Advanced intelligent single telephone number routing

• US 7,817,793 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fleischer, Harold C. III, Thompson, Brenda S., Merlotti, James C., Boeckman, Michael W., Gaffney, Gwen H., Eiffert, Susan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Harry S
• Application Number:
  US12/186,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20080310613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/127.01, 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/207.03, 379/207.12, 379/207.15, 379/211.02, 379/220.01, 379/221.08, 379/221.01, 379/221.09, 379/221.12, 379/230
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• 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 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/07 Split billing, i.e. both A-party and B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• 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 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/64 Split billing, sharing the cost of calls, e.g. between calling and called parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7009 Account settings, e.g. users, terminals, limits, numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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: 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: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 : Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 : Traffic distributors

Abstract

Communications are routed in a communications network based on a location of a requesting party. A communication from the requesting party is received. A location of the requesting party is determined using a geographic address which defines the smallest of two of a set of multiple geographic areas defined by multiple available geographic addresses for the location of the requesting party. A communications destination address for the communication is selected, from multiple possible communications destination addresses, based on the location of the requesting party. The communication is forwarded to the selected communications destination address.

Claims

1. A routing method for location-based communications routing by a communications apparatus in a communications network, comprising:

receiving, by a receiver, a communication from a requesting party over the communications network;

determining, by a processor, a location of the requesting party using a geographic address which defines a smallest of two of a set of multiple geographic areas defined by multiple available geographic addresses for the location of the requesting party, after the processor determines, by reference to a database, that the smallest of two of the set of multiple geographic areas is geographically located entirely within the larger of the two of the set of multiple geographic areas;

selecting, by a selector, from a plurality of communications destination addresses stored in the database, a communications destination address for the communication based on the location of the requesting party, and

forwarding, by a transmitter, the communication to the selected communications destination address over the communications network.

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the communications destination address is further selected based on a day and time of day the communication is received.

3. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of communications destination addresses are all different from a communications address to which the requesting party initially addresses the communication.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein each of the plurality of communications addresses corresponds to different subscribers service areas defined by a service provider for all the plurality of communications addresses.

5. The method according to claim 4,

wherein determining the location of the requesting party further includes determining whether the location of the requesting party is in a first subscriber service area and, when the location of the requesting party is not in the first subscriber service area, determining whether the location of the requesting party is in a second expanded subscriber service area larger than and including the first subscriber service area.

6. The method according to claim 5,

wherein, when the location of the requesting party is not in the first subscriber service area or the second expanded subscriber service area, the requester is provided with predetermined default information.

7. The method according to claim 5,

wherein locations within the first subscriber service area are correlated with one of the plurality of communications destination addresses.

8. The method according to claim 5,

wherein locations within the second expanded subscriber service area are correlated with one of the plurality of communications destination addresses.

9. The method according to claim 7,

wherein the first subscriber service area is predefined according to zip code information.

10. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the second expanded subscriber service area is predefined according to zip code information.

11. The method according to claim 5,

wherein the first subscriber service area corresponds to a subscriber-defined service area.

12. The method according to claim 5,

wherein the second expanded subscriber service area corresponds to a subscriber-defined service area.

13. The method according to claim 1,

wherein selecting a communications destination address based on the day comprises determining whether a day of week of the communication occurs during a predefined day of week.

14. The method according to claim 1,

wherein selecting a communications destination address based on the day comprises determining whether a date of the communication is a predefined date.

15. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the location of the requesting party is determined at a first network apparatus within a communications network.

16. The method according to claim 14,

wherein a request from the requesting party is forwarded from a second network apparatus within the communications network.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving identifying information that identifies a requesting device used by the requesting party.

18. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the location of the requesting party is determined using service provider customer billing information for a customer communications address associated with the requesting party.

19. A communications apparatus for location-based communications routing in a communications network, comprising:

a receiver that receives a communication from a requesting party over the communications network;

a processor that determines a location of the requesting party using a geographic address which defines a smallest of two of a set of multiple geographic areas defined by multiple available geographic addresses for the location of the requesting party, after the processor determines by reference to a database, that the smallest of two of the set of multiple geographic areas is geographically located entirely within the larger of the two of the set of multiple geographic areas;

a selector that selects, from a plurality of communications destination addresses stored in the database, a communications destination address for the communication based on the location of the requesting party, and

a transmitter that forwards the communication to the selected communications destination address over the communications network.