Economical call processing system and method, such as for providing one-number telecommunication services
AssigneeAccessLine Communications Corporation
InventorsIan Widger, Jeremy M. Knight, Frederick A. Epler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and associated method receive, from a local telecommunications network, a call from a first number, to a second number associated with an individual or subscriber. The system and method locally store at least the second number, and initiate a dial-up call to a central telecommunication server or a dialed-up network via the local telecommunications network. The system and method then transfer at least the second number to the central telecommunications server via the dial-up call over the dial-up network. The dial-up network can be a 1-800 network, long distance network, or other network.
Claims21
A computer-implemented method for routing calls from at least one caller to a subscriber of telecommunications services, wherein at least one call from the caller is routed from a local telecommunications network to a distant central telecommunications server, wherein the local telecommunications network includes a local dialable network that differs from a local dialable network to which the central telecommunications server is associated, the method comprising:
- at a local controller coupled to and associated with the local telecommunications network, receiving from the local telecommunications network an incoming call from a calling number associated with a caller, to a called number associated with the subscriber;
- at the local controller, locally storing at least the called number associated with the caller;
- at the local controller, initiating a 1-800 call to the central telecommunications server over a 1-800 network via the local telecommunications network;
- at the local controller, transferring the called number to the central telecommunications server via the 1-800 call over the 1-800 network;
- at the central telecommunications server, receiving the calling and called numbers and retrieving a subscriber profile based on the called number, wherein the subscriber profile is associated with the subscriber and identifies subscriber defined call routing preferences;
- at the central telecommunications server, receiving the incoming call;
- and
- at the central telecommunications server, routing the incoming call based on at least one subscriber defined call routing preference in the retrieved subscriber profile.
An apparatus for routing calls for a subscriber from a local telecommunications network to a distant central telecommunications server, the apparatus comprising:
- a memory,
- a computer coupled to the memory;
- a telecommunications call handling subsystem coupled between the local telecommunications network and the computer, wherein the computer and call handling subsystem are configured to:
- receive a call from a first number to a second number associated with the subscriber;
- store in the memory at least the second number;
- initiate a 1-800 call to the central telecommunications server over a 1-800 network via the local telecommunications network;
- and transfer at least the second number to the central telecommunications server via the 1-800 call over the 1-800 network;
- and
- wherein transferring at least the second number includes transferring to the central telecommunications server the called and calling numbers in ISDN fields in the 1-800 call, and wherein the computer and call handling subsystem are further configured to:
- provide the second number to the central telecommunications server as in-band signaling in response to a first error message received from the central telecommunications server;
- initiate another 1-800 call to the central telecommunications server over a second 1-800 network in response to a second error message received from the central telecommunications server;
- and
- connect the call with the 1-800 call in response to an acknowledgement message received from the central telecommunications server.
An apparatus for routing calls for a subscriber from a local telecommunications network to a distant central telecommunications server, the apparatus comprising:
- a memory,
- a computer coupled to the memory;
- a telecommunications call handling subsystem coupled between the local telecommunications network and the computer, wherein the computer and call handling subsystem are configured to:
- receive a call from a first number to a second number associated with the subscriber;
- store in the memory at least the second number;
- initiate a 1-800 call to the central telecommunications server over a 1-800 network via the local telecommunications network;
- and transfer at least the second number to the central telecommunications server via the 1-800 call over the 1-800 network;
- and
- wherein a caller places the call from the first number, and wherein the computer and call handling subsystem are further configured to:
- provide voice scripts to the caller;
- initiate the 1-800 call to a first 1-800 number based on a first input signal received from the caller;
- and
- initiate another 1-800 call to another 1-800 number based on a second input signal received from the caller.
The apparatus for routing calls for a subscriber from a local telecommunications network to a distant central telecommunications server, the apparatus comprising:
- a memory,
- a computer coupled to the memory;
- a telecommunications call handling subsystem coupled between the local telecommunications network and the computer, wherein the computer and call handling subsystem are configured to:
- receive a call from a first number to a second number associated with the subscriber;
- store in the memory at least the second number;
- initiate a 1-800 call to the central telecommunications server over a 1-800 network via the local telecommunications network;
- and transfer at least the second number to the central telecommunications server via the 1-800 call over the 1-800 network;
- and
- wherein the computer and call handling subsystem are further configured to:
- receive a routing message from the central telecommunications server;
- place another 1-800 call to another apparatus based on the received routing message, wherein the another apparatus is substantially similar to the apparatus;
- and
- connect the call with the another 1-800 call.
An apparatus for routing calls for a subscriber from a local controller coupled to a local telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising
- a memory,
- a computer coupled to the memory,
- a telecommunications call handling subsystem coupled between a 1-800 network and the computer, wherein the computer and call handling subsystem are configured to:
- receive a 1-800 call over a 1-800 network from the local controller based on a call received by the local controller from a first number to a second number associated with the subscriber;
- receive the first and second numbers from the local controller via the 1-800 call over the 1-800 network;
- and determine routing of the call based on the received first and second numbers;
- and
- wherein the telecommunications call handling subsystem is coupled to a second 1-800 network, and wherein the computer and call handling subsystem are further configured to instruct the local controller to place at least some 1-800 calls over the second 1-800 network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.