System and method for automatic area code updating

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Briefly, the present invention relates to a system and method for automatically updating area code information in telecommunications devices and networks as newly created area codes are implemented.
The system in accordance with the present invention may be typically resident within the telecommunications device and includes a message receiving unit, a message decoding unit and an update unit.
In particular, the message receiving unit monitors the telephone connection and determines whether a "new area code" message is being transmitted by the telephone company central office or carrier.
The message decoding unit then translates the message, if needed, into a form usable for a particular device.
The update unit then checks the internal area code lists of the device to determine whether the new area code has already been added to the device's lists and enables the area code lists to be automatically updated if the area code is found to not exist in the lists.
In one embodiment of the invention, area code updating messages may be received directly by certain digital devices.
Therefore, when such an update message is received, the device can compare the new area code against its preexisting list to determine whether the new area code needs to be added.
If the new area code is not present in the existing lists, the lists are updated as needed.
In another embodiment of the invention, area code updating commands may be received by analog devices as a Calling Number Delivery message.
The area code and number is checked against an existing list within the analog device.
If the area code is not already present in the list, the device is able to update its list based on the information provided by the Calling Number Delivery message.