System and method for enhanced internet service connections
First Claim
1. A method for establishing telephone connections between a subscriber and an internet service provider comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining a class of service for the subscriber and a route counter for a telephone call from a subscriber telephone number to a first telephone access number;
(b) marking the telephone call with the class of service and the route counter;
(c) setting a called party number field in the telephone call to a second telephone access number according to the class of service and the route counter;
(d) processing the telephone call on at least one service switching point;
(e) updating the route counter; and
(f) repeating steps (b) through (e) if the telephone call is not terminated.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention discloses a system and method for marking telephone calls from a subscriber to an Internet Service Provider (“ISP”) with a class of service marker. Using this system and method, subscribers can obtain enhanced connections to their ISPs based on their class of service. An ISP can designate several different levels, or classes of service which their subscribers may choose. Generally, with higher the classes of service, the subscriber will have a greater opportunity for a successful dial-up connection to the ISP. The telephone service provider uses a class of service scheme provided by the ISP to determine the best route for the call. Additionally, the class of service marker is made available to the ISP in a manner such that the ISP can determine the caller'"'"'s class of service without actually answering the call. Thus, two levels of enhanced ISP connections are provided. First, the telephone service provider (“telco”) can use the COS to determine the best route for each individual call. Second, once a call has been routed to the ISP, the ISP can determine the COS prior to answering the call and can make a business decision whether or not the call should be answered.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for establishing telephone connections between a subscriber and an internet service provider comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining a class of service for the subscriber and a route counter for a telephone call from a subscriber telephone number to a first telephone access number;
(b) marking the telephone call with the class of service and the route counter;
(c) setting a called party number field in the telephone call to a second telephone access number according to the class of service and the route counter;
(d) processing the telephone call on at least one service switching point;
(e) updating the route counter; and
(f) repeating steps (b) through (e) if the telephone call is not terminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In an intelligent switched telecommunications network including a switch, a service control point, and a signaling network, a method for connecting a subscriber to an internet service provider, comprising the steps of:
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(a) creating a database on the service control point, said database comprising a class of service marker, a class of service scheme, a public telephone access number and a plurality of private telephone access numbers;
(b) receiving at the switch a telephone call from a subscriber telephone number to the public telephone access number;
(c) sending a database query from the switch to the service control point;
(d) sending a response from the service control point to the switch, said response having the class of service marker inserted in a first portion of a calling party number field, a route counter inserted in a second portion of said calling party number field, the public telephone access number in a redirecting party number field, and a called number in a called party number field, wherein the called number is selected from the plurality of private telephone access numbers according to the route counter, the public telephone access number and the class of service marker;
(e) routing the telephone call according to the called party number field;
(f) updating the route counter; and
(g) repeating steps (c) through (f) if the telephone call is not terminated. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A telecommunications system for connecting a subscriber to an internet service provider, comprising:
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(a) a service control point in communication with a service switching point;
(b) a database on the service control point comprising a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers, a plurality of subscriber class of service markers, a plurality of public telephone access numbers, and a plurality of a class of service schemes;
(c) a means for suspending on the service switching point a telephone call from the subscriber to the internet service provider;
(d) means for determining a subscriber class of service marker, a next route and a route counter using the database;
(e) means for marking the telephone call with the subscriber class of service marker and the route counter;
(f) means for routing the telephone call according the next route; and
(g) means for detecting whether or not the telephone call is terminated and whether or not the call is answered. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A telecommunications system for marking a subscriber'"'"'s call with a class of service marker and routing the call to an internet service provider according a subscriber'"'"'s class of service scheme comprising:
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(a) a first service switching point connected to a subscriber telephone line;
(b) a second service switching point connected to a plurality of internet service provider telephone lines; and
(c) a service control point in communication with the first and second service switching points, having a first database comprising a plurality of subscriber records storing a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers and a plurality of associated class of service markers, and a second database comprising a plurality of internet service provider records storing a plurality of public telephone access numbers and a plurality of class of service schemes, wherein, when the subscriber calls a selected one of the plurality of public telephone access numbers the service control point sets a redirecting party number field to the selected public telephone access number, the service control point sets a first portion of a calling party number field to the class of service marker, wherein the class of service marker is determined using the first database and the calling party number field, the service control point sets a second portion of the calling party number field to a route counter, and the service control point sets a route according to the route counter and a selected one of the plurality of class of service schemes according to the redirecting party number field and the class of service marker, wherein, when the first service switching point processes the subscriber'"'"'s call with the second service switching point, if the subscriber'"'"'s call is not terminated the service control point updates the route counter in the second portion of the calling party number field and the service control point sets a next route according to the class of service scheme and the updated route counter. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification