Abstract: Methods and systems for call queue improvement. One system includes an electronic computing device configured to receive a call from a communication device operated by a caller; analyze the call for an incident factor; and direct the call, based on the incident factor, to either an automated call handler or to an active call queue. The electronic computing device is further configured to assign an existing incident identifier associated with the existing incident to a call record of the call based on determining whether the call is in regard to an existing incident. The electronic computing device is further configured to assign the call record to an abandoned call queue, and display, via a workstation of a call taker, a list of calls included in the abandoned call queue. The list includes the call and an indication whether the existing incident identifier has been assigned to the call record.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for a call routing application. Routes are evaluated according to selection scores of call routes. The selection scores are calculated based on weighted call quality data corresponding to past calls on the call routes. A call route is selected according to an evaluation including call costs or other criteria. A call is then routed via the selected call route to the call endpoint.

Abstract: Example systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for scheduling traffic by a media agnostic universal serial bus protocol adaptive layer. In one embodiment, a method can include determining, by a processor, a first bitmask including first binary information about a state of a plurality of universal serial bus traffic classes, selecting, by the processor, one or more universal serial bus traffic classes to service based at least in part on the first binary information, determining, by the processor, a second bitmask including second binary information about a state of a plurality of universal serial bus endpoint queues, each universal serial bus endpoint queue including a plurality of universal serial bus endpoints, and selecting, by the processor, one or more universal serial bus endpoint queues to service based at least in part on the second binary information.

Abstract: A method and a system for controlling the load of calls carried by a voice over Internet protocol telephone system attempts to reduce or eliminate the overloading of individual trunk groups and/or destination gateways. The system obtains information relating to a plurality of calls in the system, and analyzes the call information to determine if certain trunk groups or destination gateways are overloaded. If so, the system issues commands so that additional calls are diverted away from the overloaded trunk group or destination gateway.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products receive a request for communications service at a service provider. A subcontracted processing service is determined to fulfill the request for communications service. Packets of data are subcontracted to a different service provider to receive the subcontracted processing service. A result of the subcontracted processing service is received from the different service provider.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a route including: a collector that collects a current amount of link traffic and current link power consumption of each link; a virtual link setter that sets virtual links for each link; a link cost calculator that calculates a link cost of each virtual link based on the estimated increase in the link power consumption; a constraint condition setter that creates a constraint condition satisfying a requirement of end-to-end quality of a request flow based on change in quality of each virtual link and satisfying a requirement of end-to-end quality of an existing flow based on the change in quality of the existing flow on the virtual link; a route determinator that determines a route having a smallest sum of the link costs including a plurality of the virtual links satisfying the created constraint condition.

Abstract: A system and method that allocate call capacity based on the need to divide the call capacities of at least some call-termination devices across geographic regions. Accordingly, the allocation system uses various input parameters as constraints in a linear programming optimization, which has the objective of maximizing the capacity allocation of a device to fulfill the traffic demands of each region being processed. The input parameters that are used include i) the traffic demand forecast of each geographic region being evaluated, ii) the available call capacity of each call-termination device, iii) the call destinations associated with each region, and iv) service levels associated with each given call destination. Call-capacities are separately allocated for i) the predicted traffic that is expected in the next time period and ii) an additional margin of excess traffic above and beyond the expected traffic.

Abstract: A system, method and non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when read by a processor perform receiving a telephony connection request at a location in a telephony network, the location separated from an intended recipient of the telephony connection request by a target telephony network, determining addressing information regarding the intended recipient, the addressing information including at least routing information or a phone number, determining a status characteristic of the intended recipient based on the addressing information, based on the status characteristic, and determining whether the intended recipient would successfully receive the telephony connection request if the telephony connection request was forwarded to the intended recipient.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for conserving electrical power in a telecommunications facility (10) containing a plurality of like electrically powered hardware resources for transporting call traffic through the facility (10). The method includes: monitoring a traffic load being experienced by the facility (10); selecting one or more of the hardware resources in response to the monitored traffic load, such that the selected hardware resources have a capacity sufficient to reliably transport the monitored traffic load thereover; and consolidating call traffic in the selected hardware resources.

Abstract: Provided is a private branch exchange capable of independently adjusting call voice level and call quality according to a connection type of a communication line or a telephone.

Abstract: A method for processing dialed outgoing calls in a contact center includes a method for matching a dialed string and a method for translating the dialed string. A method for matching includes identifying a set of available number categories based on a calling profile with which the dialing agent device is configured, matching the dialed string against each of a set of patterns in each of the categories, and translating the dialed string according to the category, if any category matches and if no blocked category matches the dialed string. The number may then be translated to a translated number including a PSTN telephone number and routing characters specifying how the call is to be routed from an IP network to the PSTN. The routing may be selected to minimize the cost of the call.

Abstract: Example embodiments of the present invention may include a method and apparatus configured determine an optimal routing path to route a call through a network. One example method may include retrieving and parsing a routing table and storing the parsed routing information in a routing database. The method may also include determining a plurality of routes that could be used to route the call through the network by applying at least one cost metric to the plurality of determined routes. The method may also include determining an order of the plurality of routes used to route the call, and create a route used to route the call based on the determined order of the plurality of routes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a network device attaches a header including an identifier for an original call to an outgoing refer message and may also modify a table entry for a consultative call to include the identifier. The network device then monitors incoming invite messages for a header containing the identifier and observes that an incoming invite message containing the header correlates to the original call. When a header is not included, the network device extracts information from the incoming invite messages and compares the extracted information to the modified table entry to correlate one of the incoming invite messages to the original call.

Abstract: A distributed call control system is provided that can allot bandwidth amongst several call controllers. The distributed call control system includes one or more access elements that interface with a cloud that execute two or more instances of call processing servers that administer call control. The cloud members negotiate and determine bandwidth allocation amongst the members and the access elements. If an access element requires more bandwidth, the access element assesses its own needs and requests more bandwidth from the cloud. The negotiation and requests for bandwidth are accomplished with a set of dynamic and static bandwidth data that regiment the control of the bandwidth.

Abstract: A network management system communicates with a plurality of intelligent distributed network nodes. The network management system dynamically distributes managed objects across the plurality of intelligent distributed network nodes. Examples of managed objects distributed by the network management system include a service control managed object, a call control managed object, a bearer control managed object, and a resource proxy managed object.

Abstract: A bandwidth management system for multiple-service mobile networks for use with a plurality of instances of mobile communications devices. A plurality of communications silo each provide at least one communications service using a mobile network wherein at least one communications service from at least one communications silo involving the transport of real-time two-way video. Call/session state information from the communications silos and packet-level network transport measurement information responsive to packet-level network transport processes in the mobile network are used by a control system to create control messages transmitted to the communications silos for controlling call/session admission application QoS parameters responsive to traffic and network operation.

Abstract: In a contact center, a system for processing communication events has an interaction server for managing events waiting to be routed, a routing server for routing the events, a rules engine, and a gateway server executing rules invocation logic and interacting with the rules engine. The interaction server tracks incoming events, initiates and sends a routing request to the routing server, including a special routing object, for each event that requires conformance to business rules, the routing server, executing the routing object, sends an execution request to the gateway server, which upon receipt of the request prepares a business object model (BOM), being a set of facts upon which the rules engine executes rules appropriate to the facts, resulting in routing direction for the routing server to route the event.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring a network element in a communications network are described. In one example, an alarm message from the network element when a change in rate associated with at least one of a central processing unit (CPU) utilization or a memory usage by the network element exceeds a predefined threshold. An instruction is subsequently sent to the network element to reduce the change in rate associated with the at least one of the CPU utilization or the memory usage.

Abstract: A system and method for operating a telephony application platform including a load balancer that receives application requests, a scalable plurality of telephony resources that includes a communication gateway to at least one application server and a communication gateway to at least one telephony device, and a resource allocation that scales the plurality of telephony resources according to capacity requirements of the application requests. A telephony resource of the plurality of telephony resources processes an application session initiated from an application request of a load balancer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for scheduling calls. The method includes the steps of providing a calling period with a plurality of sub-periods and determining a set of historical call completion ratios associated with the plurality of sub-periods. The method further includes the steps of exponentially scaling the respective determined call completion ratios and placing a number of calls during each sub-period of the calling period where the number of calls placed during each sub-period is based upon the respective exponentially scaled call completion ratio.

Abstract: An active call between two parties can be marked as a non-preemptable call if one of the two parties is an authorized agency that desires to prevent premature termination of the call by a third party. The authorized agency sends a signal to a main switch to indicate that non-preemptable call status is desired. The newly established call status is then propagated to other nodes in the system to prevent premature call termination. Non-preemptable status can also be granted to some calls based on the destination of the called number, such as in 911 calls.

Abstract: A distributed call control system is provided that can allot bandwidth amongst several call controllers. The distributed call control system includes one or more access elements that interface with a cloud that execute two or more instances of call processing servers that administer call control. The cloud members negotiate and determine bandwidth allocation amongst the members and the access elements. If an access element requires more bandwidth, the access element assesses its own needs and requests more bandwidth from the cloud. The negotiation and requests for bandwidth are accomplished with a set of dynamic and static bandwidth data that regiment the control of the bandwidth.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for detecting and terminating a looping condition occurring in a telecommunications network comprising receiving a call offer comprising receiving call identification data associated with the call offer at a switching component, querying a looping engine using the call identification data to detect a looping condition, identifying a number of occurrences of the call identification data within a predetermined time frame, comparing the number of occurrences against a predetermined count, and returning a message to the switching component based on the comparison, the message indicating whether a looping condition exists in the telecommunications network.

Abstract: A method for determining an amount of time required to download a data file to a wireless device includes receiving information indicating a first amount of wireless bandwidth allocated for the download of the data file, calculating a first length of time required to download the data file to the wireless device based on the first amount of wireless bandwidth allocated, and comparing the first length of time required to a predetermined amount of time. If the first length of time required is less than the predetermined amount of time, the download begins. If the first length of time required is more than the predetermined amount of time, information indicating the first length of time required is sent to the wireless device, a start download signal is received from the wireless device, and download of the data file to the wireless device begins in response to the start download signal.

Abstract: A distributed call control system is provided that can allot bandwidth amongst several call controllers. The distributed call control system includes one or more servers that execute two or more instances of call processing servers that administer call control. The call processing servers form a cluster or group. The cluster members negotiate and determine bandwidth allocation amongst the members. If a member requires more bandwidth, the call processing server, of that member, assesses its own needs and requests more bandwidth from other members. The negotiation and requests for bandwidth are accomplished with a set of dynamic and static bandwidth data that regiment the control of the bandwidth.

Abstract: During the output of data and distribution services, user data streams frequently transferred to a corresponding communication device (i.e. information output system and/or the distribution system) are possibly irrelevant to the server. Despite this, resources for the processing of incoming useful data flows inside the communication device are provided in many cases on account of compatibility grounds. As a result, energy is reduced in the communication device. According to the invention, in order to reduce the efforts involved in processing useful data transferred in the direction of the communication device, at least one part of useful data is discarded prior to the implementation of working steps provided for the processing of useful data.

Abstract: A method for allocating a call batch that includes a plurality of calls, to one out of a possible “n” providers for near simultaneous transmission by the one provider to a plurality of recipients, wherein each of the “n” providers has an overall capacity and a current level of use. In particular, the method comprises computing the potential free capacity of each provider by subtracting the call batch size from the actual capacity, and dividing the potential free capacity by the overall capacity to determine the proportion potential free capacity; and allocating the call batch to the provider having the largest proportion potential free capacity.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes receiving at a calling party network a notice of an intended communication between a calling endpoint and a plurality of called endpoints located in a plurality of called party networks, wherein the intended communication requires a resource in each of the calling party network and the called party networks for supporting a streaming data protocol. The notice is forwarded toward the plurality of called party networks and in parallel with said forwarding, a determination of resource availability for the calling party network is initiated for the intended communication. The method further includes determining for the intended communication the determination of resource availability for the calling party network, wherein the determination is for a first resource for the first network; and verifying resource availability for the intended communication based on the determination for the calling party network and a resource availability indicator for each called party network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a network device attaches a header including an identifier for an original call to an outgoing refer message and may also modify a table entry for a consultative call to include the identifier. The network device then monitors incoming invite messages for a header containing the identifier and observes that an incoming invite message containing the header correlates to the original call. When a header is not included, the network device extracts information from the incoming invite messages and compares the extracted information to the modified table entry to correlate one of the incoming invite messages to the original call.

Abstract: A system is disclosed, that provides dynamic bandwidth sharing among a plurality of client nodes, which share network link resources in a communication network. Upon receipt of a bandwidth adjustment request from a requesting client node, the system adjusts bandwidth when network link capacity meets the bandwidth adjustment request, or when total amount of bandwidth offered to trade by any peers of the requesting client node meets the bandwidth adjustment request.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamic load balancing between telephony systems are provided. The system includes an input to receive a call from a primary interactive voice response (IVR) system. The system also includes an IVR unit responsive to the call to receive input from a caller. The system also includes logic to select a telephony system from among a plurality of telephony systems based on the input from the caller and based on agent availability data of the plurality of telephony systems. The system further includes at least one output to send the received call for allocation to a call center site of the selected telephony system based on a routing protocol associated with the selected telephony system.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus and machine-readable medium for managing bandwidth in a communication network via a Turbo Button Service (TBS) are provided. The communication network includes a Regional/Access Network (RAN). The bandwidth management includes varying the bandwidth according to the usage requirement. The method comprises invoking a request for the TBS. The invocation of the request results in a change in a default bandwidth associated with a user's access connection.

