MXPA01001452A - Routing of internet calls - Google Patents

Abstract

When a subscriber calls into its Internet Service Provider (ISP), a central office receiving the call is triggered to perform a Local Number Portability (LNP) query. This LNP query is sent to an Intelligent Traffic Routing and Control (INTRAC) unit resident on a Service Control Point (SCP) which determines whether the call is to an ISP. If the call is to an ISP, the INTRAC unit polls a Remote Authentication Dial-In-User Service (RADIUS) server to determine whether resources are available. The RADIUS server tracks the resources of the ISP and of other ISPs and informs the SCP of the available resources. The SCP then inserts the Local Routing Number (LRN) of the preferred resource into a reply that is sent to the central office. If resources are not available, the call is terminated before signaling occurs with any switch associated with the ISP. On the other hand, when resources are available, the subscriber can be directed to the preferred resource for the subscriber. The subscriber, for instance, can be directed to an access server within the ISP that has excess capacity or can be directed to an access server that provides the best service for the subscriber, whereby subscribers can be directed to X2 type service if they have an X2 modem or to K56Flex type service if they have a K56Flex modem. As another example, if one ISP is at maximum capacity, the subscriber can be directed to a second back-up ISP.

Description

ROUTING OF INTERNET CALLS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally describes the networks, systems and methods for routing data traffic in a telephone network and, in particular, addresses the networks, systems and methods for directing data traffic away from the Public Telephone Network Switched (PSTN, Public Switched Telephone Network) and to route data traffic based on resources and information about the status of these resources.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is the axis to provide telephone services to companies and individuals in the United States. The PSTN covers a large number of switches, generally designated as Service Switching Points (SSP), to interconnect the line of the calling party to the line of the called party. Prior to the 1960s, to complete a call between the calling party and the called party, the signaling had to occur through inter-wave circuits between the switches in order to ensure that the called party was not busy and establish a connection between both people. This earlier version of the PSTN was so inflexible that to make changes it was necessary to replace the hard equipment of the PSTN. For example, at that time, the SSP was integrated and had to be replaced with a new SSP in order to update the capacity of the switch. However, the switches could not be updated quickly since the standards and specifications had to be specified very well for the different switch vendors. To deal with the delays in the switches to be updated, these integrated SSPs were ultimately replaced with the SSPs that had a stored program control (SPC). Consequently, rather than replacing an SSP in its entirety, it could be modified to allow a new feature only when updating the SSP program. Even with the SPC installed in the SSP, the PSTN still had limitations in the services it offered. In the mid-1970s, significant progress was made in the PSTN with the introduction of Signaling Transfer Points (STP) and Signaling System No. 7 (SS7, Signaling System Number 7) . Thanks to the incorporation of the SS7 and the STP to the PSTN, the information on the configuration of the call was sent through a signaling network formed between the STPs and no longer through interurban lines. For example, an SSP of the calling party would send a data query from one of its STPs associated with an STP associated with the called party. Then, the STP of the called party would determine if the line of the called party was unoccupied and would perform the necessary signaling through the SS7 data network to connect the call. Thus, considering that before signaling the configuration of the call was through interurban voice lines, the signaling of the STP and SS7 divert traffic to the dedicated data lines avoiding the interurban voice lines. As a result, the capacity of the PSTN to transport the voice increased considerably. In the mid-1980s, the additional demand for services from the PSTN resulted in an Intelligent Network (IN). In general, the IN provides a service logic external to the SSP and carries this logic to the databases called Service Control Points (SCP, Service Control Points). In order to accommodate the IN, the SSP has a program to detect the specific characteristics of the service together with the IN. The program in SSP defines the hooks or "shots" for the services that they require the use of an SCP. In response to a trip, an SSP looks for an associated SCP for important route information. For example, the IN allows the 800 service and the calling card verification service, both require a query from the SSP to the SCP through an STP and the information of routes back to the SSP through an STP. In addition, a Service Management System (SMS) was introduced in the PSTN with an IN. This SMS provides sufficient support in the creation, testing and provision of service. The SMS communicates with the SCPs and offers program updates for the SCPs. Recently, the demand for greater capabilities led to the IN becoming an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). What differentiates one from the other is that the AIN offers independent service capabilities while the Intelligent Network is limited to specific capabilities for the service. The AIN allows a high degree of personalization and creates basic services of representation advertisement, digital collection, call routing and numerical translation. Certain examples of AIN services include abbreviated dialing beyond a central office, the service does not interfere with blocking calls from certain numbers or at certain times and the dialing service to an area number which allows a company to have a number of published phone but send the calls to a nearest business location. The ability to offer Local Number Portability is perhaps the most recent addition to the PSTN. Currently, local exchange carriers (LECs) are subject to the Telecommunications Law to provide local number portability so that subscribers can move or "turn" their number from one service provider to another service provider. . Normally, the function of a telephone number within the PSTN was both to identify the client and to provide the PSTN with sufficient information to route the call to said client. In order to allow a customer to change their service provider and at the same time maintain the same telephone number, the telephone number can no longer provide the means to inform the network of the customer's location. A database, known as the LNP database, stores the routing information for clients who have to move or turn to another local service provider. The LNP database contains the directory numbers of all the changed subscribers and the location number of the switch that serves them. With the LNP, the SSPs will look for an LNP database through an STP in order to route the calls correctly to a rotated telephone number. The evolution of the PSTN from providing POTS services to AIN has been carried out basically due to the need 5 to support voice telephony. However, the PSTN is not only limited to voice telephony but is also increasingly reliable for data services. Modems are the predominant means by which data is transmitted through the PSTN. The integration of voice and voice services data is not a new phenomenon and the PSTN has generally accommodated these combined services through its Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) lines. An ISDN line can carry both voice and data traffic and can optimize to give data service only at a speed of 128 kbps. Although ISDN has been available for almost 20 years, the use of the ISDN line is not predominant and it is estimated that the number of Internet subscribers using the ISDN service totals only 1.4%. 20 Despite the infrequent use of the ISDN service, the need for data services is quite widespread. The PSTN was designed to carry a large amount of voice traffic with each voice call with a duration, on average, of a few minutes. While an average voice call It lasts approximately 3.5 minutes, the average Internet call lasts more than 26 minutes. Considering that Internet traffic on the PSTN is expected to soon exceed the combined voice and fax traffic, the capacity of the PSTN will soon reach its limits. The LEC satisfied this great capacity demand by making use of additional switches and other elements within the PSTN. Unfortunately for the LEC, the total cost of the additional equipment of the PSTN will be on their own as they foresee that their base of clients will not increase too much. This additional expense for each LEC is approximately $ 100 million dollars per year, which represents a considerable expense for the LEC. Therefore there is an immediate need to alleviate the tensions to which the PSTN is subjected due to Internet traffic. Some solutions to manage congestion on the Internet have been proposed in the Official Bellcore Report entitled Archi tectural Solutions to Internet Congestrion Based on SS7 and Intelligent Network Capabilities, by Dr. Amir Atai and Dr. James Gordon. However, many of the solutions addressed in this report require the design, development and distribution of new network elements within the PSTN. For example, several introduce an Internet Call Routing (ICR) node which can perform the configuration signaling of the SS7 call, in addition to being used to route Internet calls to a data network. Other solutions are based on the Remote Data Terminal (RDT) to relieve congestion while other architectures propose the use of both ICR and RDT. The architectures described in Bellcore's Official Report are usually long-term solutions that offer limited assistance to LEC in the near future. Therefore, there is still a need for systems and methods to address the growing data traffic in the PSTN.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION The present invention addresses the problems described above to provide networks, systems and methods for directing calls over the Internet and other data calls away from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). A call to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) activates a search at a Service Control Point (SCP). When the query reaches the SCP, it determines if the called telephone number is a data call. If this is the case, the SCP routes a query to an Intelligent Traffic Routing and Control Unit (INTRAC), which, according to one aspect of the invention, obtains the routing addresses and provides them to the SSP. Routing addresses are obtained through the use of a resource table. In the preferred contribution, the SSP is activated to perform a Local Number Portability query (LNP) to the SCP that performs the processing of the LNP call. The SCP determines if the call is a data call and, if so, direct the call from an LNP call processing unit to the INTRAC unit. Both the LNP call processing unit and the INTRAC unit constitute the Service Packet Applications (SPA) that are located in the SCP. The SCP has a database of telephone numbers related to data and uses a Routing Key to direct the query to the INTRAC unit. For queries related exclusively to the LNP, calls are processed in the conventional manner and are not affected by the INTRAC unit. Instead of receiving routing addresses or in addition to these, the INTRAC unit can also determine if resources are available to connect a subscriber's call to its destination. According to this aspect of the invention, the INTRAC unit includes a resource table that can be updated thanks to an external or internal tracker. After receiving an LNP query, the unit INTRAC determines from the resource table if the called party has the capacity to process the call of the suscpptor. If there are available resources, the INTRAC sends the routing addresses to the preferred service provider within the Local Routing Number (LRN, Local Routing Number) of the LNP response. If If the service is not available, then the call to the ISP is redirected to another LRN or intercepted, in which case the subscriber receives an occluding signal or other error handling. Consequently, when there are no available resources, the signaling between the subscriber and the ISP is eliminates, which reduces traffic on the PSTN. On the other hand, when resources are available, the subscriber can be redirected to these resources efficiently. The resource tracker monitors the resources used by an ISP or an ISP group and can be internal 20 or external to the INTRAC unit. As an example, the resource tracker defines a counter for each access server of an ISP and establishes the maximum value of the counter with respect to the available resources of said access server, such as the number of modems. The resource tracker monitors the Start and stop messages routed to a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) service server and consequently adjust the value of the counter to show 5 available resources. The resource tracker adjusts the values in the resource table to show the current capabilities of the ISPs. Therefore, the INTRAC unit can search the resource table in real time to find available resources and, if not, the call can be redirected quickly or terminated. In addition to making it easier for data calls to be intercepted when resources are not available, they can also handle data calls 15 more efficiently. A call from the subscriber, for example, can be routed to the preferred Point of Presence (POP) of an ISP or to a preferred access server within the ISP. The call routing of the customer can be carried out based on the geographical locations or on a service preferred by the subscriber, such as a modem (X2 or K56Flex) or ISDN service. Also, the subscriber's call to the most convenient ISP can be addressed. For example, when the subscriber's ISP is working at its maximum f ~ ¿-? ~ * nj * -. 3JBt ~~ AUMI-fe -T, j, .. t - - 5H-t-Hflr1Mtf £ hÍT - iir MA *. *. 'YES. «. A - Yes ,; ß, capacity, it is possible to direct the call to a secondary ISP that offers a backup service to a preferred ISP. Another way to control the destination of data calls is through the use of Local Routing Numbers (LRN). 5 When an LNP query is sent from an SSP to the SCP LNP, the INTRAC unit associated with the SCP LNP provides the LRN back in response to the SSP. This LRN can be obtained through the INTRAC unit from the resource table or through an external resource tracker. The tracker The external resource resource or the INTRAC unit results in a preferred LRN with respect to the called party and perhaps with respect to the calling party. For example, the information in the resource table can be used to route the subscriber's call to a preferred access server within an ISP or even to an access server of a backup ISP. Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide networks, systems and methods to reduce traffic in the PSTN. Another objective of the present invention is to offer networks, systems and methods for addressing data calls with greater efficiency.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide networks, systems and methods for directing calls to a preferred resource within the ISP. Another objective of the present invention is to provide networks, systems and methods for redirecting calls to a secondary resource when the first ISP is at its maximum capacity. Other objects, features and benefits of the present invention will become more apparent throughout this document.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The appended drawings, which form part of the specification, show the preferred contributions of the present invention and, together with the description, disclose the principles of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagram of a conventional network for providing data service to a subscriber; Figure 2 is a more detailed diagram of an Internet Service Provider and RADIUS server for the network shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagram of a network according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a flow chart showing a process for handling a subscriber's data call; Figure 5 is a flow diagram showing a process for generating an ISP resource query; Figure 6 is a flow diagram showing a method for monitoring resource consumption; Figure 7 is a diagram of a message format of the Common Channel Signaling System 7 (CCS7, Common Channel Signaling System); Figure 8 is a more detailed diagram of a Service Control Point according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is a flow chart of a method for processing queries in the SCP of Figure 8; and Figure 10 is an example of a resource table according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Next, reference will be made in detail to the preferred contributions of the invention. Examples of such contributions, which are not in any way limiting, are described in the appended drawings.

