Method for providing a preferential routing and billing arrangement for a call placed between a calling party and a called party
First Claim
1. A method of routing a call from a calling party to a called party over a communication network comprising the steps of:
- receiving the call at a switch located in a network associated with a first area code of the calling party, the switch operated by a service provider that provides telecommunications services to the called party, the service provider not operating equipment directly connected to a line of the calling party, the received call resulting from the calling party dialing a number within the first area code;
recognizing that the dialed number associated with the received call is a special number;
sending a query to a database for routing instructions;
receiving a routable number associated with the called party'"'"'s telephone line, the routable number comprising a second area code, the second area code associated with said called party'"'"'s telephone line and not associated with a local service area of the calling party;
routing the call to called party'"'"'s telephone line over a communication network operated by the service provider; and
creating a billing record for the call in which an indicator is provided that indicates that the call should be billed at a special billing rate to the calling or called party.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method of routing a long distance call from a calling party to a called party over a communication network. The call is received at a local switch located in the first geographic region and operated by a service provider that provides telecommunications services to the called party. The dialed number associated with the received call is recognized as being a special number. The special number is formatted as a local number with respect to a calling party'"'"'s telephone line. A query is sent to a database for routing instructions. A routable number corresponding to the called party'"'"'s telephone line is received. The called party'"'"'s telephone line is located in the second geographic region. The call is routed to called party'"'"'s telephone line over a communication network operated by the service provider. A billing record is created for the call in which an indicator is provided that indicates that the call should be billed at a special call billing rate to the calling or called party.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of routing a call from a calling party to a called party over a communication network comprising the steps of:
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receiving the call at a switch located in a network associated with a first area code of the calling party, the switch operated by a service provider that provides telecommunications services to the called party, the service provider not operating equipment directly connected to a line of the calling party, the received call resulting from the calling party dialing a number within the first area code; recognizing that the dialed number associated with the received call is a special number; sending a query to a database for routing instructions; receiving a routable number associated with the called party'"'"'s telephone line, the routable number comprising a second area code, the second area code associated with said called party'"'"'s telephone line and not associated with a local service area of the calling party; routing the call to called party'"'"'s telephone line over a communication network operated by the service provider; and creating a billing record for the call in which an indicator is provided that indicates that the call should be billed at a special billing rate to the calling or called party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of routing a call from a calling party to a called party over a communication network comprising the steps of:
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receiving the call at a switch located in a network associated with a first area code of the calling party, the switch operated by a service provider that provides telecommunications services to the called party, the service provider not operating equipment directly connected to a line of the calling party, the received call resulting from the calling party dialing a number within the first area code; recognizing that the dialed number associated with the received call is a special number, said special number being formatted as a local number that is not associated with a physical line located in the first area code; sending a query to a database for routing instructions; receiving a routable number associated with the called party'"'"'s telephone line, the routable number comprising the second area code, the second area code associated with said called party'"'"'s telephone line and not associated with a local service area of the calling party; routing the call to called party'"'"'s telephone line over a communication network operated by the service provider; and creating a billing record for the call in which an indicator is provided that indicates that the call should be billed at a local call billing rate to the calling or called party.
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10. A method comprising:
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at a switch operated by a service provider of a called party, receiving a request for a call from a calling party in a first area code, the service provider not operating equipment directly connected to a line of the calling party, the request comprising a dialed number, the dialed number in the first area code; responsive to the dialed number, placing the call to an undialed number associated with a telephone line of the called party, the undialed number comprising a second area code not associated with a local service area of the calling party; and creating a billing record for the call, the billing record indicating a local call billing rate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification