Remote telecommunications system for automatic number identification screening

• US 6,453,037 B1
• Filed: 08/15/1996
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Welter, William G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/706,989
• Time in Patent Office: 2,224 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/242-245, 379/268, 379/269, 379/67.1, 379/88.1, 379/201, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/114.01, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 379/115.01, 379/121.01, 379/142.01, 379/142.07, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.07, 379/201.12, 379/207.13, 379/207.15, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.02, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.14
• US Class Current: 379/243
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/64 Arrangements for signalling the number or class of the calling line to the operator between operators in inter- exchange working H04M5/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

The network control system, servicing a long distance carrier switching office, is provided with a caller'"'"'s automatic number identification (ANI) when a calling party calls a called party. Using a database, a processor of the network control system determines call type characteristics of the telephone call based on the received ANI for wireless and land-line telephone calls. The network control system then returns either an index or routing information to the long distance carrier switching office. After the ANI is screened by the network control system, subsequent call processing takes place in the long distance carrier switching office.

Claims

1. In a telephone network of a long distance carrier, a telecommunications system for screening a calling station telephone number using automatic number identification (ANI), comprising:

a calling station assigned to a local serving area of a switching office for originating a telephone call to a called station;

at least one other switching office having a different local serving area responsive to said telephone call made in said different local serving area from said calling station via a shared facility, said one other switching office providing communication between said calling station and said called station and responsive to a table of calling restrictions included in said assigned local serving area for a telephone call being placed through said one other switching office; and

a network control system serving said at least one other switching office and said switching office and including at least one database having a table and processing means, said network control system;

receiving an X.25 protocal request message and obtaining an index from its table based on said calling station telephone number and sending said index via an X.25 protocol response message to said at least one other switching office, said at least one other switching office using said index to obtain calling restrictions on said telephone call, said calling restrictions being in a table located in said switching office, whereby said telephone call is screened in accordance with said obtained calling restrictions,

wherein routing information for terminating the call to the called station is selectively retrieved from either a LEC switching office or the network control system.

2. The telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein said shared facility comprises a local exchange carrier within a public switched network.

3. The telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein said database comprises a plurality of telephone numbers for comparing with said calling station telephone number received from said switching office.

4. The telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein said processing means requests supplementary code digits corresponding to said calling station telephone number, which are collected by said switching office.

5. The telecommunications system according to claim 4, wherein said processing means validates said supplementary code digits.

6. The telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein said index is obtained from a table in said database by said processing means.

7. In a telephone network of a long distance carrier, a telecommunications system for screening a calling station telephone number using automatic number identification (ANI), comprising:

a calling station assigned to a local serving area associated with a first switching office for originating a telephone call from a location in a different local serving area associated with at least a second switching office;

said second switching office responsive to said telephone call from said calling station location via a shared facility and providing communication between said calling station and said called location, wherein said second switching office determines whether said calling station telephone number is located within a local serving area for ascertaining calling stations stored in a table of said second switching office on said telephone call; and

a network control system serving said second switching office in addition to said first switching office and including at least one database and a processing means, said network control system;

receiving, via an X.25 protocol request message, said calling station telephone number located in said second switching office, said network control system obtaining an index from a table of said database based on said calling station telephone number and sending said index, via an X.25 protocol response message, to said second switching office, said second switching office using said index to obtain calling restrictions on said telephone call, from said table, whereby said telephone call is screened in accordance with said obtained calling restriction,

wherein routing information for terminating the call to the called station is selectively retrieved from either a LEC switching office or the network control system.

8. The telecommunication system according to claim 7 wherein a processing system means of said first switching office accesses a table containing area codes which define said local serving area of said first switching office.