Telephonic communications – Special services – Service trigger
Reexamination Certificate
1996-09-30
2001-06-26
Hong, Harry S. (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Special services
Service trigger
C379S115030, C379S134000, C379S142030, C379S220010, C379S230000, C379S373040, C379S221050
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252953
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to telecommunication services provided using a public telephone system.
BACKGROUND ART
An increasing number of corporate employees are working, either part-time or full-time, at home to perform tasks associated with their jobs. This practice, known as telecommuting, is increasing in popularity as a result of a number of economical, political, and environmental factors.
A corporation can reduce office space requirements, and hence save money, by sharing desk space among a number of telecommuting employees. If needed, a desk at the office can be reserved for a limited duration by a telecommuting employee. During this limited duration, which may be on the order of hours or days, the telecommuting employee can perform certain tasks which are most amenable with he/she being at the office.
Telecommuting can also help corporations respond to Clean Air Act provisions which limit a number of employee-commuting cars on the road. In certain high-traffic areas, companies can be fined if a certain number of employees do not carpool, use public transportation, or work at home.
To serve the increasing number of telecommuters and their corporations, the need exists for improved telecommunication services to allow telecommuters to communicate with the office and with other telecommuters.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,571, issued to Kay et al. and assigned to Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc., discloses an area-wide centrex service for a telephone communication network. As part of the area-wide centrex service, a work-at-home feature is provided.
In the work-at-home feature, a special service key actuation at an originating station triggers AIN recognition. A service switching point (SSP) central office then suspends the call and queries an integrated service control point (ISCP) to determine which business line the originating line corresponds to. Based on the identified business line, the ISCP retrieves processing data for completing the call or providing other area-wide centrex services as if the service request originated from the business group line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a telecommunication service in which members of a group can selectively place group-related, direct-dialed calls from home, where the group-related calls are carried on a telecommunication carrier associated with the group rather than the members.
A further object of the present invention is to provide the above-described telecommunication service which is not limited to a centrex or area-wide centrex service.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide the above-described telecommunication service in which an indication of a group-related call is provided to a call-receiving member of a group.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a telecommunication service in which members of a group can selectively place group-related, direct-dialed calls from home, where per-line and per-call privacy indicators are honored in the group-related calls.
Yet another object is to provide a virtual network service which can be utilized without requiring a regular or fixed business location.
In carrying out the above objects, the present invention provides a method of providing a work-at-home telecommunication service. The method includes a step of receiving, from a calling party, a service-specific vertical feature code and a dialed number to initiate a call. After receiving the vertical feature code and the dialed number, a step of suspending the call and sending a query to a service control point is performed. The query includes the dialed number and a calling party identification number.
A step of forming a response to the query is performed by the service control point. The response is formed by translating the dialed number to a called party identification number and by modifying the calling party identification number to an identification number of a group associated with the calling party. The response includes the called party identification number, the calling party identification number, and a carrier identification code which identifies a telecommunication carrier for the group associated with the calling party.
A step of routing the call to the called party is performed using the telecommunication carrier identified by the carrier identification code. A step of providing a distinctive ring at the called party is performed to indicate that the call is associated with the work-at-home telecommunication service.
Further in carrying out the above objects, the present invention provides a system for providing a work-at-home telecommunication service. The system includes a service control point and a service switching point which performed the steps of the above-described method.
These and other features, aspects, and embodiments of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.
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Gruchala Carol S.
Morrison, Jr. John P.
Ameritech Services, Inc.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Hong Harry S.
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