Telecommunications rate data base accessing
AssigneeAT&T Corp.
InventorsArno A. Penzias, Joel K. Young
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Interexchange carriers make their rate information for long-distance service available in a database. PBXs and telephone central offices access that rate information using ISDN and/or SS7 signaling and use it as a basis for determining which carrier to use at any given time in the routing of a call. Such accessing may be carried out on a call-by-call basis. Or a carrier's schedule of rates can be stored locally in the PBX or local switching office, thereby obviating the need for a database query for every call.
Claims15
A method for use by equipment which routes a telephone call front an originating location to a destination location via a selected one of at least two telecommunications carriers, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving from at least a first one of the telecommunications carriers, via a telecommunications signaling path connected to said equipment, the toll rate applicable for the call if routed via said first telecommunications carrier, said signaling path including an SS7 signaling link or an ISDN D channel,
- selecting a particular one of the telecommunications carriers as a function of at least the toll rate received from said first telecommunications carrier, and
- routing the call via the facilities of the selected telecommunications carrier.
A method for use by equipment which routes a telephone call from an originating location to a destination location via a selected one of at least two telecommunications carriers, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a request from said originating location to initiate said telephone call,
- launching, in response to receipt of said request, a query, requesting rate information applicable to calls which originate from said equipment, to at least a first one of the telecommunications carriers, via a telecommunications signaling path connected to said equipment, to determine the toll rate applicable for the call if routed via said first telecommunications carrier,
- receiving that toll rate from said first telecommunications carrier in response to said query,
- selecting a particular one of the telecommunications carriers as a function of at least the toll rate received from said first telecommunications carrier, and
- routing the call via the facilities of the selected telecommunications carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.