Method and apparatus for translating a dialed string entered by a calling party

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for automatically translating the dialed string entered by a calling party to identify a called party into another dialed string. The string translation may be based, for example, on characteristics of the telephone number or telephone terminal of the calling party or characteristics of the call itself. Translation rules translate the dialed string entered by the calling party to another dialed string. Each translation rule contains one or more conditions and a corresponding action item that should be performed to translate the dialed string when the rule is satisfied. The improved abbreviated dialing feature allows a shorter sequence of digits dialed from any telephone connected to a compliant switch to be replaced by a longer dialed string.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method for translating a dialed string for a call entered by a calling party, said method comprising the steps of: 
 analyzing said dialed string to determine if said dialed string satisfies at least one condition; and    translating said dialed string if said at least one condition is satisfied based on characteristics of said call.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one condition includes a specified prefix and a length of said dialed string.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one condition includes a feature button being activated with said dialed string.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said translating step further comprises the step of deleting one or more symbols from said dialed string to create a new dialed string.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said translating step further comprises the step of appending one or more symbols to create a new dialed string.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said appended one or more symbols are based on a telephone number of said calling party.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said appended one or more symbols are based on a telephone number of an organization facility.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said appended one or more symbols are based on a number that has been associated with a feature function button on a telephone terminal.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said characteristics of said call include a telephone number of said calling party.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said characteristics of said call include a telephone number of a facility associated with said calling party.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said characteristics of said call include a caller-specified telephone number.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said characteristics of said call include a sequence of symbols stored in a database associated with a telephone terminal.  
     
     
         13 . A method for translating a dialed string entered by a calling party, said method comprising the steps of: 
 establishing at least one rule including at least one condition and an action item to be performed to automatically translate said dialed string when said rule is satisfied;    analyzing said dialed string to identify said condition; and    performing said action item if said rule is satisfied.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one condition includes a specified prefix and a length of said dialed string.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one condition includes a feature button being activated with said dialed string.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said action item includes the step of deleting one or more symbols from said dialed string to create a new dialed string.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said action item includes the step of appending one or more symbols to create a new dialed string.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said appended one or more symbols are based on a telephone number of said calling party.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said appended one or more symbols are based on a telephone number of an organization facility.  
     
     
         20 . A system for translating a dialed string for a call entered by a calling party, comprising: 
 a memory that stores computer-readable code; and    a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to implement said computer-readable code, said computer-readable code configured to: 
 analyze said dialed string to determine if said dialed string satisfies at least one condition; and  
 translate said dialed string if said at least one condition is satisfied based on characteristics of said call.  
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said at least one condition includes a specified prefix and a length of said dialed string.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said at least one condition includes a feature button being activated with said dialed string.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said wherein said processor is further configured to delete one or more symbols from said dialed string to create a new dialed string.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said processor is further configured to append one or more symbols to create a new dialed string.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein said appended one or more symbols are based on a telephone number of said calling party.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein said appended one or more symbols are based on a telephone number of an organization facility.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein said appended one or more symbols are based on a number that has been associated with a feature function button on a telephone terminal.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said characteristics of said call include a telephone number of said calling party.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said characteristics of said call include a telephone number of a facility associated with said calling party.  
     
     
         30 . An article of manufacture for translating a dialed string for a call entered by a calling party, comprising: 
 a computer readable medium having computer readable code means embodied thereon, said computer readable program code means comprising: 
 a step to analyze said dialed string to determine if said dialed string satisfies at least one condition; and  
 a step to translate said dialed string if said at least one condition is satisfied based on characteristics of said call.