Abstract: A system and method are described for broadcasting/multicasting content using surplus network capacity. The systems and methods are directed to solving the problem of how to simultaneously broadcast/multicast large content files to a plurality of users for later retrieval by using existing network capacity as opposed to being forced to add new capacity to handle peak demand. Generally, the methods comprise receiving data to be distributed, determining surplus network capacity, and distributing the data within the surplus network capacity to a plurality of subscriber devices.

Abstract: A system for optimizing response time to events or representations thereof waiting in a queue has a first server having access to the queue; a software application running on the first server; and a second server accessible from the first server, the second server containing rules governing the optimization. In a preferred embodiment, the software application at least periodically accesses the queue and parses certain ones of events or tokens in the queue and compares the parsed results against rules accessed from the second server in order to determine a measure of disposal time for each parsed event wherein if the determined measure is sufficiently low for one or more of the parsed events, those one or more events are modified to a reflect a higher priority state than originally assigned enabling faster treatment of those events resulting in relief from those events to the queue system load.

Abstract: This invention provides the ability to load balance calls in a communications network using a certain criterion, such as a user-specified call priority, or the call service category. The method is applied when selecting a route for a new call or for re-balancing the calls across a network. When the user-specified call priority is used, the aggregated number of calls with the same priority or service category is calculated for all possible routes the new call may use. The aggregated number of calls is then divided by the number of hops in the respective routes; the route with the smallest ratio is selected for the new call. Re-balancing is performed by re-routing the calls in such a way as to obtain a similar number of calls of the same priority, or service category along all possible routes.

Abstract: In a telecommunication network, a switching system routes a call to a service platform. The service platform transfers a prompt message over the call, collects caller-entered information from a caller over the call in response to the prompt message, and transfers the caller-entered information to a call processing system. The call processing system transfers the caller-entered information to a destination processor, processes a destination routing code from the destination processor to determine a destination routing instruction, and transfers the destination routing instruction to the switching system. The switching system routes the call to a destination in response to the destination routing instruction.

Abstract: A distributed call control system is provided that can allot bandwidth amongst several call controllers. The distributed call control system includes one or more servers that execute two or more instances of call processing servers that administer call control. The call processing servers form a cluster or group. The cluster members negotiate and determine bandwidth allocation amongst the members. If a member requires more bandwidth, the call processing server, of that member, assesses its own needs and requests more bandwidth from other members. The negotiation and requests for bandwidth are accomplished with a set of dynamic and static bandwidth data that regiment the control of the bandwidth.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allocating resources in a distributed environment. The disclosed resource allocation techniques make resource allocation decisions when resources become available. A resource becomes available when the resource completes its previous work or becomes activated. Once it is determined that a resource has become available, the available resource is assigned to an appropriate request. The requests may be stored, for example, in a queue of requests. The available resource may be assigned to an appropriate request based on one or more predefined criteria, such as to service a request associated with a service class having the “greatest need.” The resources may be, for example, a plurality of call agents that are associated with a call center.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing a configuration of mediation devices in a telecommunications central office. Specifications associated with mediation devices are provided. A configuration of mediation devices and legacy devices in a central office is generated. A specification is compared to an attribute of a mediation device in the configuration. The attribute is one of: (1) a distance between the mediation device and a legacy device to be connected to the mediation device, (2) an amount of data to be received by the mediation device from one or more legacy devices to be connected to the mediation device, and (3) a count of one or more legacy devices to be connected to the mediation device. The configuration is updated in response to the comparing of the specification to the attribute. The updating of the configuration provides an optimized number of mediation devices.

