Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02902584 2015-09-01
CALL CIRCUIT SELECTION MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
100011 The present disclosure relates to telephony, and in particular, to
a call circuit
selection management method and system.
BACKGROUND
100021 Standard telephony generally involves the establishment of a call
between a
calling device and a destination defined by a calling request initiated via
the calling
device. To complete the call, one or more particular circuits are selected
that link the
calling device to the destination. Depending on the destination (local vs.
national vs.
international), different calling rates may be applied, which may depend not
only on the
destination, but also the selected circuit to complete the call.
[0003] In the context of a calling card or other long distance service,
one or more
circuits may be available to complete a call, with each one potentially
offering different
calling rates, and offering different circuit reliability and call quality.
Accordingly, such a
long distance service provider may elect from available circuits to increase
profit margins
and/or to offer better rates to their customers. In the context of a calling
card service, a
lowest available rate is generally advertised for different destinations based
on a lowest-
rate circuit accessible or known to the service provider, irrespective of
availability. Upon
placing a call with such a service, a customer may expect the advertised
lowest available
rate, but in fact be charged a much higher rate depending on circuit
availability and
applicable circuit call rates at the time the call is made. This discrepancy
can cause
significant customer frustration, particularly as most calling cards will
advertise a number
of available call time minutes for each destination for a given payment amount
irrespective of whether such call time minutes are likely to be realized given
the
relatively volatile availability of such lowest rate circuits.
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[0004] This background information is provided to reveal information
believed by the
applicant to be of possible relevance. No admission is necessarily intended,
nor should be
construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art.
SUMMARY
[0005] The following presents a simplified summary of the general inventive
concept(s) described herein to provide a basic understanding of some aspects
of the
invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is
not intended
to restrict key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the
scope of the
invention beyond that which is explicitly or implicitly described by the
following
description and claims.
[0006] A need exists for a call circuit selection management method and
system that
overcomes some of the drawbacks of known techniques, or at least, provides a
useful
alternative thereto. Some aspects of this disclosure provide examples of such
systems and
methods.
[0007] In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a computer-
automated
method for managing circuit selection in establishing a call initiated via a
calling device
to a call destination, the method comprising: receiving indication of a call
request
initiated from the calling device identifying the call destination, said call
request having
associated therewith at least one preset call service parameter; identifying
an available
circuit for completing said call request; upon confirming that said available
circuit
satisfies said at least one preset call service parameter, causing placement
of said call
request via said available circuit; otherwise causing provision of a user-
selectable option
via said calling device to proceed with said call request via said available
circuit despite
said at least one preset call service parameter being unsatisfied; and upon
said user-
selectable option being selected, causing placement of said call request via
said available
circuit.
[0008] In accordance with one embodiment, the preset call service
parameter
comprises a preset calling rate.
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[0009] In accordance with one embodiment, the preset calling rate is
specific to the
call destination.
[0010] In accordance with one embodiment, the method further comprises
relaying an
automated message to said calling device in providing said user-selectable
option so to
indicate a current call service parameter available via said available
circuit.
[0011] In accordance with one embodiment, the method is automatically
executed by
a processor of a network-enabled device operatively associated with a
telephony network
switch and/or gateway processing said call request.
[0012] In accordance with one embodiment, the switch and/or gateway
comprises a
VoIP switch and/or gateway.
[0013] In accordance with one embodiment, the identifying said available
circuit
comprises identifying multiple available circuits appropriate for relaying
said call request
and each having a respective call service parameter associated therewith; and
determining
which of said multiple available circuits best satisfies said preset call
service parameter
based on each said respective call service parameter to select it as said
available circuit.
[0014] In accordance with one embodiment, the number of said multiple
available
circuits varies as a function of at least one of time of day, destination and
current call
volume.
[0015] In accordance with one embodiment, the call request is initiated
using a
calling card service, and wherein said preset call service parameter comprises
a preset
calling rate associated with said calling card service based on a predefined
circuit
accessible to said calling card service with limited availability.
[0016] In accordance with one embodiment, the limited availability
comprises a
maximum overall calling time allotted to said calling card service for a given
destination
accessible via said predefined circuit and allotted at a discounted rate
permissive of said
preset calling rate.
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[0017] In accordance with one embodiment, the limited availability
comprises at least
one of a preset time, preset times, a given weekday, given weekdays, a given
weekend
day and given weekend days during which access to said predefined circuit is
provided to
said calling card service at a discounted rate permissive of said preset
calling rate.
[0018] In accordance with one embodiment, each said respective call service
parameter further comprises at least one of a circuit reliability and a
circuit quality metric,
wherein said user-selected option comprises option to proceed as a function of
said at
least one of said circuit reliability and said circuit quality metric.
[0019] In accordance with one embodiment, the method is automatically
executed as
part of or in concert with an automated lowest cost routing application
operable to
identify a lowest cost routing circuit available or satisfying a preset call
quality and/or
reliability metric to the call destination.
[0020] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a call
circuit selection
management device for managing selection of a call circuit for establishment
of a call
initiated via a calling device to a call destination, the device comprising: a
circuit network
interface to receive indication of a call request initiated from the calling
device
identifying the call destination, wherein said call request has at least one
preset call
service parameter associated therewith; a processor operatively associated
with said
circuit network interface to execute instructions, responsive to said call
request
indication, to: identify an available circuit for completing said call
request; determine
whether said available circuit satisfies said preset call service parameter;
upon confirming
that said available circuit satisfies said at least one preset call service
parameter, instruct
placement of said call request via said available circuit; otherwise cause
provision of a
user-selectable option via the calling device to proceed with said call
request via said
available circuit despite said at least one preset call service parameter
being unsatisfied;
and upon said user-selectable option being selected, instruct placement of
said call
request via said available circuit.
[0021] In accordance with one embodiment, the preset call service
parameter
comprises a stored preset calling rate.
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[0022] In accordance with one embodiment, the preset calling rate is
specific to the
call destination.
[0023] In accordance with one embodiment, the instructions further
comprise
instructions to cause relaying of an automated message to the calling device
in providing
said user-selectable option so to indicate a current call service parameter
available via
said available circuit.
[0024] In accordance with one embodiment, the device is operatively
associated with
a telephony network switch and/or gateway processing said call request.
[0025] In accordance with one embodiment, the switch and/or gateway
comprises a
VoIP switch and/or gateway.
[0026] In accordance with one embodiment, the instructions to identify
said available
circuit comprise instructions to identify multiple available circuits
appropriate for
relaying said call request and each having a respective call service parameter
associated
therewith; and instructions to determine which of said multiple available
circuits best
satisfies said preset call service parameter based on each said respective
call service
parameter to select it as said available circuit.
[0027] In accordance with one embodiment, the instructions are executable
as part of
or in concert with an automated lowest cost routing application operable to
identify a
lowest cost routing circuit available or satisfying a preset call quality
and/or reliability
metric to the call destination.
[0028] In accordance with another aspect there is provided a computer-
readable
medium having statements and instructions stored thereon for implementation by
a
processor to manage selection of a call circuit for establishment of a call
initiated via a
calling device to a call destination initiation by: receiving indication of a
call request
initiated from the calling device identifying the call destination, said call
request having
associated therewith at least one preset call service parameter; identifying
an available
circuit for completing said call request; upon confirming that said available
circuit
satisfies said at least one preset call service parameter, causing placement
of said call
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request via said available circuit; otherwise causing provision of a user-
selectable option
via said calling device to proceed with said call request via said available
circuit despite
said at least one preset call service parameter being unsatisfied; and upon
said user-
selectable option being selected, causing placement of said call request via
said available
circuit.
100291 In accordance with one embodiment, the preset call service
parameter
comprises a stored preset calling rate.
[0030] In accordance with one embodiment, the preset calling rate is
specific to the
call destination.
[0031] In accordance with one embodiment, the instructions further comprise
instructions to cause relaying of an automated message to the calling device
in providing
said user-selectable option so to indicate a current call service parameter
available via
said available circuit.
[0032] In accordance with one embodiment, the instructions to identify
said available
circuit comprise instructions to identify multiple available circuits
appropriate for
relaying said call request and each having a respective call service parameter
associated
therewith; and instructions to determine which of said multiple available
circuits best
satisfies said preset call service parameter based on each said respective
call service
parameter to select it as said available circuit.
[0033] Other aspects, features and/or advantages will become more apparent
upon
reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments
thereof,
given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0034] Several embodiments of the present disclosure will be provided, by
way of
examples only, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:
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[0035] Figure 1 is a high level diagram of a call connection management
system and
method in accordance with one embodiment; and
[0036] Figure 2 is a flow diagram of a call connection management method
implemented in accordance with an illustrative implementation of the
embodiment of
Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] The embodiments described herein provide different illustrative
examples of a
call circuit selection management method and system. For instance, in some
embodiments, a circuit selection method is automatically executed in an
attempt to
provide a calling party a lowest available routing cost to the call
destination, for instance,
in respecting an advertised lowest available calling rate to this destination.
Where routing
circuits to the call destination available at the time the call is placed do
not satisfy this
advertised rate, the disclosed methods may result in the provision of a user-
selectable
option to proceed with their call request via what circuits are currently
available despite
the current unavailability of the advertised rate, thus empowering the caller
to decide
whether to proceed with the call and be subject to higher-than-advertised
rates. A similar
technique may be applied in the context of call quality, where for example
advertised
high quality circuits are not currently available, but where a caller may
nonetheless elect
to proceed with a call over lower quality circuits.
[0038] With reference to Figure 1, and in accordance with one embodiment, a
user-
mediated call circuit management system, generally referred to using the
numeral 100,
will now be described. In the example of Figure 1, an automated circuit
selection device
102 is provided in automatically managing, at least in part, call circuit
selection within
the context of a general voice over data network system, such as Voice over IP
(VoIP)
network system 100. In this particular embodiment, the circuit selection
device 102
provides for the execution of an automated caller-mediated process for
addressing call
circuit selection, for instance, where various routing options may be
available to complete
a given call to a given destination, but possibly not in accordance with one
or more preset
call service parameters advertised or otherwise expected by the caller. In
this example,
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the monitoring device 102 interfaces with the VoIP network system 100 to
participate in
call circuit selection for an illustrative call made over an available
communication
network(s) 101 between a calling device 104 and a call destination 106.
100391 In this high level example, a call request is directed to an
originating gateway
108 by the calling device 104 over an originating communication network link
110 so to
initiate a call setup sequence and ultimately relay a call to the call
destination 106 via a
communicatively accessible destination gateway 112 and destination network
link 114. It
will be appreciated that multiple destination gateways 112 may be available to
the
originating gateway 108 to complete the call, and that selection of such
gateway, and
associated destination service provider may be based on different parameters
and criteria,
such as network access costs and fees, compatibility, reliability, existing
business
relationships or incentives between interfacing parties, etc. Furthermore,
certain
favourable destination gateways 112 and/or links 114 may be available at
certain times,
on certain days, and/or to accommodate certain call volumes, but may otherwise
become
unavailable to a given originating service provider for various such or other
reasons, and
at times unpredictably so. Accordingly, while a local service provider may
legitimately
advertise or promote access to various call destinations via such favourable
destination
gateways and/or links, they may in fact have limited access thereto,
predictably or not,
and thus fall short on certain advertised call service parameters to such
destinations, such
as call connection or airtime rates, available airtime minutes for a preset
cost or account
balance, call quality and/or reliability, and the like.
