System and Method for Gathering Information Related to a Geographical Location of a Callee in a Public Switched Telephone Network

• US 20060270392A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gao, Xiaofeng, Scott, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• 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 15/04 Recording calls , or communications in printed, perforated or other permanent form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 : Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters

Abstract

In a telecommunication system having at least two communicants (i.e., a caller and a callee), a system and method are presented for collecting information associated with the geographical location of either of the communicants. In one embodiment, the approach entails receiving a geographical location corresponding to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) telephone number, and collecting geographical location information associated with the received geographical location.

Claims

1. A data-gathering system, comprising:

a location server configured to receive an instruction having a telephone number from a service control point (SCP), wherein the telephone number is associated with an incoming telephone call to a callee on a public switched telephone network (PSTN), wherein the location server is further configured to correlate the telephone number to a geographical location in response to the received instruction, wherein the location server is further configured to transmit the correlated geographical location;

an information server having information associated with a plurality of geographical locations, wherein the plurality of geographical locations includes the geographical location correlated to the telephone number; and

a computer system configured to receive the transmitted geographical location from the location server, wherein the computer system is further configured to collect geographical location information from the information server, wherein the geographical location information is associated with the received geographical location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the location server comprises a database comprising a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein the database further comprises a plurality of geographical locations, wherein each of the plurality of telephone numbers correlates to one of the plurality of geographical locations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the information server comprises a database having a plurality of news reports, wherein each of the plurality of news reports is a news report on a different geographical location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information server comprises a database having a plurality of information on sporting events, wherein each of the plurality of information on sporting events is a associated with a different geographical location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information server comprises a database having a plurality of weather reports, wherein each of the plurality of weather reports is a weather report on a different geographical location.

6. A data-gathering device, comprising:

geographical location logic configured to receive a geographical location corresponding to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) telephone number, wherein the geographical location logic is configured to receive the geographical location in response to an outgoing telephone call from a callee on a PSTN telephone; and

information collection logic configured to collect geographical location information associated with the received geographical location.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the geographical location further corresponds to an area code of the PSTN telephone number.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the information collection logic is further configured to collect local news associated with the received geographical location.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the information collection logic is further configured to collect a local weather report associated with the received geographical location.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the information collection logic is further configured to collect a local time associated with the received geographical location.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the information collection logic is further configured to collect information on local sporting events associated with the received geographical location.

12. A data-gathering method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a geographical location in response to an outgoing telephone call from a caller on a public switched telephone network (PSTN) telephone, wherein the geographical location corresponds to a telephone number of the PSTN telephone; and

collecting geographical location information associated with the received geographical location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting information comprises the step of requesting information associated with a geographical location from an information server.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting information comprises the step of requesting a local weather report, wherein the local weather report is associated with the received geographical location.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting information comprises the step of requesting a local news report, wherein the local news report is associated with the received geographical location.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting information comprises the step of requesting a local time associated with the received geographical location.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting information comprises the step of requesting information on local sporting events, wherein the information on local sporting events is associated with the received geographical location.