Connectivity using a geographic phone number

• US 10,165,495 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hassan, Amer Aref, Halley, David Michael, Penar, Russell Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane
• Application Number:
  US15/630,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20180376402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7259 per terminal or location; Mobile with multiple directory numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42306 Number translation services, e.g. premium-rate, freephone or vanity number services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Techniques for connectivity using a geographic phone number are described. According to various implementations, techniques described herein enable various policies pertaining to the use of telephone numbers at different locations to be enforced. For instance, techniques described herein enable a client device that is outside of a permitted geographic area for a geographic phone number to use a non-geographic phone number to connect a call, while the call can be routed using the geographic phone number.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

one or more memories including instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform operations including;

receiving a request to connect a call from a client device to a receiving device via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

determining that a current location of the client device is not a permitted location for using a geographic number assigned to the client device; and

causing the call to be connected between the receiving device and the client device using an alternate number and the geographic number by;

routing the call from the client device to the PSTN using the alternate number;

causing a portion of the call from the client device to be connected by the PSTN to the receiving device using the geographic number effective to cause the call from the client device to appear at the receiving device to originate from the geographic number; and

causing a portion of the call from the receiving device to be received at the client device from the receiving device routed using the alternate number.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the request comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) communication that includes one or more of an identifier of the client device or the location of the client device.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the alternate number comprises a non-geographic number.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises querying a call policy that specifies one or more geographic locations where the geographic number is permitted to be used.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises querying a call policy that specifies one or more geographic locations where the geographic number is permitted to be used, and wherein the call policy is based at least in part on a regulatory policy that applies for one or more portions of the geographic number.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

communicating a query that includes the location of the client device to a remote service; and

receiving a query response indicating that the current location is not a permitted location for using the geographic number.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said causing the portion of the call from the client device to be connected by the PSTN to the receiving device using the geographic number comprises causing the PSTN to dial the geographic number at the PSTN.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the portion of the call received at the client device comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) communication.

9. A method implemented by a computing system, the method comprising:

receiving a request to connect a call from a client device to a receiving device via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

determining that a current location of the client device is not a permitted location for using a geographic number assigned to the client device; and

causing the call to be connected between the receiving device and the client device using an alternate number and the geographic number by;

routing the call from the client device to the PSTN using the alternate number;

causing a portion of the call from the client device to be connected by the PSTN to the receiving device using the geographic number effective to cause the call from the client device to appear at the receiving device to originate from the geographic number; and

causing a portion of the call from the receiving device to be received at the client device from the receiving device routed using the alternate number.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the request comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) communication that includes one or more of an identifier of the client device or the location of the client device.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the alternate number comprises a non-geographic number.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said determining comprises querying a call policy that specifies one or more geographic locations where the geographic number is permitted to be used.

13. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said determining comprises querying a call policy that specifies one or more geographic locations where the geographic number is permitted to be used, and wherein the call policy is based at least in part on a regulatory policy that applies for one or more portions of the geographic number.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said determining comprises:

communicating a query that includes the location of the client device to a remote service; and

receiving a query response indicating that the current location is not a permitted location for using the geographic number.

15. One or more memories storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to connect a call from a client device to a receiving device via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

determining that a current location of the client device is not a permitted location for using a geographic number assigned to the client device; and

causing the call to be connected between the receiving device and the client device using an alternate number and the geographic number by;

routing the call from the client device to the PSTN using the alternate number;

causing a portion of the call from the client device to be connected by the PSTN to the receiving device using the geographic number effective to cause the call from the client device to appear at the receiving device to originate from the geographic number; and

causing a portion of the call from the receiving device to be received at the client device from the receiving device routed using the alternate number.

16. The one or more memories as recited in claim 15, wherein said determining is based on a call request that comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) communication that includes one or more of an identifier of the client device or the location of the client device.

17. The one or more memories as recited in claim 15, wherein the alternate number comprises a non-geographic number.

18. The one or more memories as recited in claim 15, wherein said determining is based on a call policy that specifies one or more geographic locations where the geographic number assigned to the client device is permitted to be used.

19. The one or more memories as recited in claim 15, wherein said determining comprises:

communicating a query that includes the location of the client device to a remote service; and

receiving a query response indicating that the current location is not a permitted location for using the geographic number.

20. The one or more memories as recited in claim 15, wherein said causing the portion of the call from the client device to be connected by the PSTN to the receiving device using the geographic number comprises causing the PSTN to dial the geographic number at the PSTN.