Abstract:
A method for identifying a route of a call in a telecommunication system ( 10 ) comprises the steps of routing the call from a telephonic calling device ( 12 ) via a telephonic switch ( 14 ) to a telephonic terminating device ( 56 ) and disconnecting the telephonic call. After the telephonic call is disconnected, a call trace is established to identify a called line number of a terminating line in response to a call trace request from the telephonic calling device ( 12 ) after the telephonic call is disconnected.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to telecommunication systems and methods which perform call tracing on telephonic calls. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The world-wide increase in telecommunications has created a need for faster communications and easier access to the systems that enable the telecommunications. Because of this global expansion, it is often difficult to establish and maintain a connection with a telecommunication system. For some services, a called telephonic number may selectively be associated with many terminating lines or physical terminations. Therefore, for these services there is a need to be able to quickly identify a terminating line that serviced a telephonic terminating device that is not working properly or is detective. 
     In existing telecommunication systems, a call trace identifies the calling party of a telephonic call. After a called party receives a harassing telephonic call, the called party must disconnect the telephonic call and receive a dial tone to be able to activate a call trace. Then the called party activates the call trace by dialing an activation code such as *77. After dialing the code, a call record containing the calling party, called party and time of day is printed on a security channel of the telephonic switching system that serves the called party. 
     Disadvantageously, existing call tracing techniques do not permit the calling party to originate a call trace. This is needed when the called number is associated with a multitude of terminating lines. For example, the terminating lines could be multi-line hunt groups or automatic call distributors. Thus, the calling party is unable to determine the terminating line of a telephonic call. In turn, errors in telecommunication systems are undetected and are not promptly fixed. Because errors are not detected, there is a decrease in the response time for access to the telecommunication system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above problems are solved in the present invention by a call trace originating from a telephonic calling device to identify call terminating lines thus reducing response times for repairing problems and to allow easier access to telecommunication systems. The call trace is established from the telephonic calling device after completion of the telephonic call to a telephonic terminating device with a service problem. The present invention extends the use of call tracing by generating a report that specifies the terminating line of the telephonic call to identify terminating lines that are malfunctioning. 
     After a telephonic call has been disconnected, in response to a call trace request from the telephonic calling device a call trace is established to determine the terminating line of the telephonic call. After the terminating line of the telephonic call is determined, a call trace record is generated from a terminating call record. Importantly, the call trace record indicates the terminating line that connected the telephonic call from the telephonic calling device to the telephonic terminating device. The call trace record is transmitted to a call trace record database. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages of the present invention will be explained in greater detail and others will be made apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment which references several of the devices in the following drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunication system with telephonic switches, a signal transfer point device, a signal control point device and a call trace record database; 
     FIG. 2 is a table of an originating call record displaying a calling number of a telephonic calling device, a called number of a telephonic terminating device, a date of a telephonic call and a time of a telephonic call; and 
     FIG. 3 is a table of a terminating call record displaying a called line number of a terminating line that serviced a telephonic terminating device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a telecommunication system  10  is shown having a telephonic switch  14  for communicating with a signal transfer point device  30  and another telephonic switch  34 . The telephonic switches  14  and  34  may selectively be any telephonic network switches in the public switched telephonic network (PSTI) such as a 5ESS switches sold by Lucent Technologies Inc. A telephonic calling device  12  as seen in FIG. 1, is associated with and coupled to the telephonic switch  14 . The telephonic calling device  12  may preferably be either a telephone or a personal computer. However, any communication device that is capable of accessing, and communicating signals with the telephonic switch  14  may be suitably employed as an acceptable telephonic calling device  12 . 
     It will be appreciated that call tracing permits a call trace to originate from a telephonic called device. In response to an activation code signaling a request for call tracing, call tracing is initiated from a telephonic called device to provide a calling number of a telephonic calling device to the telephonic called device. The present invention extends the use of call tracing by enabling a call trace to originate at a telephonic calling device  12 . A call trace that originates at the telephonic calling device  12  results in a call trace record to be generated and transmitted to a call trace record database  54 . The call trace record identifies a calling number of the telephonic calling device  12 , a called number of a telephonic terminating device and a called line number of a terminating line that serviced a telephonic terminating device. Advantageously, by delivering the called line number of the terminating line that serviced the telephonic terminating device errors in the telephonic terminating device are detectable rendering telephonic communication errors to be fixed. For example, a telephonic call may selectively be transmitted to a terminating line in a group of terminating lines  58  that is connected to a detective telephonic terminating device. By establishing call tracing in response to receipt of a call tracing request from a telephonic calling device  12 , quick identification of the defective terminating line can be made thereby reducing errors. 
     As seen in FIG. 1, the telephonic calling device  12  by being physically located in a particular region is generally associated and connected with the telephonic switch  14 . The telephonic switch  14  has a processor  18  to perform processing for call routine at the telephonic switch  14 . The processor  18  communicates with the telephonic calling device  12  and a signaling interface  24  and determines the voice and data communication paths in the telecommunication system  10 . The telephonic switch  14  has a trunk unit  22  to allow data and voice communications between the telephonic calling device  12  and the other telephonic switch  34 . The telephonic switch  14  has an originating line unit  64  that receives the telephonic call from the telephonic calling device  12 . The originating line unit  64  transmits signaling information to the processor  18  and transmits voice and data communications to a switch fabric  60  of the telephonic switch  14 . The switch fabric  60  of the telephonic switch  14  connects the originating line unit  64  to enable voice and data communications between the telephonic calling device  12  and a telephonic terminating device. The telephonic switch  14  has a terminating line unit  62  that connects the telephonic call to a terminating line in a call distribution application  58 . 
     The telephonic switch  14  also has an originating call record database  16  to record an originating call record, maintain the originating call record for a predetermined set time and record data associated with various originating call records for telephonic calls. The originating call record database  16  also preferably stores the various originating call records in chronological order. The originating call record may selectively be stored in the originating call record database  16  for ten days. 
     As seen in FIG. 2, an originating call record  74  contains a calling number of a telephonic calling device  76 , a called number of a telephonic terminating device  78 , a date of a telephonic call  80  and a time of a telephonic call  82 . 
     Referring back to FIG. 1, the telephonic switch  14  also has a terminating call record database  20  to record a terminating call record, maintain the terminating call record for a predetermined set time and record data associated with various terminating call records for telephonic calls. The terminating call record database  20  also preferably stores the various terminating call records in chronological order. The terminating call record may selectively be stored in the terminating call record database  20  for ten days. 
     As seen in FIG. 3, a terminating call record  84  contains a calling number of a telephonic calling device  86 , a called number of a telephonic terminating device  88 , a date of a telephonic call  90 , a time of a telephonic call  92  and a called line number of a terminating line that serviced a telephonic terminating device  94 . 
     Referring back to FIG. 1, during operation of the present invention a telephonic call is transmitted from the telephonic calling device  12  to the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14 . The processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  determines if the telephonic terminating device has an associated 800 prefix telephone number. If the telephonic terminating device has an associated 800 prefix telephone number, then a translation query  70  is transmitted from the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  to the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14 . The signaling interface  24  enables communication between the telephonic switch  14  and a signal transfer point  30 . The signal transfer point  30  permits telephonic communications to be transmitted from the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14  to a signal control point device  32 . The signal transfer point device  30  is preferably a signaling transfer point (STP) packet switch device. The signal control point device  32  stores information that is used by telephonic switches to route telephonic calls. 
     The translation query  70  is transmitted from the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14  to the signal transfer point device  30 . The translation query  70  is transmitted from the signal transfer point device  30  to the signal control point device  32 . The signal control point device  32  determines a ten digit code for the 800 prefix telephone number. The ten digit code for the 800 prefix telephone number is transmitted from the signal control point device  32  to the signal transfer point device  330 . The ten digit code for the 800 prefix telephone number is transmitted from the signal transfer point device  30  to the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14 . The ten digit code for the 800 prefix telephone number is transmitted from the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14  to the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14 . The ten digit code for the 800 prefix telephone number is transmitted from the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  to the originating call record database  16  of the telephonic switch  14 . The ten digit code for the 800 prefix telephone number is recorded in an originating call record. 
     However, if the telephonic terminating device does not have an associated 800 prefix telephone number, then information concerning the telephonic call is transmitted from the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  to the originating call record database  16  of the telephonic switch  14 . An originating call record for the telephonic call is recorded at the originating call record database  16  of the telephonic switch  14 . 
     The processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  retrieves the originating call record for the telephonic call from the originating call record database  16  of the telephonic switch  14 . The processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  determines if the telephonic switch  14  services the called number of the telephonic terminating device. If the telephonic switch  14  services the called number of the telephonic terminating device  50  that is coupled with the terminating line unit  62 , then the telephonic switch  14  determines a called line number of a terminating line that services the called number of the telephonic terminating device  50 . If the telephonic switch  14  determines that the called number of the telephonic terminating device  50  is assigned to a group of terminating lines  58 , the telephonic switch  14  executes a call distribution algorithm or a call distribution application that is stored at the telephonic switch  14  to determine which terminating line in the group of terminating lines  58  will be used to service the telephonic call to the telephonic terminating device  50 . The call distribution algorithm may selectively include a uniform call distribution, a circular hunt distribution and an automatic call distribution. The telephonic switch  14  transmits the telephonic call to a terminating line in the group of terminating lines  58 . The telephonic terminating device  50  may selectively be any suitable communication device such as a modem, an interactive voice response unit, a voice mail unit, an attendant console, a called telephonic device and the like. When the telephonic call is serviced to the telephonic terminating device  50 , a terminating call record for the telephonic call is recorded at the terminating call record database  20  of the telephonic switch  14 . 
     However, if the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  determines that the other telephonic switch  34  services the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56  that is coupled with a terminating line unit  48 , a standard interoffice trunk connection  44  is established between telephonic switch  14  and telephonic switch  34 . The standard interoffice trunk connection  44  allows voice and data communications between the telephonic calling device  12  and the telephonic terminating device  56 . To establish the standard interoffice trunk connection  44 , the telephonic switch  14  transmits the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12  and the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56  to the telephonic switch  34 . The calling number of the telephonic calling device  12  and the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56  are transmitted from the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  to a signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14 . The signaling interface  24  enables communication between the telephonic switch  14  and a signal transfer point device  30 . The signal transfer point device  30  permits telephonic communications to be transmitted from the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14  to a signaling interface  38  of the other telephonic switch  34  that services the telephonic calling device  56 . The signal transfer point device  30  is preferably a signaling transfer point (STP) packet switch device. The STP determines which of the other telephonic switches services the telephonic terminating device  56 . 
     A data packet message carrying the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12  and the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56  is transmitted from the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14  to the signal transfer point device  30 . The data packet message may selectively be an SS7 message  28 . The SS7 message  28  is a call set-up request to establish a communication with telephonic switch  34 . The signal transfer point device  30  determines whether telephonic switch  34  is able to receive the data packet message. The data packet message is then transmitted from the signal transfer point device  30  to the signaling interface  38  of telephonic switch  34 . 
     If the other telephonic switch  34  services the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56  that is Coupled with the terminating line unit  48 , then telephonic switch  34  determines a called line number of a terminating line that services the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56 . If telephonic switch  34  determines that the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56  is assigned to a group of terminating lines  52 , telephonic switch  34  executes a call distribution algorithm or a call distribution application that is stored at telephonic switch  34  to determine which terminating line in the group of terminating lines  52  will be used to service the telephonic call to the telephonic terminating device  56 . The call distribution algorithm may selectively include a uniform call distribution, a circular hunt distribution and an automatic call distribution. The telephonic terminating device  56  may selectively be any suitable communication device such as a modem, an interactive voice response unit, a voice mail unit, an attendant console, a called telephonic device and the like. Telephonic switch  34  transmits the telephonic call to a terminating line in the group of terminating lines  52 . 
     The processor  40  of telephonic switch  34  permits voice and data communications at telephonic switch  34 . The processor  40  receives telephonic calls from the signaling interface  38  of telephonic switch  34  and determines the paths that the telephonic calls should follow. Telephonic switch  34  has a trunk unit  36  to allow data and voice communications between the telephonic calling device  12  and the telephonic terminating device  56 . Telephonic switch  34  has a switch fabric  46  that connects the trunk unit  36  of telephonic switch  34  and a terminating line unit  48  to enable voice and data communications between the telephonic calling device  12  and the telephonic terminating device  56 . 
