Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for providing call tracing service

US4591665A · kind A · utility

21Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 12, 1983
Grant dateMay 27, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 12, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q3/72
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

For use with a telephone system having a communications terminal and serving a plurality of stations, method and apparatus is disclosed for providing a customer-originated call tracing service on a per call basis. Responsive to a call from a calling station to a called station, a memory dedicated to the called station stores the directory number of the calling station. An indicator bit associated with the memory designates the stored directory number as that of a "calling" station. Receiving, for example, a nuisance or obscene call, the customer at the called station enters a predetermined access code after the call to send the designated directory number of the calling station as well as the called station directory number to the communications terminal for subsequent follow up by appropriate personnel. Several calling station directory numbers may be stored in the memory for subsequent display at the called station. In such case, the called customer may first choose the directory number of the nuisance caller, particularly, when the called customer receives a large number of calls during a relatively short period of time.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.