Local access to a mobile network

• US 20060258330A1
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm Connected Experiences, Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm Connected Experiences, Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Guedalia, Jacob, Guedalia, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,351,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method for billing a subscriber to a cellular telephone service for a VoIP call made by the subscriber, the method including determining when a subscriber to a cellular telephone service places a telephone call to a remote device using a local device associated with the subscription, where the telephone call has at least one VoIP call leg, capturing session information related to the telephone call, including information identifying the subscriber, and providing the information to a provider of the cellular telephone service, thereby enabling the cellular telephone service provider to bill the subscriber for the VoIP call.

Claims

1. A method for billing a subscriber to a cellular telephone service for a VoIP call made by the subscriber, the method comprising:

determining when a subscriber to a cellular telephone service places a telephone call to a remote device using a local device associated with said subscription, wherein said telephone call has at least one VoIP call leg;

capturing session information related to said telephone call, including information identifying said subscriber; and

providing said information to a provider of said cellular telephone service, thereby enabling said cellular telephone service provider to bill said subscriber for said VoIP call.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said determining step comprises determining wherein a first leg of said call is carried by non-cellular telephone infrastructure.

3. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising calculating a billing cost incurred by said local device for said call.

4. A method according to claim 3 and further comprising debiting a billing record of said subscriber for said billing cost.

5. A method according to claim 3 and further comprising crediting an owner of a local network through which call is placed for said billing cost.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said crediting step comprises crediting said owner by crediting an account belonging to said owner at an ISP of said owner.

7. A method for billing a subscriber to a cellular telephone service for a VoIP call made by the subscriber, the method comprising:

determining when a subscriber to a cellular telephone service places a telephone call to a remote device using a local device associated with said subscription, wherein said telephone call has at least one VoIP call leg;

capturing session information related to said telephone call, including information identifying said subscriber;

calculating a billing cost incurred by said local device for said call; and

providing said information and said billing cost to a provider of said cellular telephone service, thereby enabling said cellular telephone service provider to bill said subscriber for said VoIP call.

8. A system for billing a subscriber to a cellular telephone service for a VoIP call made by the subscriber, the system comprising:

a local device configured to place a call to a remote device; and

a gateway configured to

determine when a subscriber to a cellular telephone service places a telephone call to said remote device using said local device associated with said subscription, wherein said telephone call has at least one VoIP call leg,

capture session information related to said telephone call, including information identifying said subscriber, and

provide said information to a provider of said cellular telephone service for billing said subscriber for said VoIP call.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said local device is configured to place said call at least partially via said non-cellular telephone infrastructure.

10. A system according to claim 8 and further comprising a billing logic module configured to calculate a billing cost incurred by said local device for said call.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein said billing logic module is configured to debit a billing record of said subscriber for said billing cost.

12. A system according to claim 10 wherein said billing logic module is configured to credit an owner of a local network through which call is placed for said billing cost.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said billing logic module is configured to credit said owner by crediting an account belonging to said owner at an ISP of said owner.

14. A system for billing a subscriber to a cellular telephone service for a VoIP call made by the subscriber, the system comprising:

a local device configured to place a call to a remote device; and

a gateway configured to

determine when a subscriber to a cellular telephone service places a telephone call to said remote device using said local device associated with said subscription, wherein said telephone call has at least one VoIP call leg,

capture session information related to said telephone call, including information identifying said subscriber,

calculate a billing cost incurred by said local device for said call, and

provide said information and said billing cost to a provider of said cellular telephone service for billing said subscriber for said VoIP call.