Abstract: When one party places a long distance call to another party through a telephone network, there is a delay in completing the call after the calling party enters the telephone number of the called party. During this holding time, a message specific to the geographic location of the called party is synthesized in light of information gleaned from the dialed telephone number and delivered to the calling party. The message may include an identification of the location of the called party, the time of day and date where the called party is located, news, weather, or other location specific information. The message may also include advertising information.

Abstract: A security node disposed in the telecommunications network connecting calling and called parties transforms information (which can be voice, data, facsimile, video and other types of calls or messages) encrypted in a first format to (a) encrypted information in a different format or to (b) non-encrypted information, and vice-versa. The node is accessible from any location connected to the network. By routing calls or messages originated by the calling party and destined for the called party via the security node, and providing appropriate control signals to the node, the information may be encrypted only over a portion of the transmission path between the parties, and clear over the remainder of the transmission path. Alternatively, the information may be encrypted in different portions of the path using different encryption algorithms.

Abstract: Checks used to effectuate commercial and private transactions may be cleared through the banking system by transporting images of those checks between sending institutions and receiving institutions in forward and reverse flow paths between banks of first deposit and payor banks. The check images are transported through a public switched telephone network which contains a special check imaging node which provides a network based check clearing service for customers of telephone network. The check imaging node receives images of checks from institutions which subscribe to this service and routes those images through the telephone network to intended subscriber and non-subscriber recipients. Transmission of check images through a public switched telephone network may completely replace existing check clearance procedures or may be used in conjunction with existing procedures.

Abstract: This invention relates to an arrangement for selecting a local dealer out of a large group of dealers for completion of an 800 number. The caller is first connected to a toll switching system. That system sends a query to a first database using the 800 number and the caller's Numbering Plan Area (NPA) code. The first database responds with a routing number which is used to route a second query to one of a plurality of second databases. The second query uses the routing number and the caller's NPA plus office code to access the second database and to obtain the telephone number of a local dealer. The telephone number is returned to the toll system for completing the call. Advantageously, a caller can use a number advertised on national television to access a local dealer.