Virtual telephone extension
First Claim
1. A communication routing system for routing calls from a remote communications network to a plurality of user-communication devices over a packet-based network, the system comprising:
- a user-programmable computer system database configured to store association data that can be implemented by a computer to associate, for each user, at least two independent user identifiers with at least one device identifier that identifies one of the user-communication devices, the independent user identifiers including, for each user, a location-based telephone number having an area code prefix assigned to the user'"'"'s telephone user-communication device and a virtual telephone number having a different area code prefix for a geographical region designated by the user, and data associating the telephone numbers with a device identifier for a telephone user-communication device; and
a call-routing switch arrangement configured to route each call received from a remote communications network to a destination user-communication device over a packet-based network in response to user identifier data in the call and association data in the user-programmable database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Call routing to user communication devices is facilitated. According to an example embodiment, a call-routing switch arrangement uses data in a programmable database to associate or match incoming calls with destination user-communication devices for users employing two or more user identifiers. The incoming calls are then routed to the destination user-communication devices in response to the match. In some applications, the user identifiers include local and virtual telephone numbers for a particular user, the local number pertaining to a geographical location relating to the user'"'"'s communication device or to a service via which the user'"'"'s communication device is connected (e.g., a mobile telephone service), and the virtual telephone number to a different geographical location. In this context, a virtual number allows telephone calls to be made to a particular user to give the impression to a caller that the user is located or has offices in a particular geographical location pertaining to an area code in the virtual number.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A communication routing system for routing calls from a remote communications network to a plurality of user-communication devices over a packet-based network, the system comprising:
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a user-programmable computer system database configured to store association data that can be implemented by a computer to associate, for each user, at least two independent user identifiers with at least one device identifier that identifies one of the user-communication devices, the independent user identifiers including, for each user, a location-based telephone number having an area code prefix assigned to the user'"'"'s telephone user-communication device and a virtual telephone number having a different area code prefix for a geographical region designated by the user, and data associating the telephone numbers with a device identifier for a telephone user-communication device; and a call-routing switch arrangement configured to route each call received from a remote communications network to a destination user-communication device over a packet-based network in response to user identifier data in the call and association data in the user-programmable database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A communication routing system for routing calls from a remote communications network to a plurality of user-communication devices over a packet-based network, the system comprising:
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means for storing association data that can be implemented by a computer to associate, for each user, at least two independent user identifiers with at least one device identifier that identifies one of the user-communication devices, the independent user identifiers including, for each user, a location-based telephone number having an area code prefix assigned to the user'"'"'s telephone user-communication device and a virtual telephone number having a different area code prefix for a geographical region designated by the user, and data associating the telephone numbers with a device identifier for a telephone user-communication device; and means for routing each call received from a remote communications network to a destination user-communication device over a packet-based network in response to user identifier data in the call and the stored association data.
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16. A communication routing method for routing calls from a remote communications network to a plurality of user-communication devices over a packet-based network, the method comprising:
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storing association data that can be implemented by a computer to associate, for each user, at least two independent user identifiers with at least one device identifier that identifies one of the user-communication devices, the independent user identifiers including, for each user, a location-based telephone number having an area code prefix assigned to the user'"'"'s telephone user-communication device and a virtual telephone number having a different area code prefix for a geographical region designated by the user, and data associating the telephone numbers with a device identifier for a telephone user-communication device; and routing each call received from a remote communications network to a destination user-communication device over a packet-based network in response to user identifier data in the call and the stored association data. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification