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US Patent 6501837 - Telephone call connection architecture

US Patent Issued on December 31, 2002
Estimated Patent Expiration Date: Icon_subject July 9, 2019Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
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Abstract

A telephone call connection architecture is disclosed which establishes a call connection between two parties. A caller at a caller location initiates a call request to an intermediate location over a first communication network requesting a call be connected to a callee at a callee location over a second communication network. The caller location is connected to the callee location over the second communication network in response to the call request being made over the first communication network. In both a call back and call collect scenario, the caller initiates the call request to the intermediate location. However, in a call back situation, the caller is ultimately charged for the call, while in a call collect situation, the callee authorizes charges for the call.

Other References

  • MCIWORLDCOM International Web pp. Mar. 4, 199

Inventors

Assignee

Application

No. 350851 filed on 07/09/1999

US Classes:

379/210.01, Reserved call (e.g., return call, call back, scheduled call, reestablished call)370/352, Combined circuit switching and packet switching379/221.01Alternate routing

Field of Search

379/201.01, SPECIAL SERVICES379/210.01, Reserved call (e.g., return call, call back, scheduled call, reestablished call)379/219, PLURAL EXCHANGE NETWORK OR INTERCONNECTION379/220.01, With interexchange network routing379/221.01, Alternate routing379/223, With operator assistance370/352, Combined circuit switching and packet switching370/353, Switching network having common elements to handle both circuit switched traffic and packet switched traffic370/354Switching network having separate elements to handle circuit switched traffic and packet switched traffic

Examiners

Primary: Smith, Creighton

Attorney, Agent or Firm

US Patent References

4166929, Interoffice callback arrangement
Issued on: 09/04/1979
Inventor: Sheinbein
4933966, Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call
Issued on: 06/12/1990
Inventor: Hird, et al.
5012510, Dynamic callback technique
Issued on: 04/30/1991
Inventor: Schaubs, et al.
5093858, Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call
Issued on: 03/03/1992
Inventor: Hird, et al.
5113433, Method and apparatus for altering the access format of telephone calls
Issued on: 05/12/1992
Inventor: Hird, et al.
5155761, Automatic call back system and method of operation
Issued on: 10/13/1992
Inventor: Hammond
5157716, Dynamic callback technique
Issued on: 10/20/1992
Inventor: Naddor, et al.
5311583, International priority calling system with callback features
Issued on: 05/10/1994
Inventor: Friedes, et al.
5406616, Method of completing a telephone call in a telephone system
Issued on: 04/11/1995
Inventor: Bjorndahl
5425091, Method and system for providing an automatic customer callback service
Issued on: 06/13/1995
Inventor: Josephs
5430790, Call delivery service within a radiotelephone communication system
Issued on: 07/04/1995
Inventor: Williams
5483581, Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call
Issued on: 01/09/1996
Inventor: Hird, et al.
5517564, Communication apparatus and method
Issued on: 05/14/1996
Inventor: Slater, et al.
5740229, Method and apparatus for a pre-paid return call
Issued on: 04/14/1998
Inventor: Hanson, et al.
5761289, 800 number callback
Issued on: 06/02/1998
Inventor: Keshav
5784438, Automatic callback system and method
Issued on: 07/21/1998
Inventor: Martinez
5815669, Method of routing a data transmission
Issued on: 09/29/1998
Inventor: Lee, et al.
6169796, Call rerouter method and apparatus
Issued on: 01/02/2001
Inventor: Bauer, et al.
6205216Apparatus and method for inter-network communication
Issued on: 03/20/2001
Inventor: Slater, et al.

International Class

H04M 007/00

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