EP0507125A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for addressing users in a network
Assignee: Siemens Business Communication Systems Inc
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Filing: 1992-03-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-03-11
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for providing a universal addressing plan for a network of voice store-and-forward messaging system sites wherein a telephone numbering plan for a telephone network can be mirrored among the sites in the network, notwithstanding whether the sites utilize the public switched network or on a private network. In accordance with the present invention: (a) network address extension ranges, i.e., a group of related network addresses which relate to one site or which relate to different sites, can have different lengths; (b) a message may be forwarded using either a full network address or a portion thereof (which portion is referred to as a local extension portion); (c) local extensions for different network address extensions range can have different lengths; (d) network address extension ranges can share a common prefix, the ranges being distinguished on the basis of length; (e) network address extension ranges can overlap; (f) users have different network address extension ranges even though the local extension portions thereof may overlap; and (g) a user may be relocated to another site without having to modify his or her network address.
Inventors
- 👤 Roberto Perelman
- 👤 Chris Yuan
- 👤 Bipin Patel
- 👤 Jack J. Ahn
- 👤 Mark E. Kaminsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/533; H04M3/53325; H04M7/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
Apparatus for use in a network of sites, for use in transmitting a message from a message sender site to one or more message recipient sites, some of which message recipient sites are collocated with respect to the message sender site and some of which message recipient sites are remote with respect to the message sender site, which apparatus comprises: database means for storing information for the sites in the network which comprises: site database information identifying whether a site is collocated or remote with respect to the other sites; address database information comprising: (a) information identifying groups of network addresses which are used at the site, a group of such network addresses being referred to as a network address extension range, and (b) information identifying designations of local extension addresses for each of the groups of network addresses, a local extension address being referred to as a local mailbox number; and user database information identifying, for each user at a site, the user's network address and the user's local mailbox number; and translation processor means for accessing the database means using a network address of a message recipient to retrieve a site number with which the network address is associated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the translation processor means further comprises means for accessing the database means using a site number of a message sender's site and a message recipient's network address to retrieve the local mailbox number of the message recipient.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the translation processor means comprises means for accessing the address database information which identifies the network address extension ranges to retrieve the site number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the translation processor means further comprises means for accessing the address database information which identifies the network address extension ranges and for comparing the network address extension ranges with the network address wherein the means for comparing further comprises means for accessing the site database information to determine whether a site is collocated with the message sender's site and, if so, for comparing the local extension portion of the network address extension range.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the network address extension range information of the address data information comprises range indication information and wherein the translation processor means further comprises means for comparing range indication information in network address extension ranges which cover the network address and for selecting a network address extension range having a predetermined amount of range indication information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the range information comprises a designation of number of range indication characters and the predetermined amount of range indication information comprises the network address extension range being comprised of fewer range indication characters.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the translation processor means further comprises means for accessing the user database using the local mailbox number as a key to determine whether a user has been assigned to the local mailbox.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the translation processor means comprises means for accessing the site database information to determine whether the site is collocated or remote from the message recipient's site and, if so, designating the network address as the local mailbox number.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the translation processor means further comprises means for accessing the address database information to compare the network address extension ranges for the recipient's site with the message recipient's network address.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
191 words
Method for use in a network of sites for use in transmitting a message from a message sender site to one or more message recipient sites, some of which message recipient sites are collocated with respect to the message sender site and some of which message recipient sites are remote with respect to the message sender site, which method comprises: storing the following information for the sites in the network which comprises: site database information identifying whether a site is collocated or remote with respect to the other sites; address database information comprising: (a) information identifying groups of network addresses which are used at the site, a group of such network addresses being referred to as a network address extension range, and (b) information identifying designations of local extension addresses for each of the groups of network addresses, a local extension address being referred to as a local mailbox number; and user database information identifying, for each user at a site, the user's network address and the user's local mailbox number; and accessing the information using a network address to retrieve a site number with which the network address is associated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
191 words
Method for use in a network of sites for use in transmitting a message from a message sender site to one or more message recipient sites, some of which message recipient sites are collocated with respect to the message sender site and some of which message recipient sites are remote with respect to the message sender site, which network further comprises a database means for storing information for the sites in the network which comprises: site database information identifying whether a site is collocated or remote with respect to the other sites; address database information comprising: (a) information identifying groups of network addresses which are used at the site, a group of such network addresses being referred to as a network address extension range, and (b) information identifying designations of local extension addresses for each of the groups of network addresses, a local extension address being referred to as a local mailbox number; and the method comprising the steps of: accessing the database means using a site number of a message sender's site and a message recipient's network address as a retrieval key to determine the message recipient's local mailbox number.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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