Patent ID: 6163597
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
For use in a system that determines routing instructions for telephone calls to be routed from calling stations within various geographic territories to destination stations when the calls are placed to a virtual telephone number, an arrangement whereby a subscriber for the virtual number can prescribe which destination stations shall receive calls from which geographic territories, comprising:(a) a first database having data relating telephone numbers of the calling stations to geographical indicators of corresponding locations of the calling stations;(b) a processor configured for assigning a relationship between at least some of the geographical indicators and telephone numbers for the destination stations using a graphical user interface;(c) a second database storing the relationship between at least some of the geographical indicators and telephone numbers for the destination stations as assigned by said processor, whereby for each call to the virtual number from one of the calling stations the first database is accessed using a telephone number for the calling station to produce a geographical indicator for the calling station for entry into the second database, and the second database yields a telephone number for a destination stations servicing the area indicated by the geographical indicator for inclusion in a routing instruction for the call.