I. Conventional Network With reference to Figure 1, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 10 provides the local and long distance telephony service to its subscribers, such as those represented by telephones 12, fax machines 13 and computers 14. As already mentioned. mentioned, the PSTN 10 includes Service Switching Points (SSP), Signaling Transfer Points (STP), Service Control Points (SCP) and Service Circuit Nodes (SCN), which are represented together by the PSTN 10. Also, the PSTN 10 provides a connection to the Internet 30, for example through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 20. A subscriber using a computer 14 must route a call through PSTN 10 in order to access his or her ISP 20, which in turn gives access to the data network known as Internet 30. The willingness to go through the PSTN 10 represents different problems and challenges, some of which were already mentioned. The PSTN 10, as shown in Figure 2, includes several central offices (CO, Cental Office) 16 and Tandem (T) switches 18. Normally, many subscribers are connected to a single central office 16 and the central offices in turn they are connected to each other through one or more Tandem switches, such as the Tandem 18 switch. The ISP 20 has an Access Server (AS, access 3-and server) 22 connected to the PSTN 10 by different lines, which are often ISDN lines (PRI) of primary speed 24. The PRI 24 lines run from the ISP 20 to a central office 16 within the PSTN 10 and the ISP 20 is connected to the Internet 30. The access server 22 in the ISP 20 includes a set of modems to link its clients to the Internet 30. The ISP 20 requires a large amount of administrative support in order to track and manage the access of each of the Internet subscribers 30. A Remote Authentication Telephone Access User Service (RADIUS) server 40 provides said administrative support to the ISP 20. In general, the RADIUS 40 server provides authentication, authorization and accounting services. to the ISP 20. Likewise, a RADIUS server can provide routing support and tunnels in certain implementations, which will be more evident from the following description. When the ISP 20 initiates a session by a subscriber, the ISP 20 sends an authentication request message to the RADIUS server 40 describing the subscriber to whom the service will be provided. Typically, this message also includes the subscriber's name and password. After the authentication request message, RADIUS server 40 sends an acknowledgment that it received the message and with the results of the authentication. The RADIUS server 40 verifies the name of the subscriber provided by the access server 22, as well as the key, and also forwards the configuration information to the access server 22 of the particular subscriber. In case the authentication is valid, a start counting message is sent to the RADIUS server 40. At the end of a session with a subscriber, the access server 22 sends a termination message indicating the type of service that was provided and Maybe some other information, such as duration. Among the services that the subscriber can count on are SLIP, PPP, Telnet or reconnection. For additional information on the RADIUS server, see Rigney and others, .Remote Authentication Dial -In Service (RADIUS), Network Working Group, January 1997 or Rigney et al., RADIUS Accounting, Network Working Group, April 1997. A challenge What ISP 20 faces is finding the balance between efficiently using its resources and providing capacity to meet the demand of subscribers. The resources of the ISP 20 are largely a set of modems and the ISP 20 tries to minimize this cost by ensuring that all its modems are operating at maximum capacity. On the other hand, to provide a service of 1"quality to the subscribers, the ISP 20 should have the capacity to give access to the Internet 30 for each subscriber whenever they want, Normally, the ISP 20 obtains this balance when trying to determine its capacity with greater proximity to Customer demand and reducing transfer speeds when the demand for services increases Due to the difficulty of calculating customer demand due to fluctuations in demand and subscriber base, the ISP 20 often works at Its maximum capacity and does not have the capacity to accommodate any other call from its subscribers.This difficulty of searching for the ISP can represent a problem both for the ISP 20 and for the Local Exchange Carriers (LEC). ISP 20, the subscriber probably feels frustrated when unable to connect to the ISP 20 and may decide to terminate the service with the ISP 20 and sign a contract with another ISP that can offer a better quality service. Even when the suscpptor can connect to its IPS 20, the subscriber often feels frustrated by the limited amount of broadband available and the resulting low transfer speeds. Regarding the LEC, a subscriber who can not connect at the beginning with his IPS 20 usually tries several times and can continue doing so until he establishes the communication. Each time the subscriber tries to connect to their ISP 20, the subscriber consumes valuable resources from the PSTN 10 since each call requires a considerable amount of processing and signaling within the PSTN 10, including signaling between an SSP and STP associated with the subscriber. , as well as between an SSP and STP associated with the ISP 20. It is possible in the same way that the additional resources of the PSTN 10 are consumed if the queries are sent to an SCP, such as when the subscriber dials an 01 800 to connect to the ISP 20. Therefore, there is a need for a way to more efficiently control and manage the resources of an ISP and the PSTN.

II. General Perspectives of the Network Figure 3 shows a network 100 to control and manage more efficiently the resources of an ISP and the ISP. Network 100 encompasses subscribers with computers 14 that access the Internet through one or more ISPs. Each computer 14 is connected to one of the central offices 16 within the PSTN. As shown in Figure 2, many subscribers with computers 14 are connected to one of the central offices 16 within the PSTN. The > The central offices 16 and the Tandem switch 18 are connected to one or more servers 22, preferably through the ISDN High Capacity (PRI) lines. Likewise, the central offices 16 are connected to an SCP 42 that provides Local Number Portability (LNP) services to the PSTN 10. The network 100 also contains a Smart Traffic Control and Routing unit (INTRAC) 45 connected to the SCP 42 and a resource tracker 50 connected to the RADIUS server 40. Although the INTRAC unit 45 is shown to be independent of the SCP 42, as described in detail below, the INTRAC unit 45 is preferably located in the SCP 42 as an Application of Service Packet (SPA). As noted below, an application of a RADIUS server provides the ISP 20 with authentication, authorization and accounting services. The first application of a RADIUS server is usually associated with a simple ISP 20 and is a Network Server with Level 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP, Level 2 Tunneling Protocol), which is commonly known as an LNS. The second application of a RADIUS server, as the RADIUS server 40 'is shown in Figure 3, generally offers routing and tunneling support to a LEC. This application of the RADIUS 40 'server is an Access Concentrator to the L2TP, WL ñ £ áL & * ~. - - _8 > * & amp; & amp; amp; amp; amp; After receiving a call from the subscriber, an Access Server 22 consults the RADIUS server 40 'over information from level 2 tunnels. In response to one of these queries, the RADIUS server 40' determines how to route the call through Wide Area Network (WAN) 26 of the LEC so that the call reaches its destination with the Internet 30. The WAN 26 can cover any type of suitable network, such as a Frame Relay or a Transfer Mode Asynchronous (ATM, Asynchronous Transfer Mode). After communicating with an ISP within the Internet, such as AOL, the ISP has its LNS RADIUS 40 server to provide authentication, authorization and accounting services. The network 100 is not limited to the RADIUS server 40 'and may encompass other types of servers, preferably a DIAMETER server 40'. The DIAMETER protocol is an extension of the RADIUS protocol and is compatible with the previous RADIUS protocol. The RADIUS protocol has a limited space of commands and attributed addresses and by itself is not an extensible protocol. In addition, the RADIUS protocol assumes that there are no unsolicited messages from a server to a client. While the DIAMETER protocol supports new services and allows a server to send unsolicited messages to clients in a network. Consequently, the RADIUS server 40 ', in case it is installed as a DIAMETER server 40', supports messages from it to any Access Server 22. The above facilitates the obtaining of additional information of the state 5 applicable to the resource tracker. It is possible to use several proprietary client / server approaches such as "DIAMETER" with the invention. While Figure 3 describes the access servers 22, the ISP is not shown in the figure for reasons that will be apparent from the following description. As will be explained below, the access servers 22A to 22C can be operated by a simple ISP or a multiple ISP. In addition, the ISPs can not operate the access servers 22, however they can have a data connection to the PSTN 15 10, with the circuit for adapting packets to be performed through the access servers 22 by a different entity , as is the case of a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC). In this way, data calls addressed to an ISP can be packaged before being delivered to the ISP. For example, a first ISP may be connected to the information output of an access server 22A, a second ISP may connect to the information output of the access server 22B and a third ISP may connect to the information output of the access server & > - J s gil. J ~ - ¡? & s3 * 22C. It is obvious that a simple ISP can be connected to more than one access server 22, where a simple ISP can be connected to the information outputs of all the access servers, from 22A to 22C. Also, the network 100 includes a resource table 43. As we will explain later, the resource table 43 can be connected to the INTRAC 45 unit or the resource tracker 50. In addition, although the resource table 43 was shown as an element independent, it can be installed and be part of the INTRAC 45 unit or the resource tracker 50. Dotted lines were used to indicate the connections between the resource table 43 and both the INTRAC 45 unit and the resource tracker 50, since the first 43 is not limited to its designated location.

III. INTRAC Next, an operation according to a contribution of the invention of network 100 will be described with reference to figure 4. In a phase 61, a subscriber initiates a call to his ISP through computer 14 and initiates a call to your ISP through one of the central offices 16. In this phase 62, the central office 16 receives the number called from the subscriber and immediately & amp; v2 &b & & amp; * J * »- active to send a query to an SCP. This query goes through an STP 41 to SCP 42. In this phase 63, SCP 42 receives the query from central office 16 through STP 41 and determines if the resource tracker should be consulted. According to one aspect of the invention, the INTRAC 45 unit does not query the resource tracker 50, however the processing goes to the 64th stage when the INTRAC 45 unit retrieves the routing addresses for the ISP directly from the resource table 43 These routing addresses are sent back in response to central office 16 in phase 68.

In step 66, the INTRAC unit 45, based on the response from resource table 43, determines whether sufficient resources are available and elaborates the appropriate response to SCP 42. This appropriate response contains the routing addresses to address the call to. a preferred location within the PSTN. In case the response from the resource table 43 indicates that sufficient resources are available, then the INTRAC unit in step 68 sends a response to the central office 16 which contains the routing addresses. On the other hand, if there are no resources available, the INTRAC unit 45 in phase 67 will send a response to the central office 16 terminating the call, for example by sending a busy signal to the calling party. In the preferred input, central office 16 performs an LNP trigger and sends a query to SCP 42. The routing addresses that the INTRAC 45 unit replies in phase 68 preferably include the Local Routing Number (LRN). whereby the subscriber's call could be addressed. By using the LNP trigger, the LNP query and the LRN, it is possible that calls to an ISP and other information-related calls can be routed to other dedicated inter-band lines avoiding the PSTN 10. As shown in Figure 3, for example Each SSP or central office 16 is directly connected to an access server 22 and the LRN routes the call of the subscriber to a group of trunk lines interconnecting the central office 16 to the access servers 22. The invention did not alter the signaling between SCP 42, STP 41 and central offices 16. The signaling to and for SCP 42 constitute Signaling System 7 (SS7, Signaling System 7) and appear as the normal query and response of the LNP. In phase 64, the INTRAC unit retrieves the routing addresses in any appropriate manner. The INTRAC unit 45 preferably uses the resource table 43 which has the LRNs of each ISP. When the INTRAC unit 45 receives a query from an SSP 16, it performs a search function in the resource table 43 to find the appropriate LRN for the called telephone number and forwards the LRN in response to the LNP query of step 68 .

IV. Resource Tracker In accordance with another aspect of the invention encompassing the resource tracker 50, the INTRAC 45 unit elaborates a resource query in step 65. The resource query, as will be described later in detail, is a query that sends the INTRAC unit 45 to the resource tracker 50 to inquire about the resources available for the subscriber's call. The resource tracker 50 receives the resource query and, in response, reviews the resources available from the ISP. Based on its evaluation of the resources of the ISP through its connection to the RADIUS server 40 ', the resource tracker 50 sends an appropriate response to the INTRAC 45 unit with the information relating to the resources available in step 66. According to this contribution, resource tracker 50 manages resources table 43. In response to receiving the resource query, the resource tracker 50 consults with the < - »,., -. £? J%. 3¿mH »> »? : resource table 43 to find the preferred LRN for the subscriber's call. The invention did not modify the signaling between the access servers 22 and the RADIUS server 40 '. The access servers 22 communicate with the RADIUS server 40 'in accordance with the RADIUS accounting protocol or any other relevant protocol. The resource tracker 50 preferably communicates with the INTRAC 45 unit according to GR1129-CORE, a signaling protocol defined in AIN 0.2, although other protocols may be used, such as 1129+, 1129, TCP / IP or others.

V. Call routing Without considering how the INTRAC 45 obtains the LRN, this is provided to the switch to route the call to a preferred location or to a group of interurban lines. For example, the LRN can redirect the subscriber's call to a different location or simply have the same telephone number that the subscriber calls. Therefore, the INTRAC unit 45 can take the resource tracker 50 into account to redirect the calls, determine if resources are available in order to connect the call of the subscribers or determine whether the subscriber's call should be terminated.

An advantage of network 100 over the traditional network shown in Figure 2 is that ISPs no longer need to have a concentrated Point of Presence (POP). Normally, as shown in Figure 2, an ISP 20 is connected to the PSTN 10 through a simple output switch such as a central office 16, by means of the PRI 24. This POP concentrated for the ISP 20 becomes something complicated and expensive to relocate the ISP 20, both for the ISP 20 and for the LEC. As for the latter, moving an ISP from one location to another becomes very expensive since the LEC must build the necessary infrastructure to support the ISP in the new location and dismantle the investment of the old location, which represents a large loss for the LEC. On the contrary, the network 100 shown in Figure 3 does not require the ISP to have a concentrated POP. Rather than routing all calls to an ISP through a single central office 16, each SSP 16 network preferably has a direct connection to the ISP through one of the access servers 22. Therefore, the LRN referred to the SSP routes the SSP to an interurban line or a group of interurban lines in order to route the data call to the access servers 22. The connections between the SSPs and the access servers are preferably PRI lines. To the Jbí * »*% Sk i address the calls of each outgoing switch to the access servers 22 avoiding the PSTN, the costs associated with the handling of data calls are greatly reduced. In the case of the ISP, the use of the LRNs to route calls from their subscribers offers flexibility in terms of the construction and distribution of the ISP's network, from a time and geographic point of view.

