Abstract: An ingress call filter system enables real-time or near real-time efficiencies of an inter-carrier switch. The ingress call filter determines if a received call to a called party is likely to fail. If the call is likely to fail, the ingress call filter returns an indication that the call should be filtered or rejected. If the call in not likely to fail, the ingress call filter returns an indication that a call router should attempt to establish the call. Such techniques mitigate penalties assessed to the inter-carrier network for incomplete or failed calls in real time or near real time.

Abstract: A method of extending calls includes receiving a request to establish a call session with a called party, and establishing the call session between the calling party and the called party. The method further includes monitoring the length of the established call session, and receiving a message requesting a termination of the call session. Still further, the method includes, in response to receiving the message requesting the termination of the call session, maintaining the established call session for an additional time period, wherein the additional time period plus the monitored length of the established call session is equal to or greater than a threshold of time.

Abstract: To maximize efficiencies and to reduce termination costs of inter-carrier exchanges, an auto-dialer detection system enables an inter-carrier network switch to detect, in real-time or in near real-time, calls that are originated by auto-dialers. A call router of the switch may receive an incoming call attempt that includes a particular Automatic Number Identification (ANI). The auto-dialer detection system allows for a real-time or near-real time determination, based on the ANI and contents of a cache during a sliding window of time coincident with the reception of the origination, whether or not the call should be routed through the switch. Further, the auto-dialer detection system provides a real-time or a near real-time update to the cache contents to enable further real-time or near-real time detection and blocking of auto-dialed calls. Overrides to the cache (e.g., to always allow and/or to always block calls that include certain ANIs) may be provided.

Abstract: A vendor evaluator system enables real-time or near real-time efficiencies of an inter-carrier switch. At a nominal periodic rate (e.g., every fifteen minutes or less), the vendor evaluator system updates a performance map of vendor exchanges to which calls may be routed from the switch. Specifically, in real-time or in near real-time, an updated performance score is generated for each vendor exchange and/or for each NPA-NXX code that is connected to the switch based on a weighted average of post dial delay, average call hold time, and attempt-seizure ratio. The score is compared against performance thresholds to determine whether or not the respective exchange and/or code should be included in a pool of acceptably-performing, candidate vendor exchanges from which a particular exchange is selected to service a call. Such techniques prevent poorly performing vendors from servicing calls routed by the inter-carrier network switch in real time or near real-time.

Abstract: A vendor evaluator system enables real-time or near real-time efficiencies of an inter-carrier switch. At a nominal periodic rate (e.g., every fifteen minutes or less), the vendor evaluator system updates a performance map of vendor exchanges to which calls may be routed from the switch. Specifically, in real-time or in near real-time, an updated performance score is generated for each vendor exchange and/or for each NPA-NXX code that is connected to the switch based on a weighted average of post dial delay, average call hold time, and attempt-seizure ratio. The score is compared against performance thresholds to determine whether or not the respective exchange and/or code should be included in a pool of acceptably-performing, candidate vendor exchanges from which a particular exchange is selected to service a call. Such techniques prevent poorly performing vendors from servicing calls routed by the inter-carrier network switch in real time or near real-time.

Abstract: To maximize efficiencies and to reduce termination costs of inter-carrier exchanges, an auto-dialer detection system enables an inter-carrier network switch to detect, in real-time or in near real-time, calls that are originated by auto-dialers. A call router of the switch may receive an incoming call attempt that includes a particular Automatic Number Identification (ANI). The auto-dialer detection system allows for a real-time or near-real time determination, based on the ANI and contents of a cache during a sliding window of time coincident with the reception of the origination, whether or not the call should be routed through the switch. Further, the auto-dialer detection system provides a real-time or a near real-time update to the cache contents to enable further real-time or near-real time detection and blocking of auto-dialed calls. Overrides to the cache (e.g., to always allow and/or to always block calls that include certain ANIs) may be provided.

Abstract: An ingress call filter system enables real-time or near real-time efficiencies of an inter-carrier switch. The ingress call filter determines if a received call to a called party is likely to fail. If the call is likely to fail, the ingress call filter returns an indication that the call should be filtered or rejected. If the call in not likely to fail, the ingress call filter returns an indication that a call router should attempt to establish the call. Such techniques mitigate penalties assessed to the inter-carrier network for incomplete or failed calls in real time or near real time.

Abstract: A method of extending calls includes receiving a request to establish a call session with a called party, and establishing the call session between the calling party and the called party. The method further includes monitoring the length of the established call session, and receiving a message requesting a termination of the call session. Still further, the method includes, in response to receiving the message requesting the termination of the call session, maintaining the established call session for an additional time period, wherein the additional time period plus the monitored length of the established call session is equal to or greater than a threshold of time.

Abstract: A routing engine functions to respond to a request for routing options for a communication session from a querying node by providing a list of routing options. The original request includes signaling information that is utilized by the routing engine to determine a preliminary list of routing options that identifies vendors capable of handling the communication session. Pre-defined routing definitions may be applied to alter the list of vendors as identified in the preliminary list. Filtering processes may be applied to remove undesirable vendors from the preliminary routing options, resulting in a list of routing options for the communication session. The preliminary list may be ordered according to some parameter, and when a filtering process is applied the process may end upon reaching a first non-compliant vendor.

Abstract: A routing engine functions to respond to a request for routing options for a communication session from a querying node by providing a list of routing options. The original request includes signaling information that is utilized by the routing engine to determine a preliminary list of routing options that identifies vendors capable of handling the communication session. Pre-defined routing definitions may be applied to alter the list of vendors as identified in the preliminary list. Filtering processes may be applied to remove undesirable vendors from the preliminary routing options, resulting in a list of routing options for the communication session. The preliminary list may be ordered according to some parameter, and when a filtering process is applied the process may end upon reaching a first non-compliant vendor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for performing queries in a cascading logic routing grid comprised of an array of interconnected nodes and at least one root node. At a first root node, one or more adjacent nodes are selected to process a query. The selection is based on the capabilities of the nodes and parameters of the query. Once the nodes are selected, a query is transmitted from the first root node to at least one of the one or more selected nodes. Upon completion of processing the query, a response is received at the first root node from at least one of the one or more selected nodes. The response comprises specifications for routing data. Based on the specifications for routing data received in the response, routing instructions are formed at the first root node.

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: 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.