Systems and methods for providing personal, non-geographic call management
First Claim
1. A method for providing a subscriber with a plurality of call management features that may be accessed through a personal telephone number, said method comprising the steps of:
- identifying said personal telephone number with said subscriber, said personal telephone number being independent of said subscriber'"'"'s physical location, and said personal telephone number being one of a plurality of personal telephone numbers, each of said plurality of personal telephone numbers being allocated to a specific individual subscriber, and wherein said step of identifying includes the steps of(i) verifying a callback reverse billing personal identification number (PIN); and
(ii) billing said subscriber for an inbound phone call if said callback PIN is verified;
coupling said personal telephone number to a device so that said subscriber may receive said inbound phone call through said personal telephone number; and
enabling said subscriber to initiate an outbound telephone call using said personal telephone number, said outbound telephone call being independent from any physical calling location, and independent from any inbound call.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing personal, bi-directional, non-geographic base call management are presented. An inter-exchange provider network enables subscribers to obtain a personal telephone number that is independent of the subscriber'"'"'s residence. As such, the subscriber retains the personal phone number even when the subscriber move to another part of the country. The personal telephone number may be used to receive inbound calls, either through call forwarding features, paging or voice mail, and to place outbound calls using the personal number as a calling card number. In this manner, a subscriber'"'"'s telephone needs may be consolidated with a single carrier that provides simplified access for the subscriber while following the subscriber where ever the subscriber moves. The subscriber is also provided with access to customize the call management features provided by the inter-exchange carrier through a phone call.
30 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for providing a subscriber with a plurality of call management features that may be accessed through a personal telephone number, said method comprising the steps of:
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identifying said personal telephone number with said subscriber, said personal telephone number being independent of said subscriber'"'"'s physical location, and said personal telephone number being one of a plurality of personal telephone numbers, each of said plurality of personal telephone numbers being allocated to a specific individual subscriber, and wherein said step of identifying includes the steps of (i) verifying a callback reverse billing personal identification number (PIN); and (ii) billing said subscriber for an inbound phone call if said callback PIN is verified; coupling said personal telephone number to a device so that said subscriber may receive said inbound phone call through said personal telephone number; and enabling said subscriber to initiate an outbound telephone call using said personal telephone number, said outbound telephone call being independent from any physical calling location, and independent from any inbound call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for providing a plurality of subscribers with bi-directional, non-geographic telephone communication capability between one or more local exchange carrier (LEC), each LEC being connected through an access tandem to an inter-exchange provider network, said system comprising:
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a plurality of local servers, there being at least one local server coupled to each LEC; a network connected to each of said plurality of local servers, said network and said plurality of local servers being connected to form said inter-exchange provider network, said network being capable of transmitting communications between any two of said plurality of local servers, said inter-exchange provider network storing a unique, bi-directional, non-geographic, personal telephone number and subscriber configuration information for each of said plurality of subscribers, said personal telephone numbers enabling said plurality of subscribers to make outbound telephone calls and to receive inbound telephone calls by (i) verifying a callback reverse billing personal identification number (PIN); (ii) billing said plurality of subscribers if said callback PIN is verified.
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Specification