Bidding for telecommunications traffic

US 5,606,602 A
Filed: 11/06/1995
Issued: 02/25/1997
Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1995
Status: Expired due to Term

- Alert
- Pin

Associated Cases

Associated Defendants

First Claim

Patent Images

1. A method for controlling a telecommunication network in which a moderating computer collects economic incentive data from each carrier of a plurality of telecommunication carriers, processes the economic incentive data and distributes processed data to a plurality of telecommunications switches, each switch associated with an originating point, thereby enabling each telecommunication switch of the plurality of telecommunication switches to make an economic choice as to which carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers each call attempt presented to each telecommunication switch shall be routed, wherein the method comprises:

a. receiving in the moderating computer, economic incentive data specifying the economic incentive each carrier will place on a call from each originating point of a plurality of originating points to each terminating point of a plurality of terminating points, processing the economic incentive data to determine which of the economic incentive data correspond to a first originating point, and storing the economic incentive data in a data base of the moderating computer as first originating point data;

b. identifying a first set of telecommunication switches of the plurality of switches, each switch associated with the first originating point, and transmitting the first originating point data to each of the first set of telecommunication switches; and

c. transmitting the first originating point data to each carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers.

View all claims

5 Assignments

Timeline View

Assignment View

Litigations

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

Telecommunication switches (e.g., PBX'"'"'s or local exchange carrier'"'"'s switches) route calls in accordance with economic incentives (e.g., least cost routing) resulting from a bidding process between participating interexchange telecommunication carriers (Carriers) by operation of a central processor, a computer referred to as a bidding moderator (Moderator). Each of the Carriers informs the Moderator of the rate it is willing to charge (or other economic incentive it is willing to offer) for service between two specific points in the telecommunication network at some particular time. The Moderator collects this bid information from all the Carriers, sorts it among originating points and transmits it to an adjunct processor at each subscribing switch location and to all participating Carriers'"'"' network management centers. From the list of all Carriers providing bid information to the Moderator, each Subscriber can select those Carriers to which it wants traffic routed and can change that selection at any time. After each new bid is submitted by a Carrier and is processed by the Moderator, it is distributed to both the relevant Subscribers and all other Carriers. All Carriers have the opportunity to submit at any time a lower or higher bid for any point-to-point routes on which they wish, respectively, to stimulate or discourage additional traffic. The Moderator could offer a different class of service to end users who are calling parties by broadcasting each carrier'"'"'s bid to an interface unit at each user location.

344 Citations

47 Claims

1. A method for controlling a telecommunication network in which a moderating computer collects economic incentive data from each carrier of a plurality of telecommunication carriers, processes the economic incentive data and distributes processed data to a plurality of telecommunications switches, each switch associated with an originating point, thereby enabling each telecommunication switch of the plurality of telecommunication switches to make an economic choice as to which carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers each call attempt presented to each telecommunication switch shall be routed, wherein the method comprises:
- a. receiving in the moderating computer, economic incentive data specifying the economic incentive each carrier will place on a call from each originating point of a plurality of originating points to each terminating point of a plurality of terminating points, processing the economic incentive data to determine which of the economic incentive data correspond to a first originating point, and storing the economic incentive data in a data base of the moderating computer as first originating point data;
  
  b. identifying a first set of telecommunication switches of the plurality of switches, each switch associated with the first originating point, and transmitting the first originating point data to each of the first set of telecommunication switches; and
  
  c. transmitting the first originating point data to each carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 46)
- - 2. A method of claim 1 in which the economic incentive data is rate data.
  - 3. A method of claim 1 in which the economic incentive data received from each carrier is valid for a specified first block of time.
  - 4. A method of claim 3 in which the first block of time is specified by a start time and a termination time.
  - 5. A method of claim 3 in which the first block of time is specified by a start time and a good-until-cancel instruction.
  - 6. A method of claim 3 in which the economic incentive data valid for the first block of time must be received by the moderating computer prior to a cut-off time that precedes the first block of time by at least a protection interval.
  - 7. A method of claim 6 in which the economic incentive data received by the moderating computer after the cut-off time for the first block of time is valid for a subsequent block of time.
  - 8. A method of claim 1 in which each element of economic incentive data includes a specification of initial validity time and such element of economic incentive data is received by the moderating computer at least a protection interval of time before the initial validity time.
  - 9. A method of claim 8 in which each element of economic incentive data further includes a terminal validity time.
  - 10. A method of claim 3 in which the economic incentive data includes a specification of subsequent blocks of time for which the economic incentive data is valid.
  - 11. A method of claim 6 in which the first originating point data is transmitted to the plurality of telecommunication carriers after the cut-off time.
  - 12. A method of claim 1 in which the first originating point data corresponding to a first carrier of the plurality of carriers is the same for all terminating points.
  - 13. A method of claim 1 in which the first originating point data corresponding to a first carrier of the plurality of carriers is the same for all originating points and all terminating points.
  - 46. A method of claim 1 in which each element of the first originating point data is valid only for a fail-safe protection time.

14. An automated call routing method for enabling a telecommunication switch with a computer adjunct to the telecommunication switch, the telecommunication switch being associated with an originating point, to make an economic choice, in accordance with carrier selection data in a routing table, specifying to which carrier of a plurality of telecommunication carriers a call attempt presented to the telecommunication switch shall be routed for transmission of telecommunications to a first terminating point, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- a. entering decision rules relating to a plurality of telecommunication carriers into the adjunct computer and storing the decision rules in a data base;
  
  b. entering economic incentive data from at least one carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers corresponding to the first terminating point and storing the economic incentive data in the data base;
  
  c. within the adjunct computer, applying the decision rules to the economic incentive data and populating the switch'"'"'s routing table with the carrier selection data corresponding to the first terminating point; and
  
  d. routing the call attempt to a first carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers based on the carrier selection data.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 47)
- - 15. A method of claim 14 in which, for a failed call attempt, the decision rules specify routing the call attempt to the carrier, of the plurality of telecommunication carriers, associated with the next most favorable economic incentive data.
  - 16. A method of claim 14 in which, for a failed call attempt, the decision rules specify routing the call attempt to a default carrier, of the plurality of telecommunication carriers.
  - 17. A method of claim 14 including displaying at least a portion of the economic incentive data at the adjunct computer.
  - 47. A method of claim 14 in which each element of the economic incentive data is valid only for a fail-safe protection time.

18. Method for managing traffic loading of a first telecommunication carrier over a first telecommunication facility of a network from a first originating point to a first terminating point, wherein the network comprises a plurality of telecommunication facilities connecting a plurality of originating points to a plurality of terminating points and is administered by a carrier network administrator, by providing an economic incentive for each switch of a plurality of telecommunication switches to route call attempts to the first telecommunication facility, and adjusting the economic incentive, wherein the telecommunication carrier is one of a plurality of telecommunication carriers, wherein the method comprises:
- a. collecting carrier network data relating to the first telecommunication facility and entering the carrier network data into a computer data base;
  
  b. receiving network management instructions from the carrier network administrator and storing the network management instructions in the computer data base;
  
  c. accessing the carrier network data, determining the economic incentive relating to the first telecommunication facility, which economic incentive is dependent on the carrier network data and the network management instructions, and storing the economic incentive in the computer data base;
  
  d. receiving, from a bidding moderator, economic incentive data relating to at least a second telecommunication facility belonging to at least a second telecommunication carrier and extending from the first originating point to the first terminating point and adjusting the economic incentive based on the received economic incentive data; and
  
  e. transmitting the economic incentive to the bidding moderator.
- View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- - 19. A method of claim 18 in which the economic incentive is valid for a specified first block of time.
  - 20. A method of claim 19 in which the economic incentive for the first block of time is adjusted based on the economic incentive data.
  - 21. A method of claim 19 in which the economic incentive for a subsequent block of time is adjusted based on the economic incentive data.
  - 22. A method of claim 18 in which the network management instructions result in determining that the economic incentive for all telecommunication facilities originating at the first originating point is the same as the economic incentive for the first telecommunication facility.
  - 23. A method of claim 18 in which the carrier network data includes network capacity data and telecommunication traffic data.
  - 24. A method of claim 18 in which the economic incentive is rate.

25. A method for routing a telecommunication call attempt presented to a telecommunication switch associated with an originating point to a first telecommunication carrier of a plurality of telecommunication carriers in accordance with economic incentives arrived at through a bidding process involving a central processor, referred to as a bidding moderator, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- a. collecting carrier network data for each of the telecommunication carriers, each telecommunication carrier entering the data corresponding to the telecommunication facilities constituting its network into its traffic management computer'"'"'s traffic management database;
  
  b. each traffic management computer receiving management instructions from that carrier'"'"'s network administrator, formulating economic incentives for at least a portion of the carrier'"'"'s telecommunication facilities based on the management instructions and the carrier network data, and transmitting the economic incentives to the bidding moderator;
  
  c. in the moderator, receiving the economic incentives, entering the economic incentives from each carrier in the moderator'"'"'s database, and sorting the economic incentives to identify all economic incentives associated with each telecommunication route specified by an originating point and a terminating point;
  
  d. transmitting all of the economic incentives received by the moderator to each of the plurality of carriers, entering the economic incentives in each traffic management database, and adjusting each carrier'"'"'s economic incentives in consideration of the economic incentives from all carriers;
  
  e. sorting the routes to determine which routes have an originating point associated with the telecommunication switch, transmitting all economic incentives associated with such routes to an adjunct computer, adjunct to the telecommunication switch, and entering the economic incentives into the adjunct computer'"'"'s database;
  
  f. transmitting decision rules formulated by the telecommunication switch'"'"'s switch administrator to the telecommunication switch'"'"'s adjunct computer and entering the decision rules in the adjunct computer'"'"'s database;
  
  g. in the adjunct computer, applying the decision rules to the economic incentives thereby generating routing data, and populating the telecommunication switch'"'"'s routing table with the routing data; and
  
  h. routing the call attempt to the first telecommunication carrier in accordance with the routing table.
- View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
- - 26. A method of claim 25 in which the economic incentive is rate.
  - 27. A method of claim 25 including displaying at least a portion of all of the economic incentives at the traffic management computer of at least one of the plurality of carriers.

28. A telecommunication management system for a first telecommunication carrier comprising:
- a. a computer with a processor and a memory;
  
  b. means for inputting carrier network data into the computer and storing such data in the memory;
  
  c. means for inputting network instructions into the computer and storing such instructions in the memory;
  
  d. means for receiving economic incentive data from a bidding moderator, the economic incentive data identified with a plurality of telecommunication carriers;
  
  e. means for determining economic incentive data identified with the first telecommunication carrier, dependent on the network instructions, the carrier network data, and the economic incentive data; and
  
  f. means for transmitting the economic incentive data identified with the first telecommunication carrier to the bidding moderator.
- View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
- - 29. A system of claim 28 in which the network data includes network capacity data and telecommunication traffic data.
  - 30. A system of claim 28 in which the network data includes competitive business decision data.

31. A telecommunication traffic bidding moderator for enabling a first telecommunication switch of a plurality of telecommunication switches to route call attempts to a plurality of telecommunication carriers in accordance with economic incentives generated by the telecommunication carriers, wherein the moderator comprises:
- a. a computer with a processor and a memory;
  
  b. means for receiving economic incentive data from a first telecommunication carrier and storing the economic incentive data, identified with the first telecommunication carrier in the memory;
  
  c. means for transmitting all of the economic incentive data received from a plurality of telecommunication carriers to each carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers;
  
  d. means for sorting the economic incentive data received from the plurality of telecommunication carriers to determine a first subset of such data corresponding to the first telecommunication switch; and
  
  e. means for transmitting the first subset of economic incentive data to the first telecommunication switch.

32. An automated call routing system for routing a call attempt presented to a telecommunication switch to a first telecommunication carrier of a plurality of telecommunication carriers, wherein the system comprises:
- a. a telecommunication switch;
  
  b. a computer adjunct to the telecommunication switch, which adjunct computer has a processor and a memory;
  
  c. means for receiving decision rules from a switch administrator and storing the rules in the memory;
  
  d. means for receiving economic incentive data from the bidding moderator and storing the economic incentive data in the memory;
  
  e. means, within the processor, for accessing the rules and the economic incentive data in the memory and applying the rules to the economic incentive data to produce carrier selection data, dependent on the economic incentive data;
  
  f. means for transmitting the carrier selection data to the telecommunication switch in order to populate the telecommunication switch'"'"'s routing tables; and
  
  g. means for routing the call attempt to the first telecommunication carrier, based on the carrier selection data in the routing table.
- View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
- - 33. A call routing system of claim 32 in which the telecommunication switch comprises a dumb switch and an intelligent peripheral computer.
  - 34. A call routing system of claim 33 in which the adjunct computer is a software defined portion of the intelligent peripheral computer.

35. A method for distributing economic incentive data concerning a telecommunications network to end users, in which method a moderating computer collects the economic incentive data from each carrier of a plurality of telecommunication carriers, processes the economic incentive data and distributes processed data to a plurality of interface units, each interface unit being associated with one of a plurality of telecommunicators and each associated with an originating point, thereby enabling each of the plurality of telecommunicators to make an economic choice as to which carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers each call attempt generated by each telecommunicator shall be routed, wherein the method comprises:
- a. receiving in the moderating computer, economic incentive data specifying the economic incentive each carrier will place on a call from a first originating point and storing the economic incentive data in a data base as first originating point data;
  
  b. identifying a first set of interface units of the plurality of interface units, each interface unit of the first set of interface units associated with the first originating point, and transmitting the first originating point data to each of the first set of interface units; and
  
  c. transmitting the first originating point data to each carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers.
- View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
- - 36. A method of claim 35 including displaying the first originating point data on a display device in the interface unit.
  - 37. A method of claim 35 including selecting the telecommunications carrier to which to route all call attempts, on the basis of the economic incentive data, each call attempt including routing data.
  - 38. A method of claim 37 including inserting a carrier identifier, identifying the telecommunications carrier, in the routing data of each call attempt.
  - 39. A method of claim 37 in which the carrier identifier is inserted automatically by the interface unit.

40. A telecommunication traffic bidding moderator for enabling a first telecommunicator of a plurality of telecommunicators, the first telecommunicator being associated with a first originating point, to route call attempts to a plurality of telecommunication carriers in accordance with economic incentives generated by the telecommunication carriers, wherein the moderator comprises:
- a. a computer with a processor and a memory;
  
  b. means for receiving economic incentive data from a first telecommunication carrier and storing the economic incentive data, identified with the first telecommunication carrier in the memory;
  
  c. means for transmitting all of the economic incentive data received from a plurality of telecommunication carriers to each carrier of the plurality of telecommunication carriers;
  
  d. means for sorting the economic incentive data received from the plurality of telecommunication carriers to determine a first subset of such data corresponding to the first originating point; and
  
  e. means for transmitting the first subset of economic incentive data to a first interface unit associated with the first telecommunicator.
- View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
- - 41. A moderator of claim 40 in which the means for transmitting the economic incentive data includes means for wireless transmission of the first subset of economic incentive data to a wireless receiver in the first interface unit.
  - 42. A moderator of claim 40 in which the means for transmitting economic incentive data is adapted for transmitting the first subset of economic incentive data to all telecommunicators associated with a set of first originating points.

43. An interface unit for routing a call attempt placed by a telecommunicator to a first telecommunication carrier of a plurality of telecommunication carriers in response to economic incentive data received from a moderator and decision rules received from an end user, the interface unit comprising:
- a. a first input port for receiving the call attempt from the telecommunicator, the call attempt including routing data;
  
  b. a second input port for receiving the decision rules from the end user;
  
  c. means for receiving the economic incentive data from the moderator;
  
  d. a processor for selecting the first telecommunication carrier in response to the economic incentive data and the decision rules;
  
  e. means for inserting a first carrier identifier, corresponding to the first telecommunication carrier into the routing data; and
  
  f. an output port for transmitting the call attempt.
- View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
- - 44. An interface unit of claim 43 in which the means for receiving economic incentive data includes a wireless transmission receiver.
  - 45. An interface unit of claim 43 further including a display device for displaying at least a selected portion of the economic incentive data.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Litigation Data

Current Assignee
AIP Acquisition LLC
Original Assignee
Summit Telecom Systems Inc.
Inventors
Johnson, Jack J., Coyle, William F.
Primary Examiner(s)
Kuntz, Curtis
Assistant Examiner(s)
Shankar, Vijay

Application Number

US08/553,889
Time in Patent Office

477 Days
Field of Search

379/111-115, 379/121, 379/133, 379/134, 379/220, 379/221
US Class Current

379/114.02
CPC Class Codes

H04M 15/00   Arrangements for metering, ...

H04M 15/49   Connection to several servi...

H04M 15/8044   Least cost routing

H04M 15/90   using Intelligent Networks ...

H04M 2215/016   Billing using Intelligent N...

H04M 2215/42   Least cost routing, i.e. pr...

H04M 2215/46   Connection to several servi...

H04M 2215/745   Least cost routing, e.g. Au...

H04Q 2213/13097   Numbering, addressing

H04Q 2213/13106   Microprocessor, CPU

H04Q 2213/1313   Metering, billing

H04Q 2213/13138   Least cost routing, LCR

H04Q 2213/13141   Hunting for free outlet, ci...

H04Q 2213/13204   Protocols

H04Q 2213/13332   Broadband, CATV, dynamic ba...

H04Q 2213/13533   multivendor and hybrid, e.g...

H04Q 2213/13541   routing

H04Q 2213/13566   mediation

H04Q 3/0045   involving hybrid, i.e. a mi...

H04Q 3/66   Traffic distributors

Bidding for telecommunications traffic

First Claim

5 Assignments

Litigations

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

344 Citations

47 Claims

Specification

Use Cases

Quick Links

Others

Bidding for telecommunications traffic

First Claim

5 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

Litigations

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

344 Citations

47 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Use Cases

Quick Links

Others