US5812654A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telecommunications network routing
Assignee: Sprint Communications Co LP
•
Filing: 1995-04-06
•
Granted: 1998-09-22
•
Expires: 2015-04-06
Abstract
Abstract In a telecommunications network operable for routing calls such as 800 calls, to a plurality of customer destinations, a system allows the customer to configure the routing of calls by entering selected call routing criteria at a computer at the customer site. Selected information representative of the call routing criteria is then transmitted to a central processor system which then composes a set of call handling statements, also called time features, which the network then compiles into an executable routing scheme for routing calls.
Inventors
- 👤 Kathleen Lynn Anderson
- 👤 Dino Remo Russo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:07
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/64; H04Q3/66; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13109; H04Q2213/13141; H04Q2213/13376; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/974
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A method for operating a telecommunications network wherein the network is operable to route calls from origination regions to a plurality of user associated destinations for calls directed to a user associated number, the calls being routed according to call-handling statements, the method comprising: (a) generating images depicting a user's routing criteria at a criteria-handling device, wherein depicting the user's routing criteria comprises depicting images of geographic areas and wherein the criteria-handling device comprises a user's computer work station; (b) receiving in the user's work station changes to the user routing criteria and modifying in the user's work station the displayed images depicting the changes to the user's routing criteria wherein the routing criteria represents generalized inputs specifying a user routing plan and is not configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; (c) transmitting the routing criteria over the network to a routing statement composition processor before the routing criteria is composed into a format configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; and (d) composing at least one call-handling statement in the routing statement composition processor based on the routing criteria wherein the call-handling statement is configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
205 words
A method for operating a telecommunications network wherein the network is operable to route calls from origination regions to a plurality of user associated destinations for calls directed to a user associated number, the calls being routed according to call-handling statements, the method comprising: (a) generating images depicting a user's routing criteria at a criteria-handling device, wherein depicting the user's routing criteria comprises depicting images of geographic areas and wherein the criteria-handling device comprises a user's computer work station; (b) receiving in the user's work station changes to the user routing criteria and modifying in the user's work station the displayed images depicting the changes to the user's routing criteria wherein the routing criteria represents generalized inputs specifying a user routing plan and is not configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; (c) transmitting the routing criteria over the network to a routing statement composition processor before the routing criteria is composed into a format configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; and (d) composing at least one call-handling statement in the routing statement composition processor based on the routing criteria wherein the call-handling statement is configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the network includes switches and a database operable to route calls according to the call-handling statements, and the method further comprises transmitting the call-handling statements from the routing statement composition processor to the network for compilation and storage in the database.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the routing statement composition processor includes a computer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the routing statement composition processor includes a mainframe computer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: (a) transmitting routing criteria over the network from the routing statement composition processor to the criteria-handling device; (b) storing the routing criteria in the criteria-handling device; and (c) displaying images of the stored routing criteria in the criteria-handling device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising: (a) determining whether the routing criteria in the routing statement composition processor is more recent than the routing criteria stored in the criteria-handling device; and (b) transmitting routing criteria to the criteria-handling device from the routing statement composition processor only if the routing criteria in the routing statement composition processor is more recent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 6 wherein determining the most recent routing criteria comprises marking changes in the routing criteria with a time stamp.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
190 words
A method for operating a telecommunications network wherein the network is operable to route calls from origination regions to a plurality of user associated destinations for calls directed to a user associated number, the calls being routed according to call-handling statements, the method comprising: (a) receiving user routing criteria into a plurality of criteria-handling devices, wherein the criteria handling devices is comprised of user workstations that generate and display images representing a user's routing criteria at each user workstation, wherein the displayed images comprise images of geographic areas associated with the user's routing criteria, wherein the routing criteria represents generalized inputs specifying a user routing plan and is not configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; (b) transmitting the routing criteria over the network from the criteria-handling devices to a routing statement composition processor before the routing criteria is composed into a format configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; and (c) composing call-handling statements in the routing statement composition processor based on the routing criteria wherein the call-handling statements are configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
190 words
A method for operating a telecommunications network wherein the network is operable to route calls from origination regions to a plurality of user associated destinations for calls directed to a user associated number, the calls being routed according to call-handling statements, the method comprising: (a) receiving user routing criteria into a plurality of criteria-handling devices, wherein the criteria handling devices is comprised of user workstations that generate and display images representing a user's routing criteria at each user workstation, wherein the displayed images comprise images of geographic areas associated with the user's routing criteria, wherein the routing criteria represents generalized inputs specifying a user routing plan and is not configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; (b) transmitting the routing criteria over the network from the criteria-handling devices to a routing statement composition processor before the routing criteria is composed into a format configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; and (c) composing call-handling statements in the routing statement composition processor based on the routing criteria wherein the call-handling statements are configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the network includes switches and a database operable to route calls according to the call-handling statements, and the method further comprises transmitting the call-handling statements from the routing statement composition processor to the network for compilation and storage in the database.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the routing statement composition processor includes a mainframe computer and the criteria-handling devices each include a micro-processor based workstation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising: (a) transmitting routing criteria over the network from the routing statement composition processor to the criteria-handling devices; (b) storing the routing criteria in the criteria-handling devices; and (c) displaying images of the stored routing criteria in the criteria-handling devices.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising: (a) determining whether the routing criteria in the routing statement composition processor is more recent than the routing criteria stored in a particular criteria-handling device; and (b) transmitting routing criteria to the particular criteria-handling device from the routing statement composition processor only if the routing criteria in the routing statement composition processor is more recent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12 wherein determining the most recent routing criteria comprises marking changes in the routing criteria with a time stamp.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
202 words
A telecommunications network wherein the network is operable to route calls from origination regions to a plurality of user associated destinations for calls directed to a user associated number, the calls being routed according to call-handling statements, the network comprising: (a) a plurality of criteria-handling devices, wherein the criteria-handling devices are operable to receive user routing criteria wherein the routing criteria are associated with geographical areas and represent generalized inputs specifying a user routing plan and are not configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls, wherein the criteria handling devices are operable to generate and display images representing a user's routing criteria at each criteria-handling device, wherein the displayed images comprise images of geographic areas associated with the user's routing criteria; (b) a routing statement composition processor operable to compose call-handling statements based on the routing criteria wherein the call-handling statements are configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; and (c) a first transmission means for transmitting the routing criteria over the network from the criteria-handling devices to the routing statement composition processor before the routing criteria is composed into the call-handling statements configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
202 words
A telecommunications network wherein the network is operable to route calls from origination regions to a plurality of user associated destinations for calls directed to a user associated number, the calls being routed according to call-handling statements, the network comprising: (a) a plurality of criteria-handling devices, wherein the criteria-handling devices are operable to receive user routing criteria wherein the routing criteria are associated with geographical areas and represent generalized inputs specifying a user routing plan and are not configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls, wherein the criteria handling devices are operable to generate and display images representing a user's routing criteria at each criteria-handling device, wherein the displayed images comprise images of geographic areas associated with the user's routing criteria; (b) a routing statement composition processor operable to compose call-handling statements based on the routing criteria wherein the call-handling statements are configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls; and (c) a first transmission means for transmitting the routing criteria over the network from the criteria-handling devices to the routing statement composition processor before the routing criteria is composed into the call-handling statements configured for compilation and use by the network to route calls.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The network of claim 14 wherein the network further comprises: (a) switches and a database operable to route calls according to the call-handling statements; and (b) a second transmission means for transmitting the call-handling statements from the routing statement composition processor to the network for compilation and storage in the database.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The network of claim 14 wherein the routing statement composition processor includes a mainframe computer and the criteria-handling devices each include a micro-processor based workstation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The network of claim 14 wherein the network further comprises a third transmission means for transmitting routing criteria over the network from the routing statement composition processor to the criteria-handling devices.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
68 words
The network of claim 17 further comprising a means for determining whether the routing criteria in the routing statement composition processor is more recent than the routing criteria stored in a particular criteria-handling device, and wherein the third transmission means transmits routing criteria to the particular criteria-handling device from the routing statement composition processor only if the routing criteria in the routing statement composition processor is more recent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The network of claim 18 wherein the means for determining the most recent routing criteria comprises a means for marking changes in the routing criteria with a time stamp.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4191860A
Cited
US4611094A
Cited
US4653090A
Cited
US4782519A
Cited
US4782517A
Cited
US4757267A
Cited
US4757267B1
Cited
US4788718A
Cited
US5136690A
Cited
US5270919A
Cited
US5241588A
Cited
US5291550A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-21 | 2002-03-23 | 2002-09-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-21 | 2006-03-23 | 2006-09-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-21 | 2010-03-23 | 2010-09-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |