Automatic network connection
US6795852B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 11, 1996 |
| Grant date | Sep 21, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 10, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2213/13376
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Users call ONE telephone number from their computer communication link-up. The call goes into a computer which has a large database of the many providers' access numbers. The computer identifies where the user is calling from via any identifying feature included in the invention. The computer figures out the most appropriate (e.g. cheapest/proximal/etc.) number the user should use to connect to the “Net”, which includes cost of the phone call and of the services provided by service providers. The computer then transmits this number back to the remote user, and electronically dials the local (and probably free) number to connect the user to the Net. The user may set up an account, or purchases one temporarily and gets charged for the service provided to him. Users are connected to information networks by providing a central processing station with a database including an index of network access numbers and associated charges for using the numbers. The central processing station is accessed from a remote computing device through a transmission line and identifying information is received by the remote computing device. The system compares the received information with the…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.