SAW . Resource inquiry A process 70 for generating the resource query in step 65 of figure 4 will now be described in relation to figure 5. Process 70 explains in more detail the phases that occur after the INTRAC unit 45 determined that a query should be sent to resource tracker 50. In step 71, after the INTRAC 45 unit receives the query from the SSP, the INTRAC 45 unit sends a resource query to the 50 resource tracker. resources includes the phone number called, designating from there the ISP, can also include the phone number of the calling party, designating from there the subscriber. In step 72, the INTRAC unit 45 receives a response from the resource tracker 50 and determines, in step 73, whether or not to generate any additional resource queries. These consultations of ^^ Additional resources, as discussed in more detail below, may appeal to resource trackers with respect to resources available from other access servers or other ISPs. In addition, queries of additional resources may appeal to the resource tracker 50 in relation to the preferred resources that are available to a specific subscriber. If further consultations are carried out, then the processing is referred to phase 71 where the resource query is prepared and to phase 72 where the response is received from the resource tracker 50. When no more queries are needed resources, the INTRAC 45 unit in phase 74 evaluates the resources available to the subscriber. This evaluation is concentrated, according to the established criteria, on the most desired access server, the most desired ISP or any other factor that influences when addressing the subscriber's call. In step 75, the INTRAC 45 unit issues an adequate response to the central office 16. In case the resources are available to the subscriber, then the response sent to the central office 16 will include the LRN to route the subscriber's call. The evaluation of the resources can alternatively be done through the resource tracker 50 instead of the INTRAC 45 unit. The INTRAC unit sends the resource query 50 with this query containing the called telephone number and, perhaps, the number telephone of the calling party. The resource tracker 50 chooses the preferable LRN for the subscriber call based on decision tree routing stored in resource tracker 50. This time-decision routing can be customized for an ISP, LEC or other entity. The resource tracker 50 checks the telephone number called by the subscriber and sends a response indicating whether resources are available in that number. The resource tracker 50 can perform additional procedures and find an optimal LRN for the subscriber based on the called telephone number and, probably, taking into account the calling party's telephone number. An advantage of having the resource evaluation performed on resource tracker 50 is that resource queries and responses to these queries can be eliminated.

VII. Tracking Resources Next, the method 80 for tracking the resources of an access server or ISP in the resource tracker 50 will be described in detail with reference to figure 6. In step 81, the resource tracker configures the maximum value of a resource. counter regarding the maximum capacity of the access server or ISP, or any other maximum value. For example, in case the ISP has 100 modems available, the resource tracker 50 sets the counter to a value of 100. In step 82, the resource tracker 50 determines whether a change in the session has occurred. The RADIUS 40 'server, as already mentioned, receives start and stop messages from the access servers and the ISPs when the sessions start and end, respectively. The resource tracker 50 monitors these start and stop messages, as well as determines the occurrence of a change during the session when any of these messages is received. In step 83, the resource tracker 50 determines whether a session was started and, if applicable, reduces the counter in step 84. In step 85, the resource tracker 50 specifies whether a session was stopped and, in its In this case, the counter increases in step 86. The process 80 returns to step 82 in order to detect the next change during a session. The availability of resources of each ISP is stored in the resource table 43. This functionality remains the same as long as a simple Access Server or the Multiple Access Servers distributed throughout the geographical area provide the resources of the ISP.

In general, by method 80 and counters, the resource tracker 50 tracks the number of available resources and reduces the value of the counter for each new session that is started. Conversely, when a session ends, the resource tracker 50 increases the counter reflecting that there are more resources available in the network 100. According to one aspect of the invention, the resource tracker 50 has a counter for each ISP that is monitoring and each counter shows the total number of resources available for that ISP. According to another aspect of the invention, the resource tracker 50 has several counters for each ISP and each counter shows the resources available in a part of the ISP. For example, each meter can concentrate on a simple Point of Presence (POP) administered by the ISP with a simple ISP that has many POPs. Another example, each counter can be concentrated to a simple access server within an ISP. An access server, for example, can provide the K56 service and a second access server can provide the K56Flex service to its subscribers while one more can offer the most recently developed modem techniques, such as V.90. For experts in the field, other uses and examples of accountants will be more evident in tracking and monitoring the resources of an ISP.

It is possible to monitor, in an alternative way, the resources of the ISP through the SCP 42 and the INTRAC 45 unit. By monitoring the signaling of the configuration of the call and that of the notification to the ISP, the INTRAC 45 unit determines the resources available in the ISP and then updates the resource table 43 to show available resources.

VIII. Data signaling Next, the preferred method for directing a subscriber's call to the INTRAC 45 unit will be described. When the subscriber's call is received in SSP 16, it determines that the call is a local number and is activated to perform a call. consult LNP. In general, queries that go from an SSP to an SCP and respond from the SCP to the SSP go through a Common Channel Signaling System (CCS7) network that spans the STPs. A CCS7 message is composed of three parts: the MTP part that has the Routing Tag; the SCCP part, with the Global Title (GT, Global Title); and a data field. The data for a call configuration is defined as the User's Particular Data (ISUP, ISDN User Part) and the data for the database services, such as data of the Particular Application of Capability Application (TCAP). . First of all, the signaling that occurs when a subscriber calls a tacked telephone number that requires LNP call processing will be explained. The SSP 16 receiving the call enters its point code in the Originating Point Code (OPC) 96, as well as the capacity of a local STP pair 41 in the Destination Point Code (DPC, Destination Point Code) 97, which together form the Routing Tag for query 90. The Address of Calling Party 94 of query 90 encompasses a Glogal Title (GT) that SSP 16 populates with the telephone number dialed by 10 digits , as well as a Sub-System Number (SSN) that SSP 16 populates with zeros. In a part of the Calling Party's Address 93 of SCCP 92, SSP 16 enters the point code for SSP 16 and Subsystem Number AIN 0.1 for SSP 16. The TCAP portion of query 90 includes a Identification of the Operation (TID, Transaction ID) that identifies the call, a Type of Activator (TT, Trigger Type) that identifies the type of activator detected by the SSP 16 and a Service Key (SK, Service Key) similar to the number 10-digit dialing The STP 41 receives this query 90 and performs a Global Title Translation (GTT) and changes the Route Label 95 before sending the query 90 to the SCP 42 that performs the processing of the LNP call. Right away, an explanation of the signaling of the call will be given according to a preferred contribution of the invention. When a subscriber calls their ISP or otherwise performs a data call, the SSP 16 receiving the call conducts a LNP 90 query when the call is to a local number. The LNP 90 query, according to the processing of the standard LNP call, is passed to the STP 41 for Global Title Translation and the STP 41 issues a reformatted query to the SCP for processing. However, compared to a traditional LNP query, the LNP query 90 according to the invention is rerouted in case the call is a data call. The description of a diagram of the SCP 42 and a method 100 according to a preferred input for processing the query 90 in the SCP 42 will be made below with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively. The SCP 42 comprises a Service Packet Manager 102 to receive queries from the STP 41 through the CCS7 network, a database 103, the INTRAC 45 unitad and an LNP 104 processing unit. In the contribution Preferred, the INTRAC 45 unit and the LNP 104 processing unit separately constitute a Service Package Application (SPA) within the SCP 42 and share the same SSN and the type of translations. In step 111, Service Packet Manager 102 within SCP 42 receives query 90 from STP 41 via the CCS7 network. Service Packet Manager 102 in step 112 compares the dialed telephone number of the Called Party Address field of query 90 with the numbers stored in database 103 for the purpose of determining whether the call is a call of data, as in relation to an ISP. Telephone numbers identified as preferred data calls are grouped in a central location and downloaded to the different SCPs 42 through a Service Management System 107. If the dialed telephone number does not identify the call as one of data by the Main Routing Key, then in step 113 Service Log Manager 102 generates a predetermined Routing Key and passes the call for LNP call processing. A Routing Key is formed by an SSN, a Type of Activator and a Service Key. The SSN in the Routing Code is usually populated by an SCP with the SSN in the Address of m or the SCCP Call Part, while the Activator Type and the Service Key are acquired from the TCAP part of the query 90. In step 113, the Routing Key is generated in the conventional manner and in the step 114 the standard LNP call processing is carried out by the processing unit LNP 104. The processing unit LNP 104 performs a search function in a database 105 and introduces the LRN of an SSP 16 serving the called party in the Address of the Calling Party 94 and inserts that the actual telephone number of the called party is placed in a field of the Generic Address Parameter (GAP). For an LNP query that does not involve a data call, the LNP call processing is not affected by the INTRAC 45 unit and the signaling within the PSTN is presented in the standard method. In contrast, when the Service Packet Service Manager 102 finds that the dialed telephone number and an entry of the database 103 match in step 112, then it generates a Routing Key in step 115 for the INTRAC unit 45. The Routing Key 102 contains the same Type of Activator and Service Key as those that the Routing Key generated in step 113 for a call to be routed to the processing unit LNP 104. The SSN populated by the Parcel Administrator of Service 102 in step 115 it is a unique SSN for the INTRAC unit 45. Based on the Routing Key, the SCP 42 passes the query 90 to the INTRAC unit in step 116 for future processing. The INTRAC unit 45, as with the processing unit LNP 104, introduces a preferred LRN in the Direction of the Calling Party 94, having obtained this LRN directly via a resource table 43, a search function or the resource tracker 50. Although resource table 43 was illustrated independently of SCP 42, it is clear from the previous description that resource table 43 would preferably be a real-time database of SCP 42. For example , the resource table 43 can be part of the database 105.

IX. Resource Table Figure 10 shows a preferred example of the resource table. Resource table 43 includes a customer identification number that uniquely identifies a particular ISP. Although only two customer IDs were specified in Figure 10, resource table 43 usually contains a large number of customer IDs. In the case of the identification of each client, the resource table 43 • - * '• £ -. -includes several telephone numbers assigned to that ISP with those telephone numbers represented by telephone numbers 1, 2, ... In addition, the resource table 43 includes an entry for the volume of calls allowed for said ISP, such as 50 calls, and the number of active calls at the moment. Likewise, the resource table 43 can show an entry that allows the routing of the extra calls and one or more entries determining the LRN for the extra calls. With the resource table 43, the resource tracker 50 or the INTRAC 45 unit can easily provide the relevant routing addresses for a subscriber's call. By checking the peak volume of the ISP and the number of active calls, the resource tracker 50 or the INTRAC 45 unit can determine if the calls can be routed to said ISP. In case the latter is at its maximum capacity, then the resource tracker 50 or the INTRAC 45 unit checks if the extra capacity is available and, where appropriate, where the call could be routed. Client identification and extra routing can be in a single ISP or span multiple ISPs. For example, it is possible for a simple ISP to have a large diversity of "customer" identification numbers with each customer Identification relating to a class of service ., ^ «-. »A ^, - A .. -JSáaá-te - ';. ^. .... ^ ñSi ?? asA *,. - * &.,.,: ...,. & -A ^ independent. In this way, the resource tracker 50 or the INTRAC 45 unit performs the processing based on the desired service class for a subscriber. The surplus in accordance with this provision directs calls to a less desired type of service within the ISP or any other that offers this service. Customer IDs can in turn be sent to different POPs of an ISP with subscribers that are preferably routed to the nearest POP and with the extra calls that are routed to other ISP POPs. Instead of routing calls to another POP or service type within a simple ISP, the surplus can route calls to a secondary or backup ISP. As the experts in the field will be able to realize, resource table 43 can be configured in various ways so it is not limited to the example of figure 10.

