Methods and apparatus for providing expanded telecommunications service
The present invention provides flexible call processing. For example, a call processor system can receive an inbound call intended for a called party and place an outbound call to the called party. The call processing system can provide the called party with a call transfer option.
1. A method of processing calls, the method comprising:
storing in computer readable memory associated with a call processing system a first phone address associated with a first subscriber;
storing in computer readable memory a plurality of phone addresses for the first subscriber;
participating at the call processing system in a first call associated with the first subscriber, the first call associated with a second phone address different than the first phone address;
placing a first outcall from the call processing system to a first called party, wherein the call processing system inserts at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerlD field associated with signaling information associated with the first outcall;
causing the first call and the first outcall to be bridged;
participating at the call processing system in a second call associated with the first subscriber, the second call involving a subscriber communication device associated with a third phone address different than the first phone address;
placing a second outcall from the call processing system to a second called party, wherein the call processing system inserts at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerlD field associated with signaling information associated with the second outcall; and
causing the second call and the second outcall to be bridged.
2. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the signaling information associated with the first outcall is SIP signaling.
3. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first outcall is placed using an Internet Protocol network.
4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first outcall is placed over a wireless network.
5. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first outcall is placed over a switched circuit telephone network.
6. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising providing the first subscriber with software configured to enable a firewall to be penetrated by a call-related communication.
7. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of phone addresses includes a work phone address, a home phone address, and a mobile phone address.
8. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first phone address is a virtual telephone address that is not assigned by a carrier to the first subscriber.
9. A system comprising:
at least one computer processor; and
a non-transitory memory embodied with a computer program comprising instructions which when executed by the at least one computer processor performs operations comprising:
storing a first phone address associated with a first subscriber;
storing a plurality of phone addresses for the first subscriber;
participating in a first call associated with the first subscriber, the first call associated with a second phone address different than the first phone address;
placing a first outcall to a first called party;
inserting at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerID field associated with signaling information associated with the first outcall;
causing the first call and the first outcall to be bridged;
participating in a second call associated with the first subscriber, the second call involving a subscriber communication device associated with a third phone address different than the first phone address;
placing a second outcall to a second called party;
inserting at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerID field associated with signaling information associated with the second outcall; and
causing the second call and the second outcall to be bridged.
10. The system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the signaling information associated with the first outcall is SIP signaling.
11. The system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the first outcall is placed using an Internet Protocol network.
12. The system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the first outcall is placed over a wireless network.
13. The system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the first outcall is placed over a switched circuit telephone network.
14. The system as defined in claim 9 , the operations further comprising providing the first subscriber with software configured to enable a firewall to be penetrated by a call-related communication.
15. The system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the plurality of phone addresses includes a work phone address, a home phone address, and a mobile phone address.
16. The system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the first phone address is a virtual telephone address that is not assigned by a carrier to the first subscriber.
17. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodied with a computer program comprising instructions when executed perform the steps of:
storing a first phone address associated with a first subscriber;
storing a plurality of phone addresses for the first subscriber;
participating in a first call associated with the first subscriber, the first call associated with a second phone address different than the first phone address;
placing a first outcall to a first called party;
inserting at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerID field associated with signaling information associated with the first outcall;
causing the first call and the first outcall to be bridged;
participating in a second call associated with the first subscriber, the second call involving a subscriber communication device associated with a third phone address different than the first phone address;
placing a second outcall to a second called party;
inserting at least a portion of the first phone address in a callerID field associated with signaling information associated with the second outcall; and
causing the second call and the second outcall to be bridged.