Shared Trunk Group Customer Identification via SIP Origination Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network services providers struggle to accurately identify communications originating from specific customers when using third-party Internet telephony services, leading to inefficiencies due to the need for dedicated trunks and IP addresses for each customer.
Innovation Solution
Provisioning a customer-specific identifier within the customer's instance of the third-party Internet telephony service, allowing the network services provider to identify the customer through shared trunk groups and IP addresses by inserting the identifier into SIP headers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a dedicated trunk or trunk group is dedicated to each customer, then accurate customer identification is achieved, but resource efficiency deteriorates due to underutilization of network resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a shared trunk group that serves multiple customers simultaneously, allowing a single trunk group to perform the identification function for all connected customers. The system inserts customer-specific origination identifiers into SIP messages traversing the shared trunk group, enabling accurate customer identification without requiring dedicated trunks for each customer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an origination identifier as an intermediary element that carries customer identification information through the shared trunk group. This identifier acts as a mediator between the customer and the network services provider, enabling accurate customer identification without requiring physical separation of trunks.
2Measurement precision
If a unique IP address is provided for the SBC to each customer, then accurate customer identification is achieved, but resource efficiency deteriorates due to IP address scarcity and underutilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables a single SBC IP address to serve multiple customers by inserting customer-specific origination identifiers into SIP messages. The SBC with a shared IP address can accurately identify and route calls for multiple customers without requiring unique IP addresses for each customer.
Solution Approach 2:
The origination identifier serves as an intermediary that carries customer identification information through the shared SBC IP address. This allows the SBC to distinguish between multiple customers even when receiving messages from the same IP address.
3Adaptability or versatility
If third-party calling services obfuscate caller identification, then service versatility is improved by allowing number sharing, but customer identification accuracy deteriorates due to loss of unique calling endpoint information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary insertion of customer-specific origination identifiers into SIP messages at the point where calls enter the network from third-party services. This proactive insertion ensures that customer identification information is preserved and available for routing and billing purposes, even when third-party services obfuscate traditional caller ID information.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided to provision a customer-specific identifier in cloud-based communications systems so that when a communication arrives at the network services provider, it is identified as being associated with the customer, even when the customer information would otherwise not be available. In examples, when a customer orders communication services from the network services provider (or associates the communication services with a third-party Internet telephony service), the network services provider provides the customer a unique identifier that is provisioned into that customer's instance of the third-party Internet telephony service. When the customer makes a call using the third-party Internet telephony service, the identifier is inserted into the communication (e.g., in a SIP header). The identifier is extracted when the communication is received at the network services provider and used to identify the customer so that appropriate services, service levels, etc. can be applied to the call.