Patent US5764747A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5764747A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Personal number communication system
Assignee: AT&T Delaware Intellectual Property Inc
•
Filing: 1995-06-06
•
Granted: 1998-06-09
•
Expires: 2015-06-06
Abstract
Abstract A personal number communications system assigns a personal number to each subscriber, and receives from each subscriber communication routing information in the form of one or more hierarchical lists of destinations based on the time of day and day of the week. The hierarchy and composition of the lists may be changed or may be overridden to direct selected communications to a specific destination. The system receives communications directed to a subscriber's personal number and identifies the source of the communication. The identification may be made through calling line identification, through a personalized list of callers, or though source identification. The system selects a first destination for the communication from the hierarchical list. At the first destination, the system announces the identified source of the communication and requests disposition information as to the acceptance, formal rejection or passive rejection, such as a no answer, of the communication. If accepted, the system routes the communication to the first destination. If rejected, the system routes the communication to the default destination selected by the subscriber. If there is a passive rejection, the system requests communication disposition information from the next destination in the destination list according to the hierarchy selected by the subscriber. The system continues to request communication disposition information from each sequential destination on the destination list until the communication is accepted or until the last destination on the destination list is reached, at which point the communication is routed to the last destination.
Inventors
- 👤 Drina C. Yue
- 👤 Raymond J. Smets
- 👤 Thomas Joseph Moquin
- 👤 Evan Kraus
- 👤 Terry Durand
- 👤 Lawrence R. Berke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W4/00; H04W4/12; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/42229; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/533; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/0016; H04Q3/0029; H04Q3/005; H04Q3/64; H04Q3/66; H04Q3/665; H04Q3/72; H04M11/00; H04M11/02; H04M11/022; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/20; H04M2203/2072; H04M2242/00; H04M2242/22; H04M3/42025; H04M3/42034; H04M3/42042; H04M3/42059; H04M3/42085; H04M3/42102; H04M3/436; H04M3/48; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13091; H04Q2213/13092; H04Q2213/13095; H04Q2213/13097; H04Q2213/13098; H04Q2213/13103; H04Q2213/13141; H04Q2213/13179; H04Q2213/13204; H04Q2213/1325; H04Q2213/13256; H04Q2213/1327; H04Q2213/13274; H04Q2213/13353; H04Q2213/13374; H04Q2213/13375; H04Q2213/13377; H04Q2213/13405; H04Q2213/13513; H04Q2213/13515; H04Q2213/13532; H04Q2213/13541
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for routing a communication to a subscriber, comprising the steps of: (a) assigning a personal number to said subscriber; (b) receiving a first communication directed to said personal number; (c) accessing communication routing information in response to said first communication, said communication routing information including a list of destinations on the public switched telephone network, said list of destinations comprising a plurality of said destinations hierarchically arranged in order of subscriber preference for communication routing; (d) selecting the first destination on said list of destinations; (e) placing a further communication to said destination; (f) announcing at said destination the receipt of said first communication; (g) receiving communication disposition information from said destination; and (h) disposing of said first communication in accordance with said communication disposition information by either routine said first communication to said first destination or by selecting the next hierarchically arranged destination on said list of destinations and repeating steps (e) through (h) at said next destination.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for routing a communication to a subscriber, comprising the steps of: (a) assigning a personal number to said subscriber; (b) receiving a first communication directed to said personal number; (c) accessing communication routing information in response to said first communication, said communication routing information including a list of destinations on the public switched telephone network, said list of destinations comprising a plurality of said destinations hierarchically arranged in order of subscriber preference for communication routing; (d) selecting the first destination on said list of destinations; (e) placing a further communication to said destination; (f) announcing at said destination the receipt of said first communication; (g) receiving communication disposition information from said destination; and (h) disposing of said first communication in accordance with said communication disposition information by either routine said first communication to said first destination or by selecting the next hierarchically arranged destination on said list of destinations and repeating steps (e) through (h) at said next destination.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said list of destinations comprises a list of devices having calling line numbers, said devices comprising the following: telephones, mobile phones, cellular phones, voice mail systems, facsimile devices, and paging devices; and wherein said step of accessing communication routine information comprises accessing said list of devices having at least two said calling line numbers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said list of destinations comprises a first hierarchical list and a second hierarchical list, said first hierarchical list having destinations hierarchically arranged in order of subscriber preference for communication routing during a first period of time, said second hierarchical list having destinations hierarchically arranged in order of subscriber preference for communication routing during a second period of time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said first period of time is a first portion of a twenty-four hour period and said second period of time is a second portion of said twenty-four hour period.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said first period of time is a first portion of a week and said second period of time is a second portion of said week.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said communication routing information further comprises an override destination, and wherein said method further comprising the steps of: prior to selecting said first destination on said list of said destinations, determining if a priority override is established; if said priority override is established, then determining whether the source of said communication is a priority caller; and if said source is a priority caller, then selecting and routing said communication to said override destination.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said communication routing information further comprises a default destination, and wherein said method further comprising the step of: if said source is not a priority caller, then selecting and routing said communication to said default destination.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said subscriber has a voice mail service, and wherein said step of routing said communication to said default destination comprises routing said communication to said voice mail service.