POLICY CONTROL AND BILLING SUPPORT FOR CALL TRANSFER IN A SESSION INITIATION PROTOCOL (SIP) NETWORK

• US 20060239253A1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OL Security LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallant, John Kenneth, Gregorat, Mariafranca, McMurry, Kathleen A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,739,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/67 Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information
• 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 15/8292 Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/48 Sending information over a non-traffic network channel or another connection than the one actually used, e.g. signalling, D-channel, data and voice
• 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 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

A system includes a database configured to store account information relating to users of a telecommunications network. Additionally, a session initiation protocol (SIP) server receives first messages initiating call transfers. The server appends billing information and a digital signature to the first message based on account information of one of the users stored in the database. The digital signature provides for authentication of the call transfers.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method comprising:

receiving a first session initiation protocol (SIP) message at a first SIP server, the first SIP message initiating a call transfer;

appending billing information and a digital signature to the first SIP message, the digital signature identifying the first SIP server;

authenticating the first SIP server based on the digital signature; and

completing the call transfer when the first SIP server is properly authenticated.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein authenticating the first SIP server includes:

receiving a second SIP message, including the digital signature, at a second SIP server; and

authenticating the first SIP server at the second SIP server.

23. The method of claim 22, where the first and second SIP servers are a portion of a same computing system.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first SIP message is a SIP REFER message.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

appending a timestamp to the first SIP message.

26. A method for effecting a call transfer in accordance with session initiation protocol (SIP), the method comprising:

receiving a first SIP message at a SIP server, the first SIP message being generated by a first party and indicating that the first party is requesting a call be initiated between a second party and a third party;

accessing call policy information associated with the call; and

determining whether to bill the first party for the call between the second and third party based on the call policy information.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein accessing the call policy information includes:

accessing account information associated with the first party that includes the call policy information.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

appending at least one of billing information, a timestamp, or a digital signature to the first message based on the call policy information.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the billing information and the timestamp are encrypted.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

generating a second SIP message by the second party and addressed to the third party, the second message inviting the third party to join a call with the second party and including the call policy information.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

authenticating the call policy information in the second message; and

determining to bill the first party for the call when authentication of the call policy information is successful.

32. A system comprising:

a database configured to store account information relating to users of a telecommunications network; and

a session information protocol (SIP) server configured to receive a first SIP message initiating a call transfer, append billing information and a digital signature to the first SIP message, the digital signature providing for authentication of the call transfer.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

a location service database configured to store location information relating to the users of the telecommunications network.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the signaling protocol server is further configured to query the location service database for an address of an intended recipient of the first message and to forward the first message to the intended recipient at the address retrieved from the location service database.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

a first end-user station configured to generate the first message.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

a second end-user station configured to receive the first message from the server and to generate a second message inviting a third end-user station to join a call, the second message including the billing information and the digital signature, and the third end-user station being identified by the first message.

37. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

a second server configured to receive the second message, authenticate the billing information based on the digital signature, and determine that a user associated with the first end-user station should be billed for the call when the billing information is successfully authenticated.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the SIP server appends the billing information and the digital signature to the first SIP message based on account information of one of the users stored in the database.

39. A system comprising:

means for receiving a first session initiation protocol (SIP) message that initiates a call transfer;

means for appending a digital signature to the first SIP message; and

means for receiving a second SIP message initiating a call related to the call transfer, the second SIP message including the digital signature, the means for receiving the second SIP message additionally generating an indication that a party be billed for the call when the digital signature indicates that the second SIP message is authentic.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the means for appending further appends a timestamp to the first message.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the means for appending additionally appends billing information to the first SIP message, the billing information being used by the means for receiving to determine which party is to be billed for the call.