Method and apparatus to validate a subscriber line

• US 20030138084A1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jolly Seven, Series 70 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Paymentone Corporation
• Inventors: Truitt, Jennifer R., Lynam, Joe M., Dawson, Ken R., Philbin, M. Brendan
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/70 Administration aspects, modify settings or limits or counter-check correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7072 Validate charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile

Abstract

A method is described of providing validation data associated with a subscriber line of a telecommunication network. The method includes obtaining line data of the subscriber line wherein the line data is suitable for interrogating a line identification database (LIDB). The method interrogates the LIDB with the line data to obtain reference subscriber data associated with the line data, and processes the reference subscriber data to obtain validation data associated with the subscriber line. The invention extends to a subscriber line validation system to validate a subscriber line of a communication network.

Claims

1. A method of providing validation data associated with a subscriber line of a telecommunication network, the method including:

obtaining line data of the subscriber line, the line data being suitable for interrogating a line identification database (LIDB);

interrogating the LIDB with the line data to obtain reference subscriber data associated with the line data; and

processing the reference subscriber data to obtain validation data associated with the subscriber line.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the LIDB is a conventional LIDB used by a service provider.

3. The method of claim 2, which includes:

analyzing the reference subscriber data to determine if the line data is associated with a billing telephone number (BTN); and

generating one of an approval and a decline status in response to the analysis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the line data is an automatic number identification (ANI).

5. The method of claim 4, which includes interrogating the LIDB with the ANI to obtain the reference subscriber data associated with the line data.

6. The method of claim 5, which includes processing the validation data to determine whether the subscriber line is a billable line having an associated account to which goods or services can be billed.

7. The method of claim 5, which includes processing the reference subscriber data received from the LIDB selectively to approve a transaction requested via the subscriber line.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the reference subscriber data is in the form of LIDB codes.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the processing of the reference subscriber data includes generating a modified code from at least one LIDB code from a plurality of LIDB codes.

10. The method of claim 9, which includes generating a common modified code from the plurality of LIDB codes.

11. The method of claim 10, which includes arranging the modified codes into a billable group and a non-billable group.

12. The method of claim 4, which includes conducting fraud control checks on the account associated with the subscriber line.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the fraud control checks include at least one of the operations selected from the group consisting of checking if adjustments have been made to the account associated with the line data, verifying a user entered ZIP code with ZIP data from a ZIP data source, verifying user entered address data with address data from an address data source, checking if an area code associated with the line data has changed, checking if the line data and a BTN match, and checking if one of the BTN and ANI are missing from the record.

14. The method of claim 1, which includes interrogating a network database with the ANI to determine if the subscriber line is a billable subscriber line and, if so, generating one of a decline status and an approved status in response to the interrogation.

15. The method of claim 14, which includes interrogating with the line data at least one of a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) database, a 42 BLOCK database, a Block and Cancel database, an unpaid bills database, an off network database, an on network database, an address verification database, a regional account office (RAO) database, an operating company number (OCN) database, and a customer account record exchange (CARE) database.

16. The method of claim 1, which includes:

receiving the line data from a vendor of goods or services; and

communicating one of a decline status and an approval status to the vendor in response to receiving the line data from the vendor.

17. The method of claim 16, which includes billing charges raised by the vendor to an account submitted by an exchange carrier to a subscriber for use of the subscriber line.

18. A machine-readable medium for storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

obtain line data of a subscriber line, the line data being suitable for interrogating a line identification database (LIDB);

interrogate the LIDB with the line data to obtain reference subscriber data associated with the line data; and

process the reference subscriber data to obtain validation data associated with the subscriber line.

19. A subscriber line validation system to validate a subscriber line of a communication network, the system including

a communication module to receive line data of the subscriber line, the line data being suitable for interrogating a line identification database (LIDB);

an interrogation module for interrogating the LIDB with the line data to obtain reference subscriber data associated with the line data; and

a processor module for processing the reference subscriber data to obtain validation data associated with the subscriber line.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the LIDB is at least one conventional LIDB used by at least one service provider to investigate a destination line to which the subscriber line requests a connection.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor module is configured to analyze the reference subscriber data to determine if the data is associated with a billing telephone number (BTN) and to generate one of an approval and a decline status in response to the analysis.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the line data is an automatic number identification (ANI).

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the interrogation module is configured to interrogate the LIDB with the ANI to obtain the reference subscriber data associated with the line data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the validation data is processed to determine whether the subscriber line is a billable line having an associated account to which goods or services can be billed.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the reference subscriber data is received from the LIDB and is processed selectively to approve a transaction requested via the subscriber line.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the reference subscriber data is in the form of conventional LIDB codes and the processor module generates a modified code from at least one LIDB code.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein a common modified code is generated from a plurality of different LIDB codes.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein a plurality of modified codes are generated and arranged in a billable group and a non-billable group.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor module is configured to conduct at least one fraud control check selected from the group consisting of checking if adjustments have been made to the account associated with the line data, verifying a user entered ZIP code with a ZIP data source, verifying user entered address data with an address data source, checking if the area code associated with the ANI has changed, checking if the ANI and the BTN match, and checking if at least one of the BTN and ANI is missing from the record.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor module is configured to interrogate a network database with the ANI to determine if the subscriber line is a billable subscriber line and, if so, generate one of a decline status and an approved status in response to the interrogation.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the network database includes at least one of a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) database, a 42 BLOCK database, a Block and Cancel database, an unpaid bills database, an off network database, an on network database, an address verification database, a regional account office (RAO) database, an operating company number (OCN) database, and a customer account record exchange (CARE) database.

32. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication module receives the line data from a vendor of goods or services and communicates at least a decline status to the vendor.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein charges raised by the vendor are included in an account submitted by an exchange carrier to a subscriber for use of the subscriber line.

34. A system to provide validation data associated with a subscriber line of a telecommunication network, the system including

means for obtaining line data of the subscriber line, the line data being suitable for interrogating a line identification database (LIDB);

means for interrogating the LIDB with the line data to obtain reference subscriber data associated with the line data; and

means for processing the reference subscriber data to obtain validation data associated with the subscriber line.