Conference system for dial-out telephone calls

• US 5,638,434 A
• Filed: 08/30/1995
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Venkatraman, Arunachalam, Gottlieb, Louis G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US08/521,437
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 370/62, 379/158, 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/201, 379/207, 379/219, 379/220, 379/216
• US Class Current: 379/203.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. conference server dials participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 Conference call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13286 Direct in-dialling in PBX, DDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 Virtual channel/circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

A conference system provides dial-out conference calls to participants who use various virtual private network dialing plans as well as place non-plan calls, such as Direct Distance Dialing and International Direct Distance Dialing. The conference system recognizes non-identical VPN dialing plans, as well as PSTN numbers, which all originate on a single Dedicated Access Line (DAL). When a dial-out conference call is originated on a DAL, a switch performs a database query to determine a VPN dialing plan. Based on a code provided along with the dialed telephone number, the database identifies the number as belonging to a particular VPN dialing plan and translates it into a physical termination. Alternatively, if the code indicates that the number does not belong to a VPN dialing plan, i.e, a DDD or IDDD number, it is unmodified by the database. Either translated or untranslated number is then returned to the switch for subsequent network routing to a physical termination.

Claims

1. A conference system for originating dial-out telephone calls of different virtual private plans and non-plans, comprising:

a reservation system for accepting a customer reservation for a conference, said reservation system including means for generating an electronic file to input information from said customer reservation and means for accessing a table to generate a code based upon a call leg type of said conference;

a conference bridge responsive to said reservation system for connecting a call leg of said conference with the remaining call legs to provide communication among conferees;

a bridging switch responsive to said conference bridge for routing said call leg to a terminating location; and

a database responsive to said bridging switch for translating said code to a physical termination number based on said call leg type.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said database comprises means for accessing another table to provide said physical termination number based on said code, wherein said code represents a customer'"'"'s telephone call using a virtual private plan.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said database comprises means for accessing another table to provide said physical termination number based on said code, wherein said code represents a customer'"'"'s telephone call not using a virtual private plan.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a network switch connected to said bridging switch for routing said call leg to said terminating location.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said database is co-located with said bridging switch.

6. A method of originating dial-out telephone calls of different virtual private plans and non-plans in a conference, comprising:

accepting a customer reservation for said conference;

providing an electronic file to input information from said customer reservation;

accessing a table to generate a code based upon a call leg type of said conference;

forwarding said code to a database for translation;

translating said code representing said call leg type to a physical termination number; and

routing a call leg to a terminating location based on said physical termination.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said generating comprises accessing a table and obtaining said physical termination number based on a code, wherein said code represents a customer'"'"'s telephone call using a virtual private plan.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said generating comprises accessing a table and obtaining said physical termination number based on a code, wherein said code represents a customer'"'"'s telephone call not using a virtual private plan.