Method and apparatus for forwarding caller identification for a credit card or calling card call to an automatic number identification system or a telephone network

• US 20020027980A1
• Filed: 08/14/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kowalski, Thaddeus Julius
• Original Assignee: Kowalski, Thaddeus Julius
• Inventors: Kowalski, Thaddeus Julius
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13374 Paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A telecommunication system enables a called party having a caller identification device to learn the identity of a calling party although the calling party is a credit card caller, a calling card caller, a caller using an Intelligent/Agent service, a caller using a pager or a caller connected to a PBX system. If the calling partys ANI does not fully identify the calling party, information stored in a database is used to supplement the ANI so that the calling party can be identified.

Claims

1. A method for providing automatic number identification (ANI) data to a called party comprising the steps of:

determining whether ANI data received from a switch can identify a calling party;

retrieving additional ANI data stored in a database to further identify said calling party; and

forwarding said additional ANI data to said called party.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said data received is data associated with at least one of the group comprising:

a credit card number, a calling card number, a public telephone number, an intelligent/agent number or a PBX number.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said determining step determines that said calling party uses a 900 number.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said determining step determines that said calling party uses a 800 number.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said determining step determines that said calling party is an out of area caller.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said calling party calls from a cellular telephone.

7. An apparatus for forwarding automatic number identification (ANI) to a called party comprising:

a switch for routing a call by a calling party wherein said switch receives ANI data associated with said calling party;

a programmable device having a memory for storing data further identifying said calling party wherein said programmable device communicates with said switch;

circuitry located in said programmable device for comparing ANI data received from said switch and said stored data further identifying said calling party; and

a switch for forwarding data further identifying said calling party based on a result of said comparing circuitry.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said programmable device is a network control point.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said ANI data received from said switch is a credit card number.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said ANI data received from said switch is a calling card number.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said ANI data received from said switch is a public telephone number.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said calling party is an Intelligent/Agent.

13. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said switch for forwarding said data further identifying said calling party forwards at least one of the group comprising:

a caller'"'"'s name, a caller'"'"'s home address or a caller'"'"'s Social Security number.

14. A method of providing automatic number identification (ANI) data to a called party from a network, comprising the steps of:

initiating a call from a voice-activated Agent;

determining if ANI data received from a switch identifies a calling party;

retrieving additional ANI data;

forwarding said additional ANI data;

comparing ANI data with additional ANI data to determine if additional ANI data further identifies calling party; and

forwarding to said called party said additional ANI data if additional ANI data further identifies calling party.