Methods and apparatus for authenticating and authorizing ENUM registrants

• US 6,968,050 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Geddes, Elizabeth A., Pershan, Barry Paul, Bohn, Kevin V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US10/108,052
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 379/196, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/207.11, 379/207.02
• US Class Current: 379/196
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

AIN based methods and apparatus for authenticating and authorizing people to register information corresponding to a telephone number, e.g., in an ENUM database, are described. The methods of the invention may be used to authenticate a party seeking to register telephone number related information with ENUM. A trigger is set on an ENUM registration line. Calls to the ENUM registration line activate the trigger causing LIDB information corresponding to the calling party number to be retrieved. The retrieved information, e.g., name, address and/or phone number is supplied to an ENUM registration service which returns a password to be used when updating or supplying ENUM registration information corresponding to the phone number from which the registration call is placed at some future time, e.g., via the Internet. Assigned ENUM passwords can be obtained when forgotten by placing a call to the registration service from the registered or associated phone number.

Claims

1. A service method, comprising the steps of:

operating a telephone switch to detect a call including a calling party number directed to a telephone number corresponding to a service provider;

retrieving from a database of telephone service subscriber information, information corresponding to said calling party number;

supplying at least some of the retrieved telephone service subscriber information to said service provider; and

operating a telephone network element to provide the calling party with a password to be used when obtaining access to a service provided by said service provider wherein the service requires use of said calling party number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving said password from said service provider prior to providing the calling party with said password.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said database of telephone service subscriber information is a line information database;

and

wherein said step of retrieving includes;

i. transmitting a message to a service control point including the calling party number; and

ii. operating the service control point to retrieve said calling party information from the line information database.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein said step of supplying at least some of the retrieved telephone service subscriber information to said service provider includes operating the service control point to send said at least some information to said service provider.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

operating the service control point to receive said password from said service provider prior to providing the calling party with said password.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

operating a telephone switch peripheral device to collect service registration information from said calling party; and

operating said telephone switch peripheral device to transmit at least some of said collected information to said service provider.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing said password and said calling party number in a database.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

retrieving, using calling party number information included in a second call directed to said service provider from said calling party number, said password corresponding to the calling party number from said database.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

supplying the retrieved password to the calling party.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving from said calling party a telephone number to be associated with said calling party number; and

storing said password and said associated telephone number in a database.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

retrieving, using calling party number information included in a second call directed to said service provider from said associated telephone number, said password from said database.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

updating said stored password to a new password when said password is modified by said service provider in response to information received from a party providing said stored password and said calling party number via the Internet to said service provider.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said service provider is an ENUM registrar responsible for registering information in an ENUM database.

14. A system for providing a service, comprising:

a telephone switch having a trigger set on a telephone line corresponding to a service provider to detect calls to said service provider;

a service control point coupled to said telephone switch including control logic for retrieving telephone service subscriber information corresponding to a calling party number included in a call which activates said trigger from a line information database and for causing said service control point to supply at least some of the retrieved telephone service subscriber information to said service provider; and

a peripheral device coupled to said telephone switch for providing a calling party associated with a call detected by said trigger with a password to be used when obtaining access to a service provided by said service provider, said service requiring use of said calling party number.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a database accessible by said service control point for storing said password and said calling party number.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said service control point further includes:

control logic for accessing said database and retrieving said stored password in response to a call, detected by said trigger, from said stored calling party number.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said database further includes an associated telephone number stored in said database in association with said password and said calling party number.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said service control point control logic further includes;

logic for accessing said database and retrieving said stored password in response to a call, detected by said trigger, from said stored associated telephone number.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said service control point further includes:

means for receiving updated password information from said service provider and for updating a password associated with a telephone number in said database in response to receiving said updated password information.

20. A method for providing an ENUM registration service, comprising the steps of:

operating a telephone switch to detect a call including a calling party number directed to a telephone number corresponding to an ENUM registration service provider;

retrieving, from a line information database of telephone service subscriber information, information corresponding to said calling party number;

supplying at least some of the retrieved telephone service subscriber information to said ENUM registration service provider; and

operating a telephone network element to provide the calling party with a password to be used when supplying ENUM registration information to the ENUM registration service provider via the Internet, an ENUM registration service provide by said ENUM registration service provider requiring use of said calling party number.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

storing said password and said calling party number in a database; and

retrieving, using calling party number information included in a second call directed to said ENUM registration service provider from said calling party number, said stored password.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

updating said stored password to a new password when said password is modified by said ENUM registration service provider in response to information received from a party providing said stored password and said calling party number via the Internet to said ENUM registration service provider.