Method for providing additional information to a telephone customer having a non-published telephone number

• US 6,763,100 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Lanny
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US10/347,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20030108169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.16, 379/88-9-, 379/201.01, 379/201.11, 379/210.01, 379/210.02, 379/210.03, 379/214.03, 379/218.01
• US Class Current: 379/201.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A method and system for notifying a non-published customer of a telephone network the number and possibly the identity of callers who have been attempting to obtain their non-published number from directory assistance. When a calling party calls for directory assistance, it is determined whether the telephone number sought is a non-published. If so, the call is forwarded to a service package application on a service node where at least a telephone number, and preferably also the name, of the calling party is obtained. A notification call is then placed to the non-published customer and the customer is provided with at least the telephone number and possibly the name of the calling party.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to establish a telephone connection between a non-published customer and a calling party, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a directory assistance request from the calling party for a non-published telephone number associated with the non-published customer;

(b) determining a telephone number associated with the calling party;

(c) informing the non-published customer of the calling party'"'"'s telephone number; and

(d) placing a call to the calling party to inform the calling party of the telephone number associated with the non-published customer, wherein the call is placed only after receiving authorization from the non-published customer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a name of the calling party and informing the non-published customer of the name.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising announcing to the calling party that the directory assistance request is for a non-published telephone number.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying the step of informing the non-published customer of the calling party'"'"'s telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a call to the non-published customer to perform step (c).