Method and system for providing a work-at-home telecommunication service

• US 7,020,255 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ameritech Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gruchala, Carol S., Morrison, John P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/844,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112.09, 379/127.01, 379/114.24, 379/114.25, 379/221.08, 379/221.15, 379/211.02, 379/244, 379/269, 379/289, 379/127.05, 379/127.06, 379/266.09, 379/142, 379/127.03, 379/142.02, 379/142.09
• US Class Current: 379/142.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

A work-at-home telecommunication service is provided in response to receiving, from a calling party, a service-specific vertical feature code and a dialed number to initiate a call. The call is suspended and a query is sent to a service control point after receiving the vertical feature code and the dialed number. The query includes the dialed number and a calling party identification number. A response to the query is formed using the service control point by translating the dialed number to a called party identification number, and by modifying the calling party identification number to an identification number of a group associated with the calling party. The response includes the called party identification number, the calling party identification number, and a carrier identification code which identifies a telecommunication carrier for the group associated with the calling party. The call is routed to the called party using the telecommunication carrier identified by the carrier identification code. A distinctive ring can be provided at the called party to indicate that the call is associated with the work-at-home telecommunication service.

Claims

1. A method of providing an identification of a group associated with a calling party to a called party, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a dialed number associated with a called party from a calling party, the calling party being associated with a calling party identification number;

(b) modifying the calling party identification number to a calling party identification number of a group associated with the calling party; and

(c) in response to a privacy indicator, restricting a passing of the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a service-specific code from the calling party.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a vertical-service code from the calling party.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an access code from the calling party.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a personal identification number from the calling party.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a query to a service control point, the query comprising the calling party identification number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein (b) is performed by the service control point.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein (c) comprises:

in response to the privacy indicator, restricting the passing of the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party;

otherwise, if the privacy indicator is not present, passing the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the privacy indicator comprises a privacy access indicator.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the privacy indicator comprises a per-line blocking indicator.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dialed number comprises a private virtual network number.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising translating the dialed number to a called party identification number.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a telecommunication carrier for the group associated with the calling party.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising routing a call from the calling party to the called party via the telecommunication carrier for the group associated with the calling party.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a signal to the called party to indicate that an incoming call is associated with the group associated with the calling party.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying a billing identification number of the calling party to a billing identification number of the group associated with the calling party.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising creating a billing record based upon the modified billing identification number.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the billing identification number comprises an ANI number.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the group comprises a business, and wherein the calling party comprises an employee of the business.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling party identification number comprises the calling party'"'"'s ANI, and wherein the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party comprises the group'"'"'s ANI.

21. A system for providing an identification of a group associated with a calling party to a called party, the system comprising:

means for receiving a dialed number associated with a called party from a calling party, the calling party being associated with a calling party identification number;

means for modifying the calling party identification number to a calling party identification number of a group associated with the calling party; and

means for, in response to a privacy indicator, restricting a passing of the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the group comprises a business, and wherein the calling party comprises an employee of the business.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the calling party identification number comprises the calling party'"'"'s ANI, and wherein the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party comprises the group'"'"'s ANI.

24. A system for providing an identification of a group associated with a calling party to a called party, the system comprising:

a service control point operative to modify a calling party identification number to a calling party identification number of a group associated with a calling party in response to a query; and

a signal switching point coupled with the service control point, the signal switching point being operative to send the query to the service control point;

wherein the service control point is further operative to, in response to a privacy indicator, restrict a passing of the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the signal switching point is further operative to send the query in response to receiving a service-specific code.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the signal switching point is further operative to send the query in response to receiving a vertical-service code.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the signal switching point is further operative to send the query in response to receiving an access code.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the signal switching point is further operative to send the query in response to receiving a personal identification number.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the service control point is further operative to, in response to a privacy indicator, restrict a passing of the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party;

otherwise, if the privacy indicator is not present, pass the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the privacy indicator comprises a privacy access indicator.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the privacy indicator comprises a per-line blocking indicator.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the service control point is further operative to provide a signal to the called party to indicate that an incoming call is associated with the group associated with the calling party.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the service control point is further operative to translate a dialed number to a called party identification number.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the dialed number comprises a private virtual network number.

35. The system of claim 24, wherein the service control point is further operative to determine a telecommunication carrier for the group associated with the calling party.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the service control point is further operative to route a call from the calling party to the called party via the telecommunication carrier for the group associated with the calling party.

37. The system of claim 24, wherein the service control point is further operative to modify a billing identification number of the calling party to a billing identification number of the group associated with the calling party.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the service control point is further operative to create a billing record based upon the modified billing identification number.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the billing identification number comprises an ANI number.

40. The system of claim 24, wherein the group comprises a business, and wherein the calling party comprises an employee of the business.

41. The system of claim 24, wherein the calling party identification number comprises the calling party'"'"'s ANI, and wherein the calling party identification number of the group associated with the calling party comprises the group'"'"'s ANI.