Patent ID: 7039174

Claim:
A method of processing a call, the method comprising: informing a customer of a telecommunications system that is capable of routing calls to a plurality of communications devices of the customer that one of a plurality of unique sets of symbol headings is normally, but not always, associated with one type of communications device that is connectable to the telecommunications system; assigning one of a plurality of common 7-digit telephone numbers available within an area code of a local area to the customer of the telecommunications system and granting the customer having a specific communications device that is connected to the telecommunications system the exclusive right to optionally use a combination comprising any one of said unique sets of symbol headings plus said common 7-digit telephone number to identify the specific communications device other than a voice landline device to the other customers of the telecommunications system, the specific communications device being identified as one of the plurality of communications devices of the customer; receiving a sequence of signals representing a specific set of symbol headings plus a specific common 7-digit telephone number that has been dialed by a caller, the combination of the specific set of symbol headings plus said specific common 7-digit telephone number and no other common 7-digit telephone number alone identifying the specific communications device that is the destination for said call; and connecting said call to the specific communications device that is the destination for said call without the need for the telecommunications system to determine the type of communications device to which the call is directed; wherein only one specific communications device of the customer has its own 7-digit telephone number; and wherein no other communications device shares a line with said voice landline device.