Translation indicator for database-queried communications services

Claim 1

A method of completing a telephone call, the method comprising the steps of: receiving in a communications network a telephone number dialed by a caller to request a database-queried communications service, said telephone number being the only telephone number translatable to at least one POTS number; translating the received telephone number to said at least one POTS number; completing the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the said at least one POTS number; and delivering to a monitor associated with said telephone set information indicative of said translation.

Claim 2

A method of completing a telephone call, the method comprising the steps of: receiving in a communications network a telephone number dialed by a caller to request a database-queried communications service, said telephone number being the only telephone number translatable to at least one POTS number; translating the received telephone number to said at least one POTS number; completing the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the said at least one POTS number; and delivering to a monitor associated with said telephone set information indicative of said translation.

Claim 8

A method of completing a telephone call to a subscriber, the method comprising the steps of: receiving in a communications network a telephone number dialed by a caller to request a database-queried communications service, said telephone number being translatable to a single POTS number; translating the received telephone number to the POTS number; cryptographically authenticating information indicative of said translation by including a secret key in a calculation of said authentication information, the secret key being known only to the subscriber and a communication carrier which translated the dialed number; and completing the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the POTS number while delivering to a monitor associated with said telephone set said cryptographic information indicative of said translation.

Claim 9

A method of completing a telephone call to a subscriber, the method comprising the steps of: receiving in a communications network a telephone number dialed by a caller to request a database-queried communications service, said telephone number being translatable to a single POTS number; translating the received telephone number to the POTS number; cryptographically authenticating information indicative of said translation by including a secret key in a calculation of said authentication information, the secret key being known only to the subscriber and a communication carrier which translated the dialed number; and completing the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the POTS number while delivering to a monitor associated with said telephone set said cryptographic information indicative of said translation.

Claim 10

A method of completing a telephone call to a subscriber, the method comprising the steps of: receiving in a communications network a telephone number dialed by a caller to request a database-queried communications service, said telephone number being translatable to a single POTS number; translating the received telephone number to the POTS number; cryptographically authenticating information indicative of said translation by including in said authenticated information a digital signature of a communication carrier which translated the dialed number; completing the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the POTS number while delivering to a monitor associated with said telephone set said cryptographic information indicative of said translation.

Claim 11

A method of completing a telephone call to a subscriber, the method comprising the steps of: receiving in a communications network a telephone number dialed by a caller to request a database-queried communications service, said telephone number being translatable to a single POTS number; translating the received telephone number to the POTS number; cryptographically authenticating information indicative of said translation by including in said authenticated information a digital signature of a communication carrier which translated the dialed number; completing the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the POTS number while delivering to a monitor associated with said telephone set said cryptographic information indicative of said translation.

Claim 12

A system for completing a telephone call, the system comprising: a communications network which receives a telephone number dialed by a caller said telephone number being the only telephone number translatable to a single POTS number; a database of said communications network which translates the received telephone number to said POTS number; and a switch of said communications network which a) completes the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the POTS number and delivers to a monitor associated with said telephone set information indicative of said translation.

Claim 13

A system for completing a telephone call, the system comprising: a communications network which receives a telephone number dialed by a caller said telephone number being the only telephone number translatable to a single POTS number; a database of said communications network which translates the received telephone number to said POTS number; and a switch of said communications network which a) completes the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the POTS number and delivers to a monitor associated with said telephone set information indicative of said translation.

Claim 18

A system for completing a telephone call, the system comprising: a communications network which receives a telephone number dialed by a caller, said telephone number being the only telephone number translatable to a single POTS number; a database of said communications network which translates the received telephone number to said POTS number and cryptographically authenticates information indicative of said translation; and a switch of said communications network which a) completes the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the POTS number and delivers to a monitor associated with said telephone set said cryptographic information that is indicative of said translation, and that is received from said switch.

Claim 19

A system for completing a telephone call, the system comprising: a communications network which receives a telephone number dialed by a caller, said telephone number being the only telephone number translatable to a single POTS number; a database of said communications network which translates the received telephone number to said POTS number and cryptographically authenticates information indicative of said translation; and a switch of said communications network which a) completes the call to a subscriber's telephone set associated with the POTS number and delivers to a monitor associated with said telephone set said cryptographic information that is indicative of said translation, and that is received from said switch.

Claim 21

The system of claim l4 wherein said database includes in said authenticated information a digital signature of a communication carrier which translated the dialed number.