Method and system of forwarding calls in a remote access call forwarding service of a telephone system

• US 5,729,599 A
• Filed: 06/11/1996
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: U S West Inc.
• Inventors: Plomondon, Karen L., Mardick, Lotus Anne, Staller, Joshua D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US08/664,207
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 379/188, 379/189, 379/196, 379/197, 379/201, 379/207, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/219, 379/220, 379/229, 379/230
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• 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: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A remote access call forwarding method and system adapted for an Advanced Intelligent Network to forward a call incoming to a subscriber'"'"'s telephone number in response to a routing destination number if the routing destination number does not correspond to a blocked destination identifier retrieved from a database. Further, a search to a subscriber profile unique to each subscriber is provided, the subscriber profile containing valid routing destination numbers previously validated to which the calls incoming to the subscriber have previously been forwarded. Thus, calls are forwarded in response to the routing destination number when the routing destination number matches a valid destination number found in the subscriber profile.

Claims

1. For use in an Advanced Intelligent Network, a method for validating a routing destination number in a call forwarding system for forwarding a call incoming to a subscriber'"'"'s telephone number to the routing destination number, the method comprising:

receiving each routing destination number to which the call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number is to be forwarded;

searching a database having a plurality of blocked destination identifiers stored therein to determine that the routing destination number does not correspond to a blocked destination identifier in the database; and

allowing the forwarding of the call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number in response to the routing destination number when the routing destination number does not correspond to a blocked destination identifier found in the database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the routing destination number in a subscriber profile unique to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least one valid destination number in a subscriber profile unique to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

searching the subscriber profile for a valid destination number matching the routing destination number to which a call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number is to be forwarded; and

allowing the forwarding of the call in response to the routing destination number when the routing destination number matches a valid destination number found in the subscriber profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is a Line Information Database (LIDB).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the blocked destination identifier is a Service or Equipment (SOE) Indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing destination number is received in one of a plurality of specified formats.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating to the user that the routing destination number is not acceptable by the remote access forwarding service when the routing destination number corresponds to a blocked destination identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is a telephone call.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is a data call.

11. A method for use in a remote access forwarding service adapted for use in an Advanced Intelligent Network for authorizing the forwarding of a call incoming to a subscriber'"'"'s telephone number to a routing destination number selected by a user, the method comprising:

prompting the user for the routing destination number to which the call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number is to be forwarded;

receiving the routing destination number from the user to which the call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number is to be forwarded;

searching a database containing a plurality of blocked destination identifiers to determine that the routing destination number does not correspond to a blocked destination identifier; and

allowing the forwarding of the call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number to the routing destination number when the routing destination number does not correspond to a blocked destination identifier found in the database.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing the routing destination number in a subscriber profile unique to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

searching a subscriber profile unique to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number having at least one valid destination number, for a valid destination number matching the routing destination number; and

allowing the forwarding of the call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number in response to the routing destination number when the routing destination number matches a valid destination number found in the subscriber profile.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the routing destination number has one of a plurality of specified formats.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the database is a Line Information Database (LIDB).

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the blocked destination identifier is a Service or Equipment (SOE) Indicator.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

communicating to the user that the routing destination number is not acceptable by the remote access forwarding service when the routing destination number corresponds to a blocked destination identifier.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the user is the subscriber.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the call is a telephone call.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the call is a data call.

21. A method for use in a remote access forwarding service adapted for use in an Advanced Intelligent Network for authorizing the forwarding of a call incoming to a subscriber'"'"'s telephone number to a routing destination number designated by a user, the method comprising:

storing at least one valid routing destination number in a subscriber profile unique to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number;

receiving the routing destination number from the user to which the call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number is to be forwarded;

searching the subscriber profile for a valid routing destination number that matches the routing destination number;

allowing forwarding of the call to the routing destination number when the routing destination number matches a valid destination number found in the subscriber profile;

if no match is found in the subscriber profile, querying a Line Information Database having a plurality of Service or Equipment Indicators stored therein for a Service or Equipment Indicator corresponding to the routing destination number;

receiving a response from the Line Information Database which includes the Service or Equipment Indicator to determine whether the routing destination does not correspond to a blocked Service or Equipment Indicator;

allowing forwarding of the call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number in response to the routing destination number when the routing destination number does not correspond to a blocked Service or Equipment Indicator; and

storing the routing destination number in the subscriber profile.

22. A remote access forwarding system adapted for use in an Advanced Intelligent Network for authorizing the forwarding of a communication call incoming to a subscriber'"'"'s telephone number to a routing destination number, the system comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of blocked destination identifiers corresponding to telephone numbers to which a communication call may not be forwarded;

receiving means for receiving the routing destination number to which the communication call incoming to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number is to be forwarded;

processing means in electrical communication with both the storage means and the receiving means, the processing means for searching the storage means to determine that the routing destination number does not correspond to a blocked destination identifier in the storage means; and

verification means in electrical communication with the processing means for validating the routing destination number to allow forwarding thereto of the communication call when the routing destination number does not correspond to a blocked destination identifier found in the storage means.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

second storage means for storing at least one valid destination number unique to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

second processing means in electrical communication with both the second storage means and the receiving means for searching the second storage means for a valid destination number matching the routing destination number; and

second verification means in electrical communication with the second processing means for validating the routing destination number to allow forwarding thereto of the communication call when the routing destination number matches a valid destination number found in the subscriber profile.