US5408528A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for flexible and optimal telephone call acceptance and routing
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1994-06-16
•
Granted: 1995-04-18
•
Expires: 2014-06-16
Abstract
Abstract A telephone call is made by a calling party. The telephone call is routed through a telephone network to a piece of terminal equipment. The terminal equipment analyzes call information associated with the telephone call. The call information is divided into separate call attributes, such as calling telephone number and called telephone number. One or more number lists, stored in the terminal equipment, are then searched to see if they contain an entry that matches the call attributes. If a match is not found, the call is rejected. If one or more matches is found, the call is routed as specified by the number list entry having the most optimal match. The number lists can be easily user-modified.
Inventors
- 👤 David G. Carlson
- 👤 Thomas E. Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/436; H04M1/00; H04M1/66; H04M1/663
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for handling a call based on call information associated with said call, said call information being supplied by a network, said method comprising the steps of: dividing said call information into a plurality of call attributes; determining an environment attribute, said environment attribute being added to said call attributes; identifying a single number list, said single number list being one of a plurality of individual number lists, each of said individual number lists containing information about a particular category of call information; searching said single number list for a number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes and said environment attribute; accepting said telephone call whenever said number list entry is found in said searching step; and rejecting said telephone call whenever said number list entry is not found in said searching step.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for handling a call based on call information associated with said call, said call information being supplied by a network, said method comprising the steps of: dividing said call information into a plurality of call attributes; determining an environment attribute, said environment attribute being added to said call attributes; identifying a single number list, said single number list being one of a plurality of individual number lists, each of said individual number lists containing information about a particular category of call information; searching said single number list for a number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes and said environment attribute; accepting said telephone call whenever said number list entry is found in said searching step; and rejecting said telephone call whenever said number list entry is not found in said searching step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said searching step further comprises the step of: deciding whether said contents of said number list entry are an exact match with said plurality of call attributes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said searching step further comprises the step of: deciding whether a wildcard number list entry exists in said number list that can be used as a match against said plurality of call attributes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said searching step further comprises the step of: deciding whether a generic number list entry exists in said number list that can be used as a match against said plurality of call attributes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said searching step comprises the step of: searching a search tree that is associated with said single number list for a number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes and said environment attribute.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said call is telephone call.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said call is a data call.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for routing a call based on call information associated with said telephone call, said call information being supplied by a network, said method comprising the steps of: dividing said call information into a plurality of call attributes; searching a number list for a first matching number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes; finding said first matching number list entry; assigning a first count to said first matching number list entry, said first count representing how well said first matching number list entry matches said plurality of call attributes relative to other matching number list entries; searching said number list for a second matching number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes; finding said second number list entry; assigning a second count to said second number list entry, said second count representing how well said second matching number list entry matches said plurality of call attributes relative to said other matching number list entries; determining whether said second count indicates a better match than said first count; and routing said call to a destination associated with said second number list entry if said second count is determined to be said better match.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for routing a call based on call information associated with said telephone call, said call information being supplied by a network, said method comprising the steps of: dividing said call information into a plurality of call attributes; searching a number list for a first matching number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes; finding said first matching number list entry; assigning a first count to said first matching number list entry, said first count representing how well said first matching number list entry matches said plurality of call attributes relative to other matching number list entries; searching said number list for a second matching number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes; finding said second number list entry; assigning a second count to said second number list entry, said second count representing how well said second matching number list entry matches said plurality of call attributes relative to said other matching number list entries; determining whether said second count indicates a better match than said first count; and routing said call to a destination associated with said second number list entry if said second count is determined to be said better match.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said first assigning step further comprises the steps of: indicating in said first count that said first matching number list entry contains a valid match; determining a weighing factor for each of said plurality of call attributes; and incrementing said first count by said weighing factor associated with one of said plurality of call attributes each time data in said number list entry exactly matches said one of said plurality of call attributes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said weighing factor is adjusted via user input.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said plurality of call attributes include an environment attribute.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said call is telephone call.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said call is a data call.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for handling a call based on call information associated with said call, said call information being supplied by a network, said apparatus comprising: means for dividing said call information into a plurality of call attributes; means for determining an environment attribute, said environment attribute being added to said plurality of call attributes; means for identifying a single number list, said single number list being one of a plurality of individual number lists, each of said individual number lists containing information about a particular category of call information; means for searching said single number list for a number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes and said environment attribute; means for accepting said telephone call whenever said number list entry is found in said searching step; and means for rejecting said telephone call whenever said number list entry is not found in said searching step.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for handling a call based on call information associated with said call, said call information being supplied by a network, said apparatus comprising: means for dividing said call information into a plurality of call attributes; means for determining an environment attribute, said environment attribute being added to said plurality of call attributes; means for identifying a single number list, said single number list being one of a plurality of individual number lists, each of said individual number lists containing information about a particular category of call information; means for searching said single number list for a number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes and said environment attribute; means for accepting said telephone call whenever said number list entry is found in said searching step; and means for rejecting said telephone call whenever said number list entry is not found in said searching step.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said means for searching further comprises: means for deciding whether said contents of said number list entry are an exact match with said plurality of call attributes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said means for searching further comprises: means for deciding whether a wildcard number list entry exists in said number list that can be used as a match against said plurality of call attributes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said means for searching further comprises: means for deciding whether a generic number list entry exists in said number list that can be used as a match against said plurality of call attributes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said means for searching comprises: means for searching a search tree that is associated with said single number list for a number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes and said environment attribute.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said call is telephone call.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said call is a data call.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
217 words
An apparatus for routing a call based on call information associated with said call, said call information being supplied by a network, said apparatus comprising: means for dividing said call information into a plurality of call attributes; means for searching a number list for a first matching number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes; means for finding said first matching number list entry; means for assigning a first count to said first matching number list entry, said first count representing how well said first matching number list entry matches said plurality of call attributes relative to other matching number list entries; means for searching said number list for a second matching number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes; means for finding said second matching number list entry; means for assigning a second count to said second number list entry, said first count representing how well said first matching number list entry matches said plurality of call attributes relative to said other matching number list entries; means for determining whether said second count indicates a better match than said first count; and means for routing said call to a destination associated with said second number list entry if said second count is determined to be said better match.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
217 words
An apparatus for routing a call based on call information associated with said call, said call information being supplied by a network, said apparatus comprising: means for dividing said call information into a plurality of call attributes; means for searching a number list for a first matching number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes; means for finding said first matching number list entry; means for assigning a first count to said first matching number list entry, said first count representing how well said first matching number list entry matches said plurality of call attributes relative to other matching number list entries; means for searching said number list for a second matching number list entry with contents that match said plurality of call attributes; means for finding said second matching number list entry; means for assigning a second count to said second number list entry, said first count representing how well said first matching number list entry matches said plurality of call attributes relative to said other matching number list entries; means for determining whether said second count indicates a better match than said first count; and means for routing said call to a destination associated with said second number list entry if said second count is determined to be said better match.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
82 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said first assigning means further comprises: means for indicating in said first count that said first matching number list entry contains a valid match; means for determining a weighing factor for each of said plurality of call attributes; and means for incrementing said first count by said weighing factor associated with one of said plurality of call attributes each time data in said number list entry exactly matches said one of said plurality of call attributes.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said weighing factor is adjusted via user input.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said plurality of call attributes include an environment attribute.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said call is telephone call.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said call is a data call.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS53136907A
Cited
US4277649A
Cited
US4797915A
Cited
US4958153A
Cited
US4907259A
Cited
JPH01149650A
Cited
US4866762A
Cited
US4907256A
Cited
EP0347155A2
Cited
US5029196A
Cited
US5268958A
Cited
EP0420623A2
Cited
US5036535A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-04-17 | 1998-10-17 | 1999-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-04-17 | 2002-10-17 | 2003-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-04-17 | 2006-10-17 | 2007-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |