Apparatus and method for providing enhanced telecommunications services

Abstract

An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing transparent enhanced telecommunications services to subscribers by implementing an enhanced services platform on a local network exchange within the public telephone network. More specifically, the apparatus and method of the present invention is capable of providing a plurality of enhanced telecommunications services to a subscriber by using a voice-activated interface to enable the subscriber to access at least one of the plurality of enhanced telecommunications services. In addition, the apparatus and method of the present invention may use a web-activated interface to enable the subscriber to access at least one of the plurality of enhanced telecommunications services.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A method for providing telecommunications services, the method comprising:
 communicatively coupling a telecommunications platform to one or more telecommunications switches within a public telephone network, the telecommunications platform having a highly-reliable switch, an applications server, and a database;   providing by the telecommunications platform information via a web interface to a subscriber; and   initiating, while the web interface is active and upon request from the subscriber, a call, the call using at least a portion of the public telephone network.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the call is a switched call. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the providing is performed at least in part by retrieving information from the database. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the initiating is performed in response to receiving a voice request from the subscriber. 
   
   
       25 . A method for providing telecommunications services, the method comprising:
 establishing a first interface with a subscriber, the first interface being established at least in part via a data network;   receiving a request for information;   retrieving the information from a database;   providing the information to the subscriber via the data network; and   establishing a second interface between the subscriber and a third party, the second interface being established at least in part via a public-switched telephone network.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the database comprises a subscriber profile. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the database is a local database. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the establishing is performed in response to receiving a voice command from the subscriber. 
   
   
       29 . A method for providing telecommunications services, the method comprising:
 establishing a first communications link within a session between a telecommunications platform and a subscriber, the first communications link being a data link;   receiving a request for information from the subscriber;   providing the information to the subscriber via the data link; and   initiating a second communications link between the subscriber and a public telephone network, the initiating being performed at least in part during the session.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the information is retrieved from a database. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the database is a local database. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the telecommunications platform comprises a highly-reliable switch. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the initiating is performed in response to a command from the subscriber. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the command is a voice command. 
   
   
       35 . A method for providing telecommunications services, the method comprising:
 establishing a communications session with a subscriber;   receiving a request for information from the subscriber after establishing the communications session;   retrieving from a database the information requested by the subscriber;   providing the information to the subscriber; and   initiating a voice call between the subscriber and a third party, the initiating being performed prior to ending the communications session.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the database is a local database. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the initiating is performed in response to a command from the subscriber. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the command is a voice command. 
   
   
       39 . A method for providing telecommunications services, the method comprising:
 establishing a communications session with a subscriber;   providing a service to the subscriber during the communications session, the service being based at least in part on a location of the subscriber; and   causing a voice call to be established between the subscriber and a third party during the communications session.   
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the location is based at least in part on Automatic Number Identification (ANI). 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the location is based at least in part on Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS). 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the location is based at least in part on Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS). 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the service utilizes at least in part a web interface. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the voice call utilizes a public telephone network. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the voice call is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the providing the service comprises providing information via a data network. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the providing is performed at least in part by a telecommunications platform, the telecommunications platform comprising a highly-reliable switch. 
   
   
       48 . A method for providing telecommunications services, the method comprising:
 storing a subscriber profile for a subscriber in a database, the database being part of a telecommunications platform, the telecommunications platform having a highly-reliable switch;   updating routing information in the subscriber profile, the updating being performed in response to receiving commands from the subscriber via a web interface;   receiving an outgoing call request from the subscriber;   retrieving the subscriber profile; and   routing an outgoing call in response to the outgoing call request based upon the routing information contained in the subscriber profile.   
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the outgoing call request comprises a voice command. 
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the outgoing call is routed through the telecommunications platform. 
   
   
       51 . A method for providing telecommunications services, the method comprising:
 communicatively coupling a telecommunications platform to one or more telecommunications switches within a communications network, the telecommunications platform having a highly-reliable switch, an applications server, and a database;   storing contact information of a subscriber on the database;   updating the contact information based upon information received from the subscriber via a web interface;   receiving from the subscriber a request to call a called party included in the contact information;   retrieving the contact information for the called party; and   connecting the subscriber to the called party, the connecting being performed based upon the contact information retrieved from the database.   
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the request comprises a voice command. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the connecting is performed using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).