Charge-all mode for calls in telecommunication network

• US 20050113064A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Halsell, Victoria M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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 15/07 Split billing, i.e. both A-party and B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/34 Charging, billing or metering arrangements for private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/64 Split billing, sharing the cost of calls, e.g. between calling and called parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A telecommunication network and method of billing a first subscriber associated with a first party to a call for variable call charges normally billed to a second subscriber associated with a second party is provided. The method includes: providing a charge-all mode, connecting the call between the first and second parties, determining whether charge-all mode has been arranged for the first subscriber, determining whether charge-all mode has been arranged for the second subscriber, and, if charge-all mode has been arranged for at least one, but not both, of the first and second subscribers, billing the subscriber associated with the at least one subscriber for variable charges associated with the call. The telecommunication network includes a first network serving the first party and adapted to provide charge-all mode to the first subscriber and a second network serving the second party and adapted to provide charge-all mode to the second subscriber.

Claims

1. A method of billing a first subscriber associated with a first party to a call or a second subscriber associated with a second party to the call in a telecommunication network for variable charges associated with the call normally billed to the other subscriber, the method including the steps:

a) providing a charge-all mode whereby the first party or first subscriber can arrange to have the first subscriber billed for variable charges associated with the call that are normally billed to the second subscriber and the second party or second subscriber can arrange to have the second subscriber billed for variable charges associated with the call that are normally billed to the first subscriber;

b) connecting the call between the first party and the second party;

c) determining whether charge-all mode has been arranged for the first subscriber;

d) determining whether charge-all mode has been arranged for the second subscriber; and

e) if charge-all mode has been arranged for at least one, but not both, of the first and second subscribers, billing the subscriber associated with the at least one subscriber for variable charges associated with the call that are normally billed to the other subscriber.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the providing step includes providing a telephone device adapted for the first party to activate and cancel the charge-all mode.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 wherein the telephone device includes a special key for activation and cancellation of the charge-all mode.

4. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the providing step includes providing a customer service operation to the first subscriber to activate and cancel the charge-all mode, wherein the customer service operation is associated with a wireless service provider associated with the first subscriber.

5. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the providing step includes providing a web page accessible to the first subscriber to activate and cancel the charge-all mode, wherein the web page is associated with a wireless service provider associated with the first subscriber.

6. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the providing step includes providing logic adapted to detect activation and cancellation of the charge-all mode by the first party, first subscriber, second party, and second subscriber.

7. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the charge-all mode provided includes at least one of a continuous charge-all mode and a per-call charge-all mode.

8. The method set forth in claim 7 wherein the first or second party activates the charge-all mode prior to origination of the call and the charge-all mode provided is a continuous charge-all mode.

9. The method set forth in claim 7 wherein the first or second party activates the charge-all mode prior to the connecting step (step b)) and after origination of the call and the activating party selects between activation of the continuous charge-all mode or the per-call charge all mode.

10. The method set forth in claim 7 wherein the first or second party activates the charge-all mode while the call is connected between the first and second parties and the activating party selects between activation of the continuous charge-all mode or the per-call charge all mode.

11. The method set forth in claim 10 wherein the activating party selects between retroactive application of variable charges for the call to the subscriber associated with the activating party and application of variable charges for the call to the subscriber associated with the activating party from the point of activation forward.

12. The method set forth in claim 10 wherein the activating party cancels the charge-all mode while the call is connected between the first and second parties and the canceling party selects between retroactive cancellation of variable charges for the call and cancellation of variable charges for the call from the point of cancellation forward.

13. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step:

f) if charge-all mode has been arranged for both of the first and second subscribers, performing a racing condition resolution algorithm to determine billing of the variable charges for the call between the first and second subscribers.

14. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step:

f) if charge-all mode has been arranged for none of the first and second subscribers, using normal billing procedures to determine billing of the variable charges for the call between the first and second subscribers.

15. The method set forth in claim 1, the billing step (step e)) further including the step:

f) communicating a charge-all mode flag and billing events associated with the call to a billing center associated with the at least one subscriber.

16. A method of applying variable charges associated with a call in a telecommunication network to a first subscriber associated with a first party to the call, wherein at least a portion of the variable charges are normally billed to a second subscriber associated with a second party to the call, the method including the steps:

a) providing a charge-all mode whereby the first party or the first subscriber can activate the charge-all mode thereby arranging to have variable charges associated with the call, including variable charges normally billed to the second subscriber, applied to the first subscriber;

b) connecting the call between the first party and the second party;

c) determining if charge-all mode was activated for the first subscriber; and

d) if charge-all mode was activated for the first subscriber, applying variable charges associated with the call, including variable charges normally billed to the second subscriber, to the first subscriber.

17. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein the first party is a calling party and the second party is a called party in relation to the call.

18. The method set forth in claim 17 wherein the first party uses a first mobile station to originate the call, the second party uses a second mobile station to answer the call, and the variable charges applied to the first subscriber include air time charges normally applied to the second subscriber.

19. The method set forth in claim 17 wherein the first party uses a landline telephone device to originate the call, the second party uses a mobile station to answer the call, and the variable charges applied to the first subscriber include air time charges normally applied to the second subscriber.

20. The method set forth in claim 17 wherein the first party uses a telephone device associated with a call center environment to originate the call, the second party uses a mobile station to answer the call, and the variable charges applied to the first subscriber include air time charges normally applied to the second subscriber.

21. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein the first party is a called party and the second party is a calling party in relation to the call.

22. The method set forth in claim 21 wherein the second party uses a first mobile station to originate the call and the variable charges applied to the first subscriber include air time and long distance charges normally applied to the second subscriber.

23. The method set forth in claim 21 wherein the second party uses a landline telephone device to originate the call and the variable charges applied to the first subscriber include long distance charges normally applied to the second subscriber.

24. The method set forth in claim 21 wherein the second party uses a telephone device associated with a call center environment to originate the call and the variable charges applied to the first subscriber include local and long distance charges normally applied to the second subscriber.

25. The method set forth in claim 21 wherein the second party uses a pay phone to originate the call and the variable charges applied to the first subscriber include local and long distance charges normally applied to the second subscriber.

26. A telecommunication network providing an infrastructure for connecting a telephone call from a first party associated with a first subscriber to a second party associated with a second subscriber, including:

a first network serving the first party and adapted to provide a charge-all mode whereby the first party or first subscriber can arrange to have the first subscriber billed for variable charges associated with the call that are normally billed to the second subscriber; and

a second network in communication with the first network serving the second party and adapted to provide a charge-all mode whereby the second party or second subscriber can arrange to have the second subscriber billed for variable charges associated with the call that are normally billed to the first subscriber.

27. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 26 wherein the first network includes at least one of a wireless network, a landline network, or a call center environment.

28. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 26 wherein the second network includes at least one of a wireless network, a landline network, or a call center environment.

29. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 26, each of the first and second networks including:

means for connecting the call between the first party and the second party;

means for determining whether charge-all mode has been arranged for the first subscriber;

means for determining whether charge-all mode has been arranged for the second subscriber; and

means for billing the subscriber associated with at least one of the first and second subscribers for variable charges associated with the call that are normally billed to the other subscriber if charge-all mode has been arranged for at least one, but not both, of the first and second subscribers.

30. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 29, further including:

means for communicating a charge-all mode flag and billing events associated with the telephone call to a billing center associated with at least one of the first and second subscribers.

31. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 26, further including:

a first telephone device adapted for the first party to activate and cancel the charge-all mode; and

a second telephone device adapted for the second party to activate and cancel the charge-all mode.

32. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 31 wherein the first telephone device is selected from the group of a mobile station, a landline telephone device associated with a local exchange, a landline telephone device associated with a call center environment, and a pay phone.

33. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 31 wherein the second telephone device is selected from the group of a mobile station, a landline telephone device associated with a local exchange, a landline telephone device associated with a call center environment, and a pay phone.

34. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 31 wherein at least one of the first and second telephone devices include a special key for activation and cancellation of the charge-all mode.

35. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 26, the first network including:

a first charge-all mode logic adapted to detect activation and cancellation of the charge-all mode by the first party and first subscriber;

the second network including;

a second charge-all mode logic adapted to detect activation and cancellation of the charge-all mode by the second party and second subscriber.

36. The telecommunication network set forth in claim 35, at least one of the first and second charge-all mode logics including:

a racing condition resolution algorithm to determine billing of the variable charges for the call between the first and second subscribers if charge-all mode has been arranged for both of the first and second subscribers.