Method and system for determining authorization levels in a virtual private network (VPN)

• US 8,355,488 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karnalkar, Anup D., Redman, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asanbayev, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US12/872,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20100329439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 379/200, 379/221.03, 379/221.06, 379/221.08
• US Class Current: 379/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to determine authorization levels in a virtual private network are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes determining whether a call originated from an originating station associated with a virtual private network, the call originating via a private branch exchange associated with the virtual private network by a first user of a plurality of users associated with the virtual private network, querying a private-number table based on at least one of a switch identifier representing a service switching point, a trunk group identifier representing the private branch exchange, or an originating station identifier representing the originating station to obtain a private number assigned to the first user, and providing an authorization level associated with the private number to the service switching point, the service switching point to process the call according to the authorization level.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether a call originated from an originating station associated with a virtual private network, the call originating via a private branch exchange associated with the virtual private network by a first user of a plurality of users associated with the virtual private network;

querying, with a service switching point, a private-number table based on a switch identifier representing the service switching point, a trunk group identifier representing the private branch exchange, and an originating station identifier representing the originating station to obtain a private number assigned to the first user;

matching a calling party identifier of an incoming transaction capabilities application part message to an originating station identifier entry in the private-number table;

identifying an authorization level associated with the private number;

comparing the authorization level to a threshold to determine whether to prompt the first user to enter an authorization code; and

providing the authorization level associated with the private number to the service switching point, the service switching point to process the call according to the authorization level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the private-number table is to associate a specific switch identifier and a specific trunk group identifier to a specific private number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the private-number table is to associate a plurality of switch identifiers and a plurality of trunk group identifiers to a specific private number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the private-number table is to associate a range of specific switch identifiers and trunk group identifiers to a specific private number.

5. A service control point comprising:

a memory to store a private-number table; and

a processor to control a call originated via an originating station of a private branch exchange by a first user of a plurality of users associated with a virtual private network, by;

accessing the private-number table based on a switch identifier representing a service switching point, a trunk group identifier representing the private branch exchange, and an originating station number representing the originating station to obtain a private number assigned to the first user;

matching a calling party identifier of an incoming transaction capabilities application part message to an originating station identifier entry in the private-number table;

identifying an authorization level associated with the private number;

comparing the authorization level to a threshold to determine whether to prompt the first user to enter an authorization code; and

providing the authorization level associated with the private number to the service switching point, the service switching point to process the call according to the authorization level.

6. The service control point of claim 5, wherein the private-number table is to associate a specific switch identifier and a specific trunk group identifier to a specific private number.

7. The service control point of claim 5, wherein the private-number table is to associate a plurality of switch identifiers and a plurality of trunk group identifiers to a specific private number.

8. The service control point of claim 5, wherein the private-number table is to associate a range of specific switch identifiers and trunk group identifiers to a specific private number.

9. A tangible article of manufacture storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

determine whether a call originated from an originating station associated with a virtual private network, the call originating via a private branch exchange associated with the virtual private network by a first user of a plurality of users associated with the virtual private network, the originating station being associated with the first user;

query, with a service switching point, a private-number table based on a switch identifier representing the service switching point, a trunk group identifier representing the private branch exchange, and an originating station identifier representing the originating station to obtain a private number assigned to the first user;

match a calling party identifier of an incoming transaction capabilities application part message to an originating station identifier entry in the private-number table;

identify an authorization level associated with the private number;

compare the authorization level to a threshold to determine whether to prompt the first user to enter an authorization code; and

provide the authorization level associated with the private number to the service switching point, the service switching point to process the call according to the authorization level.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the private-number table is to associate a specific switch identifier and a specific trunk group identifier to a specific private number.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the private-number table is to associate a plurality of switch identifiers and a plurality of trunk group identifiers to a specific private number.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the private-number table is to associate a range of specific switch identifiers and trunk group identifiers to a specific private number.