X. Network Configurations Based on the above descriptions, the network 100 can be configured in a variety of ways, depending on the specific application. According to one aspect of the invention, the network 100 does not include the resource tracker 50 and the INTRAC unit 45 does not perform any resource queries. Instead, the INTRAC 45 unit »-receives the subscriber's SSP queries, obtains a desired LRN from resource table 43 and enters the desired LRN as a response sent to the SSP. The INTRAC 45 unit can simply search the LRN in the resource table 43 or carry out certain information processing in the resource table 43 before arriving at the desired LRN. According to another contribution of the invention, the INTRAC 45 unit and the SCP can monitor the resources of the ISPs. As already explained, the INTRAC 45 unit tracks the available resources in an ISP by monitoring the signaling of the call configuration and the signaling of the completion notification. Therefore, it is possible for the INTRAC 45 unit to route the subscriber's call to a preferred LRN, as well as to terminate the call if there are no available resources. According to another aspect of the invention, the network 100 includes the INTRAC unit 45 and the resource tracker 50. The resource tracker 50 determines whether the call initiated by the subscriber through computer 14 should be routed to the ISP or if it should intercept considering the available resources. The resource tracker 50 determines whether the ISP has resources available to the subscriber and generates an adequate response to the INTRAC 45 unit in step 66. If resources are available, the call is completed in its usual way through the PSTN 10 to the access server 22. On the other hand, if the ISP does not have available resources, then the subscriber's call is intercepted before further signage is made within the PSTN 10 and the subscriber receives a busy signal in step 67. Network 100 according to this aspect of the invention connects the subscriber to the ISP or intercepts the call and may reduce signaling within the PSTN. According to another aspect of the invention, the network 100 includes the resource tracker 50, as well as the INTRAC unit 45, and the resource tracker 50 sends an LRN to the INTRAC unit 45. As already mentioned, the LRN sent by resource tracker 50 is chosen within resource table 43 considering any relevant criteria. For example, the resource tracker 50 chooses the LRN based on the preferred access server 22. Referring to Figure 3, the access server 22 encompasses various access servers 22A, 22B and 22C. When a subscriber calls any of these access servers 22A, 22B or 22C, a query is initiated at the central office 16 and the INTRAC 45 unit generates a resource query. The resource tracker 50, according to this example, tracks the resources available for each access server 22A, 22B and 22C through one or more counters. The resource tracker 50 includes the LRN in its response to the INTRAC unit 45 so that the subscriber is routed to an access server 22 having extra capacity. That is, if the access server 22 called by the subscriber finds its maximum capacity or is exceeding its capacity, the resource tracker 50 and the INTRAC unit 45 address the subscriber's call to the access server 22 with extra capacity. For example, an initial call from the computer 14 to the access server 22 is redirected to the access server 22C when the access server 22A is at maximum capacity and the access server 22C has extra capacity. After the access server 22 with extra capacity was located, the INTRAC unit 45 inserts the LRN to redirect the subscriber's call to this access server 22 and issues a response to the central office 16 through the STP 41. For the central office 16 and PSTN 10, the telephone number called by the subscriber appears as a rotated number and the PSTN 10 provides the appropriate LRN for the subscriber's call. The criteria used to select the preferred LRN is not limited to a particular access server within a simple ISP, but rather can be used to • if > *. * • -. j. ^ Jm t-locate the resources between two or more ISP. That is, when the resources of a first ISP are at their maximum capacity or exceed the threshold level of their capacity, the INTRAC 45 unit redirects the call to the second ISP with extra capacity, avoiding the first ISP. Therefore, queries of resources sent from the INTRAC 45 unit are not only related to the capacity of the first ISP but can also seek resources in other IPS. Consequently, for example, if MindSpring is at maximum capacity, the INTRAC 45 unit and the resource tracker can redirect MindSpring subscribers to a secondary ISP, such as BellSouth.net. Instead of the criteria of the access server and the ISP or in addition to these, the LRN can be chosen considering the specific information related to the subscriber. According to this example, the resource tracker 50 and the INTRAC unit 45 address a subscriber to a preferred resource for said specific subscriber. The RADIUS 40 'server, as already explained, contains information on the configuration of each subscriber for an ISP, including information on the type of service that the subscriber is configured with the ISP. The INTRAC unit 45 and the resource tracker 50 may consequently find an access server or an ISP that offers the preferred service or resource for said subscriber. For example, in the case of a subscriber with a C2 modem, the LRN selected by the INTRAC 45 unit and the resource tracker 50 redirects the subscriber's call to a resource offering the X2 service, instead of a K56Flex service. The INTRAC unit 45 and the resource tracker 50 preferably first check the resources of the access server 22 called by the subscriber, then those of other access servers 22 managed by the subscriber's ISP and then that of other ISPs, if they have the capacity, that they can provide the service to said subscriber. Information about the configuration used by the INTRAC 45 unit and the resource tracker 50 during the process of addressing the subscriber's call covers not only the type of modem but also other information, such as the nature of the service provided to the subscriber. Also, additional information can be stored on the RADIUS server 40 'and used by the resource tracker 50 in the process of routing the calls within the PSTN. The evaluation of the best LRN with respect to a subscriber can be done thanks to the resource tracker 50, the INTRAC 45 unit or both (the resource tracker 50 and the INTRAC 45 unit). The invention is not limited to having the selection made exclusively by the INTRAC 45 unit, but also covers the selection carried out by the resource tracker 50 or both (the resource tracker 50 and the INTRAC unit 45). According to another aspect of the invention, the resource tracker 50 automatically sends updates to the INTRAC 45 unit immediately after a change in resources with respect to an ISP or a predetermined or established lapse. In the above-mentioned examples, the INTRAC unit receives only one response from the resource tracker 50 after the INTRAC unit 45 sends a resource query from the ISP. The resource tracker 50 may instead update the resource table 43 either when a subscriber starts or ends a session. The resource table 43 which serves to track the resources available for an access server or an ISP can consequently be connected to the INTRAC 45 unit, so the INTRAC 45 unit would not consult the RADIUS server 40 'and the resource tracker 50 to determine the available resources of the network. The data calls, as already mentioned, represent a problem for the PSTN due to the long duration of the call (LCD) and the consumption of valuable resources of the PSTN. The LEC suffer another problem related to the routing of data calls. The ISPs maintain that they are also other carriers and therefore they are entitled to a commission for access derived from the receipt of the LEC call. Although the validity of this argument is in doubt, LECs have deposited money in a special account for every call connected to an ISP. A problem for the LEC is that calls to the ISP are always one-way so the LEC can not charge any commission to the ISP for calls terminated in the LEC network from the ISP. The network 100 makes it easier for the LEC to redirect the data calls to an alternative interconnection solution avoiding the PSTN. Through the solution shown in Figure 3, LECs can now not only monitor and better manage calls to ISPs, but can also measure the duration of data calls to an ISP as well as other calls from data. Since each start and stop message sent to the RADIUS server 40 'is monitored by the resource tracker 50 and since each start and stop message identifies the caller as well as the ISP, the resource tracker 50 can track the time total that the calls were connected to an ISP. Indeed, the resource tracker 50 has a timer associated with each call that is routed to an ISP. The resource tracker 50 starts the stopwatch at the time of counter decrement in step 84 and stops the stopwatch at the time of the counter increment in step 86. Times associated with connections to an ISP can be stored in a resource table 43. Alternatively, rather than monitoring the real time, the resource tracker 50, the INTRAC 45 unit or the access servers 22 can monitor the actual paid charge delivered to the ISP. In addition, before the resource tracker 50 controls the time, the INTRAC 45 unit can monitor the times related to an ISP and store them in the resource table 43. The preceding description of the preferred contributions of the invention was made with the aim of illustrate and explain the invention and not for the purpose of limiting it to such contributions. It is possible to make many modifications and variations from the knowledge disclosed in this document. For example, the INTRAC unit is preferably located in the SCP 42 and the resource tracker 50, in the RADIUS server 40 '. However, the INTRAC unit 45 and the resource tracker 50 may independently include components other than the RADIUS server 40 'and the SCP 42.

As already explained with reference to figure 4, when there are no resources available to handle the subscriber's call, the call is concluded. The invention is not restricted in the manner in which the call is terminated. For example, the call can be terminated by sending a busy signal to the calling party. One possible way to send this busy signal is by addressing the subscriber's call to a "phantom" port of the switch which does not have a group of trunk lines. One more example: the calling party can see a message informing you that the ISP or any other entity that is trying to connect can not accept the call. The invention was described in the first instance by referring to the call of the subscriber addressed to an ISP. However, the invention is not limited to calls addressed only to an ISP but covers any data call. For example, the invention can be used to control and handle calls to a data network other than the Internet, such as the company's internal computer network. It is preferred, as explained above, that the INTRAC unit 45 together with the processing unit LNP 104 be located in the same SCP 42. By placing the INTRAC unit 45 with the processing unit 104, the LEC can * Reduce your costs and eliminate the need to install a series of SCPs dedicated to routing data calls independently of the SCP series that provides LNP call processing. The invention is not limited to any specific SCP. In the case of an SCP that has the LNP 104 processing unit and the INTRAC 45 unit, the SCP 42 is preferably a Lucent SCP with a Realese 6.9 or more, such as the Starserver FT Model 3300, although any SCP may be used. facilitate the use of Routing Keys with different Subsystem Numbers. In addition, the invention is not restricted to the PSTN and can be used in other networks, such as a Private Branch Exchange (PBX). For example, in a PBX, the INTRAC unit can intelligently route traffic to certain destinations. Therefore, the calls that are processed by the INTRAC unit are not limited to data calls, so the INTRAC unit can handle the intelligent routing of voice calls or of any other nature. The contributions were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so that experts in the field can use the invention, the various contributions and the : > . »« - JK. .1? T. é &v iíixk ^ i? s SicÉ ám? different modifications, when these are in accordance with the particular use reviewed.

Claims (44)

1. A system to use during call routing in a telephone network, which is integrated by: A service control point to receive a query generated by a switch and to produce a resource query, the query generated by a switch occurred in a switch in response to a received call; and A resource tracker to track the resources available from a first service provider; wherein the resource tracker is for receiving the resource query from the service control point and for providing the routing addresses to route the received call, the routing addresses being issued to the switch through the service control point.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the query generated by the switch is a local number portability query and the service control point is for carrying out the portability call processing of the local number.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first service provider is an Internet service provider.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker monitors several available modems in the first service provider.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service control point forwards the routing addresses to the switch as a local routing number.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service control point includes the telephone number of the called party in the resource query.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service control point includes the telephone number of the calling party in the resource query.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the routing addresses generated by the resource tracker terminate the call when the first service provider does not have available resources.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the routing addresses generated by the resource tracker address the received call to the resources available from the first service provider.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker further monitors the resources available from a second service provider and provides routing addresses to route the received call to the second service provider in the event that they are not available. the resources of the first service provider.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker generates the routing addresses based on a telephone number of the called party related to the received call.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker generates the routing addresses based on the telephone number of the calling party related to the received call.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker generates the routing addresses based on the preferred type of service for the received call.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker includes a counter for tracking the available resources of the first service provider.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker includes a large number of counters to track the available resources of the first service provider.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the counters of the resource tracker is related to a group of modems in the first service provider.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first service provider has a large number of modems with each group of modems being dedicated to different types of service and the resource tracker with a large number of counters with each counter moniteoreando the available resources of a group of respective modems.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource scanner is connected to a remote authentication dial-up user service.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker monitors the start and stop messages in the remote authentication dial-up user service.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker provides the routing addresses in the form of a local routing number.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the resource tracker is located in a remote authentication dial-up user service.

22. A method for routing calls within the telephone network, which consists of the following phases: Receive a query generated by a switch and generate a resource query, the query generated by a switch being generated in response to a received call; Track available resources from the first service provider; and Provide routing addresses to route the received call.

23. The method according to claim 22, which further includes a provision phase of routing addresses to the switch.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the phase of receiving queries generated by the switch includes a receiving phase of a local number portability query. , j6 ^

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the phase of receiving queries generated by the switch includes a phase of receiving a query generated by the switch at a service control point.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracking phase of available resources comprises a tracking phase of resources available from an Internet service provider.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the trace phase of available resources comprises a trace phase of modems available to the first service provider.

28. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracking phase of available resources comprises a tracking phase of resources available from a second service provider.

29. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracing phase of available resources comprises a tracking phase of available modems within each modem group of the first service provider.

30. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracking phase comprises a tracking phase of resources available within each access server of the first service provider.

31. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracking phase comprises a tracking phase of available resources for each type of service offered by the first service provider.

32. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracking phase comprises a maintenance phase of a counter representing the resources available in the first service provider.

33. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracking phase comprises a maintenance phase of a large number of counters representing the resources available in the first service provider.

34. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracking phase comprises a step of reducing a counter each time a resource of the first service provider is used.

35. The method according to claim 22, wherein the tracking phase comprises a step of increasing a counter each time a resource of the first service provider becomes available.

36. The method according to claim 22, wherein the routing address provision phase comprises a call completion phase when no resources are available.

37. The method according to claim 22, wherein the routing address provision phase comprises a phase of addressing the call to the resources available in the first service provider.

38. The method according to claim 22, further comprising a resource tracking phase of a second service provider and wherein the routing address provision phase comprises a phase of Addressing the call to a second service provider when there are no resources available in the first service provider.

39. The method according to claim 22, wherein the routing address provision phase routes the call to resources that are relatively close to the switch.

40. The method according to claim 22, wherein the routing address provision phase comprises a determination phase of a preferred type of service for the call.

41. The method according to claim 22, wherein the routing address provision phase comprises a phase of addressing the call to a preferred service type for the call.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the phase of addressing the call to a preferred service type comprises a phase of addressing the call to a second service provider.

43. The method according to claim 22, further comprising a routing phase of the call on the switch based on the routing addresses.

44. The method according to claim 22, wherein the routing address provision phase comprises a provision phase of routing addresses as a local routing number. -mate ** SUMMARY When a subscriber calls an Internet Service Provider (ISP), the central office that receives the call is activated to perform a Local Number Portability (LNP) search. This LNP search is sent to a Intelligent Traffic Control and Routing unit (INTRAC) located at a Service Control Point (SCP) which determines whether the call is for an ISP. In case the call is for an ISP, the INTRAC unit interrogates a server for Remote Authentication Telephone Access User Service (RADIUS) to determine if there are resources available. The RADIUS server tracks the resources of the ISP, as well as other ISPs, and informs the SCP of the available resources. Then, the SCP enters the Local Routing Number (LRN) of the preferred resource in a response that is sent to the central office. If there are no available resources, the call is terminated before the Signaling is initiated with any switch associated with the ISP. On the other hand, when resources are available, the subscriber can be directed to the resource preferred by the latter. For example, the subscriber can be directed to an access server within the ISP that has extra capacity or can be routed to an access server that offers the best service to the subscriber, by which E * -. ^ Subscribers can be addressed to an X2 type service if they have an X2 modem or a K56Flex type service if they have a K56Flex modem. Another example: in case an ISP is at its maximum capacity, the subscriber can be directed to a second backup ISP. ^ s ^ ^ JT »» í ¿* * -. »A -. '/ ter-j. tcl >, fij-í l .. T¿? *.