Method and apparatus for assigning a virtual number during porting of a primary number

• US 8,570,906 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Croak, Marian, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chu, Wutchung
• Application Number:
  US11/190,468
• Time in Patent Office: 3,017 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.3, 370/351, 370/463, 370352-356, 370/259, 379/399.01, 379/243, 379/244, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201, 379/12, 379/114.28, 379/121.01, 379/114.27, 379/221.13, 379/221.08
• US Class Current: 370/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enabling a network provider to instantly assign a virtual number to a subscriber to use until their primary number is successfully ported to the VoIP network is disclosed. For example, a virtual number can be a phone number for callers outside a subscriber'"'"'s local calling area to call the subscriber for the price of a local call if the subscriber chooses a virtual phone number in their local calling area. After the porting of the primary number is successful, the user can be reached by either having callers directly dial the primary number or the previously assigned virtual number. The subscriber can continue to use both phone numbers or choose to disconnect the virtual number and only use the successfully ported primary number.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a virtual phone number during porting of a primary phone number in a communication network, comprising:

receiving, by an application server in the communication network, a request from a customer to port the primary phone number to the communication network;

assigning, by the application server, the virtual phone number to the customer in response to receiving the request to port the primary phone number;

mapping, by the application server, the virtual phone number to an internet protocol address associated with an endpoint device of the customer; and

porting, by the application server, the primary phone number to the communication network for the customer, wherein the primary phone number is unavailable for receiving a call during the porting, and wherein the virtual phone number is useable for receiving a call during the porting,

mapping, by the application server, the primary phone number to the internet protocol address associated with the endpoint device of the customer after the primary phone number has been successfully ported, wherein the primary phone number and the virtual phone number are both used to receive incoming calls for the customer;

offering, by the application server, an option to the customer to continue to use both the primary phone number and the virtual phone number simultaneously; and

disconnecting, by the application server, the virtual phone number if the customer decides to only retain the primary phone number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is an internet protocol network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary phone number is used by the customer to complete a call.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for assigning a virtual phone number during porting of a primary phone number in a communication network, the operations comprising:

receiving a request from a customer to port the primary phone number to the communication network;

assigning the virtual phone number to the customer in response to receiving the request to port the primary phone number;

mapping the virtual phone number to an internet protocol address associated with an endpoint device of the customer; and

porting the primary phone number to the communication network for the customer, wherein the primary phone number is unavailable for receiving a call during the porting, and wherein the virtual phone number is useable for receiving a call during the porting;

mapping the primary phone number to the internet protocol address associated with the endpoint device of the customer after the primary phone number has been successfully ported, wherein the primary phone number and the virtual phone number are both used to receive incoming calls for the customer;

offering an option to the customer to continue to use both the primary phone number and the virtual phone number simultaneously; and

disconnecting the virtual phone number if the customer decides to only retain the primary phone number.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the communication network is an internet protocol network.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the primary phone number is used by the customer to complete a call.

7. An apparatus for assigning a virtual phone number during porting of a primary phone number in a communication network, comprising:

an application server comprising a processor and a computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a request from a customer to port the primary phone number to the communication network;

assigning the virtual phone number to the customer in response to receiving the request to port the primary phone number;

mapping the virtual phone number to an internet protocol address associated with an endpoint device of the customer; and

porting the primary phone number to the communication network for the customer, wherein the primary phone number is unavailable for receiving a call during the porting, and wherein the virtual phone number is useable for receiving a call during the porting

mapping the primary phone number to the Internet protocol address associated with the endpoint device of the customer after the primary phone number has been successfully ported, wherein the primary phone number and the virtual phone number are both used to receive incoming calls for the customer;

offering an option to the customer to continue to use both the primary phone number and the virtual phone number simultaneously; and

disconnecting the virtual phone number if the customer decides to only retain the primary phone number.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the communication network is an internet protocol network.