Abstract: A first bridge in a first location is allocated in response to receiving an indication of an access number called by a first conferee in the first location to join a conference call hosted by a second bridge in a second location. A first call session is established between the first conferee and the first bridge. The first bridge and the second bridge are connected so that the first conferee is joined to the conference call hosted by the second bridge.

Abstract: A method of dynamically invoking a simultaneous ring feature in a telecommunications network includes: identifying a call directed to an address of an end user device (30); notifying user equipment (20) other than the end user device (30) of the identified call; and, receiving an indication from the user equipment (20) whether or not the simultaneous ring feature should be invoked so as to establish a call leg to the user equipment (20).

Abstract: A method of dynamically invoking a simultaneous ring feature in a telecommunications network includes: identifying a call directed to user equipment (20); notifying the user equipment (20) of the identified call; and, receiving an indication from the user equipment (20) whether or not the simultaneous ring feature should be invoked base on a determined location of the user equipment (20).

Abstract: A method and system for in an IMS network wherein a service provider can allow guest users who are not subscribers of the service provider to access its IMS core network and place calls to its subscribers. A session ID is associated with a specific call and exchanged between the guest user and a Border Gateway in the IMS core network. Allowed calls are restricted to certain features of the IMS core network and the SP can insure that calls can only be placed to subscribers who have agreed to accept the calls without keeping any guest information in the SP network and complex authorization sequence by subscriber. In addition, the service provider can prevent malicious guest users from gaining access to the IMS core by first requesting to call one subscriber, and then changing data in subsequent call signaling messages to call a different user number free of charge.

Abstract: An exemplary method provides access to call origination features contained in an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) for a subscriber of the IMS who originates a call request from customer premises equipment (CPE) outside of the IMS. The call request is received at a public service identity (PSI) server in the IMS with a phone number to which the call request is routed. An IMS internal desk number is retrieved based on the number of the outside CPE. A first modified call request is transmitted from the PSI server to a telephony application server (TAS) identifying the IMS internal desk number as a request universal resource identity (RURI). Call origination treatment as specified by the subscriber is performed by the TAS.

Abstract: A method is provided for utilizing an emergency contact number in a telecommunications network (32). The method includes: identifying a first call directed to an emergency contact number; notifying a first user equipment (20) of the identified first call; recognizing a second call from the first user equipment (20) to the emergency contact number as a request to connect the second call with the first call; and, supporting a connection of the first and second calls with one another.

Abstract: A method of dynamically invoking a simultaneous ring feature in a telecommunications network includes: identifying a call directed to user equipment (20); notifying the user equipment (20) of the identified call; and, receiving an indication from the user equipment (20) whether or not the simultaneous ring feature should be invoked base on a determined location of the user equipment (20).

Abstract: A method of dynamically invoking a simultaneous ring feature in a telecommunications network includes: identifying a call directed to an address of an end user device (30); notifying user equipment (20) other than the end user device (30) of the identified call; and, receiving an indication from the user equipment (20) whether or not the simultaneous ring feature should be invoked so as to establish a call leg to the user equipment (20).

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a communications network, a first communication device that is associated with a first communication device identifier and a second communication device that is associated with a second communication device identifier. The first communication device is communicatively coupled with the communications network, the second communication device is communicatively coupled with the communications network and the first communication device is communicatively coupled with the second communication device via the communications network. And, the second communication device originates a communication session using the first communication device identifier, and termination attempts to the first communication device are received by the second communication device and the first communication device.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a communications network, a first communication device that is associated with a first communication device identifier and a second communication device that is associated with a second communication device identifier. The first communication device is communicatively coupled with the communications network, the second communication device is communicatively coupled with the communications network and the first communication device is communicatively coupled with the second communication device via the communications network. And, the second communication device originates a communication session using the first communication device identifier, and termination attempts to the first communication device are received by the second communication device and the first communication device.

Abstract: An exemplary method provides access to call origination features contained in an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) for a subscriber of the IMS who originates a call request from customer premises equipment (CPE) outside of the IMS. The call request is received at a public service identity (PSI) server in the IMS with a phone number to which the call request is routed. An IMS internal desk number is retrieved based on the number of the outside CPE. A first modified call request is transmitted from the PSI server to a telephony application server (TAS) identifying the IMS internal desk number as a request universal resource identity (RURI). Call origination treatment as specified by the subscriber is performed by the TAS.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for processing a call from a calling party to a called party. The system includes subscriber profiles for both the called and calling parties and a call behavior module. The subscriber profiles which reside in a switch or one or more remote databases comprehensively maintain the subscribed services and preferences of the parties. The call behavior module processes the telephone call in accordance with the subscriber service options and preferences of the called party and the calling party as provided in the subscriber profiles. Call processing is thereby handled more efficiently and reduced risk of feature interactions between the different subscriber services.

Abstract: A telecommunication network may be arranged in accord with the invention so that a change in provisioning data occurring at one element of the network is automatically supplied to the other elements of the network, thereby eliminating the need of having a network administration facility to communicate manually the change to the other network elements. For example, if a local central office switch is rehomed from a first toll switch to a second toll switch, then the first and second toll switches form messages respectively characterizing the rehome and then send the messages to each of the other network toll switches so that the other toll switches may update their respective routing and trunking data relating to the rehomed switch. The network is also arranged to implement a rule-based, end-to-end routing scheme which automatically selects a routing path from multiple candidates based on (a) class-of-service parameters and (b) availability of network capacity.

Abstract: The routing of calls of different classes of services as well as the administration thereof is enhanced by associating each such class of service with a number of parameters common to such services, such that each class of service, as well as a new class of service, may be readily identified by its respective parameter values. Accordingly, the routing and administration of calls of different classes of services may be handled in a systematic, straight forward manner so that basic network capabilities may be made available to various services using an administratively defined menu like structure. In addition, such class of service advantageously partitions network bandwidth allocation, call routing priority, voice/data transport, and traffic data registers into respective classes of services.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus and methods for redirecting calls from a first choice destination to some alternate destination if the call cannot be conveniently completed to the first destination. A call is initially extended through a toll network toward the first destination; if the toll network is congested and cannot reach an egress switch to access the first destination, or if a local exchange network connecting the first destination to the toll network is congested, or if a first destination PBX cannot be reached from the toll or local network because all access channels thereto are blocked, or if the first destination PBX is congested or attendants are unavailable, an indication that the call cannot be completed to the first destination is sent back to the ingress switch to the toll network for that call. The call is then redirected from the ingress switch of the toll network to an alternate destination.

Abstract: An arrangement for routing calls from a source switch to a destination switch in a telecommunications network. If a direct trunk is available between the two switches, that trunk is used. Otherwise, the destination switch is queried to obtain availability data of trunks to that switch from intermediate switches of the network. This availability data is then compared with availability data of trunks from the source switch to the intermediate switches. A route is then selected using an intermediate switch having available trunks from the source switch and to the destination switch. If a route using lightly loaded trunk groups is available, that route is selected in preference to the use of a route using more heavily loaded trunk groups. Advantageously, routing is performed to dynamically optimize selection of a route based on the current state of the network.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for establishing a wideband communication facility from a plurality of narrow bandwidth channels through a switched communications network from a first to a second terminal in response to a call from the first terminal indicating a customer-selected bandwidth for the wideband facility. Apparatus is also disclosed for establishing a wideband communication path through an illustrative switching system interconnecting groups of narrowband time division multiplexed channels established for the wideband facility. The path has a bandwidth greater than any of the TDM channels. Additional buffer memories and memory control arrangements are added to the initial and final stages of a time-space-time switching network to prevent any of the time slot data of a given time frame from being delayed and included in another time frame.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for recording information on the accumulated usage of a group of trunks interconnecting two networks. The apparatus includes two usage records that are alternately designated primary and secondary usage records during successive ones of consecutive time periods. In response to a call on a trunk, the primary usage record is decremented by an amount representing the time interval between the start of a given period and the commencement of trunk use. During the period, each trunk connected to a network office is examined for use once during the period. When a selected trunk is found in use, the secondary usage record is incremented by an amount representing the interval of time in the previously occurring time period.

Abstract: A wideband communication facility is established via a switched network between calling and called terminals. The wideband facility comprises a number of segments, each segment including a plurality of narrowband time division multiplex channels having a total bandwidth at least equal to the bandwidth of the wideband facility. A switching system of the network interconnects the wideband facility segments and assembles all the data received in a given time frame from one segment into the single time frame for transmission to another facility segment. Additional buffer memories are added to the initial and final stages of a time-space-time switching network to insure that all the data received in one time frame from a given facility segment is assembled only into the same time farme for transmission on an outgoing facility segment.

Abstract: A telephone switching office having a plurality of meet-me conference bridging systems is disclosed. An access code is assigned to each conference, and at an agreed upon time, all conferees for a conference dial the same access code. The switching office allocates a bridging system in response to the first call to arrive at the office. In the event more than one call for the same conference arrives at the host office concurrently, the processing of all but one call is delayed until an idle bridging system is connected to that one call. The delayed calls, and any future calls to the conference are then steered to the same bridging system.