Telecommunications system
First Claim
1. A system for providing a directory assistance call completion service to a terminal, comprising:
- a public switched telephone network (PSTN) communications switching system providing switched communication services to said terminal;
a directory assistance service system including a storage of directory listings; and
a public packet data internetwork connected between the PSTN and the directory assistance service system, said internetwork comprising at least a portion of the Internet, wherein in response to dialing of a directory assistance number on said terminal, said PSTN (i) provides data identifying said terminal to said directory assistance service system via the Internet, and (ii) establishes a two-way communication link between said terminal and said directory assistance service system via the Internet; and
wherein the directory assistance service system provides two-way voice communication between said terminal and said directory assistance service system via said communication link to (i) receive information from said terminal identifying a station with which said terminal seeks to establish a communications link through the Internet, and (ii) provide to said terminal a directory number for said station.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A public switched telephone network utilizing program controlled switching systems controlled by common channel interoffice signaling (CCIS) and preferably an advanced intelligent network (AIN) CCIS network is arranged in an architecture to provide a methodology for facilitating telephone use of the Internet by customers on an impromptu basis. The system permits a caller to set-up and carry out a telephone call over the Internet from telephone station to telephone station without access to computer equipment and without the necessity of maintaining a subscription to any Internet service. Billing may be accomplished on a per call basis. It is a particular feature of the invention that directory assistance is offered to callers, with or without call completion at the option of the caller. Such assistance is rendered through the use of procedures presently familiar to the caller from usage of the public switched telephone network. The system utilizes existing common channel signaling facilities along with Internet signaling and voice switching to permit the use of existing public switched telephone network plant for providing the directory assistance and call completion through a new methodology. A centralized directory number database may be provided according to one embodiment of the invention. Alternatively and preferably use is made of existing databases through interconnection or action to permit accessing of multiple databases in a hierarchical manner.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A system for providing a directory assistance call completion service to a terminal, comprising:
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a public switched telephone network (PSTN) communications switching system providing switched communication services to said terminal;
a directory assistance service system including a storage of directory listings; and
a public packet data internetwork connected between the PSTN and the directory assistance service system, said internetwork comprising at least a portion of the Internet, wherein in response to dialing of a directory assistance number on said terminal, said PSTN (i) provides data identifying said terminal to said directory assistance service system via the Internet, and (ii) establishes a two-way communication link between said terminal and said directory assistance service system via the Internet; and
wherein the directory assistance service system provides two-way voice communication between said terminal and said directory assistance service system via said communication link to (i) receive information from said terminal identifying a station with which said terminal seeks to establish a communications link through the Internet, and (ii) provide to said terminal a directory number for said station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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25. A telecommunications system comprising in combination:
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a first switched telecommunications network including first program controlled switching systems serving first customer premises terminals connected to said switching systems, said program controlled switching systems being connected by trunks and having a first control system for controlling call set up to selectively establish communication connections between said customer promise terminals over said trunks;
a second switched telecommunications network including second program controlled switching systems serving second customer premises terminals connected to said second program controlled switching systems, said switching systems being connected by trunks and having a second control system for controlling call set up to selectively establish communication connections betweens said customer premise terminals over said trunks;
a wide area internetwork connecting spaces dissimilar networks and usings transmission control protocols/internet protocol (TCP/IP) to link said dissimilar networks, said internetwork comprising the internet;
first and second interfaces linking said first and second switched telecommunications networks respectively to the Internet to establish a data link between said first and second switched telecommunications networks for controlling call set up to selectively establish a communication connection between a first customer premises terminal in said first switched communications network and a second customer premises terminal in said second switched telecommunications network at least partially over said trunks; and
a directory assistance service system including a storage of directory listings;
wherein in response to dialing of a directory assistance number on a first terminal connected to said first switched telecommunications network, said first switched telecommunications network (i) provides data identifying said terminal to said directory assistance service system via the Internet, and (ii) establishes a two-way communication link between said first terminal and said directory assistance service system via the Internet; and
wherein the directory assistance service system provides two-way voice communication between said terminal and said directory assistance service system to (i) receive from said first terminal information identifying a second terminal with which said first terminal seeks to establish a communications link through the Internet, and (ii) provide to said first terminal a directory number for said second terminal. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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26. A method of establishing a communication link between a first terminal connected to a first switching system in a switched communications network to a second terminal of unknown directory number connected to a second switching system in said switched communications network comprising the steps of:
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a) establishing a signaling link through the Internet between said first switching system and a directory assistance service system having access to a directory number data storage;
b) transmitting data from said first switching system to said directory assistance service system over said signaling link including the identification of said first terminal;
c) said directory assistance service system storing said identification of said first terminal;
d) establishing a two-way communication link through the Internet between said first terminal and said directory assistance service system;
e) exchanging information over said two-way communication link to provide said directory assistance service system with sufficient data to permit a search of said storage;
f) accessing said storage and obtaining the directory number of said second terminal;
g) sending said directory number of said second terminal over said two-way communication link to said first terminal;
h) using said directory number of said second terminal to establish a two-way communication link between said first and second terminals over said two-way communication link via the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of establishing a communication link between a first terminal connected to a first switching system to a second terminal of unknown directory number comprising the steps of:
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a) establishing a signaling link through the Internet between said first switching system and a directory assistance service system having access to a directory number data storage;
b) transmitting first data from said first switching system to said directory assistance service system over said signaling link;
c) said directory assistance service system storing at least a portion of said first data;
d) establishing a two-way communication link through the Internet between said first terminal and said directory assistance service system;
e) exchanging information over said two-way communication link to provide said directory assistance service system with sufficient data to permit a search of said storage;
f) accessing said storage and obtaining the directory number of said second terminal;
g) sending said directory number of said second terminal over said two-way communication link to said first terminal; and
h) responsive to a request from said first terminal, automatically dialing said directory number of said second terminal to establish said communication link between said first and second terminals via the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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Specification