100401 The known complexities of call circuit selection criteria and
implementations
may invoke, in some embodiments, the execution of known or proprietary least-
cost
routing (LCR) processes and techniques. For instance, LCR is generally
associated with
the process of selecting the path of outbound communication traffic based on
cost. A
telecommunication carrier may, for example, employ a LCR team that
periodically
(monthly, weekly or even daily) chooses between routes from several or even
hundreds
of carriers for destinations across the world. This process can otherwise be
automated by
a device or software program known as a Least Cost Router, or the like. For
example, a
dedicated LCR application software can be operated to automatically load price
schedules
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and code tables, keep control of volume commitment and available capacity with
selected
local and/or foreign carriers, correctly compare dial codes, convert a
carrier's name-based
price schedule into a dial code-dependent termination cost schedule, put costs
in order,
incorporate quality considerations, produce costing and routing schedules in a
format
suitable for pricing analysts and engineering, generate automatic orders to
network
switches, and transfer data into a related billing system. LCR application
platforms can
vary from basic homegrown applications to commercial products offering
integration
with switch and billing systems, for example.
[0041] With VoIP becoming a predominate carrier messaging system, routing
to becomes available from standalone products and hosted services. Standalone
LCR
systems in this context can integrate many powerful routing features such as
jurisdictional routing, profit margin protected routing, standard LCR, and the
like, as will
be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan.
[0042] In any event, the circuit selection management systems and methods
considered herein may be employed alone or in concert with the above or other
such call
routing techniques to deliver improved services while mitigating unnecessary
operating
losses. In the present example, an LCR application could, for instance, form
part of, or be
associated and/or interface with the caller-mediated circuit selection device
102 of Figure
1 so to operate in concert in the selection and caller-authorized routing of
calls via
selected circuits that may, in some circumstances, conflict with advertised or
otherwise
expected call parameters to the caller. In any event, and as will be discussed
in greater
detail below, selection of an appropriate communication network, or
destination gateway
112 in this example, may at least in part be impacted by implementation of the
caller-
mediated device 102 of Figure 1.
[0043] The calling device 104 may consist of, but is not limited to, a
traditional
telephone communicating over a standard public switch telephone network (PSTN)
link,
a cellular telephone communicating over a local cellular communication network
link, a
VoIP phone or softphone communicating over an available data network link
(e.g.
Internet connection such as a dial-up, DSL, cable and/or optical fibre
connection), and the
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like. The call destination 106, much like calling device 104, may consist of
different
types of communication devices operating over an appropriate communication
network
link, or the like.
[0044] In this example, the device 102 is operatively associated with the
originating
gateway 108 so to actively partake in the routing of a call connection made
via the
originating gateway 108 between the calling device 104 and call destination
106. For the
sake of illustration, the device 102 is shown as a separate device or hardware
box
interfacing with the communication network via the originating gateway 108. It
will,
however, be appreciated that the monitoring device 102 may also form part of
the
gateway 108, either as a fully or partially integrated or embedded hardware
and/or
software component, for example, to achieve a similar result. Alternatively,
the device
102 may be interposed within the communication network to monitor
communications
relayed thereon and interface with a call service server 116 (introduced
below) without
requiring an active interface to the gateway 108, but rather probe the
communication
network without interference or disruption to existing or legacy equipment. In
any event,
the device 102 may be configured to monitor/track call setup signals, traffic,
data and the
like (commonly referred to herein as signals for simplicity) and automatically
call upon
an operator of the calling device 104 to participate in the validation of a
call circuit
selection ultimately resulting therefrom. For instance, and in accordance with
one
embodiment, the device 102 can interface with the communication network via
originating gateway 108 to access an identified available circuit selection
(i.e. selected
via a distinct or integrated LCR application), retrieve one or more call
service parameters
(e.g. calling rate, circuit quality, etc.) associated with such selection and
compare such
applicable service parameters with preset call service parameters advertised
or otherwise
expected by the caller. Based on this automated comparison, the device 102 may
cause
implementation of an automated caller-mediated circuit selection authorization
process,
as appropriate or necessary, to validate applicable call service parameters to
be applied
for the call that may in fact diverge from those advertised or otherwise
expected by the
caller.
[0045] As illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 1, the device 102 may be
operated
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by a VoIP or other call service provider, such as a local, regional, national
and/or
international call service provider in order to provide greater assurance or
control to their
customers that billing metrics to be applied in respect of calls initiated via
their services
are appropriately applied, or at least more transparently applied through
confirmed caller
authorization. In this example, the call service provider is illustrated as
operating a
network-accessible call service server 116 or the like to manage and operate
the
originating gateway 108 in placing requested calls to multiple destinations
around the
globe and managing accounts associated with users making these calls, be they
regular
call service subscribers, pay-per-use subscribers, calling card users or the
like.
[0046] In one particular example and with added reference to Figure 2, a
circuit
selection sequence, generally referred to using the numeral 200, is affected
in whole or in
part by an integrated circuit selection application executed to interface with
an originating
gateway, such as gateway 108 of Figure 1, to receive indication of a call
request 202
initiated by a given calling device 104, and process selection of an
appropriate or
preferred circuit for completing the call request, for instance, via a
selected destination
gateway 112 and/or link 114 as may be available and/or appropriate given
operational
characteristics, preferences and/or limitations of the originating call
service provider. As
noted above, this process may be wholly or partly implemented by a distinct
call circuit
selection device 102 or platform operatively interfacing with the originating
gateway 108
and/or network-accessible call service server 116, directly by the originating
gateway
108, and/or by or as an integrated component or module of the call service
server 116.
Likewise, the various steps and processes involved in circuit selection may,
again, be
implemented wholly within the context of an integral circuit selection device
or module,
or distributed across two or more cooperating circuit selection platforms or
modules, for
instance, via cooperative implementation of an automated LCR application and a
caller-
mediated circuit selection approval application, as one example.
[0047] In any even, the circuit selection process will respond to the
call request by
first identifying (204) available circuits for completing the call request,
and then selected
one of these available circuits (206) based on one or more preset criteria,
such as but not
limited to reported circuit reliability, circuit quality, applicable
connection and/or airtime
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rates, and the like. In the context of an LCR-mediated circuit selection
process, a lowest
cost circuit available in completing the call request would generally be
selected provided
this lowest cost circuit meets certain minimum reliability and/or quality
criteria.
100481 Once an available circuit has been automatically selected, one or
more service
parameters associated with this selected circuit are compared (208) with one
or more
corresponding call service parameters advertised or otherwise expected by the
caller (e.g.
advertised rate, available minutes for pre-purchased calling/ mobile service
card or
remaining card balance, etc.). For instance, in the context of a calling card
service,
advertised or expected rates would generally correspond with a lowest cost
circuit rate
known to be at least occasionally available to the service provider.
Accordingly, the call
service provider would configure the caller-mediated circuit selection system
to compare
an call circuit rate available at that time with this lowest advertised rate.
100491 In the event that the available call service parameter(s) do
coincide with those
expected by the caller, the call is executed via the selected circuit (210).
However, where
the call service parameter(s) do not coincide with those expected by the
caller, the caller
is probed by an automated message is relayed (212) to the caller requesting
caller
authorization to complete the call via the selected circuit despite the
expected call service
parameter(s) being unsatisfied by this selected circuit. Upon caller approval
(214), the
call is executed via the selected circuit (210), otherwise the call is
terminated (216).
100501 As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, the caller may
receive the
automated message via various means depending on the type of device being
operated to
set the call. For example, the caller notification may come through as an
automated voice
recording identifying the actual rate applicable given the circuit selected
and/or the
number of minutes or airtime available to the user should the call continue
based on a
current caller account balance. The caller could then authorize pursuit of the
call with the
selected circuit via an appropriate voice command (e.g. captured and processed
by a
voice recognition software or the like), touch tone phone command (e.g. press
"I" to
continue, press "2" to try again, press "3" to disconnect), or again by
staying on the line
for a preset timer duration presumptively indicative of the caller's intention
to continue
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with the call on the selected circuit. Other examples may include the
rendering of a text-
based or graphically rendered message on text or graphic-enabled devices, and
the
capture of a caller selection via a corresponding text or graphically enabled
selection
function. These and other examples will be readily understood by the skilled
artisan and
are therefore intended to fall within the general scope and nature of the
present
disclosure.
100511 While the present disclosure describes various exemplary
embodiments, the
disclosure is not so limited. To the contrary, the disclosure is intended to
cover various
modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the general scope of
the
present disclosure.
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