US7839992B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for registering multiple phone numbers associated with a frequently called party
Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP
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Filing: 2004-12-28
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Granted: 2010-11-23
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Expires: 2024-12-28
Abstract
Abstract The present invention enables the calling party to register multiple addresses of frequently called parties with a packet-switched network service provider, e.g., a VoIP network service provider, and have the network dials through the numbers on behalf of the calling party until the called party is reached or the list of available phone numbers has been exhausted. Optionally, the network can intersperse each call by asking the calling party if he or she wants to dial a particular phone number of the called party from the list of available phone numbers, and the network can dial the selected phone number.
Inventors
- 👤 Marian Croak
- 👤 Hossein Eslambolchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 09:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M7/00; H04M7/12; H04M7/1205; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/66; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/46; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/20; H04M2203/2011; H04M2203/2072; H04M3/42025; H04M3/42034; H04M3/42059; H04M3/42068; H04M3/487; H04M3/493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for registering a plurality of phone numbers in a communication network, comprising: registering a plurality of frequently called parties defined by a calling party; associating a preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers defined by the calling party with each one of the plurality of frequently called parties; receiving a call setup message for a call from the calling party to a called party; determining automatically based upon a called party phone number whether the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network; and processing, via a processor, the call setup message in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers, if the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for registering a plurality of phone numbers in a communication network, comprising: registering a plurality of frequently called parties defined by a calling party; associating a preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers defined by the calling party with each one of the plurality of frequently called parties; receiving a call setup message for a call from the calling party to a called party; determining automatically based upon a called party phone number whether the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network; and processing, via a processor, the call setup message in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers, if the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication network is a voice over internet protocol network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , where the processing comprises: using the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers to call the called party.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3 , further comprising: registering a time of day preference and a day of week preference of when to use each of the phone numbers in the preferred dialing sequence.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the using comprises: calling the called party using the registered preferred dialing sequence in accordance with at least one of: the registered time of day preference and the day of week preference, until the called party is reached or the preferred dialing sequence is exhausted of phone numbers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 3 , further comprising offering a dialing choice to the calling party in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers; receiving a selected phone number chosen from the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers; and calling the selected phone number.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the offering, the receiving and the calling are repeated until the called party is reached or the preferred dialing sequence is exhausted of phone numbers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
163 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps of a method for registering a plurality of phone numbers in a communication network, comprising: registering a plurality of frequently called parties defined by a calling party; associating a preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers defined by the calling party with each one of the plurality of frequently called parties; receiving a call setup message for a call from the calling party to a called party; determining automatically based upon a called party phone number whether the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network; and processing the call setup message in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers, if the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
163 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps of a method for registering a plurality of phone numbers in a communication network, comprising: registering a plurality of frequently called parties defined by a calling party; associating a preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers defined by the calling party with each one of the plurality of frequently called parties; receiving a call setup message for a call from the calling party to a called party; determining automatically based upon a called party phone number whether the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network; and processing the call setup message in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers, if the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the communication network is a voice over internet protocol network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , where the processing comprises: using the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers to call the called party.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising: registering a time of day preference and a day of week preference of when to use each of the phone numbers in the preferred dialing sequence.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the using comprises: calling the called party using the registered preferred dialing sequence in accordance with at least one of: the registered time of day preference and the day of week preference, until the called party is reached or the preferred dialing sequence is exhausted of phone numbers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising offering a dialing choice to the calling party in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers; receiving a selected phone number chosen from the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers; and calling the selected phone number.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the offering, the receiving and the calling are repeated until the called party is reached or the preferred dialing sequence is exhausted of phone numbers.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
144 words
A system for registering a plurality of phone numbers in a communication network, comprising: means for registering a plurality of frequently called parties defined by a calling party; means for associating a preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers defined by the calling party with each one of the plurality of frequently called parties; means for receiving a call setup message for a call from the calling party to a called party; means for determining automatically based upon a called party phone number whether the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network; and means for processing the call setup message in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers, if the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
144 words
A system for registering a plurality of phone numbers in a communication network, comprising: means for registering a plurality of frequently called parties defined by a calling party; means for associating a preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers defined by the calling party with each one of the plurality of frequently called parties; means for receiving a call setup message for a call from the calling party to a called party; means for determining automatically based upon a called party phone number whether the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network; and means for processing the call setup message in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers, if the called party phone number is associated with one of the plurality of frequently called parties registered with the communication network.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 15 , wherein the communication network is a voice over internet protocol network.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 15 , where the processing means comprises: means for using the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers to call the called party.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 17 , further comprising: means for registering a time of day preference and a day of week preference of when to use each of the phone numbers in the preferred dialing sequence.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the using means comprises: means for calling the called party using the registered preferred dialing sequence in accordance with at least one of: the registered time of day preference and the day of week preference, until the called party is reached or the preferred dialing sequence is exhausted of phone numbers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 17 , further comprising means for offering a dialing choice to the calling party in accordance with the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers; means for receiving a selected phone number chosen from the preferred dialing sequence of phone numbers; and means for calling the selected phone number.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2013-11-22 | 2014-05-24 | 2014-11-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2017-11-22 | 2018-05-24 | 2018-11-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2021-11-22 | 2022-05-24 | 2022-11-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |