Telephone Number Sharing via Reusable Caller ID Pool
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional telephone number sharing systems in PSTN and data networks are limited, restricting users to local exchange numbers, lacking flexibility and caller ID control, especially in metropolitan areas with increased mobile and VoIP usage.
Innovation Solution
A system that provides reusable call numbers from a pool of available phone numbers, allowing subscribers to be assigned specific identifiers for caller ID purposes, enabling flexible number allocation and management through a telephone interface system that includes a PSTN/VoIP interface, subscriber database, bank of phone numbers, and call management module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional multiline telephone systems are used to share numbers, then the pool of available telephone numbers is increased, but users are restricted to local exchange numbers only and cannot access numbers outside their local exchange
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a telephone interface system as an intermediary between users and the PSTN. This system maintains a bank of phone numbers from multiple local exchanges and selectively assigns them to users. The interface system acts as a mediator that decouples the user from their physical location's exchange constraints, allowing any user to access numbers from any exchange through the interface system's number pool.
2Loss of information
If conventional caller ID service is used, then caller identification is provided, but the caller has no control over the calling number transferred to the called party
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic assignment of calling numbers. Instead of a fixed caller ID, the system dynamically selects and assigns numbers from its bank of phone numbers based on various criteria such as called party location, time of day, and user preferences. This dynamic mechanism gives callers control over which number appears to the called party, transforming the static conventional caller ID into a flexible, controllable system.
3Quantity of substance
If phone numbers are shared in metropolitan areas with increased mobile and VoIP usage, then number availability decreases, but conventional sharing systems cannot provide sufficient flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal telephone number sharing system that serves multiple functions: it provides local numbers for callers, supports returning calls, enables caller ID control, and accommodates both traditional and modern communication methods. The system's number bank draws from multiple exchanges, making it universally applicable to various calling scenarios and user needs, thereby increasing both availability and flexibility simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method are disclosed for providing telephone number sharing services to subscribers over public switched telephone network or data network. The disclosed system maintains a bank of reusable caller identifiers (IDs). The system receives call details of a call from a subscriber of the system. The call details include a caller identifier (ID) preference of the subscriber and a called number corresponding to the called party. The system stores the call details in a database. The system determines whether the call from the subscriber is a first call to the called number. In response to the call being the first call to the called number, the system assigns a call ID from the bank of reusable caller IDs that satisfies the reusable caller ID preference of the subscriber, and connects the call to the called number along with the caller ID.