International toll-free calling process
First Claim
1. A method for processing international calls comprising the steps of:
- receiving a call, at a switch located in a domestic telecommunications network, made by a caller in a foreign location by directly dialing a domestic telephone number assigned to a sponsor of said domestic telephone number, said domestic telephone number including a special service code followed by 7 digits, all of said 7 digits being used to identify said sponsor as an ultimate destination for said call, said call having been carried over an international trunk sub-group along with call origination information and said domestic telephone number;
determining at said switch that said call originated from said foreign location and is an international call;
identifying from said international trunk sub-group trunk sub-group characteristics including a country identifier and originating carrier specific information for the call;
utilizing said country identifier and carrier specific information as ANI parameters; and
processing said call to said ultimate destination using all of said 7 digits of said domestic telephone number, said country identifier and said carrier specific information.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telecommunications method is disclosed for processing calling party information so that an "800" or toll-free telephone number or a value-added service telephone number made up of a special service code followed by 7 digits indicating an ultimate destination for the call can be directly provided by a foreign telecommunication administration and processed by a domestic telecommunication administration without the need for the originating foreign telecommunication administration to pass a country identifier or other carrier specific information as part of the dialed number. Additionally, the method provides for a blocking condition which allows calls from certain foreign locations to the dialed number to be blocked.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for processing international calls comprising the steps of:
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receiving a call, at a switch located in a domestic telecommunications network, made by a caller in a foreign location by directly dialing a domestic telephone number assigned to a sponsor of said domestic telephone number, said domestic telephone number including a special service code followed by 7 digits, all of said 7 digits being used to identify said sponsor as an ultimate destination for said call, said call having been carried over an international trunk sub-group along with call origination information and said domestic telephone number; determining at said switch that said call originated from said foreign location and is an international call; identifying from said international trunk sub-group trunk sub-group characteristics including a country identifier and originating carrier specific information for the call; utilizing said country identifier and carrier specific information as ANI parameters; and processing said call to said ultimate destination using all of said 7 digits of said domestic telephone number, said country identifier and said carrier specific information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for processing international calls comprising the steps of:
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receiving a call made by a caller in a foreign location by directly dialing a domestic toll-free number assigned to a subscriber to a toll-free service, said domestic toll-free number including a special service code followed by 7 digits, all of said 7 digits being used to identify an ultimate destination for said call and said call having been carried over an international trunk sub-group, at a switch located in a domestic telecommunications network; determining at said switch that said call originated from said foreign location and is a toll-free call; identifying from said international trunk sub-group trunk sub-group characteristics including a country identifier and originating carrier specific information for said toll-free call; utilizing said country identifier and carrier specific information as ANI parameters; processing said call to said ultimate destination using all of said 7 digits; and providing said country identifier and said carrier specific information to said subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method for processing international calls comprising the steps of:
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receiving a call at a switch located in a domestic telecommunications network, said call having been made by a caller in a foreign location to a domestic telephone number assigned to a sponsor of said domestic telephone number, said domestic telephone number including a special service code followed by 7 digits all of said 7 digits being used to identify an ultimate destination for said call, said call having been carried over an international trunk sub-group along with call origination information and said domestic telephone number; identifying from said international trunk sub-group trunk sub-group characteristics including a country identifier and originating carrier specific information for the call; utilizing said country identifier and carrier specific information as ANI parameters; determining that said call originated from said foreign location and, using said ANI parameters, whether a blocking condition exists for said call and, if so, terminating said call, otherwise, processing said call to said ultimate destination using all of said 7 digits of said domestic telephone number, said country identifier and said carrier specific information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification