Telephone network system and method

Abstract

Systems for and methods of delivering telephone calls using the combination of a data channel and a voice channel are disclosed. A data channel connection with the telephone handset may provide pre-call information used to set up incoming and outgoing calls which are ultimately connected using a voice channel. Use of the pre-call information may permit the same handset to be associated with multiple secondary telephone numbers from which calls appear to have been made and to which calls appear to have been placed.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of providing telephone service, comprising:
 automatically storing electronic information that indicates an association of a secondary telephone number and a primary telephone number with a telephone handset in a computer memory associated with a server;   automatically transmitting information that indicates a bridge or access telephone number to the handset via a data channel;   receiving, at the server, information from the handset indicating a contact telephone number via a data channel;   receiving, at a switch associated with the server, a first outgoing call from the handset to the bridge or access telephone number via a second channel;   receiving, at the server, information from the switch indicating the first outgoing call is being made to the bridge or access telephone number from the primary telephone number; and   receiving, at the switch, information from the server causing the switch to:   (a) place a second outgoing call to the contact telephone number;   (b) identify a telephone number from which the second outgoing call is being made as the secondary telephone number; and   (c) connect the first outgoing call and the second outgoing call.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data channel is an Internet protocol (IP) channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second channel is established in accordance with a CDMA or GSM standard. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second channel is not an Internet Protocol (IP) channel. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor operatively coupled to the memory,   the processor configured to automatically store electronic information that indicates an association of a secondary telephone number and a primary telephone number with a mobile device in a computer memory associated with a server,   the processor configured to automatically transmit information that indicates an access telephone number to the mobile device via a data channel,   the processor configured to receive, at the server, information from the mobile device indicating a contact telephone number via a data channel,   the processor configured to receive, at the server, information from a switch associated with the server and in response to the switch receiving a first outgoing call from the mobile device to the access telephone number via a second channel,   the information indicating the first outgoing call is being made to the access telephone number from the primary telephone number,   the processor configured to send, to the switch, information from the server causing the switch to:
 (a) place a second outgoing call to the contact telephone number; 
 (b) identify a telephone number from which the second outgoing call is being made as the secondary telephone number; and 
 (c) connect the first outgoing call and the second outgoing call. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the data channel is an Internet Protocol (IP) channel. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second channel is established in accordance with a CDMA or GSM standard. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second channel is not an Internet Protocol (IP) channel. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to be executed by a processor, the code comprising code to cause the processor to:
 automatically store electronic information that indicates an association of a secondary telephone number and a primary telephone number with a mobile device in a computer memory associated with a server;   automatically transmit information that indicates an access telephone number to the mobile device via a data channel;   receive, at the server, information from the mobile device indicating a contact telephone number via a data channel;   receive, at the server, information from a switch associated with the server and in response to the switch receiving a first outgoing call from the mobile device to the access telephone number via a second channel,   the information indicating the first outgoing call is being made to the access telephone number from the primary telephone number; and   send, to the switch, information from the server causing the switch to:
 (a) place a second outgoing call to the contact telephone number; 
 (b) identify a telephone number from which the second outgoing call is being made as the secondary telephone number; and 
 (c) connect the first outgoing call and the second outgoing call. 
   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the data channel is an Internet Protocol (IP) channel. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the second channel is established in accordance with a CDMA or GSM standard. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the second channel is not an Internet Protocol (IP) channel.