Patent ID: 6044141
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A method in a communications network for managing multipath calls by establishing virtual communications nodes for effectively handling the automatic routing of communications transactions initiated within said communications network, comprising the steps of:initiating a communications transaction from an originating node to a desired terminating node;determining that said communications transaction includes a feature activator;automatically routing said communications transaction from said originating node to an alternative terminating node, in response to said feature activator being present in said communications transaction, by:associating a first virtual communications node with a first terminal of said desired terminating node;associating a second virtual communications node with a second terminal of said desired terminating node; andterminating said communications transaction at said alternative terminating node by routing said communications transaction through said first virtual communications node and said second virtual communications node such that a multipath call placed from said originating node to said alternative terminating node is represented as a group of series of connections rather than a direct connection between said originating node and said alternative terminating node.