Multi-network feature application

• US 5,848,140 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Foladare, Mark J., Silverman, David P., Soroushnejad, Mohsen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/580,679
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/201, 379/212, 379/230, 379/220, 379/229, 379/219
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• 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

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed which allow a telecommunications network carrier to apply services and/or features to calls carried by another independent telecommunications network carrier. The method and system enable the receipt of a call, made by a caller to a virtual telephone number, at an MFA switch in a telecommunications network. A determination is made as to whether the call is a special call by way of a Dialed Number Trigger Table. If the call is not a special call it is routed to its destination. Otherwise, a database query identifies from the dialed virtual telephone numbers an actual telephone number representing an end user device corresponding to the virtual telephone number. A determination of whether a service is to be applied to the call is made and, if so, the service is applied. The call is then routed from the MFA switch to a device located outside the telecommunications network for connection to the end user telephone device represented by the actual telephone number.

Claims

1. A method of applying services to calls, carried by a carrier telecommunications network including signaling and transport equipment, using a non-carrier telecommunications network, including signaling equipment and transport equipment different from the signaling equipment and transport equipment in the carrier telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a call made to a virtual telephone number and carried by the equipment of the carrier telecommunications network at a switch in the non-carrier network;

b) querying a database correlating virtual telephone numbers with actual telephone numbers representing end user equipment to identify an actual telephone number corresponding to said virtual telephone number for said call;

c) determining if a service is to be applied to said call using the equipment of the non-carrier network; and

d) completing said call from said switch in the non-carrier network to said end user equipment represented by said actual telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing in-call monitoring of said call.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) includes the step of determining that a forwarding service will be applied to said call.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) includes the step of determining that a messaging service will be applied to said call.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) includes the step of determining that a waiting service will be applied to said call.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) includes the step of determining that a service employing speech processing will be applied to said call.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) includes the step of determining that a Centrex related service will be applied to said call.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of checking a trigger table to determine if said call is a special call.

9. A method of applying services to calls using a first interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network and carried by a second interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network, said first interexchange carrier being different from said second interexchange carrier, said calls having been made by callers to virtual telephone numbers, said first interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network including an MFA switch, a node, and a database correlating said virtual telephone numbers with actual telephone numbers, each of said actual telephone numbers having been previously associated with end user equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

a) directing a call carried by the second interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network made by a caller to a virtual telephone number to the MFA switch in the first interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network via a LEC;

b) sending said call from the MFA switch to the node;

c) querying the database using said virtual telephone number to obtain a correlated actual telephone number;

d) sending said correlated actual telephone number and said call to the MFA switch in the first interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network;

e) determining, in the first interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network, whether a service is to be applied to said call;

f) if yes, applying said service to said call; and

g) completing said call from the MFA switch, to the end user equipment associated with said correlated actual telephone number.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of hairpinning said call to provide in-call monitoring.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said determining step includes the step of determining that a forwarding service will be applied.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said determining step includes the step of determining that a messaging service will be applied.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said determining step includes the step of determining that a waiting service will be applied.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said determining step includes the step of determining that a service employing speech processing will be applied.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said determining step includes the step of determining that a Centrex-type service will be applied.

16. The method of claim 9 further including the step of checking a trigger table to prevent redundant processing of said call.

17. The method of claim 9 further including the step of checking a trigger table to determine if said call is a special call.

18. A method of processing calls comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a call, made by a caller to a virtual telephone number and carried by transport and signaling equipment of a first interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network, at an MFA switch in said first interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network;

b) determining at said MFA switch if said call is a special call using a Dialed Number Trigger Table and, if not, routing said call to its destination, otherwise;

c) querying a database correlating virtual telephone numbers with actual telephone numbers representing at least one end user device to identify an actual telephone number corresponding to said virtual telephone number for said call,

d) determining if a first service is to be applied to said call by transport and signaling equipment of a second interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network and, if not, determining if a second service is to be applied to said call by said transport and signaling equipment of said first interexchange carrier'"'"'s telecommunications network, and, if so, applying said service; and

e) routing said call from said MFA switch to said end user device represented by said actual telephone number.

19. A system for applying services to calls made to virtual telephone numbers and carried over a first telecommunications network including signaling and transport equipment, said first telecommunications network having been selected by a caller as the carrier network for a call, the system comprising:

a second telecommunications network, different from said first telecommunications network, said second telecommunications network being a network which was not selected by said caller as the carrier network for said call and including signaling and transport equipment, an MFA switch, an MFA node and a database correlating virtual telephone numbers with actual telephone numbers representing end user devices, said MFA switch in said second telecommunications network being constructed for receiving said call made to a virtual telephone number and carried by the first telecommunications network, said call having been routed from a LEC to said MFA switch in said second telecommunications network, said MFA node being constructed for receiving said call from said MFA switch, means in said second telecommunications network for querying said database using said virtual telephone number to obtain a correlated actual telephone number and for sending said correlated actual telephone number and said call back to said MFA switch;

said second telecommunications network further including means associated with said MFA switch for determining whether a service is to be applied to said call and, if yes, for applying said service; and

means for completing said call from said MFA switch to an end user device represented by said correlated actual telephone number.

20. The system of claim 19, further including means in said second telecommunications network for monitoring calls carried by said first telecommunications network.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said querying means includes said MFA Node.