Patent ID: 9667770
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04M,H04W

Claim:
1. A method of providing telephone service, the method comprising: associating a secondary telephone number with a primary telephone number in at least one computer memory device, the primary telephone number being assigned to a handset; acquiring first digital information from the handset over at least one data channel, the first digital information indicating primary call processing rules for handling calls directed to the primary telephone number; storing the primary call processing rules in the at least one computer memory device; acquiring second digital information from the handset over the at least one data channel, the second digital information indicating secondary call processing rules for handling calls directed to the secondary telephone number; storing the secondary call processing rules in the at least one computer memory device; receiving an incoming call over at least one voice channel at a switch, the switch being associated with a bridge telephone number such that calls directed to the bridge telephone number are automatically routed to the switch, the incoming call being directed to a handset-associated telephone number, the handset-associated telephone number being the primary telephone number or the secondary telephone number, and; based on the primary call processing rules or the secondary call processing rules: transmitting pre-call information to the handset over the at least one data channel the pre-call information including the bridge telephone number and the handset-associated telephone number, such that the handset is capable of displaying the handset-associated telephone number to a user and, based on user input, accepting the incoming call by connecting with the switch over the at least one voice channel using the bridge telephone number.