Multi-user telephone line

• US 5,844,978 A
• Filed: 01/14/1997
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BellSouth Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reuss, Ronald S., Irwin, Janine M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Application Number:
  US08/783,537
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 379/199, 379/200, 379/201, 379/207, 379/230, 379/188, 379/91, 379/95, 379/112, 379/143, 379/144, 379/197, 379/177, 379/182, 379/183, 379/184, 340/825.3, 340/825.31, 340/825.5, 340/825.51, 340/825.52
• US Class Current: 379/196
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method of restricting access to authorized users of telephone service from a telephone at a particular location which telephone is accessible by more than one individual. The present invention provides for a method of activating a telephone line by entering a valid access code and deactivating the telephone line by entering a second valid code. Calls may not generally be placed from the telephone when the telephone line deactivated. Calls made from the telephone line after the telephone line has been activated by a valid access code will be attributed to the user associated with the access code. The present invention also provides for a method of routing calls which have been designated as escape codes or priority numbers although the telephone line is in a deactivated state. The present invention also provides a method for activating the telephone line by first entering a logon code followed by an access code which is associated with a user. The access codes may be further used to identify users for which toll calls are not permitted. If an authorized user'"'"'s access code contains a toll restriction indicator, toll calls attempted by the authorized user when logged in under the user'"'"'s access code will not be routed.

Claims

1. In an intelligent switched telephone network, having selected telephone lines connected to a plurality of particular locations, a method of restricting use of a telephone service from at least one of said selected telephone lines at a particular location, comprising the steps of:

activating a telephone line for a first level of service of a plurality of levels of service and associating said telephone line with a particular user for subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location when a valid code at said particular location has been entered, said valid code comprising a first logon code followed by a first valid access code; and

deactivating said telephone line from said telephone service at said particular location when a second logon code at said particular location has been entered.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first level of service comprises local calls and wherein said step of activating said telephone line for said first level of service comprises activating said telephone line for said local calls.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of activating said telephone line further comprises activating said telephone line for said first level of service and a second level of service.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said second level of service comprises toll calls and wherein said step of activating said telephone line for said first level of service and said second level of service comprises activating said telephone line for said toll calls.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of denying a call when said call requires said second level of service and said telephone line has been activated only for said first level of service.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said first level of service comprises local calls and wherein said step of denying said call comprises denying a toll call when said telephone line has been activated only for aid local calls.

7. In an intelligent switched telephone network, having selected telephone lines connected to a plurality of particular locations, a method of restricting use of a telephone service from at least one of said selected telephone lines at a particular location, comprising the steps of:

activating a telephone line for a plurality of levels of service and associating said telephone line with a particular user for subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location when a valid code at said particular location has been entered, said valid code comprising a first logon code followed by a first valid access code; and

deactivating said telephone line from said telephone service at said particular location when a second logon code at said particular location has been entered.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of denying a call when said call requires a level of service for which said telephone line has not been activated.

9. In an intelligent switched telephone network, having selected telephone lines connected to a plurality of particular locations, a method of restricting use of a telephone service from a telephone line at a particular location, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first valid logon code from a user from one of said particular locations;

activating said telephone line associated with said telephone service for said user for subsequent calls at one of said particular locations in response to said step of receiving said first valid logon code; and

deactivating said telephone line in response to receiving a second valid logon code said second valid logon code, representing a telephone line activation code of another user, receipt of said second valid logon code causing deactivation of association of said telephone line with said telephone service for said user and said telephone line being activated and associated with said telephone service for said another user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said first valid logon code is the same as said second valid logo code and wherein said step of deactivating said telephone line comprises deactivating said telephone line without activating or associating said telephone line with said another use response to receiving said second valid logon code.

11. A method of restricting the use of telephone service, with exception of provision of said telephone service in response to entry of an escape code, at a particular location to one of a plurality of subscribers, comprising the steps of:

dedicating said use of said telephone service, with said exception of provision of said telephone service in response to entry of said escape code, to said plurality of subscribers, each of said plurality of subscribers having obtained an advanced subscription so as to receive said telephone service at said particular location in response to input of a valid logon code on a telephone line associated with said particular location;

receiving a code;

checking whether said code corresponds to said valid logon code of one of said plurality of subscribers;

if said valid logon code is received, then activating said telephone line for subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location; and

deactivating said telephone line for said telephone service at said particular location in response to receiving a second logon code.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of attributing said subsequent calls to said one of said plurality of subscribers after said step of activating said telephone line.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said dedicating step further comprises the step of routing a single telephone call from said telephone line when said escape code has been entered that corresponds to said single telephone call, said escape code activating said telephone line only for said single telephone call.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein another valid code corresponds to another of said plurality of subscribers;

and

if said another valid code is received, then

de-attributing said subsequent calls from said one of said plurality of subscribers and attributing further subsequent calls to said another of said plurality of subscribers for said further subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

after activating said telephone line, starting a timer in response to receipt of said valid code; and

deactivating said telephone line upon expiration of said timer.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said activating step comprises:

activating said telephone line only if said valid logon code corresponds to an access code of said user; and

if said valid code corresponds to said access code, then activating said telephone line with said telephone service for said user for subsequent calls at said one of said particular locations.

17. A method of restricting use of a telephone service from a telephone line at a particular location to sequential use of said telephone service by a first subscriber and then a second subscriber, comprising the steps of:

checking whether a first code entered at said particular location corresponds to a first valid code of said first subscriber;

if said first code corresponds to said first valid code, then activating and associating said telephone line with said first subscriber for subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location;

checking whether a second code entered at said particular location corresponds to a second valid code of said second subscriber; and

if said second code corresponds to said second valid code, then disassociating said telephone line from said first subscriber and associating said telephone line with said second subscriber for further subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of attributing said subsequent calls to said first subscriber after said step of activating said telephone line with said first subscriber.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of attributing said further subsequent calls to said second subscriber after said step of disassociating said telephone line from said first subscriber and associating said telephone line with said second subscriber.

20. A method of preventing the use of telephone service, with exception of provision of said telephone service in response to entry of an escape code, at a particular location unless a valid logon code of one of a plurality of subscribers is received, comprising the steps of:

providing an association between said telephone service at said particular location and said plurality of subscribers;

receiving a logon code;

checking whether said logon code corresponds to a valid logon code of one of said plurality of subscribers;

if said valid logon code is received, then activating a telephone line for subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location; and

deactivating said telephone line for said telephone service at said particular location in response to receiving a second logon code.