Methods, systems, and products for providing a service to a telephony device

• US 7,599,481 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A., Bedingfield, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/521,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20070121868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/221.14, 379/221.08, 455/445, 455/461
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing a service to a telephony device. A call is routed to a virtual number in a service-providing network. The call is directed to a dialed telephone number in a native transport network, wherein the virtual telephone number is associated with the dialed telephone number. An advanced telephony service is received from the service-providing network.

Claims

1. A method for providing a service to a telephony device, comprising:

receiving a call to a dialed number in a native transport network having limited or no capability of providing advanced telephony service;

associating the dialed number to a virtual number by a processor in the native transport network;

routing the call to the virtual number in a service-providing network; and

receiving an advanced telephony service from the service-providing network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising billing a provider of the native transport network for provision of the advanced telephony service.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising billing a subscriber for provision of the advanced telephony service.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the advanced telephony service comprises receiving a service selected from the group consisting of a call delivery service, a call forwarding service, a call rescue service, a custom ring-pattern service, a call logging service, a call reporting service, a voice mail service, a custom messaging service, a message waiting indicator service, a message notification service, a caller identification (caller ID) service, a privacy director service, an anonymous call rejection service, an a personal identification number (PIN) override service.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service-providing network is a network selected from the group consisting of a wireline network, a wireless network, and a packet-switching network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the native transport network is a network selected from the group consisting of a wireline network, a wireless network, and a packet-switching network

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising modifying a caller identifier associated with the call.

8. A system for providing an advanced telephony service to a telephony device, comprising:

a server communicating with a database,

the server receiving a call to a dialed number in a native transport network having limited or no capability of providing advanced telephony service;

the database associating the dialed number to a virtual number by a processor in the native transport network;

the system routing the call to the virtual number in a service-providing network, and

the system receiving the advanced telephony service from the service-providing network.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the system bills a provider of the native transport network for provision of the advanced telephony service.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the system bills a subscriber for provision of the advanced telephony service.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein the system receives a service selected from the group consisting of a call delivery service, a call forwarding service, a call rescue service, a custom ring-pattern service, a call logging service, a call reporting service, a voice mail service, a custom messaging service, a message waiting indicator service, a message notification service, a caller identification (caller ID) service, a privacy director service, an anonymous call rejection service, an a personal identification number (PIN) override service.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein the service-providing network is a network selected from the group consisting of a wireline network, a wireless network, and a packet-switching network.

13. A system according to claim 8, wherein the native transport network is a network selected from the group consisting of a wireline network, a wireless network, and a packet-switching network.

14. A system according to claim 8, wherein the system modifies a caller identifier associated with the call.

15. A server, operative to:

receive in an unintelligent wireless network a call directed to a dialed telephone number;

associate a virtual telephone number in an intelligent network to the dialed telephone number when an advanced intelligent service is required, the virtual telephone number utilizing the advanced intelligent service provided by the intelligent network;

route the call from the unintelligent wireless network to the virtual telephone number in the intelligent network for receiving the advanced intelligent service;

receive the call from the intelligent network; and

route the call to the terminating wireless device in the unintelligent wireless network.

16. The server according to claim 15, further operative to bill for the advanced intelligent service.

17. The server according to claim 15, further operative to bill a subscriber for the advanced intelligent service.

18. The server according to claim 15, further operative to receive a service selected from the group consisting of a call delivery service, a call forwarding service, a call rescue service, a custom ring-pattern service, a call logging service, a call reporting service, a voice mail service, a custom messaging service, a message waiting indicator service, a message notification service, a caller identification (caller ID) service, a privacy director service, an anonymous call rejection service, an a personal identification number (PIN) override service.

19. The server according to claim 15, further operative to modify a caller identifier associated with the call.