TELEPHONE NUMBER ASSIGNMENT METHOD

• US 20080198987A1
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eugene Daly
• Original Assignee: Eugene Daly
• Inventors: Daly, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 8,144,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/229 Wire identification arrangements; Number assignment determination
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13339 Ciphering, encryption, security
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

Various example embodiments are described. According to one example, a method may include maintaining a database of a plurality of direct inward dial telephone numbers, including a subset of the direct inward dial telephone numbers which are available for assignment; receiving, through a website, an application from a customer for an alias telephone number to be associated with a customer telephone number; processing the application, the processing including assigning to the customer an alias telephone number selected from the subset of available telephone numbers which are available for assignment and associating the alias number with the customer telephone number; and receiving a telephone call from a third party to the alias telephone number and routing the telephone call from the alias telephone number to the customer telephone number.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining a database of a plurality of direct inward dial telephone numbers, including a subset of the direct inward dial telephone numbers which are available for assignment;

receiving, through a website, an application from a customer for an alias telephone number to be associated with a customer telephone number;

processing the application, the processing including assigning to the customer an alias telephone number selected from the subset of available telephone numbers which are available for assignment and associating the alias number with the customer telephone number; and

receiving a telephone call from a third party to the alias telephone number and routing the telephone call from the alias telephone number to the customer telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of available telephone numbers includes a subset of available direct inward dial telephone numbers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the application includes receiving payment information from the customer; and

processing the application includes processing the payment information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the application includes receiving credit card information from the user; and

processing the application includes processing the credit card information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the application and processing the application are both performed during a persistent connection between a server which maintains the website and an internet service provider of the customer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning to the customer the alias telephone number includes sending an electronic message to the customer, the electronic message including the alias telephone number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning to the customer the alias telephone number includes displaying the alias telephone number on the website.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

routing the telephone call includes receiving a signal from the customer; and

method further includes blocking a subsequent telephone call to the alias telephone number from the unknown third party based on the receiving the signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the telephone call to the customer telephone number includes stripping an automatic number identification of the unknown third party from the telephone call.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

logging a time of the telephone call which was received from the unknown third party;

presenting the time of the telephone call to the customer on the website; and

blocking a subsequent call to the alias telephone number from the unknown third party based on input received from the customer via the website.

11. The method of claim 1, further including displaying the plurality of direct inward dial telephone numbers on the website.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the application includes receiving the application from the customer, the application including a custom automatic identification number; and

routing the telephone call from the alias telephone number to the customer telephone number includes replacing an automatic number identification with the custom automatic identification number.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed without human intervention.

14. A method comprising:

maintaining a database of a plurality of telephone numbers, including a subset of the direct inward dial telephone numbers which are available for assignment;

receiving, via a website, an application from a customer to purchase use of an alias telephone number, the application including a customer telephone number, a geographical area, and a customer number to be associated with the alias number;

processing the application to purchase use of the alias telephone number, the processing including;

selecting the alias telephone number from the subset of direct inward dial telephone numbers available for assignment based on the geographical area; and

assigning the alias telephone number to the customer and associating the alias number with the customer number; and

receiving a telephone call from a third party to the alias telephone number and routing the telephone call from the alias telephone number to the customer telephone number.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the subset of telephone numbers includes a subset of direct inward dial telephone numbers.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the application and processing the application are both performed during a single session in which the customer is logged onto the website.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the application and processing the application are both performed during a persistent connection between a server which maintains the website and an internet service provider of the customer.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

receiving the application includes receiving payment information from the customer; and

processing the application includes simultaneously confirming availability of the alias telephone number corresponding to the geographical area and confirming the payment information with a third party vendor.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein:

receiving the application includes receiving the application from the customer, the application including a custom automatic identification number; and

routing the telephone call from the alias telephone number to the customer telephone number includes replacing an automatic number identification with the custom automatic identification number.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is performed without human intervention.

21. An apparatus configured to:

maintain a database of the plurality of telephone numbers, including a subset of the direct inward dial telephone numbers which are available for assignment;

receive, through a website, an application from a customer for an alias telephone number, the application including a customer telephone number;

process the application, the processing including assigning to the customer the alias telephone number selected from the subset of available telephone numbers which were ready for assignment; and

receive a telephone call from an unknown third party to the alias telephone number and route the telephone call from the alias telephone number to the customer telephone number.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the plurality of telephone numbers includes a plurality of direct inward dial telephone numbers.

23. A method comprising:

maintaining a database of a plurality of telephone numbers, including a subset of the direct inward dial telephone numbers which are available for assignment;

receiving an application from a customer for an alias telephone number to be associated with a customer telephone number;

processing the application, the processing including assigning to the customer an alias telephone number selected from the subset of available direct inward dial telephone numbers which are available for assignment and associating the alias number with the customer telephone number; and

receiving a telephone call from a third party to the alias telephone number through a public switched telephone network and routing the telephone call from the alias telephone number to the customer telephone number.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of telephone numbers includes a plurality of direct inward dial telephone numbers.