System and method for passcode validation during telephone call processing

• US 6,788,775 B1
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simpson, Anita Hogans
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H.
• Application Number:
  US09/734,125
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.02, 379/93.04, 379/207.13
• US Class Current: 379/207.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords

Abstract

A method of validating a passcode in a telephone network comprises using a hash function to hash the directory number of a subscriber to a passcode-controlled service and comparing an entered passcode with the output of the hash function. Each subscriber to a passcode-controlled service is provided with a passcode that is equal to the hash of their directory number produced by a predetermined hash function, and that predetermined hash functions is provided to the various components of the network that may need to validate the subscriber'"'"'s passcode. Each component of the network is thus able to validate the passcode without performing a database lookup.

Claims

1. A method of validating a passcode in a telecommunications network which processes a call from a first telephone station, said method comprising the acts of:

receiving a passcode from said first telephone station;

computing a first value based on a telephone number;

retrieving a second value from an exception table based on said first value;

determining that the received passcode is the same as said second value; and

permitting access to a restricted service,

wherein said exception table comprises a plurality of segments indexed by a numbering plan area, each of said segments comprising a plurality of storage locations, and wherein said retrieving act comprises;

identifying a first of said plurality of segments based on the area code of said telephone number;

identifying a first storage location within said first segment based on said first value; and

retrieving said second value from said first storage location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of identifying a storage location comprises:

identifying a second storage location within said first segment based on said first value;

determining that said second storage location is not associated with said telephone number; and

following a collision rule to locate said first storage location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said second storage location is located at an offset into said first segment equal to said first value, wherein each of the plurality of storage location that is in use for the storage of data stores the telephone number with which the data in the storage location is associated, and wherein said act of determining that said second storage location is not associated with said telephone number comprises comparing said telephone number with the telephone number in said second storage location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said collision rule comprises examining the next storage location said first segment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said storage locations that is in use for the storage of data stores:

a telephone number with which the data in the storage location is associated;

a plurality of values; and

for each of said plurality of values, a binary indication of whether the value is valid or not valid;

and wherein said act of retrieving said second value from said first storage location comprises selecting one of the plurality of values in the first storage location based on the binary indications.

6. An advanced intelligent network comprising:

a service switching point communicatively connected to a plurality of telephone stations, each of said telephone stations having a directory number associated therewith; and

a plurality of service nodes communicatively coupled to said service switching point, each of said service nodes comprising;

a processor;

a memory;

logic stored in said memory and executable on said processor which receives a directory number associated with one of said telephone stations and a passcode entered through one of said telephone stations, which hashes the received directory number according to a first hash function to produce a hash value, which compares the hash value with the entered passcode, and which allows access to a restricted service provided by the service node according to whether the entered passcode matches the hash value, wherein each of said service nodes further comprises;

an exception table having a plurality of custom passcodes indexed by hash values; and

logic stored in said memory and executable on said processor which queries said exception table for a custom passcode in said exception table based on said hash value, and which compares the entered passcode with either the hash value or the custom passcode according to whether said exception table contains a custom passcode indexed by said hash value.

7. A method of validating a passcode in a telecommunications network which processes a call from a first telephone station, said method comprising the acts of:

receiving said passcode from said first telephone station;

computing a value based a telephone number;

determining that the received passcode is the same as the computed value; and

permitting access to a restricted service, wherein said determining act is performed without consulting a database of passcodes.

8. A method of supporting the evaluation of passcodes in a telephone network having a plurality of customers, said method comprising the acts of:

hashing the telephone number of each of said plurality of customers using a first hash function, to produce a hash value for each of said plurality of customers;

assigning each of said plurality of customers a passcode equal to the customer'"'"'s corresponding hash value; and

providing said first hash function to a plurality of components of said telephone network, wherein said method does not include providing, to said plurality of components, a database containing passcodes assigned to said customers.

9. An advanced intelligent network comprising:

a service switching point communicatively connected to a plurality of telephone stations, each of said telephone stations having a directory number associated therewith; and

a plurality of service nodes communicatively coupled to said service switching point, each of said service nodes comprising;

a processor;

a memory;

logic stored in said memory and executable on said processor which receives a directory number associated with one of said telephone stations and a passcode entered through one of said telephone stations, which hashes the received directory number according to a first hash function to produce a hash value, which compares the hash value with the entered passcode, and which allows access to a restricted service provided by the service node according to whether the entered passcode matches the hash value, wherein said logic allows access to said restricted service without comparing the entered passcode with a set of passcodes stored in a database.