Toll-free number blocking override indicator

• US 7,447,301 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crockett, Susanne M., Allen, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US10/423,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20040213392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 379/196, 379/197, 379/198, 379/200
• US Class Current: 379/196
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42144 by service provider

Abstract

A menu routing service routes calls made to a customer'"'"'s toll-free number according to customized routing instructions. A service provider establishes service parameters, which include the toll-free number and a restriction associated with at least one of the customer and the service provider. To customize call routing, a web server receives instructions from the customer to associate the toll-free number with a terminating number, such as a directory number or switch ID and trunk group numbers. When the restriction prohibits the association, the web server determines whether the service parameters further include an override indicator associated with the customer that overrides the restriction. The toll-free number is associated with the terminating number when service parameters include the override indicator. The override indicator may be an affiliate indicator, which enables the customer to terminate inter-LATA calls in a region in which the service provided is prohibited from providing long distance service.

Claims

1. A system for operating a routing service for a plurality of customers, including a toll-free number of a customer, the system comprising:

a platform that implements the routing service based on service data, the service data identifying a restriction associated with at least one of a service provider and one of the plurality of customers; and

a server that communicates with the platform through a network, the server receiving at least a portion of the service data from the platform and an instruction from one of the plurality of customers relating to implementation of the routing service, the instruction associating the toll-free number with a terminating number to which calls to the toll-free number are to be routed, the server providing the instruction to the platform;

wherein the server will not follow the instruction to associate the toll-free number with the terminating number when the terminating number is associated with the restriction associated with at least one of a service provider and one of the plurality of customers, unless the service data further includes an override indicator that overrides the restriction.

2. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 1, the restriction identifying at least one geographic area in which the customer is not authorized to receive calls to the toll-free number.

3. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 1, the server receiving the instruction from the customer through a packet switched data network, connectable to a web client of the customer.

4. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 2, the restriction further comprising a limitation on the service provider, under Section 272 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, associated with the at least one geographic area.

5. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 4, the override indicator indicating relief from Section 272 of the Act with respect to the customer.

6. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 5, the relief being based on the customer'"'"'s status as an affiliate of a regional Bell Operating Company.

7. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 2, the at least one geographic area being outside a service area to which the customer subscribes.

8. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 7, the override indicator indicating an exception to the restriction identifying the at least one geographic area.

9. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 1, further comprising a service control point connected to the platform, the service control point providing instructions to route calls to the toll-free number, through a public switched telephone network, in accordance with the service data.

10. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 1, in which the terminating number comprises a plain old telephone service directory number.

11. The system for operating the routing service according to claim 1, in which the terminating number comprises at least one of a switch identification number and a trunk group number.

12. A method for managing a call routing service for a plurality of customers, including predetermined service parameters relating to a customer, the service parameters comprising at least a toll-free number of the customer and a restriction associated with at least one of the customer and a service provider, the method comprising:

receiving instructions from one of the plurality of customers to associate the toll-free number with a terminating number;

when the restriction prohibits the association between the toll-free number and the terminating number,

determining whether the service parameters further include an override indicator associated with one of the plurality of customers that overrides the restriction associated with at least one of the customer and a service provider; and

associating the toll-free number with the terminating number when service parameters include the override indicator.

13. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 12, further comprising communicating the toll-free number and the associated terminating number to a processor in a public switched telephone network to enable routing of calls placed to the toll-free number to the terminating number.

14. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 12, in which the instructions are received from the customer through a packet switched data network.

15. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 12, in which the restriction identifies at least one geographic area in which the customer is not authorized to terminate calls.

16. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 15, the restriction further comprising a Section 272 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 limitation associated with the at least one geographic area.

17. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 16, the override indicator indicating relief from the Section 272 limitation with respect to the customer.

18. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 17, the relief being based on the customer'"'"'s status as an affiliate of a Bell Operating Company.

19. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 15, the at least one geographic area being outside a service area to which the customer subscribes.

20. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 19, the override indicator indicating an exception to the restriction identifying the at least one geographic area.

21. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 12, in which the terminating number comprises a plain old telephone service directory number.

22. The method for managing a call routing service according to claim 12, in which the terminating number comprises at least one of a switch identification number and a trunk group number.

23. A method for managing a call routing service for a plurality of customers, including a toll-free number of a customer, the method comprising:

receiving predetermined service data associated with one of the plurality of customers from a provider, the service data comprising at least the toll-free number and a restriction associated with at least one of the customer and the provider;

receiving instructions from one of the plurality of customers, via a packet switched data network, to associate the toll-free number with a terminating number;

determining whether the restriction prohibits the association between the toll-free number and the terminating number;

when the restriction prohibits the association, determining whether the service data includes an override indication, associated with one of the plurality of customers, that overrides the restriction associated with at least one of the customer and the provider;

when the service data does not include the override indication, rejecting the instructions from one of the plurality of customers; and

when the service data includes the override indication, instructing a processor in a telecommunications network to route calls to the toll-free number to the terminating number.

24. The method for managing the call routing service according to claim 23, in which the restriction comprises a limitation on terminating calls to a geographic area associated with the terminating number under Section 272 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and in which the override indication identifies the customer as an affiliate of a Bell Operating Company.