Method and apparatus for validating pre-pay and post-pay communication services using the same integrated database

• US 20050100149A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Khuc, Minh Duy, Abbasi, Zahid, Allen, Isaac Shane, Rogers, Carl, Sbisa, Dan
• Application Number:
  US11/005,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20050100149A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.200
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• 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 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• 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 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for validating pre-pay and post-pay calls using an integrated validation database. The integrated validation database receives a pre-pay query including a pre-pay account code. The integrated validation database retrieves a pre-pay validation parameter based on the pre-pay account code. The integrated validation database then transmits a pre-pay validation response including the pre-pay validation parameter. The integrated validation database receives a post-pay query including a post-pay account code. The integrated validation database retrieves a post-pay validation parameter based on the post-pay account code. The integrated validation database transmits a post-pay validation response including the post-pay validation parameter.

Claims

1. A method of providing a pre-paid communication service and a post-paid communication service, the method comprising:

in a communication system, receiving a pre-paid communication service request from a first user and responsively establishing a first communication link between the first user and an integrated service platform;

in the communication system, receiving a post-paid communication service request from a second user and responsively establishing a second communication link between the second user and the integrated service platform;

in the integrated service platform, interacting with the first user over the first communication link to obtain first user information, processing the first user information to obtain a pre-paid communication service validation parameter, and transferring the pre-paid communication service validation parameter to the communication system;

in the integrated service platform, interacting with the second user over the second communication link to obtain second user information, processing the second user information to obtain a post-paid communication service validation parameter, and transferring the post-paid communication service validation parameter to the communication system;

in the communication system, releasing the first communication link between the first user and the integrated service platform, establishing a third communication link between the first user and a first destination, and controlling the third communication link based on the pre-paid communication service validation parameter; and

in the communication system, releasing the second communication link between the second user and the integrated service platform, establishing a fourth communication link between the second user and a second destination, and controlling the fourth communication link based on the post-paid communication service validation parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-paid communication service validation parameter indicates a time limit for the pre-paid communication service.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-paid communication service validation parameter indicates a monetary limit for the pre-paid communication service.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the communication system, monitoring the third communication link between the first user and the first destination and releasing the third communication link based on the pre-paid communication service validation parameter.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the post-paid communication service validation parameter indicates a credit limit for the post-paid communication service.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the communication system, monitoring the fourth communication link between the second user and the second destination and releasing the fourth communication link based on the post-paid communication service validation parameter.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the communication system, transferring a first update message to the integrated service platform after providing the pre-paid communication service to the first user.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in the communication system, transferring a second update message to the integrated service platform after providing the post-paid communication service to the second user.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the integrated service platform, processing the first user information to determine the first destination and indicating the first destination to the communication system; and

in the integrated service platform, processing the second user information to determine the second destination and indicating the second destination to the communication system.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first user information comprises a first account code, and wherein the second user information comprises a second account code.

11. A communication network to provide a pre-paid communication service and a post-paid communication service, the communication network comprising:

a communication system configured to receive a pre-paid communication service request from a first user and responsively establish a first communication link between the first user and an integrated service platform;

the communication system further configured to receive a post-paid communication service request from a second user and responsively establish a second communication link between the second user and the integrated service platform;

the integrated service platform configured to interact with the first user over the first communication link to obtain first user information, process the first user information to obtain a pre-paid communication service validation parameter, and transfer the pre-paid communication service validation parameter to the communication system;

the integrated service platform further configured to interact with the second user over the second communication link to obtain second user information, process the second user information to obtain a post-paid communication service validation parameter, and transfer the post-paid communication service validation parameter to the communication system;

the communication system further configured to release the first communication link between the first user and the integrated service platform, establish a third communication link between the first user and a first destination, and control the third communication link based on the pre-paid communication service validation parameter; and

the communication system further configured to releasing the second communication link between the second user and the integrated service platform, establish a fourth communication link between the second user and a second destination, and control the fourth communication link based on the post-paid communication service validation parameter.

12. The communication network of claim 11 wherein the pre-paid communication service validation parameter indicates a time limit for the pre-paid communication service.

13. The communication network of claim 11 wherein the pre-paid communication service validation parameter indicates a monetary limit for the pre-paid communication service.

14. The communication network of claim 11 wherein the communication system is further configured to monitor the third communication link between the first user and the first destination and release the third communication link based on the pre-paid communication service validation parameter.

15. The communication network of claim 11 wherein the post-paid communication service validation parameter indicates a credit limit for the post-paid communication service.

16. The communication network of claim 11 wherein the communication system is further configured to monitor the fourth communication link between the second user and the second destination and release the fourth communication link based on the post-paid communication service validation parameter.

17. The communication network of claim 11 wherein the communication system is further configured to transfer a first update message to the integrated service platform after providing the pre-paid communication service to the first user.

18. The communication network of claim 11 wherein the communication system is further configured to transfer a second update message to the integrated service platform after providing the post-paid communication service to the second user.

19. The communication network of claim 11 wherein:

the integrated service platform is further configured to process the first user information to determine the first destination and indicate the first destination to the communication system; and

the integrated service platform is further configured to process the second user information to determine the second destination and indicate the second destination to the communication system.

20. The communication network of claim 11 wherein the first user information comprises a first account code, and wherein the second user information comprises a second account code.