IP Library Granted Patent US 7,961,863
Granted Patent B2
US 7,961,863 · App. 12/546,511 · Granted Jun 14, 2011

System and method for major trading area (MTA) routing in a telecommunications network

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,961,863
App. No.
12/546,511
Granted
Jun 14, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes determining all telephone numbers to which a selected CLLI can terminate calls, wherein the CLLI is associated with one or more major trading areas (MTAs), creating a FROM-TO relationship between at least a subset of TNs in the one or more MTAs and the TNs to which the selected CLLI can terminate calls, and provisioning the FROM-TO relationship on a core routing engine accessible to a switch. A system includes a local route manager (LRM) configured to receive input designating a CLLI as available for intra-MTA routing, the CLLI being associated with one or more MTAs, a cluster generator configured to create a first set of all telephone numbers (TNs) handled by the CLLI, a second set of selected TNs in the one or more MTAs, and an association between the first set and the second set, and a provisioning module configured to provision the association between the first set and the second set on a core routing engine to identify calls between TNs of the sets as local in jurisdiction.

Claims (55)

1. A system comprising:

a cluster generation module operable to generate:

a first cluster comprising a first set of one or more telephone numbers (TNs) associated with one or more major trading areas (MTAs); and

a second cluster comprising a second set of one or more TNs associated with one or more MTAs, wherein a call between the first set of one or more TNs and the second set of one or more TNs is an intra-MTA call;

one or more tables operable to store at least the first cluster, the second cluster, and a set of terms of use for a direct connection to a selected common language location identifier (CLLI); and

a provisioning module operable to provision the call in a local jurisdiction relationship if the call satisfies the set of terms of use for the direct connection to the selected CLLI.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processing device, enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

determining that a first telephone number (TN) and a second TN are associated with one or more major trading areas (MTAs), such that a call therebetween is an intra-MTA call;

determining whether a call made between the first TN and the second TN satisfies terms of use of a direct connection to a selected common language location identifier (CLLI); and

provisioning the first TN and the second TN in a local jurisdiction relationship if a call between the first TN and the second TN satisfies terms of use of the direct connection.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processing device, enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

determining a set of one or more telephone numbers (TNs) to which a selected common language location identifier (CLLI) can terminate calls, wherein the selected CLLI is associated with one or more major trading areas (MTAs);

creating a FROM-TO relationship between at least a subset of telephone numbers in the one or more MTAs and the set of one or more TNs to which the selected CLLI can terminate calls; and

provisioning the FROM-TO relationship on a core routing engine accessible to a switch.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the direct connection bypasses a local exchange carrier (LEC) network.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the provisioning module is operable to provision the first cluster and the second cluster on a core routing engine.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the cluster generation module is operable to generate at least one of the first and second clusters by:

determining a rate center associated with the selected CLLI; and

looking up TNs associated with the rate center in a local exchange routing guide (LERG) database.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein a TN associated with at least one of the first and second clusters has the form:

NPA-NXX if the TN is not associated with a wireless endpoint; and

NPA-NXX-X if the TN is associated with a wireless endpoint.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 2 , wherein the direct connection enables bypassing a local exchange carrier (LEC) network.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 2 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

adding the first TN to a first cluster of TNs and the second TN to a second cluster of TNs.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

provisioning the first cluster and the second cluster on a core routing engine.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10 , wherein the operation of determining that the first TN and the second TN are associated with one or more MTAs comprises:

determining a rate center associated with the first TN; and

looking up TNs associated with the rate center in a local exchange routing guide (LERG) database.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first TN has the form:

NPA-NXX if the first TN is not associated with a wireless endpoint; and

NPA-NXX-X if the first TN is associated with a wireless endpoint.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

provisioning TNs to which the selected CLLI can terminate calls as a group on the core routing engine.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

provisioning the at least a subset of TNs as a group on the core routing engine.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

determining a rate center associated with the selected CLLI.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

determining the at least a subset of TNs by looking up TNs of the rate center in a local exchange routing guide (LERG) data base.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least a subset of TNs comprises TNs associated with wireless endpoints.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

determining the at least a subset of TNs based on an attribute specified in a traffic exchange agreement.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18 , enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

if the attribute specifies only wireless originated calls, determining TNs in the one or more MTAs associated with wireless networks.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

creating a first cluster of TNs in the form NPA-NXX-X to which the selected CLLI can terminate calls; and

creating a second cluster of TNs in the form NPA-NXX that are in the one or more MTAs,

wherein creating the FROM-TO relationship comprises:

associating the first cluster with the second cluster.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 20 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

automatically updating the first cluster and the second cluster in response to a change in an inventory of switch data.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 20 , further enabling the processing device to perform the operations of:

automatically updating the first cluster and the second cluster in response to a change to a traffic exchange agreement affecting the selected CLLI.

Assignments (3)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (SECOND LIEN) Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; GLOBAL CROSSING TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069295/0749 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; GLOBAL CROSSING TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069295/0858 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2011
From: LONG, BILL; JORDAN, DAN; BAAN, ALISSA; GRIFFIN, JANIS
To: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 025769/0626 →