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Automatic access to communication service providers

  • US 5,524,146 A
  • Filed: 02/28/1995
  • Issued: 06/04/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a communication network having a plurality of switching offices managed by a system controller arranged for selectively providing communication links between subscriber stations, and having a plurality of communication service provider stations arranged to provide preselected communications services to designated subscriber stations, a method of routing calls to selectively provide communication links between calling subscriber stations and selected communication service provider stations to effect provision of selected communications services to said subscriber stations, said method comprising the steps of:

  • recognizing a combination code consisting of a calling subscriber station identity number and a specific code number dialed from a calling communication station prior to dialing of any other digits by said calling communication station wherein said specific code number consists of a predetermined number of digits fewer than a minimum number of digits necessary to completely identify a destination subscriber station;

    in response to recognition of the combination code, accessing data stored in said controller and preprogrammed by a subscriber associated with the calling subscriber station;

    determining that additional selection information is required from the calling subscriber station in order to uniquely identify a communications service provider station;

    providing a prompt for a calling subscriber station to input additional selection information to uniquely identify said communications service provider station;

    receiving said additional selection information from said calling subscriber station;

    determining at said controller, from the accessed preprogrammed data, calling processing procedures selected by the subscriber associated with said calling subscriber station for routing calls directed to pre-selected communications service provider stations for any calling subscriber station associated with said subscriber;

    routing a call initiated from the calling subscriber station to a communications service provider'"'"'s station based on the call processing procedures determined from the accessed information; and

    initiating a communication service said communication service provider station responsive to said call.

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