a second participant device associated with a second participant, the method comprising:

• accessing at least one memory that stores a first participant profile identifying at least one first participant attribute, by at least one processor of a routing controller in communication with a communication controller operable to communicate with one or more of a plurality of network elements that provide communication services to a plurality of communication devices associated with a geographic area associated with the second participant device;
• receiving a second participant identifier, by the at least one processor, in response to the first participant using the first participant device to initiate a communication to the second participant device, the second participant identifier being associated with the second participant device;
• producing a new second participant identifier, by the at least one processor, the new second participant identifier comprising a username with which the second participant device is associated in the packet switched communication system, based on at least one match between the second participant identifier and the at least one first participant attribute;
• using the new second participant identifier, by the at least one processor, to identify a destination network element associated with the second participant device from among the plurality of network elements, wherein the plurality of network elements provide load sharing of the communication services to the communication devices associated with the geographic area;
• and
• producing a network routing message for receipt by the communication controller, the network routing message identifying the username and a network address of the destination network element associated with the second participant device in the packet switched communication system;
• receiving the network routing message, by the communication controller, causing the communication controller to attempt to establish the communication to the second participant device based on the network address associated with the second participant device.