Multi-ring telephone method and system
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for providing telephone service comprising the steps of:
- associating a list of telephone numbers with a representative telephone number;
detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number;
simultaneously signalling at a plurality of telephone numbers on the list; and
thereafter terminating the signalling at remaining ones of the plurality of telephone numbers in response to an off-hook indication at more than one of the plurality of telephone numbers.
2 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system of providing telephone service comprises associating a list of telephone numbers with a representative telephone number. A call to the representative telephone number is detected and a plurality of telephone numbers on the list are simultaneously signalled. Thereafter, signalling is terminated at at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers thereby allowing a connection to be established with one or more parties at telephone numbers among the plurality of telephone numbers. Each telephone number on the list may be a representative number which is associated with another list of telephone numbers.
281 Citations
47 Claims
-
1. A method for providing telephone service comprising the steps of:
-
associating a list of telephone numbers with a representative telephone number; detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number; simultaneously signalling at a plurality of telephone numbers on the list; and thereafter terminating the signalling at remaining ones of the plurality of telephone numbers in response to an off-hook indication at more than one of the plurality of telephone numbers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for providing telephone service comprising the steps of:
-
associating a list of telephone numbers with a representative telephone number by storing the list of telephone numbers including at least one telephone number valid for a preselected time period; detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number; simultaneously signalling at a plurality of valid telephone numbers on the list; and thereafter terminating the signalling at at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
13. A method for providing telephone service comprising the steps of:
-
associating a list of telephone numbers with a representative telephone number by storing the list of telephone numbers and a table of telephone numbers for which calls from at least one telephone number in said table to at least one telephone number on the list are blocked; detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number; simultaneously signalling at a plurality of non-blocked telephone numbers on the list; and thereafter terminating the signalling at at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers.
-
-
14. A method for providing telephone service comprising the steps of:
-
associating a list of telephone numbers with a representative telephone number by storing the list of telephone numbers including at least one telephone number valid only after a preselected elapsed time period of signalling; detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number; simultaneously signalling at a plurality of valid telephone numbers on the list; and thereafter terminating the signalling at at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers.
-
-
23. A system for providing telephone service comprising:
-
a memory for storing a list of telephone numbers associated with a representative telephone number; a detection circuit for detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number; a circuit for simultaneously signalling at a plurality of telephone numbers on the list; and a processor for thereafter terminating the signalling at remaining ones of the plurality of telephone numbers in response to an off-hook indication at more than one of the plurality of telephone numbers. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A system for providing telephone service comprising:
-
a memory for storing a list of telephone numbers associated with a representative telephone number including data for at least one telephone number indicating a preselected time period during which said at least one telephone number is valid; a detection circuit for detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number; a circuit for simultaneously signalling at a plurality of valid telephone numbers on the list; and a processor for thereafter terminating the signalling at at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
-
-
38. A system for providing telephone service comprising:
-
a memory for storing a list of telephone numbers associated with a representative telephone number including a table of telephone numbers for which calls from at least one telephone number in said table to at least one telephone number on the list are blocked; a detection circuit for detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number; a circuit for simultaneously signalling at a plurality of non-blocked telephone numbers on the list; and a processor for thereafter terminating the signalling at at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers.
-
-
39. A system for providing telephone service comprising:
-
a memory for storing a list of telephone numbers associated with a representative telephone number including data for at least one telephone number indicating a preselected elapsed time period of signalling only after which the at least one telephone number is valid; a detection circuit for detecting a call to the representative telephone number from a calling telephone number; a circuit for simultaneously signalling at a plurality of valid telephone numbers on the list; and a processor for thereafter terminating the signalling at at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers.
-
Specification