Multiple routing options in a telecommunications service platform

• US 20040208305A1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Karen A. Gross, Rupika Chib, Thomas Joseph Galvin
• Inventors: Chib, Rupika, Gross, Karen A., Galvin, Thomas Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

A platform provides access to multiple telecommunications services via a single telephone number. These services may include call routing options. In a first call routing option, calls are routed to each phone number in a sequence of phone numbers until a live answer of the call is realized. In a second routing option, the routing of the call is based upon a schedule. Thus, a current time, current day of the week or current date may determine what phone number is called when an incoming call is routed. Routing may also be associated with personal identification numbers (PINs). In such an instance, a caller enters a PIN to identify the caller and the PIN is used to determine what routing profile to apply.

Claims

1. In a platform for providing services on behalf of a subscriber, a method comprising the steps of:

providing a first routing option for routing an incoming call to the subscriber, said first routing option placing a phone call by the platform to successive phone numbers in a sequence of numbers for reaching the subscriber until a live answer to the call is realized;

providing a second routing option for routing an incoming call to the subscriber wherein different phone numbers are used to reach the subscriber based on a schedule;

receiving an incoming call for the subscriber at the platform; and

applying one of the first routing option and the second routing option to reach the subscriber.

2-29. -29. (Canceled)