Telecommunications addressing system and method

• US 10,560,572 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2017
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Softrend IPL, LLC
• Original Assignee: Softrend IPL, LLC
• Inventors: Thange, Maqsood A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US15/727,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20180034959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 37922114, 37920105, 379 9001, 379 8817, 370352, 370353, 370354, 370355, 370356, 370357, 370265, 370389, 4554141
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/154 Functional or symbolic dial plan such as license plate numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/18 Automated outdialling systems
• 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 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 Connection initiated by DAS system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability

Abstract

A telecommunications addressing system/method allowing selection of a telephone instrument device (TID) using arbitrary identifiers is disclosed. The system/method allows a source TID (STD) to select a target TID (TTD) by the use of a Target Telephone Identifier (TTI) data string rather than a traditional numeric telephone identification (NTI). This TTI is then indexed within a TTI/NTI mapping server (TMS) that functions as a hierarchical repository of TTI/NTI mappings. STD/TTD communication is established by first performing a lookup of the STD-selected TTI within the TMS to identify the NTI of the TTD. Once the NTI of the STD has been identified by the TMS, communication between the STD and TTD is established using the NTI via the normal public switched telephone network (PSTN). TMS TTI lookup may be performed via STD TID web application and/or via PSTN infrastructure interface.

Claims

1. A telecommunications addressing method, said method operating in conjunction with a telecommunications addressing system, said system comprising:

(a) telephone mapping server;

(b) telephone mapping database;

(c) source telephone instrument device;

(d) target telephone instrument device; and

(e) computer communication network;

wherein

the telecommunications addressing system is configured to store information that identifies a telephone instrument device in the telephone mapping database;

the telephone mapping server is configured to locate a telephone identifier within the telephone mapping database using a target telephone identifier data string as the locating index;

the telephone identifier permits the telephone instrument device to be accessed via a public switched telephone network or a computer communication network;

the telecommunications addressing system is configured to initiate a telephone call between the source telephone device and the target telephone device using the telephone identifier;

wherein the telephone devices of the system includes a telephone user interface having a display screen; and

when a system user places a call with a source telephone device to a callee having a target telephone device within the system, the display screen of the source telephone device shows a menu on a display thereof, the menu comprising a target telephone identifier of the callee.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications addressing system is configured to display on the source telephone device of a caller more than one target telephone identifier of a callee.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the menu includes multiple target telephone identifiers reflecting departments or employees of the callee.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a user of the system has a multiplicity of target telephone identifiers, the target telephone identifiers displaying in a menu on telephone devices of callers.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the multiplicity of target telephone identifiers is displayed as a menu to the telephone device of a caller in a hierarchy for the caller to select from.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the target telephone identifiers of a system user are configured by a user to display to callers, in a menu on a telephone device of the caller, alternative communications options based on an expected location of the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the alternative communications options includes providing an email address.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the alternative communications options includes providing an alternative telephone identifier or an alternative target telephone identifier.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the menu is configured by the user of the system to highlight an option on a display of callers for selection by callers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to permit a user to send outgoing messages in response to an incoming calls or a missed incoming calls, the messages message based on a telephone identifier of a source of the incoming call or missed incoming call.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to permit a user to store messages left from missed incoming calls as voice files.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the menu comprises a branching tree of options for a caller using a source telephone device to select from.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the callee is a business entity and the menu on the display of the caller displays functional areas or geographic regions of the business entity.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the caller selects from a menu comprising a branching tree on the display screen of the caller until a call is initiated to a target telephone identifier from the branching tree.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to interface with scheduling software programs, the software programs interacting with menus displayed to a caller.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is configured to permit the software programs to display indicia or a message to a caller.

17. A telecommunications addressing system, said system operating in conjunction with a telecommunications addressing system, said system comprising:

(a) telephone mapping server;

(b) telephone mapping database;

(c) source telephone instrument device;

(d) target telephone instrument device; and

(e) computer communication network;

wherein;

the telephone mapping server is configured to store information that identifies a telephone instrument device in the telephone mapping database;

the telephone mapping server is configured to locate a numeric telephone identifier within the telephone mapping database using a target telephone identifier data string as the locating index;

the numeric telephone identifier permits the telephone instrument device to be accessed via a public switched telephone network or a computer communication network;

the telecommunications addressing system is configured to initiate a telephone call between the source telephone device and the target telephone device using the target telephone identifier; and

wherein;

the telephone devices of the system each include a telephone user interface having a display screen, the telecommunications addressing system configuring the display screens to display a hierarchical list of telephone identifiers, the hierarchical list reflecting multiple telephone identifiers of a receiver of a call, to thereby permit a caller to select, through a display on its source telephone device, from among the multiple telephone identifiers of the call receiver.

18. A telecommunications addressing system comprising:

(a) telephone mapping server;

(b) telephone mapping database;

(c) source telephone instrument device;

(d) target telephone instrument device; and

(e) computer communication network;

wherein

the telephone mapping server is configured to store information that identifies a telephone instrument device in the telephone mapping database;

the telephone mapping server is configured to locate a numeric telephone identifier within the telephone mapping database using a target telephone identifier data string as the locating index;

the numeric telephone identifier permits the telephone instrument device to be accessed via a public switched telephone network or a computer communication network

the telecommunication addressing system is configured to initiate a telephone call between a source telephone device and a target telephone device using the telephone identifier; and

wherein;

the telephone devices of the system includes a telephone user interface having a display screen, the screen displaying a menu of telephone identifiers of a callee on a display of a caller, the telephone identifiers displayed hierarchically, the hierarchy including branched trees, such that the caller can select from the menu to complete a call to a telephone identifier.