Methods and systems for implementing personal dialing plans

• US 20030231759A1
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A., Bedingfield, James C. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,103,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/355.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42272 whereby the subscriber registers to the terminals for personalised service provision

Abstract

A network-based personal dialing plan that allows a user to associate dialing strings of any length with easy-to-remember, user-selected aliases. A user may also define dialing rules, such as automatically adding digits to the directory number when the called number would be a long distance call from the calling location. A user may access the system to create or modify the user'"'"'s personal dialing plan by voice telephone call (in a network having VXML capability), web interface, or other device, such as a wireless application protocol (WAP) phone or wireless personal digital assistant (PDA).

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network, a method for processing a call originated by a user according to a personal dialing plan of the user, comprising:

receiving a dialed digit string;

analyzing the dialed digit string to determine whether the dialed digit string is a complete string according to a dialing plan of the local telephone service provider;

if the dialed digit string is a complete string, routing the call to the dialed digit string;

if the dialed digit string is not a complete string, determining whether the dialed digit string is a valid string according to the personal dialing plan;

if the dialed digit string is a valid string, retrieving a corresponding dialing string; and

routing the call to a directory number associated with the corresponding dialing string.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising substituting the corresponding dialing string for the dialed digit string.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing an error message if the dialed digit string is not a valid string or a complete string.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the corresponding dialing string comprises searching a register for an entry matching the dialed digit string.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the corresponding dialing string comprises applying a rule to the dialed digit string whereby the dialed digit string is converted into a complete dialing string.

6. In a telecommunications network, a method for processing a call originated by a user according to a personal dialing plan of the user, comprising:

receiving a dialed digit string;

analyzing the dialed digit string to determine whether the dialed digit string matches an alias entry in the personal dialing plan;

if the dialed digit string matches an alias entry, retrieving a corresponding dialing string and routing the call to a directory number associated with the corresponding dialing string;

if the dialed digit string does not match an alias entry, determining whether the dialed digit string is a complete string according to a dialing plan of the local service provider;

if the dialed digit string is a complete string, routing the call to the dialed digit string.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising playing an error message if the dialed digit string is not a complete string or does not match an alias entry.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising applying a rule from the user'"'"'s personal dialing plan if the dialed digit string does not match an alias entry and is not a complete string whereby the dialed digit string is converted into a complete digit string.

9. In a telecommunications network, a system for processing a call originated by a user according to a personal dialing plan of the user, comprising:

a first network element being operative to analyze the dialed digit string to determine whether the dialed digit string is a complete string according to a dialing plan of the local telephone service provider and, if the dialed digit string is a complete string, to route the call to the dialed digit string;

a second network element being operative to determine whether the dialed digit string is a valid string according to the personal dialing plan and, if the dialed digit string is a valid string, to retrieve a corresponding dialing string; and

the first network element being operative to route the call to a directory number associated with the corresponding dialing string.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising the second network element being operative to send the corresponding dialing string to the first network element.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising the second network element playing an error message if the dialed digit string is not a valid string or a complete string.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising the second network element being operative to search a register for an entry matching the dialed digit string.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising the second network element being operative to apply a rule to the dialed digit string whereby the dialed digit string is converted into a complete dialing string.

14. In a telecommunications network, a system for processing a call originated by a user according to a personal dialing plan of the user, comprising:

a first network element being operative to analyze a dialed digit string to determine whether the dialed digit string matches an alias entry in the personal dialing plan;

if the dialed digit string matches an alias entry, the first network element being operative to retrieve a corresponding dialing string and to send the corresponding dialing string to a second network element;

the second network element being operative to route the call to a directory number associated with the corresponding dialing string; and

if the dialed digit string does not match an alias entry, the second network element being operative to determine whether the dialed digit string is a complete string according to a dialing plan of the local service provider and, if so, to route the call to the dialed digit string.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising the first network element being operative to apply a rule from the user'"'"'s personal dialing plan if the dialed digit string does not match an alias entry and is not a complete string whereby the dialed digit string is converted into a complete digit string.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising the first network element being operative to play an error message if the dialed digit string is not a complete string or does not match an alias entry.

17. In a telecommunications network, a method for creating or administering a personal dialing plan of a user, comprising:

querying whether the user wants to enter a new entry, and, if so, prompting the user to enter a complete dialing string and an alias;

querying whether the user wants to define a dialing rule, and if so, prompting the user to enter the dialing rule; and

querying whether the user wants to enter an additional entry, define an additional dialing rule, or enter another command.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising saving the complete dialing and the alias in the personal dialing plan.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising saving the dialing rule in the personal dialing plan.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising querying whether the user wants to delete an existing entry and prompting the user to enter an alias of the existing entry to be deleted.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving the alias of the existing entry and presenting the existing entry to the user for confirmation.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising querying whether the user wants to delete another existing entry.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising querying whether the user wants to delete an existing dialing rule and prompting the user to enter the existing dialing rule to be deleted.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising querying whether the user wants to delete another existing dialing rule.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the dialing rule is a special timer enabled by the user.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising querying whether the user wants to test the new entry and, if so, initiating a call based on the ne w entry.

27. In a telecommunications network, a system for processing a call originated by a user according to a personal dialing plan, comprising:

a first network element being operative to collect a dialed digit string and to send the dialed digit string to a second network element;

the second network being operative to receive the dialed digit string and to determine whether the dialed digit string is a valid string according to the personal dialing plan; and

a third network element being operative to receive instructions for routing the call from the second network element and to route the call to a directory number associated with the dialed digit string.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first network element is a personal computer connected to the second network element via the Internet.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising the second network element being operative to retrieve the personal dialing plan.

30. In a telecommunications network, a system for processing a call originated by a user according to a personal dialing plan, comprising:

a first network element being operative to collect a dialed digit string, to determine whether the dialed digit string is a valid string according to the personal dialing plan, and to send a corresponding dialing string to a second network element; and

the second network element being operative to receive the corresponding dialing string and to route the call to a directory number associated with the corresponding dialing string.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first network element is a programmable device.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the programmable device is a personal computer or telephone.