Patent · US Expired

Telecommunications call management system

US5862203A · kind A · utility

166Cited by
2References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 20, 1996
Grant dateJan 19, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 20, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q2213/13547
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A call management system is disclosed for choosing the optimum telecommunications carrier for telephone calls made by a user. The system can interface with an existing PBX or with ordinary analog telephone lines. The system intercepts digits dialed by the caller or user and determines an optimum route for the call based on a plurality of parameters. The optimum route includes a particular carrier through which the call is to be placed. The system then dials the prefix for the carrier and subsequently places the destination digits originally dialed by the user onto the telephone line. A data server constructs a carrier selection table optimized for a user's location, calling habits, preferences, personal data, etc. The carrier selection table is downloaded via a communications network to a local computer. In one embodiment, the local computer receives call progress signals and the user's dialed digits from one or more line units. The local computer determines the optimum route utilizing the carrier selection database and passes the calling prefix and destination string to the line unit. In another embodiment, the local computer also performs the functions of the line unit via an att…

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