Inter-exchange carrier access selection feature for a PBX user

• US 4,791,665 A
• Filed: 01/30/1987
• Issued: 12/13/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Original Assignee: AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY, AT&T INFORMATION SYSTEMS
• Inventors: Modisette, Nancy K. S., Bogart, Frank J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/009,174
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221, 379/220, 379/207, 379/201, 379/112, 379/113, 379/128, 379/197, 379/196
• US Class Current: 379/221.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/34 Charging, billing or metering arrangements for private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13138 Least cost routing, LCR
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13396 Signaling in general, in-band signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/903 Password

Abstract

This feature provides the telephone communication system with the capability to automatically select one of a plurality of inter-exchange carriers to serve an inter-exchange call originated by a telephone communication system user. In response to an inter-exchange call origination, the telephone communication system selects the appropriate and most economical inter-exchange carrier and then outpulses the inter-exchange carrier access code, the user'"'"'s personal identification code and the called party number dialed by the user to complete the call.

Claims

1. In a telephone communication system which serves a plurality of stations and which provides access to a plurality of inter-exchange carriers via a telephone central office, a method of providing a calling station with access to one of said inter-exchange carriers, without requiring said calling station to have pre-specified one of said inter-exchange carriers or to have selected one of said inter-exchange carriers at time of inter-exchange call origination, comnprising the steps of:

scanning a database in said telephone communication system in response to a calling party at a calling station dialing a called party number on an inter-exchange call origination to select one of said inter-exchange carriers to serve said call origination;

retrieving from said database access code data associated with said one of said inter-exchange carriers and user authorization code associated with said telephone communication system; and

completing a call connection via said telephone central office from said calling party to said selected one of said inter-exchanges carrier using said dialed number and said access code data and said user authorization code.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said communication system allows preselection of another one of said inter-exchange carriers and said step of scanning includes the step of:

reading from said database the identity of said other one of said inter-exchange carriers preselected by the user at said calling station; and

said step of retrieving comprises the step of reading from said database other access code data associated with said other one of said inter-exchange carriers and another user authorization code for use with said other one of said inter-exchange carriers.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of completing includes the steps of:

modifying said called number to match a defined format required by said preselected other one of inter-exchange carriers;

originating an outgoing call connection to said other one of said inter-exchange carriers using said other user authorization code and said other access code data to gain access to said other one of said inter-exchange carriers; and

outpulsing said modified called number to said other one of said inter-exchange carriers via said outgoing call connection.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of scanning includes the steps of:

determining the present time of day; and

reading from said database said one of said inter-exchange carriers designated for said called number and said present time of day.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of completing includes the steps of:

modifying said called number to match another defined format required by said one of said inter-exchange carriers;

originating an outgoing call connection via said telephone communication switching system to said designated inter-exchange carrier using said access code data and said user authorization code to gain access to said one of said inter-exchange carriers; and

outpulsing said modified called number to said designated inter-exchange carrier via said outgoing call connection.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said communication system allows selection of an inter-exchange carrier at call origination and said step of scanning includes the step of:

verifying, in response to said calling party dialing an inter-exchange carrier access code along with said called number, that said calling station is allowed to select an inter-exchange carrier at the time of inter-exchange call origination.

7. In a telephone communication system which serves a plurality of stations and which provides access to a plurality of inter-exchange via a telephone central office, apparatus for providing a calling station with access to one of said inter-exchange carriers without requiring said calling station to have pre-specified one of said inter-exchange carriers or to have preselected one of said inter-exchange carriers at time of inter-exchange call origination, comprising:

means responsive to a calling party at a calling station dialing a called party number on an inter-exchange call origination for scanning a database in said telephone communication system to select one of said inter-exchange carriers to serve said inter-exchange call origination;

means responsive to said scanning means for retrieving from said database, inter-exchange carrier access data associated with said selected one of said inter-exchange carriers and user authorization code associated with said telephone communiction system; and

means responsive to said retrieving means for completing a call connection via said telephone central office from said calling party to said selected one of inter-exchange carriers using said inter-exchange carrier access and said user authorization code data and said called number.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said communication system allows preselection of another one of said inter-exchange carriers and said scanning means includes:

means for reading from said database the identity of said other one of said inter-exchange carriers preselected by the user at said calling station; and

said retrieving means comprises means for reading from said database other access code data associated with said other one of said inter-exchange carriers and another use authoriation code for use with said other one of said inter-exchange carriers.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said completing means includes:

means responsive to said reading means for modifying the dialing format of said called number to match a defined format required by said other one of said inter-exchange carriers;

means responsive to said modifying means for originating an outgoing call connection to said other one of said inter-exchange carriers using said other access code data and said other user authorization code to gain access to said other one of said inter-exchange carriers; and

means for outpulsing said modified called number to said other one of said inter-exchange carriers via said outgoing call connection.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said scanning means includes:

means for determining the present time of day; and

means for reading from said database said one of said inter-exchange carriers designated for said called number and said present time of day.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said completing means includes:

means responsive to said reading means for modifying the dialing format of said called number to match another defined format required by said preselected other one of said inter-exchange carriers;

means responsive to said modifying means for originating an outgoing call connection via said telephone communication switching system to said preselected other one of said inter-exchange carriers using said access code data and said user authorization code to gain access to said one of said inter-exchange carriers; and

means for outpulsing said modified called number to said preselected inter-exchange carrier via said outgoing call connection.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said communication system allows selection of inter-exchange carriers at call origination and said scanning means includes:

means for verifying, in response to said calling party dialing an inter-exchange carrier access code along with said called number, that said calling station is allowed to select an inter-exchange carrier at the time of inter-exchange call origination.