SYSTEM, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANAGING VOIP TELECOMMUNICATIONS

• US 20090122726A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AudioGate Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AudioGate Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Gilboa, Shai Haim, Fogel, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,781,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/259
• 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 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/54 for revenue sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/82 Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/842 Announcement, e.g. IVR dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• 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 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/24 Voice over IP billing
• 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 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7009 Account settings, e.g. users, terminals, limits, numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8133 : Announcement, e.g. IVR dialogue, intelligent peripheral or switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8137 : Message, e.g. alphanumeric text, SMS, MMS, EMS or www-based messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A system, method or device for sharing revenue for incoming Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls between a VoIP service provider and VoIP service subscribers. The VoIP subscribers may earn credits for receiving incoming calls from a first network to an Internet Protocol (IP) network, based on a revenue sharing model. The first network may be any cellular, fixed line or other IP network in the world. The user earns credits for incoming calls to his softphone, initiated by any landline, mobile phone or VoIP phone user in the world, which dials his local number. After the softphone user accumulates credits, he may be able to initiate outgoing calls to any telephone in the world, by using his credits. The user can also register others for the service (using email or any other method), and obtain a portion of their credits, when they receive incoming calls to their softphones from external callers.

Claims

1. A method for sharing revenue for incoming Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls between a VoIP service provider and VoIP service subscribers, comprising:

providing a gateway between a first network and an Internet Protocol (IP) network;

charging a fee for incoming calls from the first network to the IP network; and

crediting individual VoIP subscriber'"'"'s accounts for receiving incoming calls via the first network

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network comprises a cellular network, a fixed line network, or other IP network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber is running a softphone client on one of:

a wireless device, desktop computer, laptop computer, PDA, gaming console, Analog Telephone Adaptor (ATA) and server.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein a subscriber may use his accumulated credits to make outgoing VoIP calls over the first network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fixed line network is a public telephony network (PSTN).

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein additional credits may be purchased by subscribers through the VoIP service provider

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the softphone client include a credits indicator, which displays the amount of accumulated credits a subscriber has.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the softphone client announces the number of credits during a call.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein each subscriber is able to register other persons as subscribers to the VoIP service and be awarded a portion of credits for incoming calls to the registered persons'"'"' softphones from the first network to the IP network.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein each subscriber is awarded with a part of the credits of the persons that he had registered, in turn had registered, as so on up to ‘

n’

generations.

11. The method according to claim 6 wherein the credit indicator shows the budget remaining for the voice or video calls which are taking place are will take place.

12. The method according to claim 2, wherein the softphone client allows the subscriber to choose different destinations and to see his relevant accumulated credit for a chosen destination.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the destination is a number or country.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein a subscriber may use his accumulated credits earned for the purchase of goods or services.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein multiple phone numbers in one or more countries may be associated with a subscriber'"'"'s softphone and the subscriber earns credits by receiving incoming calls via one or more of those phone numbers.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein a subscriber may have a plurality of Direct In Dialing (DID) numbers corresponding to national numbers in at least two countries world-wide and associated with the subscriber.

16. A system for sharing revenue for incoming Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls between a VoIP service provider and VoIP service subscribers, comprising:

a gateway between a first network and an Internet Protocol (IP) network;

wherein the VoIP service provider charges a fee for incoming calls from the first network to the IP network, and credits the accounts of the VoIP service subscriber from receiving incoming calls from a portion of said fee.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first network comprises a cellular network, a fixed line network, or other IP network.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the subscriber is running a softphone client on one of:

a wireless device, desktop computer, laptop computer, PDA, gaming console, and server.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the subscriber may use his accumulated credits to make outgoing VoIP calls credits over the first network.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the fixed line network is a public telephony network (PSTN).

21. The system of claim 16 wherein additional credits may be purchased by subscribers through the VoIP service provider.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein a subscriber is able to register other persons as subscribers to the VoIP service and be awarded a portion of credits for incoming calls to the registered persons'"'"' softphones from the first network to the IP network.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein each subscriber is awarded with a part of the credits of the persons that he had registered, in turn had registered, as so on up to ‘

n’

generations.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein a subscriber is using a mobile phone with VoIP capabilities.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein a subscriber is using an Analog Terminal Adaptor (ATA) along with analog phone.

27. The system of claim 16 wherein a subscriber may have a plurality of Direct In Dialing (DID) numbers corresponding to national numbers in at least two countries world-wide and associated with the subscriber.