The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 06, 2005
Filed:
Jul. 12, 2001
Joseph Bernard Weinman, Jr., Basking Ridge, NJ (US);
Joseph Bernard Weinman, Jr., Basking Ridge, NJ (US);
AT&T Corp., New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A system and method directed to providing a broadcast/multicast in a circuit-switched network. An exemplary method includes receiving at a first switch a call directed to a called number; determining whether the first switch has an active connection to the called number; if the first switch has an active connection to the called number, merging the call with the active connection; and if the first switch does not have an active connection to the called number, routing the call to a next switch. The process is repeated as necessary until a next switch with an active connection is identified and/or the switch serving the called number is reached. The present invention conserves network resources and increases network efficiency, in part, by not carrying a call any further than is necessary for the caller to participate in a broadcast/multicast.