Abstract: VoIP traffic bandwidth through a router port is controlled so that it does not exceed a predetermined bandwidth to ensure a desired quality of service for all VoIP calls routed through the port. Information of a packet received by the port is extracted from a packet header. The information includes source and destination addresses and port numbers as well as the bandwidth used by the packet. If the packet is from an existing call, the packet is routed and the time the packet was received is updated. If the packet is from a new call, it is determined whether the port has sufficient bandwidth to route the new call. If the port has sufficient bandwidth, the packet is routed, bandwidth is allotted for subsequent packets from the new call, and the port information is updated to accept the subsequent packets. If the port does not have sufficient bandwidth, the packet is dropped.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measurement-based call admission control in a media gateway are disclosed. A request for establishing a new voice-over-IP (VoIP) call for sending and receiving voice over IP packets in a media gateway is received. The request indicates a required bandwidth for the new call. Bandwidth utilization of at least one Internet protocol (IP) network interface for sending and receiving voice over IP packets in the media gateway is determined. The media gateway determines whether to admit the new VoIP call based on the determined requested bandwidth for the new call and the determined bandwidth utilization for at least one of the IP network interfaces.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating vocoder resources for interconnect calls includes consideration of what percentage of interconnect calls have been assigned to a particular vocoder type. In an embodiment a vocoder type is assigned to a given interconnect call based on a comparison of the available capacity of the telecommunications network to one or more threshold values, and a determination on whether or not the percentage of interconnect calls assigned to a given vocoder type has exceeded a threshold percentage. In certain embodiments, the vocoder is adapted to operate in one of at least two possible types, where the first type is characterized by a higher voice quality, but a lower network capacity, than the second type.

Abstract: There is provided herein a system and method for automatic configuration of data routings for use with electronic data such as phone calls, faxes, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, when more than one carrier might potentially terminate the transmission, the carriers are ordered based on some screening criterion (e.g., transmission price). Data transmissions are then assigned to the carriers based on the sorting order, with the second place and lower carriers (e.g., the higher priced carriers) not being selected unless the first carrier cannot complete the transaction. The switch instructions necessary to implement this scheme may be generated automatically.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ensuring that every path in an IP network that interconnects a pair of VoIP network elements comprises diverse network routes and is engineered with adequate bandwidth to support VoIP phone calls are disclosed. In the event that a single point of failure or inadequate bandwidth is detected between a pair of VoIP network elements, an alarm is issued and network engineers are notified to reconfigure the routes between the VoIP network element pair.

Abstract: Network resources for a call between a calling party and a called party are allocated. The network resources for the call are reserved based on a reservation request. In particular, the network resources for the call are reserved based on a reservation request. Prior to the reservation request being made, one or more operational parameters for the call are established by a gate controller and sent to a network edge device or other routing entity associated with one of the parties. An identifier, illustratively a so-called gate identification, is sent to that party. Thereafter the routing entity receives the identifier from the associated party in, for example, the aforementioned resource reservation request. The routing entity is able to use the identifier to determine the one or more parameters established for the call and to thereupon cause the call to be established—including the reserving of resources—in a way that is consistent with the one or more parameters.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting inter-carrier call looping. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method that can be used to reliably detect inter-network routing loops and kill associated calls using a modified ISUP Hop Counter parameter to be sent across network boundaries. Detection of inter-network loops prevents routing loops, those involving two or more carrier networks, from generating additional signaling traffic that can aggregate to overload signaling networks.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for offloading prepaid credit status queries from prepaid credit status databases for unlimited-plan prepaid in-network calls is provided. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method that includes intercepting, at a signaling message routing node, a prepaid status query associated with a call originated by a calling subscriber and directed to a called subscriber. The signaling node then determines whether the calling subscriber is associated with an unlimited calling plan, unlimited text messaging plan, unlimited multimedia messaging plan, or a combination of plans based on the intercepted prepaid status query. The node also determines whether the call is an in-network call based on the intercepted prepaid status query, where an in-network call includes a call between a calling subscriber and a called subscriber belonging to the same network.

Abstract: The present invention enables a graphical display of network call volumes in a predefined period before and after network alarm indications that show serious service disruptions to help determine if surges in call volumes precipitated the service disrupting event. When a surge of call volumes occurs and subsides, the graphical display of current network call volumes can be compared against historical trends of normal call traffic volumes and rates. The network will be placed in a high alert state and monitored for the predefined period of time. If the comparison shows aberrations between the historical trends and the current trend within the predefined period time window, then the network operator will be informed to take actions.

Abstract: A network element (20), such as a PDSN or home agent, upon determining (11) a need to effect a call management operation, then determines (12) whether to constrain the facilitation of that call management operation. When determining that the call management operation should be constrained, the network element can facilitate (14) that call management operation while imposing an artificial facilitation constraint. For example, the rate at which the call management operation is executed with respect to a plurality of existing calls can be specified.

Abstract: A gaming system is disclosed which comprises a plurality of gaming machines, and a communications network arranged to facilitate communications between respective gaming machines, the communications network having an associated bandwidth for communications to and from the communications network. Each gaming machine is arranged to send status data indicative of whether the gaming machine is performing an activity requiring bandwidth usage to the other gaming machines, and each gaming machine is arranged to determine the amount of bandwidth available to the gaming machine for non-game implementation related activity using the status data received from the other gaming machines. A corresponding method is also disclosed.