Abstract: A service broker system is presented for mediating events or messages to be sent to or received from a plurality of applications to control service interaction and to provide service blending in a communications system. The service broker system includes steplet functional components that determine a desired mediation for feature interaction or service blending associated with an event or message, along with a message manager component with a dispatcher for the steplet functional components, where the message manager creates and maintains a unique message object for a received request message. A user and end point data manager component is provided to obtain user data and endpoint data and to bind attribute data to a user ID associated with a current service session, and a session context component for binding attribute data to session ID associated with the current service session.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for providing a simultaneous ring and check presence prior to terminating service for a plurality of called phones in a simultaneous ring set. The simultaneous ring set includes a plurality wireline or wireless units. A service broker intercepts a call invitation message generated by a calling phone and intended for the simultaneous ring set. Upon determining that the simultaneous ring set has simultaneous ring service, the service broker determines the status of each of the plurality of called phones that are members of the simultaneous ring set. The service broker sends an invitation accept message for the responding unit of the simultaneous ring set to the calling phone, thereby completing the call between the calling phone and the responding unit of the simultaneous ring set.

Abstract: A multi-stage telephone number dialing system and method of “semi-listed” numbers provides limited and selective access of individuals to a telephone subscriber. When a semi-listed number is called, a recorded announcement is played to the caller requesting that the caller enter an authorization code or “PIN” (Personal Identification Number). One of a number of possible actions is then performed based on the entered PIN, illustratively determined by a database lookup. Actions which may be taken include (i) connecting the incoming call through to the subscriber, (ii) directing the incoming call to a voice mailbox, (iii) providing a recorded message to the caller, and (iv) disconnecting the call.