One-click search, reservation, and activation of toll-free telecommunications numbers

• US 9,635,191 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somos, Inc. (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Somos, Inc. (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharma, Sriram, Kimmel, Michael, Bhat, Manisha
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US14/984,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20160127566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 37911424, 37911415, 37920112, 3791142
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/125 based on throughput or bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/755 Account identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8061 Selecting least cost route depending on origin or type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/555 Statistics, e.g. about subscribers but not being call statistics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2263 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 : by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42306 : Number translation services, e.g. premium-rate, freephone or vanity number services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 : where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 : Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 : Network testing or monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0091 : Congestion or overload control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing

Abstract

A method of receiving a one-click activation request from a user, including searching and reserving toll-free numbers in a “One-Click” manner and providing users with the ability to create a standard toll-free service in the interim with number forwarding.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a one-click activate request from a user via a customizable dashboard, wherein the request includes at least a customer record template reference and an indication of when to activate a toll-free telecommunications number associated with the request;

searching a responsible organization record to determine the presence of a defined customer template record relating to the user request, wherein the responsible organization is associated with toll-free telecommunications;

retrieving at least one customer template record, wherein the customer template record is a defined customer template record for the responsible organization;

producing a customer pointer record based at least in part on the customer template record;

assigning a toll-free telecommunications number to the user wherein the number is further assigned to the responsible organization as associated with the customer pointer record; and

activating the user request, wherein the activation includes at least one of activating or reserving the toll-free telecommunications number,

wherein the customer pointer record includes information from the customer template record, service order information and a number of toll-free lines.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a mobile client device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation occurs over a hybrid network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the hybrid network includes a cellular network and a distributed, cloud network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the hybrid network includes a cellular network, a distributed, cloud network, and an on-premise enterprise data network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the enterprise data network is associated with a telecommunications network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation includes receiving from the user a time and date at which the toll-free telecommunications number will be activated.

8. A method, comprising:

presenting to a user a widget operable within a webpage to access a user interface associated with a toll-free number reservation system;

receiving from the user a log in credential associated with the toll-free number reservation system;

retrieving a customer template record;

producing a customer record based at least in part on the customer template record;

assigning a toll-free telecommunications number to the user wherein the number is further assigned to the responsible organization as associated with the customer pointer record;

receiving from the user a toll-free number search parameter through the toll-free number reservation system;

identifying a toll-free number relating to the toll-free number search parameter; and

receiving an activation request from the user, wherein the activation request causes the number to be reserved for the user and operable to receive toll-free calls.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the widget is lazy loaded.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the log in credential is authenticated and a token provided to the user upon successful authentication.

11. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the search parameter relates to a category of toll-free numbers.

12. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the category relates to an industry category.

13. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the category is based at least in part on metadata associated with a toll-free number.

14. The user interface of claim 12, wherein the metadata is tagged to toll-free numbers.

15. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the metadata tag is based at least in part on historical data associated with toll-free numbers.

16. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the widget provides one-click functionality.

17. A method, comprising:

presenting to a user a widget operable within a webpage to access a user interface associated with a toll-free number reservation system;

receiving from the user a log in credential associated with the toll-free number reservation system;

searching a responsible organization record, based at lest in part on the credential, to determine the presence of a defined customer template record, wherein the responsible organization is associated with toll-free telecommunications;

retrieving at least one customer template record, wherein the customer template record is a defined customer template record for the responsible organization;

producing a customer pointer record based at least in part on the customer template record; and

assigning a toll-free number to the user wherein the number is further assigned to the responsible organization as associated with the customer pointer record

wherein the customer pointer record includes information from the customer template record, service order information and a number of toll-free lines.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising assigning a plurality of toll-free numbers to a user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein assigning the plurality of toll-free numbers is associated with a plurality of customer pointer records.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the assignment of the toll-free number includes activating the toll-free number so that it is able to receiving calls.