US5907608A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic routing and information system for telephonic services
Assignee: Neustar Information Services Inc
•
Filing: 1998-06-19
•
Granted: 1999-05-25
•
Expires: 2018-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for automatically and seamlessly routing telephone calls across a telephone network. The system includes a telephone network interface box having a computer, a master file and client file stored in the computer. The master file is dynamically linked to the client file at routing time to produce a selected client location telephone number which is transmitted across the telephone network. The system utilizes Automatic Number Identification to identify the calling party. The master file has a plurality of records having a telephone number and a spatial key and is updated frequently. The client file has a plurality of records having a spatial key and a client telephone number. Methods of generating client file records for both radius and polygon defined service areas through an automated computer process are included in the present invention. Another embodiment of the system merges the records of the client file with the records of the master table to generate a single table to create a one table system. The one table system increases speed of the call routing process. A second embodiment of the one table system is provided by a special case of the client file build process which yields a caller telephone number to service location telephone number file. A further embodiment provides real-time processing in situations where high call volumes and transaction processing speed are not a major issue. The real-time processing system is simple to update and requires minimal storage.
Inventors
- 👤 James D. Shaffer
- 👤 George G. Moore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 10:38
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/4228; H04M3/42306; H04M3/487; H04M3/493; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/0016; H04Q3/0029; H04Q3/64; H04Q3/66; H04M2242/00; H04M2242/22; H04M2242/30; H04M3/42025; H04M3/42034; H04M3/42059; H04M3/42085; H04M3/42093; H04M3/42102; H04M3/42314; H04M3/42323; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13034; H04Q2213/13091; H04Q2213/13093; H04Q2213/13095; H04Q2213/13097; H04Q2213/13103; H04Q2213/13141; H04Q2213/13204; H04Q2213/1322; H04Q2213/13352; H04Q2213/13353; H04Q2213/1337; H04Q2213/13376; H04Q2213/13377; H04Q2213/13378; H04Q2213/13405; H04Q2213/13541; H04Q2213/13547; H04Q3/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of automatically generating a telephone number to telephone number (TNTTN) table for use in a telephone network, the method comprising: automatically generating a client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a spatial key and a telephone number associated with a client location; providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a telephone number and a spatial key; and matching the master table with the client table to produce records for the TNTTN table.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of automatically generating a telephone number to telephone number (TNTTN) table for use in a telephone network, the method comprising: automatically generating a client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a spatial key and a telephone number associated with a client location; providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a telephone number and a spatial key; and matching the master table with the client table to produce records for the TNTTN table.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein matching for each unique spatial key in the master table comprises: generating a single record in the TNTTN table for each master table record having the spatial key if the master table spatial key matches a single spatial key in the client table; and generating a plurality of records in the TNTTN table for each master table record having the spatial key if the master table spatial key matches a plurality of spatial keys in the client table, wherein each of the plurality of records in the TNTTN table comprises a telephone number indicative of a client location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 1, additionally comprising sorting the client table by the spatial key.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 1, additionally comprising sorting the master table by the spatial key.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the spatial key comprises a postal code.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the spatial key comprises one of the following: census blocks, ordnance coordinates and quad trees.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of automatically generating a telephone number to telephone number (TNTTN) table for use in a telephone network, the method comprising: automatically generating a client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a spatial key and client information indicative of a service location; providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a telephone number and a spatial key; and matching the master table with the client table to produce records for the TNTTN table.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of automatically generating a telephone number to telephone number (TNTTN) table for use in a telephone network, the method comprising: automatically generating a client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a spatial key and client information indicative of a service location; providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a telephone number and a spatial key; and matching the master table with the client table to produce records for the TNTTN table.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
105 words
The method defined in claim 7, wherein matching for each unique spatial key in the master table comprises: generating a single record in the TNTTN table for each master table record having the spatial key if the master table spatial key matches a single spatial key in the client table; and generating a plurality of records in the TNTTN table for each master table record having the spatial key if the master table spatial key matches a plurality of spatial keys in the client table, wherein each of the plurality of records in the TNTTN table comprises a telephone number indicative of a client location.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 7, additionally comprising sorting the client table by the spatial key.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 7, additionally comprising sorting the master table by the spatial key.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 7, wherein the client information comprises a service location identification (ID).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 7, wherein the client information comprises a service location telephone number.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 7, wherein the client table is generated by an automated process.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method defined in claim 7, wherein the telephone number to telephone number table is generated by an automated process.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 7, wherein the spatial key comprises a postal code.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 7, wherein the spatial key comprises one of the following: census blocks, ordnance coordinates and quad trees.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of automatically generating a caller telephone number to telephone number (CTNTTN) table for use in a telephone network, the method comprising: automatically generating a client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising at least one spatial key and a telephone number associated with a client location; providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a caller telephone number and a spatial key; and matching the master table with the client table to produce records for the CTNTTN table, wherein matching for each unique spatial key in the master table comprises generating a caller telephone number to client telephone number record in the CTNTTN table each time a master table record spatial key matches the spatial key in the client table.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of automatically generating a caller telephone number to telephone number (CTNTTN) table for use in a telephone network, the method comprising: automatically generating a client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising at least one spatial key and a telephone number associated with a client location; providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a caller telephone number and a spatial key; and matching the master table with the client table to produce records for the CTNTTN table, wherein matching for each unique spatial key in the master table comprises generating a caller telephone number to client telephone number record in the CTNTTN table each time a master table record spatial key matches the spatial key in the client table.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 17, additionally comprising sorting the client table by the spatial key.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 17, additionally comprising sorting the master table by the spatial key.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
129 words
An automated call processing system for use in a telephone network, the system comprising: an inbound receiving module capable of receiving a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number and a caller optionally entered telephone number having a geographic location associated therewith; a call processor responsive to the caller optionally entered telephone number for providing a client service location identification (ID), wherein a client service location ID is provided if the location associated with the caller optionally entered telephone number spatially lies within a service area having a client defined geographic configuration of substantially any desired shape and size, and wherein the processor utilizes a caller telephone number to service location ID table; and an outbound calling module for transmitting the provided client service location ID to the telephone network.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
129 words
An automated call processing system for use in a telephone network, the system comprising: an inbound receiving module capable of receiving a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number and a caller optionally entered telephone number having a geographic location associated therewith; a call processor responsive to the caller optionally entered telephone number for providing a client service location identification (ID), wherein a client service location ID is provided if the location associated with the caller optionally entered telephone number spatially lies within a service area having a client defined geographic configuration of substantially any desired shape and size, and wherein the processor utilizes a caller telephone number to service location ID table; and an outbound calling module for transmitting the provided client service location ID to the telephone network.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system defined in claim 20, wherein the call processor utilizes a plurality of telephone number to service location ID tables, and wherein the caller optionally entered telephone number is utilized to select one of the telephone number to service location ID tables.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system defined in claim 20, wherein the client service location ID is an identification other than a telephone number.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system defined in claim 20, wherein the client service location ID is a telephone number.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3614328A
Cited
US4191860A
Cited
US4611094A
Cited
US4797818A
Cited
US4757267A
Cited
US4757267B1
Cited
US5023904A
Cited
US5029196A
Cited
US4954958A
Cited
US4924510A
Cited
US5033079A
Cited
US5018191A
Cited
US5001710A
Cited
US5095505A
Cited
US5163087A
Cited
US5136636A
Cited
US5805689A
Cited
US5588048A
Cited
US5390232A
Cited
US5506897C1
Cited
US5506897A
Cited
US5848131A
Cited
US5548637A
Cited
US5533107A
Cited
US5465286A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-24 | 2002-11-23 | 2003-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-24 | 2006-11-23 | 2007-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-24 | 2010-11-23 | 2011-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |