Geographical call routing for a non-emergency calling service

• US 7,054,432 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sabinson, Richard E., Fosburgh, Gregory Steven, Tamasi, Mark, Thompson, Brenda S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/789,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20040165711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/207.12, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/216.01, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.12, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/266.01, 379/355.01, 379/355.04
• US Class Current: 379/221.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/047 Detection, control or error compensation of scanning velocity or position H04N1/0402 and H04N1/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A communications system is provided for routing calls based on a location of a calling party. The communications system includes a processor that determines routing of a call placed by a calling party using one of a plurality of call origination devices. The call origination devices are operatively connected to a switching device that is operatively connected to the processor. The call is placed to a destination corresponding to a service having a service area. The switching device services calls placed from call origination devices located within the service area and calls placed from call origination devices located outside the service area. The processor determines whether the calling party is within the service area, and the processor instructs the switching device to route the call to the destination based upon the processor determining that the calling party is within the service area. The switching device routes the call to the destination only when the processor determines that the calling party is within the service area.

Claims

1. A service switching point (SSP) servicing telephone calls based on a location of a calling party, said SSP comprising:

a trigger that causes said SSP to forward call information to a service control point when the SSP recognizes a call to an abbreviated telephone number, the call information including a telephone number of the calling party and SSP information; and

a router that receives a specific routing telephone number from the service control point and routes the call to the specific routing telephone number,

wherein the specific routing telephone number from the service control point is based on the SSP information when the SSP is not a split SSP, and is based on both location information of the calling party and the SSP information when the SSP is a split SSP.

2. The SSP according to claim 1 wherein information regarding processing of the telephone calls placed to the abbreviated telephone number is recorded.

3. The SSP according to claim 2 wherein the recorded information includes at least one of a calling telephone number, called telephone number, date, and time.

4. The SSP according to claim 2 wherein information regarding processing of the calls placed to the abbreviated telephone number is recorded in a data recording system.

5. The SSP according to claim 1 wherein the SSP has an associated signaling point code that indicates whether the SSP is a split SSP.

6. The SSP according to claim 1 wherein the SSP further comprises a distributed network function that measures usage.

7. The SSP according to claim 6 wherein the distributed network function produces automatic messaging accounting records.

8. The SSP according to claim 2 further comprising a report generator that generates reports based on the recorded information.

9. The SSP according to claim 1 wherein the abbreviated telephone number comprises three digits.

10. A method for routing telephone calls through a service switching point (SSP) based on a location of a calling party, said method comprising:

forwarding call information to a service control point when the SSP recognizes a call to an abbreviated telephone number, the call information including a number of the calling party number and SSP information; and

receiving a specific routing telephone number from the service control point and routing the call to the specific routing telephone number, the specific routing telephone number from the service control point is based on the SSP information when the SSP is not a split SSP, and is based on both the location information of the calling party and the SSP information when the SSP is a split SSP.

11. The method according to claim 10 comprising:

recording information regarding processing the calls placed to the abbreviated telephone number.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the recorded information includes at least one of a calling telephone number, called telephone number, date, and time.

13. The method according to claim 11 comprising:

recording information regarding processing of the calls placed to the abbreviated telephone number in a data recording system.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the abbreviated dialed number comprises three digits.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the abbreviated dialed number comprises 1 plus three digits.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the abbreviated dialed number comprises 0 plus three digits.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein the routing comprises routing the telephone call to a destination number corresponding to a closest destination to the calling party.

18. A service switching point (SSP) servicing telephone calls based on a location of a calling party, said SSP comprising:

a trigger that causes said SSP to forward call information to a service control point when the SSP recognizes a call to an abbreviated telephone number, the call information including a telephone number of the calling party and SSP information;

a router that receives a specific routing telephone number from the service control point and routes the call to the specific routing telephone number; and

a usage measurer that records abbreviated telephone number usage information,

wherein the specific routing telephone number from the service control point is based on the SSP information when the SSP is not a split SSP, and is based on both location information of the calling party and the SSP information when the SSP is a split SSP.

19. The SSP according to claim 18 wherein the usage measurer is a distributed network function.

20. The SSP according to claim 18 wherein the usage measurer produces automatic message accounting records.