     Telephonic switch  34  also has a terminating call record database  42  to record a terminating call record for the telephonic call, maintain the terminating call record for a predetermined set time and record data associated with various terminating call records for telephonic calls. The terminating call record database  42  also preferably stores the various terminating call records in chronological order. The terminating call record may selectively be stored in the terminating call record database  42  for ten days. 
     As seen in FIG. 3, a terminating call record  84  contains a calling number of a telephonic calling device  86 , a called number of a telephonic terminating, device  88 , a date of a telephonic call  90 , a time of a telephonic call  92  and a called line number of a terminating line that serviced a telephonic terminating device  94 . 
     Referring back to FIG. 1, the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12  and the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56  are transmitted from the signaling interface  38  to the processor  40  of the other telephonic switch  34 . The calling number of the telephonic calling device  12  and the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56  are transmitted from the processor  40  of telephonic switch  34  to the terminating call record database  42  of telephonic switch  34 . A terminating call record for the telephonic call is recorded at the terminating call record database  42  of telephonic switch  34  when the telephonic call is serviced to the telephonic terminating device  56 . 
     In establishing a call trace from the telephonic calling device  12 , the telephonic call is disconnected and a dial tone is provided to the telephonic calling device  12 . A call trace request is transmitted from the telephonic calling device  12  to the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  in response to receipt of a call trace activation code signal from the telephonic calling device  12 . The call trace request may selectively be initiated in many ways such as through activation of a key pad (*77) at the telephonic calling device  12 . In response to receipt of the call trace request from the telephonic calling device  12 , a call trace is established to identify the called line number of the terminating line that serviced the telephonic terminating device. The processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  retrieves the originating call record for the telephonic call from the originating call record database  16 . The processor  18  determines the appropriate originating call record by selecting the latest originating call record for the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12 . The processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  determines where the call trace request should be transmitted based on the called number of the telephonic terminating device. 
     If the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  determines that the telephonic switch  14  serviced the telephonic call, then the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  searches the terminating call record database  20  to retrieve the most recent terminating call record with the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12  and the called number of the telephonic terminating device  50 . The processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  then generates a call trace record. The call trace record contains the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12 , the called number of the telephonic terminating device  50 , the date of the telephonic call, the time of the telephonic call and the called line number of the terminating line that serviced the telephonic terminating device  50 . 
     The call trace record is transmitted from the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  to a call trace record database  54 . The call trace record database  54  is preferably a management organization that services repairs to the telecommunication system  10 . 
     However, if the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  determines that the telephonic switch  14  did not terminate the telephonic call then a remote activation of call trace message is transmitted from the processor  18  of the telephonic switch  14  to the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14 . The remote activation of call trace message contains the call trace request and the originating call record. A data packet message carrying the remote activation of call trace message is transmitted from the signaling interface  24  of the telephonic switch  14  to the signal transfer point device  30 . The data packet message may selectively be an SS7 message  28 . The SS7 message is a call trace set-up request. The signal transfer point device  30  determines whether the other telephonic switch  34  is able to receive the data packet message. 
     The data packet message is transmitted from the signal transfer point device  30  to the signaling interface  38  of the other telephonic switch  34 . The remote activation of call trace message is transmitted from the signaling interface  38  of telephonic switch  34  to the processor  40  of telephonic switch  34 . The processor  40  of telephonic switch  34  examines the call trace request message to determine the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12  and the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56 . The processor  40  of telephonic switch  34  then searches the terminating call record database  42  to retrieve the most recent terminating call record with the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12  and the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56 . The processor  40  of telephonic switch  34  then retrieves from the terminating call record database  42  the called line number of the terminating line that serviced the telephonic terminating device  56 . The processor  40  of telephonic switch  34  then generates a call trace record. The call trace record contains the calling number of the telephonic calling device  12 , the called number of the telephonic terminating device  56 , the date of the telephonic call, the time of the telephonic call and the called line number of the terminating line that serviced the telephonic terminating device  56 . 
     The call trace record is transmitted from the processor  40  of telephonic switch  34  to a call trace record database  54 . The call trace record database  54  preferably embodies a management organization application that services repairs to the telecommunication system  10 . 
     While a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention have been given, it should be appreciated that many variations can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.