# US 6,141,409 A · Method of operating a virtual private network

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- Number: US 6,141,409 A
- Document ID: US6141409A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/969,598
- Filed: 1997-11-13
- Granted: 2000-10-31
- Earliest claimed: 1997-11-13
- Assignees: Ameritech Corporation
- Inventors: Pitsa Madoch; Wayne Robert Heinmiller; Christopher Michael LeBeau; John Wesley Moss; Dianna Inara Tiliks; Walter Martin Malinowski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6141409A

## CPC

- H04Q 3/0029: {Provisions for intelligent networking}
- Y10S 379/901: Virtual networks or virtual private networks
- H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A method of operating a virtual private network includes the steps of: (a) dialing a custom number; (b) receiving the custom number at a switch (20) of a first carrier; (c) routing the call to a switch (18) of a second carrier based on having received the custom number; and (d) when the call to the switch (18) of the second carrier includes a plain old telephone number translation of the customer number, routing the call over the second carrier to a service switching point (26) of a third carrier.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a virtual private network, comprising the steps of:
(a) dialing a number;
(b) receiving the number at a service switching point of an originating carrier;
(c) performing a number identifier operation to determining if a call should be routed on a private line to a intermediate carrier switch;
(d) when the call is routed to the intermediate carrier switch over the private line, performing a custom dialing plan trigger on the number;
(e) sending a query including the number to a network carrier service control point;
(f) receiving a message containing a routing instructions including a plain old telephone number translation of the number; and
(g) routing the call based on the routing instructions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:
(h) receiving the call at an intermediate switch;
(i) routing the call to a terminating service switching point.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein step (i) further includes the step of:
(i1) routing the call over a private line based on a received signaling indicator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein step (i) further includes the steps of:
(i1) triggering on the plain old telephone number at the intermediate switch;
(i2) sending a routing query to a second service control point;
(i3) checking if a calling telephone number and the plain old telephone number belong to a same private network;
(i4) when the calling telephone number and the plain old telephone number belong to the same private network, routing the call over a private line.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) consists of dialing four digits.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes the steps of:
(c1) comparing the number to a predefined set of numbers;
(c2) when the number is included in the predefined set of numbers, routing the call over the private line.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) further includes the step of:
(f1) receiving a signaling indicator as part of the routing instructions.

### Claim 8

A method of operating a virtual private network, comprising the steps of:
(a) dialing a number to initiate a call in a first local access and transport area;
(b) receiving the number at a service switching point of a first carrier;
(c) triggering on the number and sending a query to a network service control point;
(d) receiving a response containing a routing instructions including a plain old telephone number translation of the number;
(e) routing the call over a private line to a switch of an intermediate carrier;
(f) routing the call over a private line from the intermediate carrier to a service switching point of a terminating carrier.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein step (d) further includes the step of:
(d1) receiving a signaling indicator as part of the routing instructions.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein step (f) further includes the steps of:
(f1) determining if the routing instructions include the signaling indicator;
(f2) when the routing instructions include the signaling indicator, routing the call over the private line.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein step (f) further includes the steps of:
(f1) triggering on the plain old telephone number;
(f2) sending a query to a service control point;
(f3) determining if the plain old telephone number and a calling party telephone number belong to a predetermined set;
(f4) when the plain old telephone number and the calling party telephone number belong to the predetermined set, routing the call over a private line.

### Claim 12

A method of operating a virtual operating network, comprising the steps of:
(a) dialing a custom number;
(b) receiving the custom number at a switch of a first carrier;
(c) routing the call to a switch of a second carrier based on having received the custom number; and
(d) when the call to the switch of the second carrier includes a plain old telephone number translation of the custom number, routing the call over the second carrier to a service switching point of a third carrier.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein step (b) further includes the steps of:
(b1) triggering on the custom number at the switch of the first carrier;
(b2) sending a query to a network service control point;
(b3) receiving the plain old telephone number translation of the customer number.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein step (c) further includes the steps of:
(c1) determining at the switch of the first carrier that the custom number is not a standard number;
(c2) routing the call over a private line to the switch of the second carrier.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further including the steps of:
(e) when the call to the switch of the second carrier does not include the plain old telephone number translation of the custom number, triggering on the call;
(f) sending a query to a network service control point;
(g) receiving a routing instructions including the plain old telephone number translation of the customer number.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further including the steps of:
(h) routing the call based on the plain old telephone number, to a second switch of the second carrier;
(i) when the call includes a signaling indicator, routing the call over a private line to the service switch point of the third carrier.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further including the steps of:
(j) when the call does not include the signaling indicator, triggering on the plain old telephone number;
(k) sending a query to a second service control point, including a calling number and the plain old telephone number;
(l) determining if the calling number and the plain old telephone number belong to a predetermined group of numbers;
(m) routing the call over a private line when the calling number and the plain old telephone number belong to the predetermined group of numbers.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein step (a) consists of dialing four digits.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving the routing instruction further includes receiving a signaling indicator.