System and method for providing a public/private telephone number system

• US 20070121863A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Page2Cell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Page2Cell Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Phillip, Wener, Clifford, Readick, Jodd, Nagel, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,118,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/161
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity

Abstract

This invention shows a method for operating a voice communications network that comprises dynamically associating a private number with at least one public number of a circuit-switched voice communication network, authenticating a user of a private number without reliance on a static reproducible data code, receiving an incoming call to the public number and routing the incoming call from a caller to the private number. The method also shows the generation of an outgoing call from the private number and passing the outgoing call through the public number while generating calling party information to a target which preserves the privacy of the caller, and altering an associating of the private number and at least one public number. The system therefore acts as a proxy with authentication by means of dynamic code security. The caller and the user of the private number share seamless round-trip telephone communications while preserving the anonymity of the user of the private number. The system functionality is advantageously presented as a restricted option space defined by a “skin”, which provides a consistent and purposeful set of functionality useful for a predetermined population of users.

Claims

1. A method for operating a voice communications network, comprising:

(a) dynamically associating a private number with at least one public number of a circuit switched voice communication network;

(b) authenticating a user of a private number without reliance on a static reproducible data code;

(c) receiving an incoming call to the public number, and routing the incoming call to the private number;

(d) generating an outgoing call from the private number, and passing the outgoing call through the public number, while generating calling party information to a target which preserves a privacy of the caller; and

(e) altering an associating of the private number and the at least one public number.

2. A method for operating a voice communications network, comprising:

(a) dynamically associating at least one private number with at least one public number of a circuit switched voice communication network, according to a predetermined algorithm;

(b) receiving an incoming call to one of said public numbers, and routing the incoming call to at least one of said private numbers;

(c) generating an outgoing call from a private number, and passing the outgoing call through at least one of said public numbers, while optionally generating calling party information to a target which preserves a privacy of the caller; and

(d) altering said dynamic association or algorithm of said at least one private number and said at least one public number.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein an outcome of said predetermined algorithm is sensitive to at least one of a time, a communication status, an external status, accounting information, system congestion, communication cost, and a location.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of verifying a validity of an association of a public number and a private number.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of receiving a user input to influence said dynamic association.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of determining a status of at least one of said private numbers, and associating in dependence on said determined status.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of providing an automated storage facility as at least one of said at least one private number.

8. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of providing a user interface facilitating receipt of configuration information from a user, said configuration information influencing said dynamic association.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising providing an interactive voice response interface for at least one of a user at a public number and a user at a private number.

10. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of authenticating a user.

11. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of authenticating a user without reliance on a static reproducible data code.

12. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of authenticating a user biometrically.

13. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of authenticating a user based on a cryptographic key which changes over time or after use.

14. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of logging communications involving at least one private number.

15. A method for operating a voice communications system, comprising:

(a) providing a first option set for dynamically associating at least one private number with at least one public number of a voice communication network, according to a predetermined algorithm, for contacting a user;

(b) providing a second option set for dynamically associating at least one public number with at least one private number of a voice communication network, according to a predetermined algorithm, for permitting the user to contact others;

(c) providing a third option set for defining functions available if a call to the user is not completed; and

(d) defining a restricted option space within each of the first option set, second option set, and third option set, for controlling system behavior, the restricted option space having at least two option sets, each option set differently controlling the system, and being selectively applied to the user.

16. A voice communications system, comprising:

(a) an input for receiving an incoming call to at least one public number;

(b) an output for generating an outgoing call from at least one public number; and

(c) a processor for routing the incoming call from the public number to at least one private number, for passing the outgoing call from a private number through at least one of said public numbers, while optionally generating calling party information to a target which preserves a privacy of the caller, for dynamically associating at least one private number with at least one public number of a circuit switched voice communication network, according to a predetermined algorithm, and for altering said dynamic association or algorithm of said at least one private number and said at least one public number.

17. A method for operating a voice communications network, comprising:

(a) providing a first option set for dynamically associating at least one private number with at least one public number of a voice communication network, according to a predetermined algorithm, for contacting a target user;

(b) statically associating at least one public number with a published return number of a circuit switched voice communication network;

(c) generating an outgoing call from a circuit corresponding to the private number, and routing the outgoing call through the circuit switched voice communication network to a target user through the associated public number; and

(d) generating the published return number as caller ID information for the target user.