Patent ID: 9444738
Filing Date: 2016-09-13
CPC Classification: H04L,H04M

Claim Text:
1. A method of controlling the load of calls carried by a voice over Internet protocol telephone system, comprising: experimentally determining a first destination gateway's call carrying capacity, wherein the call carrying capacity includes the number of calls that can be simultaneously handled by the first destination gateway; obtaining, with a controller, call information relating to a plurality of calls that are presently being carried by the voice over Internet protocol telephone system, wherein the obtaining step comprises determining the number of calls presently being carried by the first destination gateway that are in a connected or setup state; analyzing the obtained information to determine if the first destination gateway is at or near its experimentally determined call carrying capacity; and controlling the routing of additional new calls before they are connected to the first destination gateway, such that at least some new calls are routed to destination gateways other than the first destination gateway to reduce the call load on the first destination gateway if the first destination gateway is at or near its previously determined call carrying capacity, wherein when the analyzing step indicates that the first destination gateway is at or near its call carrying capacity, the controlling step comprises causing additional new calls that could have been completed through the first destination gateway to be completed through destination gateways other than the first destination gateway for a predetermined period of time; wherein when the analyzing step indicates that the first destination gateway, which provides high call quality, is at or near its call carrying capacity, the controlling step comprises causing additional new calls that could have been completed through the first destination gateway and that do not require high call quality to be completed through destination gateways other than the first destination gateway for a predetermined period of time.