Method and system for preserving telephone numbers
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A telephone network comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for assigning telephone numbers comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for assigning telephone numbers comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification