Method of accessing a target entity over a communications network
US6131095A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 9, 1998 |
| Grant date | Oct 10, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 9, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/329
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of accessing a target entity over a communication network employs a distributed database system similar top the DNS of the Internet; indeed the DNS may be used as the required distributed database. The distributed database stores records, each associated with a corresponding domain name and holding communication data for use in accessing a target entity. Each of these domain names are related to a respective number string from which it can be derived by a process including parsing at least a substantial portion of the number string into at least a part of said domain name. Upon the input of a number indicative of a target entity, the related domain name is formed by parsing the number and the domain name is then used to retrieve the corresponding communication data from the DNS-type distributed database system. This data is then used in accessing the target entity. In one embodiment the communication network is a telephone network and the target entity is a called party; in this case, the number string comprises a dialed number and the retrieved communication data is a URI indicative of the location on the Internet of a current telephone number for the target party, the UR…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.