Method of supporting uniform addressing of telephone numbers
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsToby L. Nixon, Robert M. Frankston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for supporting uniform addressing of telephone numbers includes constructing a fully qualified number including all numbers necessary to place a telephone call regardless of where the call originates. An electronic dialing device automatically dials the fully qualified number and may also communicate with a system for electronically storing and retrieving fully qualified numbers. A call processor in the telephone system includes support for identifying and processing the fully qualified number.
Claims18
A method for placing a telephone call between a caller at a first location and a callee at a second location through a telephone network using uniform addressing of telephone numbers, the method comprising:
- dialing an access number with an electronic dialing device to establish a telephone connection with a call processor, wherein the call processor is in communication with a switching office in the telephone network, and the call processor is adapted to receive telephone calls directed to the access number;
- after establishing the telephone connection between the electronic dialing device and the call processor, waiting for a signal from the call processor to send a fully gualified number representing a uniform dialing address for the callee;
- in response to receiving the signal from the call processor, transmitting the fully qualified number to the call processor regardless of the locations of the caller and callee;
- after receiving the fully qualified number in the call processor, routing the telephone call to the callee using the fully qualified number.
A method for placing a telephone call between a caller at a first location and callee at a second location using uniform addressing of telephone numbers, the method comprising:
- automatically dialing a fully qualified number with an electronic dialing device including:
- sending a code with the electronic dialing device indicating that the number to follow is a fully qualified number;
- waiting for a response signal from a call processor indicating that the call processor is ready to receive the fully qualified number, wherein the call processor is programmed to receive the fully qualified number representing a uniform address of the callee and is programmed to control routing of the telephone call to the callee using the uniform address;
- and
- transmitting the fully qualified number with the electronic dialing device regardless of the locations of the caller and callee.
A computer having fax or modem circuitry, the computer further including software causing the computer and circuitry to cooperate to perform the following steps:
- dialing a preselected access telephone number;
- detecting a response prompt after the access telephone number connects;
- after the response prompt, sending a continuous sequence of digits and separation tones without pauses or interruptions to listen for prompts, the continuous sequence including an addressee telephone number comprising at least an area/city code, and a subscriber number, the continuous sequence further including billing data;
- detecting a connect tone from the addressee telephone number;
- and
- conveying fax or modem data.
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
- instructing an electronic dialing device to dial a preselected access telephone number;
- detecting a response prompt after the access telephone number connects;
- after the response prompt, instructing the electronic dialing device to send a continuous sequence of digits and separation tones without pauses or interruptions to listen for prompts, the continuous sequence including an addressee telephone number comprising at least an area/city code, and a subscriber number, the continuous sequence further including billing data;
- detecting a connect tone from the addressee telephone number;
- and
- conveying fax or modem data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.