Importance

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Abstract

A method is disclosed for providing private network types of telephone services via the public switched network without having it provide private hardware facilities. The method is described with respect to a telephone system comprising plural telephone stations and offices, a data base, and a data communications network connecting some of the offices to the data base. Information is stored at the data base defining a virtual private network. The information includes a description of the bounds of the virtual network and its capacity in terms of virtual telephone facility resources of a prescribed type. In response to a call directed to the virtual network, a verification is made at the data base that this call is entitled to complete via the virtual network and that an idle virtual resource is available for assignment to the call. The idle resource is assigned to the call, and the call is completed via the public switched network.

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First Claim