Method and system for preserving telephone numbers

• US 6,574,316 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/222,924
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 379/115.01, 379/120, 379/121.01, 379/121.03, 379/121.06, 379/125, 379/127.01, 379/127.03, 379/127.06, 379/130, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.08, 379/207.02
• US Class Current: 379/111
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/75 Account location specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/72 Account specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

The present invention allows a global telephone number be assigned to a first outbound-only telephone line connected to a first service switching point (SSP) to be also assigned to a second outbound-only telephone line connected to a second service switching point. The global telephone number can be used as many times as there are service switching points within a single area code region. In a preferred embodiment, in which an outbound-only telephone line subscriber also has a regular telephone line, all calls originated from the subscriber'"'"'s outbound-only telephone line can be billed against the account of the subscriber'"'"'s regular telephone line. The invention also allows multiple outbound-only telephone lines be billed against the account of a single regular telephone line. In addition, the invention also allows a subscriber of a regular telephone line that is used substantially or exclusively for outbound-only purposes to convert the regular telephone line into an outbound-only telephone line, thereby allowing the telephone number to reuse the global telephone number for an converted outbound-only telephone line.

Claims

1. A telephone network comprising:

a first service switching point;

a first outbound-only telephone line connected to the first service switching point;

a second service switching point; and

a second outbound-only telephone line connected to the second service switching point,

wherein the first outbound-only telephone line and the second outbound-only telephone line share a global telephone number.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein each of the first service switching point and the second service switching point is associated with an area code.

3. The network of claim 2, wherein the global telephone number comprises the area code.

4. The network of claim 3, the global telephone number is assigned to a finite number of outbound-only telephone lines, wherein the finite number equals a number of service switching points associated with the area code.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the first service switching point is associated with a first exchange code, the second service switching point is associated with a second exchange code, and the global telephone number is associated with a third exchange code.

6. The network of claim 5, wherein the third exchange code is different from each of the first exchange code and the second exchange code.

7. A method for assigning telephone numbers comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a new telephone number for a first outbound-only telephone line;

determining an identity of a first service switching point associated with the first outbound-only telephone line; and

assigning a global telephone number to the first outbound-only telephone line, wherein the global telephone number is assigned to two or more outbound-only telephone lines.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the global telephone number is assigned to a second outbound-only telephone line associated with a second service switching point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first service switching point and the second service switching point are located within a geographical area identifiable by an area code, wherein the global telephone number comprises the area code.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the global telephone number is assigned to a finite number of outbound-only telephone lines, wherein the finite number is determined by a number of service switching points within the geographical area.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first service switching point is associated with a first exchange code, the second service switching point is associated with a second exchange code, and the global telephone number is associated with a third exchange code.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the third exchange code is different from the first exchange code and the second exchange code.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the third exchange code is same as one of the first exchange code and the second exchange code.

14. A method for assigning telephone numbers comprising the steps of:

allocating a block of global telephone numbers for outbound-only telephone lines;

receiving a first request for a new telephone number for a first outbound-only telephone line;

determining an identity of a first service switching point associated with the first outbound-only telephone line;

assigning a first global telephone number to the first outbound-only telephone line;

receiving a second request for a new telephone number for a second outbound-only telephone line;

determining an identity of a second service switching point associated with the second outbound-only telephone line; and

assigning the first global telephone number to the second outbound-only telephone line if the second service switching point is different from the first service switching point.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of assigning a second global telephone number to the second outbound-only telephone line if the second service switching point is also the first service switching point.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first global telephone number and the second global telephone number share a common area code and a common exchange code.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein each global telephone number of the block of global telephone numbers comprises an area code and an exchange code.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein all global telephone numbers of the block of global telephone number share an area code.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein all global telephone numbers of the block of global telephone numbers share an exchange code.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein each global telephone number of the block of global telephone number is assigned to a finite number of outbound-only telephone lines, wherein the finite number is determined by a number of service switching points.