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: accessing said communication routing information in response to receiving a call on a calling line from said subscriber; and substituting a new destination for a destination in said list of destinations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said step of substituting said new destination comprises the step of requesting said subscriber for said new destination.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said step of substituting said new destination comprises: identifying the calling line number associated with said calling line; and confirming said calling line number as said new destination with said subscriber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said step of substituting said new destination in said list of destinations in said communication routing information comprises substituting an override destination for said destination in said list of destinations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said step of selecting said first destination consists of selecting said override destination.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: determining whether the source of said communication is a priority caller, and if said source is a priority caller, then selecting said override destination as said destination.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of: if said source is not a priority caller, then selecting a default destination for routing said communication.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said communication is initiated by a source, and further comprising the step of identifying the source of said communication.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16, wherein said step of announcing comprises announcing the identity of said source.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of requesting said source to confirm said identity.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 16, wherein said step of identifying said source of said communication comprises the steps of: identifying the calling line number associated with said source of said communication; and determining said identity for said source by accessing a database to find a database entry corresponding to said calling line number.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said step of announcing comprises announcing said identity obtained from said database.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said database comprises a subscriber personalized database having entries of priority callers, and wherein said step of determining said identity comprises accessing said subscriber personalized database to find a priority caller entry corresponding to said calling line number.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said step of announcing comprises announcing said identity obtained from said subscriber personalized database.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said step of announcing comprises: announcing the receipt of a priority call; and announcing said identity obtained from said subscriber personalized database.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of automatically requesting said source to confirm said identity obtained from said subscriber personalized database.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of selecting said destination comprises: checking said communication routing information for a mobile telephone destination; if said mobile telephone destination is present in said communication routing information, then checking for a powered-on indication of said mobile telephone destination; and if said mobile telephone destination provides said powered-on indication, then selecting said mobile telephone destination as said first destination.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of requesting said communication disposition information at said destination before said step of receiving said communication disposition information.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said communication disposition information comprises an acceptance of said communication, and wherein said step of receiving said communication disposition information comprises receiving said acceptance.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 27, wherein said communication disposition information comprises a rejection of said communication, and wherein said step of receiving said communication disposition information comprises receiving said rejection.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 28, wherein said rejection comprises a failure to receive said acceptance.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said communication disposition information comprises an acceptance of said communication, and wherein said step of disposing comprises routing said communication to said destination.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said communication disposition information comprises a rejection of said communication, and wherein said step of disposing comprises routing said communication to a default destination.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 31, wherein said default destination comprises a voice mail service, and wherein said step of routing said communication comprises routing said communication to said voice mail service.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 31, wherein said rejection comprises a failure to receive an acceptance of said communication, and wherein said step of disposing comprises routing said communication to a second destination.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 31, wherein said rejection comprises a failure to receive an acceptance of said communication, and wherein said step of disposing comprises routing said communication to a default destination.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said communication disposition information comprises a rejection of said communication, and wherein said step of disposing of said communication comprises; selecting a second destination for routing said communication; announcing at said second destination the receipt of said communication; receiving second communication disposition information; and disposing of said communication in accordance with said second communication disposition information.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said communication directed to said personal number is received and routed by a service circuit node according to said list of destinations.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the source of said communication hears ringing tones while said receipt of said communication is announced at said destination.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein if said communication is not routed to said first destination on said list of destinations, the source of the said communication is informed that another destination is being contacted.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said subscriber can modify said order of said hierarchically arranged destinations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2957047A
Cited
US4371752A
Cited
US4277649A
Cited
US4313035A
Cited
US4518824A
Cited
US4625081A
Cited
DE3315884A1
Cited
US4680785A
Cited
US4759056A
Cited
US4893335A
Cited
US4674115A
Cited
US4752951A
Cited
US4740788A
Cited
US4899373A
Cited
US4769834A
Cited
US4791665A
Cited
JPH01149650A
Cited
US5029196A
Cited
WO1990001328A1
Cited
WO1990006729A2
Cited
WO1991000483A1
Cited
US5197096A
Cited
EP0420527A2
Cited
US5195131A
Cited
EP0451695A2
Cited
WO1992000036A1
Cited
US5329578A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-08 | 2001-12-08 | 2002-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-08 | 2005-12-08 | 2006-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-08 | 2009-12-08 | 2010-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |