Contact number encapsulation system

Abstract

A contact number encapsulation system is disclosed that is operable to consolidate a plurality of contact numbers associated with a given user into a single contact number. The system includes a call processing application that uses information contained in a SIP message header to determine a list of contact numbers to call. The SIP message header contains a call destination indication that is used by the call processing application to retrieve the list of contact numbers. The list of contact numbers is user defined and may be updated or modified by an account holder at any given time. Once the list of contact numbers is obtained, a simultaneous call module is used to simultaneously call each number contained in the list. As such, the account holder only needs to provide the primary contact number to individuals desiring to reach him/her instead of various numbers that are associated with various locations the account holder may be located.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising the steps of:
 receiving a call to a contact number from a carrier via a first IP based network on a first at least one hardware device,   providing at least one second hardware device configured to receive said call from said at least one first hardware device;   retrieving at least two or more contact numbers in response to said call;   calling each of said at least two or more contact numbers to cause devices associated with said at least two or more contact numbers to ring at or about the same time;   establishing a communication session between a device associated with one of said at least two or more contact numbers and a calling device placing said call if a user of said called device accepts said call; and   providing a control panel accessible by a user, said control panel being operable to allow said user to add contact numbers to said at least two or more contact numbers, wherein said control panel is operable to allow said user to edit said at least two or more contact numbers, wherein said control panel is operable to allow said user to delete contact numbers from said at least two or more contact numbers, wherein said control panel further comprises a plurality of user designation fields, each one of said user designation fields being associated with a respective contact number of said at least two or more contact numbers and operable for entry of an indicator designating each contact number associated therewith as an activated contact number or a deactivated contact number, and wherein said control panel further comprises a display identifying each respective one of said at least two or more contact numbers as either being in an activated state or a deactivated state so that said user knows a current state of each of said two or more contact numbers; and   wherein said deactivated contact numbers are not called.   
     
     
         18 . The method of claim  1 , wherein said at least one first hardware device is connected with said at least one second hardware device via a second IP based network.