Patent ID: 7636431

Claim:
A method for providing an inbound call control service to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) inbound call control service subscriber, the method comprising: configuring a directory number of the inbound call control service subscriber as a locally ported directory number in accordance with a Local Number Portability deployment, so that all calls to the directory number are routed through the PSTN to a call service node (CSN) that is a virtual service switching point in the PSTN; receiving a call initiation message at the CSN, the call initiation message being associated with a call from a caller who dialed the locally ported directory number of the inbound call control service subscriber; extracting a called number from the call initiation message, and using the called number to identify the inbound call control service subscriber associated with the called number by using the called number in a query to retrieve an inbound call control service subscriber profile that stores default information about how calls to the inbound call control service subscriber are to be handled; issuing an inbound call notification message over a messaging network from the CSN to at least one messaging device operated by the inbound call control service subscriber, the inbound call notification message providing information related to the inbound call and requesting that the inbound call control service subscriber select a call treatment option for the inbound call; while waiting for a reply to the inbound call notification message, modifying the inbound call initiation message to forward the call to a call parking facility associated with the inbound call service, and forwarding the modified inbound call initiation message from the CSN through the PSTN to forward the call to the call parking facility; receiving from the inbound call control service subscriber a reply to the inbound call notification message indicating the call treatment option selected by the inbound call control service subscriber in response to the inbound call notification message; controlling the parked call by sending a call release message from the CSN through the PSTN to the call parking facility to release the call from the call parking facility; and further controlling the call using call control messages sent from the CSN through the PSTN to control the released call in accordance with the call treatment option selected by the inbound call control service subscriber in response to the inbound call notification message.