Method and system for preserving telephone numbers
First Claim
1. An advanced intelligent network telecommunication system comprising:
- (a) a database containing subscriber information;
(b) a service control point having access to the database;
(c) a plurality of service switching points having the capability to send queries to the service control point and to execute instructions from the service control point;
(d) a plurality of regular telephone lines each of which is connected to one of said plurality of service switching points, wherein each of said regular telephone lines has a unique telephone number;
(e) a plurality of outbound-only telephone lines each of which is connected to one of said plurality of service switching points;
(f) a plurality of global telephone numbers assigned to said plurality of outbound-only telephone lines wherein a first global telephone number assigned to a first outbound-only telephone line connected to a first service switching point can be used by other outbound-only telephone lines connected to different service switching points; and
(g) means for billing all calls originating from one or more of said plurality of outbound-only telephone lines to the account of a first regular telephone line from said plurality of regular telephone lines.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention allows a global telephone number be assigned to a first outbound-only telephone line connected to a first service switching point (SSP) to be also assigned to a second outbound-only telephone line connected to a second service switching point. The global telephone number can be used as many times as there are service switching points within a single area code region. In a preferred embodiment, in which an outbound-only telephone line subscriber also has a regular telephone line, all calls originated from the subscriber'"'"'s outbound-only telephone line can be billed against the account of the subscriber'"'"'s regular telephone line. The invention also allows multiple outbound-only telephone lines be billed against the account of a single regular telephone line. In addition, the invention also allows a subscriber of a regular telephone line that is used substantially or exclusively for outbound-only purposes to convert the regular telephone line into an outbound-only telephone line, thereby allowing the telephone number to reuse the global telephone number for an converted outbound-only telephone line.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An advanced intelligent network telecommunication system comprising:
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(a) a database containing subscriber information;
(b) a service control point having access to the database;
(c) a plurality of service switching points having the capability to send queries to the service control point and to execute instructions from the service control point;
(d) a plurality of regular telephone lines each of which is connected to one of said plurality of service switching points, wherein each of said regular telephone lines has a unique telephone number;
(e) a plurality of outbound-only telephone lines each of which is connected to one of said plurality of service switching points;
(f) a plurality of global telephone numbers assigned to said plurality of outbound-only telephone lines wherein a first global telephone number assigned to a first outbound-only telephone line connected to a first service switching point can be used by other outbound-only telephone lines connected to different service switching points; and
(g) means for billing all calls originating from one or more of said plurality of outbound-only telephone lines to the account of a first regular telephone line from said plurality of regular telephone lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for preserving telephone numbers in an advanced intelligent network having a database, a service control point, a plurality of service switching points, and a plurality of regular telephone lines each of which has a unique telephone number, comprising the steps of:
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(a) installing a plurality of outbound-only telephone lines;
(b) assigning a plurality of global telephone numbers to said plurality of outbound-only telephone lines wherein a first global telephone number assigned to a first outbound-only telephone line connected to a first service switching point can be used by a second outbound-only telephone line connected to any service switching point other than said first service switching point;
(c) updating the database with said assignments of said plurality of global telephone numbers; and
(d) billing all calls originating from said plurality of outbound-only telephone lines to the account of said plurality of regular telephone lines. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for preserving telephone numbers, comprising the steps of:
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(a) installing a first telephone line and a second telephone line for a first subscriber wherein both said first telephone line and said second telephone line are connected to a first service switching point in communication with a service control point having a database;
(b) assigning a global telephone number to said first telephone line;
(c) assigning a first unique telephone number to said second telephone line;
(d) installing a third telephone line and a fourth telephone line for a second subscriber wherein both said third telephone line and said fourth telephone line are connected to a second service switching point in communication with the service control point;
(e) assigning said global telephone number to said third telephone line;
(f) assigning a second unique telephone number to said fourth telephone line;
(g) billing all calls originating from said first telephone line against the account of said second telephone line;
(h) billing all calls originating from said third telephone line against the account of said fourth telephone line; and
(i) updating the database with said assignments of said global telephone number, said first unique telephone number, and said second unique telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for billing calls originating from a first telephone line of a subscriber against the subscriber'"'"'s second telephone line comprising the steps of:
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(a) installing a first telephone line and a second telephone line for the subscriber wherein both said first telephone line and said second telephone line are connected to a service switching point in communication with a service control point having a database;
(b) assigning a global telephone number to said first telephone line;
(c) assigning a unique telephone number to said second telephone line;
(d) updating said database with said assignments of telephone numbers and said authorization; and
(e) billing all calls originating from said first telephone line against the account of said second telephone line, wherein said first telephone line is an outbound-only telephone line and said second telephone line is a regular telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for preserving telephone numbers comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying subscribers of telephone lines that may be used only for outbound-only purposes;
(b) obtaining authorization from said subscribers to convert said telephone lines into outbound-only telephone lines;
(c) assigning a global telephone number to said outbound-only telephone lines;
(d) billing calls originating from said outbound-only telephone lines; and
(e) reassigning the telephone numbers of said telephone lines to other subscribers. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method for re-using telephone numbers for originating calls across multiple service switching points within a common area code region comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying subscribers who are willing to convert a regular telephone line having a telephone number to an outbound-only telephone line connected to a first service switching point;
(b) assigning a global telephone number to said outbound-only telephone line, said global telephone number having not previously been assigned to another telephone line connected to the first service switching point;
(c) providing means for billing all calls originating from said outbound-only telephone line; and
(d) re-using said telephone number by assigning it to a second regular telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification