Method and apparatus for providing 800 number service

Claim 1

A method of processing an 800 number telephone call in an 800 number customer's system, the customer's system having a plurality of phones associated with 800 number destination phone numbers, the plurality of phones, being managed by a digital switch, the customer's system further including a customer's Host processor coupling to the digital switch, the customer's system further including, means for bidirectionally coupling the customer's Host processor to an 800 number network provider Host processor, the method comprising the steps of, in response to a caller dialing an 800 telephone number: (a) transmitting from the 800 number, network provider Host processor to the customer's Host processor information expressive of the occurrence of the caller having dialed the number, 800 number; (b) determining at the customer's Host processor an action to be taken in response to the caller having dialed the 800 number; (c) transmitting from, the customer's Host processor to the network provider's Host processor information expressive of the determined action to be taken in response to the caller having dialed the 800 number; and, if the customer's Host processor does not transmit the information expressive of the determined action within a predetermined interval of time the method includes a step of transmitting from the network provider's Host processor to the customer's Host processor default information including an indication that the network provider's Host processor has provided a default destination telephone number associated with the 800 number.

Claim 2

A method of processing an 800 number telephone call in an 800 number customer's system, the customer's system having a plurality of phones associated with 800 number destination phone numbers, the plurality of phones, being managed by a digital switch, the customer's system further including a customer's Host processor coupling to the digital switch, the customer's system further including, means for bidirectionally coupling the customer's Host processor to an 800 number network provider Host processor, the method comprising the steps of, in response to a caller dialing an 800 telephone number: (a) transmitting from the 800 number, network provider Host processor to the customer's Host processor information expressive of the occurrence of the caller having dialed the number, 800 number; (b) determining at the customer's Host processor an action to be taken in response to the caller having dialed the 800 number; (c) transmitting from, the customer's Host processor to the network provider's Host processor information expressive of the determined action to be taken in response to the caller having dialed the 800 number; and, if the customer's Host processor does not transmit the information expressive of the determined action within a predetermined interval of time the method includes a step of transmitting from the network provider's Host processor to the customer's Host processor default information including an indication that the network provider's Host processor has provided a default destination telephone number associated with the 800 number.

Claim 3

A method as set forth in claim wherein the first step of transmitting includes a step of sending a first data packet from the network provider's Host processor to the customer's Host processor, the first data packet being comprised of data fields expressive of a least: (a) an identification of the caller; (b) the 800 number dialed by the caller; and (c) a reference number.

Claim 7

A method as set forth in claim wherein the first step of transmitting includes a step of sending an identification of the caller and wherein the step of determining includes a step of accessing a data base associated with the customer's Host processor, the data base being accessed in accordance with the caller's identification.

Claim 22

A method of processing a telephone call of the type in which a called party assumes responsibility for payment of a call made to a specific telephone number, the called party having a phone system having a plurality of phones associated with destination phone numbers, the plurality of phones being managed by a digital switch, the system further including an interface means for bidirectionally coupling the called party's system to a network provider's system, the method comprising the steps of, in response to a caller dialing the specific telephone number: (a) sending from the network provider s system to the called party's system first information units expressive of the occurrence of the caller having dialed the specific number, the first information units including an identification of the caller; and the specific telephone number dialed by the caller; (b) determining with the called party's system an action to be taken in response to the caller having dialed the specific telephone number; and (c) returning from the called party's system to the network provider's system second information units expressive of the determined action to be taken in response to the caller having dialed the specific telephone number, the second information units including a destination phone number; and, (d) sending from the network provider s system to the called party's system third information units, the third information units including an action taken by the network provider's system, wherein the action taken information indicates that the called party's system has not returned the second information units within a predetermined interval of time and wherein the third information units include a default destination telephone number supplied for the caller by the network provider's system.

Claim 23

A method of processing a telephone call of the type in which a called party assumes responsibility for payment of a call made to a specific telephone number, the called party having a phone system having a plurality of phones associated with destination phone numbers, the plurality of phones being managed by a digital switch, the system further including an interface means for bidirectionally coupling the called party's system to a network provider's system, the method comprising the steps of, in response to a caller dialing the specific telephone number: (a) sending from the network provider s system to the called party's system first information units expressive of the occurrence of the caller having dialed the specific number, the first information units including an identification of the caller; and the specific telephone number dialed by the caller; (b) determining with the called party's system an action to be taken in response to the caller having dialed the specific telephone number; and (c) returning from the called party's system to the network provider's system second information units expressive of the determined action to be taken in response to the caller having dialed the specific telephone number, the second information units including a destination phone number; and, (d) sending from the network provider s system to the called party's system third information units, the third information units including an action taken by the network provider's system, wherein the action taken information indicates that the called party's system has not returned the second information units within a predetermined interval of time and wherein the third information units include a default destination telephone number supplied for the caller by the network provider's system.