Method for billing a VoIP call in a communication system

• US 20010047333A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sung, Jeong-Sic, Kim, Jung-Gi
• Application Number:
  US09/825,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20010047333A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony

Abstract

A billing method starts billing a call at a time point where the called party answers the call. A extension subscriber connection processor of the calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway determines whether a called party responds to a call from the calling party, and upon receipt of the response, informs the VoIP trunk connection processor of receipt of the response. A VoIP trunk connection processor receives the response information from the called party at the extension subscriber connection processor, assembles a response packet, and transmits the assembled response packet to the calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway through a VoIP call channel. The calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway checks the response packet out of the packets received through the call channel, and transmits the checked response packet to the VoIP call processing central controller. The VoIP call processing central controller records a call start time for the corresponding VoIP call using the response information received from the VoIP trunk connection processor.

Claims

1. A method for billing a VoIP (Voice-over-Internet Protocol) call in a communication system in which, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway is connected to a called party'"'"'s VoIP gateway through an IP network, the calling and called party'"'"'s VoIP gateways each including a VoIP trunk connection processor, an extension subscriber connection processor and a VoIP call processing central controller;

determining, in the extension subscriber connection processor of the calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway, whether a called party responds to a call from the calling party, and upon receipt of the response, informing the VoIP trunk connection processor of receipt of the response;

receiving, in the VoIP trunk connection processor, the response information from the called party at the extension subscriber connection processor, assembling a response packet, and transmitting the assembled response packet to the calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway through a VoIP call channel;

checking, in the calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway, the response packet out of the packets received through the call channel, and transmitting the checked response packet to the VoIP call processing central controller; and

recording, in the VoIP call processing central controller, a call start time for the corresponding VoIP call using the response information received from the VoIP trunk connection processor.

2. A VoIP call billing method, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a calling party in a communication system in which a calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway is connected to a called party'"'"'s VoIP gateway through an IP network, the calling and called party'"'"'s VoIP gateways each including a VoIPtrunk connection processor, an extension subscriber connection processor and a VoIP call processing central controller;

(b) generating a dial tone when a VoIP call processing central controller detects hook-off, and waiting for digits to be input;

(c) analyzing the dialed digits corresponding to a phone number of the other party, and attempting to connect a VoIP call to determine whether the call is setup or not;

(d) performing VoIP call setup to the other party'"'"'s VoIP gateway, when the call is setup in step (c);

(e) receiving a voice packet from the other party by activating a voice packet channel, after performing the VoIP call setup;

(f) converting the received voice packet to a PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) signal for the subscriber and determining whether there exists a consecutive voice packet being received; and

(g) determining, when there is no consecutive voice packet, whether a response information packet is received or not, and informing, when the response information packet is received, receipt of the response information packet to the VoIP call processing central controller, setting a call time, and recording billing information.

3. A VoIP call billing method, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a called party in a communication system in which a calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway is connected to a called party'"'"'s VoIP gateway through an IP network, the calling and called party'"'"'s VoIP gateways each including a VoIP trunk connection processor, an extension subscriber connection processor and a VoIP call processing central controller;

(b) upon receipt of a VoIP call setup request from the calling party, transmitting a called party'"'"'s phone number to the VoIP call processing central controller to analyze the called party'"'"'s phone number;

(c) activating a voice packet channel according to the analyzing results to transmit a voice packet, generating a ring tone for the extension subscriber, and determining whether a response is received from the calling party; and

(d) upon failure to receive a response, awaiting the response, and upon receipt of a response, informing the VoIP call processing central controller and the VoIP trunk connection processor of receipt of the response, and then transmitting a response information packet for the corresponding call to the calling party'"'"'s VoIP gateway.

4. A method for billing a voice over the internet (VoIP) call, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) picking up the handset of the calling party'"'"'s telephone;

(b) detecting an off hook condition in an extension subscriber connection processor of a calling party'"'"'s gateway;

(c) informing a VoIP call processing central controller ofthe calling party'"'"'s gateway that the calling party'"'"'s telephone is off the hook;

(d) generating a dial tone for the calling party by said VoIP call processing central controller;

(e) inputting digits identifying a called party into said calling party'"'"'s telephone handset;

(f) recognizing said input digits by said VoIP call processing central controller;

(g) transmitting the inputted digits from said extension subscriber connection processor to said VoIP call processing central controller;

(h) analyzing the input digits to determine an Internet protocol of the called party'"'"'s gateway;

(i) connecting the call between the calling party'"'"'s gateway and the called party'"'"'s gateway by having the calling party'"'"'s VoIP call processing central controller command the VoIP trunk connection processor;

(j) activating a packet by the VoIP trunk connection processor of the calling party'"'"'s gateway;

(k) receiving a packet from called party'"'"'s gateway;

(l) converting said packet to pulse controlled modulation signal to generate voice signal for the caller;

(m) analyzing said packet by said caller'"'"'s VoIP trunk connection processor to determine whether it is a response information packet;

(n) informing said VoIP call processing central controller by said VoIP trunk connection processor of receipt of the response information packet; and

(o) setting a call start time and recording biloing by said VoIP call processing central controller of said calling party'"'"'s gateway.

5. The method of

claim 4

, where said packet in steps (j) through (m) are voice packets.

6. The method of

claim 4

, wherein said packet in steps (j) through (m) are ring-back tone packets.

7. The method of

claim 4

, wherein said call is originated from a VoIP gateway in the form of a private automatic branch exchange.

8. A method for billing a voice over the internet (VoIP) call, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, through a VoIP trunk connection processor of the called party'"'"'s gateway a call setup request from the calling party'"'"'s gateway;

(b) transmitting called party'"'"'s phone number information to a VoIP call processing central controller in said called party'"'"'s gateway;

(c) analyzing the called party'"'"'s phone number by said VoIP call processing central controller;

(d) activating a ring-back tone packet channel to transmit a packet through said ring-back tone packet channel by said VoIP trunk connection processor of the called party'"'"'s gateway;

(e) generating a ring tone for a subscriber on a phone of said called party'"'"'s gateway via said VoIP call processing central controller and said extension subscriber connection processor of said called party'"'"'s gateway;

(f) picking up the phone off the hook on the called party'"'"'s telephone;

(g) detecting the off-hook condition by said extension subscriber connection processor of said called party'"'"'s gateway;

(h) informing the VoIP call processing central controller of the off-hook condition;

(i) informing the VoIP trunk connection processor of the called party'"'"'s gateway of the offhook condition;

(j) assembling a response information packet by the VoIP trunk connection processor of the called party'"'"'s gateway; and

(k) transmitting said response information packet to a calling party'"'"'s gateway.

9. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the packet of step (d) is a voice packet.

10. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the packet of step (d) is a ring-back tone packet.

11. The method of

claim 8

, wherein said call is originated from a VoIP gateway in the form of a private automatic branch exchange.