Telecommunications addressing system and method

摘要

A telecommunications addressing system/method allowing selection of a telephone instrument device (TID) using arbitrary identifiers is disclosed. The system/method allows a source TID (STD) to select a target TID (TTD) by the use of a Target Telephone Identifier (TTI) data string rather than a traditional numeric telephone identification (NTI). This TTI is then indexed within a TTI/NTI mapping server (TMS) that functions as a hierarchical repository of TTI/NTI mappings. STD/TTD communication is established by first performing a lookup of the STD-selected TTI within the TMS to identify the NTI of the TTD. Once the NTI of the STD has been identified by the TMS, communication between the STD and TTD is established using the NTI via the normal public switched telephone network (PSTN). TMS TTI lookup may be performed via STD TID web application and/or via PSTN infrastructure interface.

主权项

1. A telecommunications addressing system (TAS) comprising:
(a) telephone mapping server (TMS); (b) telephone mapping database (TMD); and (c) computer communication network (CCN); wherein: said TAS is configured to communicate with a public switched telephone network (PSTN); said TMS is configured to store information that identifies a telephone instrument device (TID) in said TMD, the stored information comprising a numeric telephone identifier (NTI); said TMS is configured to locate an NTI within said TMD using a target telephone identifier (TTI) data string as the locating index; said NTI permits said TID to be accessed via a PSTN; said TAS is configured to permit a first user to select and associate a first TTI data string with a first numeric telephone identifier (NTI) of a first TID in the TMD; and said TAS is configured such when a second user, operating another TID as a source telephone device (STD), uses the selected and associated first TTI data string to initiate a call to the first TID of the first user, the TMS uses the selected and associated first TTI data string as a locating index to determine the associated first NTI, and the TAS initiates a telephone call between said STD and said first TID.