Apparatus and method for qualifying telephone numbers for a telephone network
First Claim
1. A method for qualifying telephone numbers for a selective telephone network, said method comprising the steps of:
- monitoring a telephone line for outgoing calls;
intercepting on said telephone line an outgoing call comprising an outgoing destination telephone number for a destination terminal equipment;
comparing said outgoing destination telephone number to at least one stored destination telephone number;
making a connection between said telephone line and a selective telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number matches said at least one stored destination telephone number; and
if said outgoing destination telephone number does not match said at least one stored destination telephone number, making a connection between said telephone line and a standard telephone network and, if activity is detected on said telephone line when connected to said standard telephone network which qualifies said outgoing destination telephone number, storing said outgoing destination telephone number, wherein subsequent outgoing calls to said outgoing destination telephone number are automatically sent to said selective telephone network.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for qualifying telephone numbers for a telephone network according to whether the telephone network services the particular area associated with a dialed telephone number, and whether the dialed telephone number is associated with a particular type of terminal equipment. The method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: monitoring a telephone line for outgoing calls; intercepting an outgoing destination telephone number on the telephone line; comparing the outgoing destination telephone number to at least one destination telephone number stored in a database; making a connection between the telephone line and a selective telephone network if the outgoing destination telephone number matches the at least one stored destination telephone number; and making a connection between the telephone line and a standard telephone network if the outgoing destination telephone number does not match the at least one stored destination telephone number. In the event that a connection is made with a standard telephone network, the telephone line is monitored for activity and if activity is detected, the outgoing destination telephone number becomes qualified and is then stored in the database.
75 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for qualifying telephone numbers for a selective telephone network, said method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a telephone line for outgoing calls; intercepting on said telephone line an outgoing call comprising an outgoing destination telephone number for a destination terminal equipment; comparing said outgoing destination telephone number to at least one stored destination telephone number; making a connection between said telephone line and a selective telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number matches said at least one stored destination telephone number; and if said outgoing destination telephone number does not match said at least one stored destination telephone number, making a connection between said telephone line and a standard telephone network and, if activity is detected on said telephone line when connected to said standard telephone network which qualifies said outgoing destination telephone number, storing said outgoing destination telephone number, wherein subsequent outgoing calls to said outgoing destination telephone number are automatically sent to said selective telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 32, 33, 34)
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9. A method for qualifying telephone numbers for a selective telephone network, said method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a telephone line for outgoing calls; intercepting on said telephone fine an outgoing call comprising an outgoing destination telephone number for a destination terminal equipment; determining if said outgoing destination telephone number is associated with a region that is serviced by a selective telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number is associated with a region that is not serviced by said selective telephone network, making a connection between said telephone line and a standard telephone network; if said outgoing destination telephone number is associated with a region that is serviced by said selective telephone network, comparing said outgoing destination telephone number to at least one stored destination telephone number; making a connection between said telephone line and said selective telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number matches said at least one stored destination telephone number; and if said outgoing destination telephone number does not match said at least one stored destination telephone number, making a connection between said telephone line and said standard telephone network and, if activity is detected on said telephone line when connected to said standard telephone network which qualifies said outgoing destination telephone number, storing said outgoing destination telephone number, wherein subsequent outgoing calls to said outgoing destination telephone number are automatically sent to said selective telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for qualifying telephone numbers for a selective telephone network, said method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a telephone line for outgoing calls; intercepting an outgoing call comprising an outgoing destination telephone number on said telephone line; comparing said outgoing destination telephone number to at least one stored destination telephone number; making a connection between said telephone line and a selective telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number matches said at least one stored destination telephone number; making a connection between said telephone line and a standard telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number does not match said at least one stored destination telephone number and; monitoring said telephone line for activity after making said connection between said telephone line and said standard telephone network; detecting activity on said telephone line; and storing said outgoing destination telephone number along with said at least one stored destination number. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 35)
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26. An apparatus for qualifying telephone numbers for a selective telephone network, said apparatus comprising:
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means for monitoring a telephone line for outgoing calls; means for intercepting on said telephone line an outgoing all comprising an outgoing destination telephone number for a destination terminal equipment; means for comparing said outgoing destination telephone number to at least one stored destination telephone number; means for making a connection between said telephone line and a selective telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number matches said at least one stored destination telephone number; means for making a connection between said telephone line and a standard telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number does not match said at least one stored destination telephone number; means for monitoring said telephone line for activity when said means for making a connection connects said telephone line to said standard telephone network; means for detecting activity on said telephone line which qualifies said outgoing destination telephone number; and means for storing said outgoing destination telephone number, in response to said means for detecting activity on said telephone line; wherein subsequent outgoing calls to said outgoing destination telephone number are automatically sent to said selective telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. An apparatus for qualifying telephone numbers for a selective telephone network, said apparatus comprising:
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means for monitoring a telephone line for outgoing calls; means for intercepting on said telephone line an outgoing call comprising an outgoing destination telephone number for a destination terminal equipment; means for determining if said outgoing destination telephone number is associated with a region that is serviced by a selective telephone networks; means for comparing said outgoing destination telephone number to at least one stored destination telephone number; means for making a connection between said telephone line and a selective telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number matches said at least one stored destination telephone number; means for making a connection between said telephone line and a standard telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number does not match said at least one stored destination telephone number; means for monitoring said telephone line for activity when said means for making a connection connects said telephone line to said standard telephone network; means for detecting activity on said telephone line which qualifies said outgoing destination telephone number; and means for storing said outgoing destination telephone number, in response to said means for detecting activity on said telephone line; wherein subsequent outgoing calls to said outgoing destination telephone number are automatically sent to said selective telephone network.
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29. An apparatus for qualifying telephone numbers for a selective telephone network, said apparatus comprising:
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means for monitoring a telephone line for outgoing calls; means for intercepting an outgoing call comprising an outgoing destination telephone number on said telephone line; means for comparing said outgoing destination telephone number to at least one stored destination telephone number; means for making a connection between said telephone line and a selective telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number matches said at least one stored destination telephone number; means for making a connection between said telephone line and a standard telephone network if said outgoing destination telephone number does not match said at least one stored destination telephone number; means for monitoring said telephone line for activity after making said connection between said telephone line and said standard telephone network; means for detecting activity on said telephone line; and means for storing said outgoing destination telephone number along with said at least one stored destination telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification