Automatic network connection

• US 6,795,852 B1
• Filed: 09/11/1996
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Kleinrock, Leonard, Short, Joel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US08/712,502
• Time in Patent Office: 2,932 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.49, 395/200.52, 395/200.79, 395/673, 395/200.7, 395/200.71, 395/200.58, 379/112
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

Users call ONE telephone number from their computer communication link-up. The call goes into a computer which has a large database of the many providers'"'"' access numbers. The computer identifies where the user is calling from via any identifying feature included in the invention. The computer figures out the most appropriate (e.g. cheapest/proximal/etc.) number the user should use to connect to the “Net”, which includes cost of the phone call and of the services provided by service providers. The computer then transmits this number back to the remote user, and electronically dials the local (and probably free) number to connect the user to the Net. The user may set up an account, or purchases one temporarily and gets charged for the service provided to him. Users are connected to information networks by providing a central processing station with a database including an index of network access numbers and associated charges for using the numbers. The central processing station is accessed from a remote computing device through a transmission line and identifying information is received by the remote computing device. The system compares the received information with the index of network access numbers stored in the database to determine a location of the remote computing device and to determine appropriate access numbers from the database index of network access numbers and then selects and downloads a most appropriate access number from the network access numbers to the remote computing device.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a user to a computer information network via a computer network provider comprising the steps of:

providing a central processing station comprising a database including an index of computer network access numbers associated with multiple computer network providers, associated information for using the computer network access numbers, and computer connection costs for the computer network providers, wherein each computer network access number is associated with one of the computer network providers and each computer network provider is associated with one of the computer connection costs;

accessing the central processing station from a remote computing device through a transmission line;

receiving location identifying information from the remote computing device;

comparing the received location identifying information with the index of computer network access numbers stored in the database;

selecting at least one appropriate computer network access number from the database; and

downloading the selected appropriate computer network access number to the remote computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically dialing the downloaded computer network access number from the remote computing device, wherein the downloaded computer network access number is a least expensive, available, desired service type, proximal, or geographically desirable number.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of terminating access of the remote computing device to the central processing station after the downloading step and before the automatically dialing step.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of continuously or periodically updating the database of access numbers and associated information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database of computer network access numbers further comprises phone company charges for accessing each computer network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated information includes computer communication parameters further comprising the steps of configuring the remote computing device to dial the selected computer network access number and automatically dialing the computer network access number from the remote computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing step further comprises placing a call from the remote computing device to the central processing system via a communicating device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the placing step further comprises dialing a toll free number.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the placing step further comprises configuring the remote computing device to dial a predetermined number automatically.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the central processing station further comprises an automated calling area identifier, wherein the accessing step further comprises placing a call from the remote computing device to the central processing system, and wherein the identifying step further comprises processing the received location identifying information from the remote computing device using the automated calling area identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing step further comprises dialing a toll free number, and wherein the identifying step further comprises converting the toll free number to a calling area identification number.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of creating a set of cost effective access numbers following the comparing step, and wherein the selecting step further comprises selecting the least expensive access number from the set, and wherein the downloading step further comprises downloading the set of numbers to the remote computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of dialing the least expensive access number, checking for a connection to the network, selecting a next least expensive number from the set, and dialing the next least expensive number.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of billing for a connection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the billing step further comprises the step of establishing a user account having a balance and deducting a determined amount from the user account, wherein the amount reflects fees and charges for connection to the network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of checking the balance of the user'"'"'s account prior to downloading the numbers to the remote computing device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the billing step further comprises providing an information carrier having user account information including account balance, reading the information on the carrier, electronically debiting an amount from the account balance reflecting charges and fees associated with connection to the network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the information carrier is a component of a computing device.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the billing step further comprises providing an electronic payments provider system electronically connected to the central processing system and electronically sending user identification and cost information to the payments provider system for processing and billing.

20. An automatic computer network connection system for connecting a remotely located computing device to the computer network via a computer network provider, the system comprising:

a central processing station;

a remote computing device for placing a telephone call to the central processing station;

a transmission line for providing communication between the remote computing device and the central processing station for carrying the telephone call to the station and other information between the station and the remote computing device; and

an identifier for determining an origination area of the telephone call, wherein the central processing station further comprises a database of computer network access numbers associated with multiple computer network providers, and associated charges for computer network connections provided by the computer network providers, wherein each computer network access number is associated with one of the computer network providers and each computer network provider is associated with one of the computer network connection charges, wherein the central processing station further comprises a processor for comparing the identifier to the database of computer network access numbers and associated charges for the computer network connections, for selecting cost effective network access numbers from the database, and for downloading a least expensive network access number of the cost effective network access numbers to the remote computing device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the remote computing device further comprises a configuration for receiving and downloading an appropriate access number and for automatically dialing the downloaded number.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising a billing subsystem electronically connected to or included as part of the central processing station.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the billing subsystem further comprises an information carrier for carrying and storing user account information, an electronic reader for accessing the account information from the information carrier and for amending the information in response to debit messages from the central processing station.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the information carrier is a floppy disk or a smart card.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the billing system is an electronic payments provider service.

26. A method for providing cost effective telephone access to a first computer network for a remotely located computing device, the method comprising:

dialing a toll free telephone number using the remotely located computing device to establish a connection with a central processing station having a database including a plurality of telephone access numbers for computer networks connected to the first computer network, wherein the database further includes cost information associated with using the computer networks and/or cost information associated with the telephone access numbers of the computer networks;

automatically receiving location identifying information based on a telephone number associated with the current location of the remote computing device;

selecting a telephone access number from the database based on the location identifying information and the cost information associated with the telephone access number;

downloading the selected telephone access number from the database to the remotely located computing device; and

automatically dialing the selected telephone access number using the remotely located computing device to access the first computer network.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of selecting a telephone access number comprises selecting at least one telephone access number based on the access number currently being available.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the database further includes computer communication parameters associated with at least one of the plurality of networks, the method further comprising downloading the associated computer communication parameters to the remotely located computing device and automatically configuring the remotely locating computing device using the computer communication parameters.