System and method for passcode validation during telephone call processing
AssigneeBellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
InventorAnita Hogans Simpson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of validating a passcode in a telephone network comprises using a hash function to hash the directory number of a subscriber to a passcode-controlled service and comparing an entered passcode with the output of the hash function. Each subscriber to a passcode-controlled service is provided with a passcode that is equal to the hash of their directory number produced by a predetermined hash function, and that predetermined hash functions is provided to the various components of the network that may need to validate the subscriber's passcode. Each component of the network is thus able to validate the passcode without performing a database lookup.
Claims9
A method of validating a passcode in a telecommunications network which processes a call from a first telephone station, said method comprising the acts of:
- receiving a passcode from said first telephone station;
- computing a first value based on a telephone number;
- retrieving a second value from an exception table based on said first value;
- determining that the received passcode is the same as said second value;
- and
- permitting access to a restricted service,
- wherein said exception table comprises a plurality of segments indexed by a numbering plan area, each of said segments comprising a plurality of storage locations, and wherein said retrieving act comprises:
- identifying a first of said plurality of segments based on the area code of said telephone number;
- identifying a first storage location within said first segment based on said first value;
- and
- retrieving said second value from said first storage location.
An advanced intelligent network comprising:
- a service switching point communicatively connected to a plurality of telephone stations, each of said telephone stations having a directory number associated therewith;
- and
- a plurality of service nodes communicatively coupled to said service switching point, each of said service nodes comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory;
- logic stored in said memory and executable on said processor which receives a directory number associated with one of said telephone stations and a passcode entered through one of said telephone stations, which hashes the received directory number according to a first hash function to produce a hash value, which compares the hash value with the entered passcode, and which allows access to a restricted service provided by the service node according to whether the entered passcode matches the hash value, wherein each of said service nodes further comprises:
- an exception table having a plurality of custom passcodes indexed by hash values;
- and
- logic stored in said memory and executable on said processor which queries said exception table for a custom passcode in said exception table based on said hash value, and which compares the entered passcode with either the hash value or the custom passcode according to whether said exception table contains a custom passcode indexed by said hash value.
A method of validating a passcode in a telecommunications network which processes a call from a first telephone station, said method comprising the acts of:
- receiving said passcode from said first telephone station;
- computing a value based a telephone number;
- determining that the received passcode is the same as the computed value;
- and
- permitting access to a restricted service, wherein said determining act is performed without consulting a database of passcodes.
A method of supporting the evaluation of passcodes in a telephone network having a plurality of customers, said method comprising the acts of:
- hashing the telephone number of each of said plurality of customers using a first hash function, to produce a hash value for each of said plurality of customers;
- assigning each of said plurality of customers a passcode equal to the customer's corresponding hash value;
- and
- providing said first hash function to a plurality of components of said telephone network, wherein said method does not include providing, to said plurality of components, a database containing passcodes assigned to said customers.
An advanced intelligent network comprising:
- a service switching point communicatively connected to a plurality of telephone stations, each of said telephone stations having a directory number associated therewith;
- and
- a plurality of service nodes communicatively coupled to said service switching point, each of said service nodes comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory;
- logic stored in said memory and executable on said processor which receives a directory number associated with one of said telephone stations and a passcode entered through one of said telephone stations, which hashes the received directory number according to a first hash function to produce a hash value, which compares the hash value with the entered passcode, and which allows access to a restricted service provided by the service node according to whether the entered passcode matches the hash value, wherein said logic allows access to said restricted service without comparing the entered passcode with a set of passcodes stored in a database.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.