SELECTIVE PRE-AUTHORIZED CREDIT FOR INCOMING CALLS

• US 20090154674A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chu, Lon-Chan
• Granted Patent: US 8,144,849 B2
• 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 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Establishing a connection from a caller to a user using a pre-authorized credit from the user is described. A processor identifies one or more source identifications (IDs) for receiving pre-authorized credit for the incoming call. One or more destinations are specified to receive the incoming call. The processor defines a rule associated with the one or more destinations and the one or more source IDs. An interface receives the incoming call directed to one of the destinations from the caller. A storage area stores the defined rule. The incoming call and the caller are determined as a function of the one of the destinations, one or more identified source IDs and the defined rule. The pre-authorized credit is issued for the incoming call from the caller if it is determined that the incoming call to the destination satisfies the defined rule. The processor routes the incoming call to the user.

Claims

1. A method of selectively issuing pre-authorized credit from a user to an incoming call, said method comprising:

identifying one or more source identifications (IDs) for receiving pre-authorized credit for the incoming call, said incoming call being a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) call;

specifying one or more destinations to receive the incoming call;

defining a rule associated with the one or more destinations and the one or more source IDs;

receiving the incoming call directed to one of the destinations from a caller;

determining the incoming call and the caller as a function of the one of the destinations, one or more identified source IDs and the defined rule;

issuing the pre-authorized credit for the incoming call from the caller if it is determined that the incoming call to the destination satisfies the defined rule; and

routing the incoming call from the caller to the user, wherein the caller establishes a connection with the user without being charged for the incoming call.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a notification to the caller if it is determined that the incoming call does not satisfy the defined rule to receive the issued pre-authorized credit for the incoming call.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a suggestion to re-direct the incoming call to another destination in the one or more destinations, and wherein determining comprises determining the incoming call and the caller as a function of the one or more identified source IDs, the defined rule, and the another destination.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a source ID from the incoming call prior to said determining.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising prompting the caller to identify at least one of the following if the identified source ID is not understood:

a source ID or an authentication credential for the pre-authorized credit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the rule comprises defining the rule having at least one of the following parameters:

a name of the rule, a membership of the rule identifying a source of the call, and a call scenario set.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the call scenario set comprises conditional statements associated with at least one of the following information:

a date, a time, a caller'"'"'s source ID, a user'"'"'s destination, a call initiation type, a dial type, a maximum duration, and a maximum cost.

8. A method of selectively issuing pre-authorized credit from a user to an incoming call, said method comprising:

identifying one or more source identifications (IDs) for receiving pre-authorized credit for the incoming call, said one or more source IDs including at least one of the following;

a telephone caller ID, an electronic mail (e-mail) address, and an authentication credential identifying a caller;

specifying one or more destinations to receive the incoming call;

defining a rule associated with the one or more destinations and the one or more source IDs;

receiving the incoming call directed to one of the destinations from a caller;

determining the incoming call and the caller as a function of the one of the destinations, one or more identified source IDs and the defined rule;

issuing the pre-authorized credit for the incoming call from the caller if it is determined that the incoming call to the destination satisfies the defined rule; and

routing the incoming call from the caller to the user, wherein the caller establishes a connection with the user without being charged for the incoming call.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a notification to the caller if it is determined that the incoming call does not satisfy the defined rule to receive the issued pre-authorized credit for the incoming call.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a suggestion to re-direct the incoming call to another destination in the one or more destinations, and wherein determining comprises determining the incoming call and the caller as a function of the one or more identified source IDs, the defined rule, and the another destination.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising identifying a source ID from the incoming call prior to said determining.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising prompting the caller to identify at least one of the following if the identified source ID is not understood:

a source ID or an authentication credential for the pre-authorized credit.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein defining the rule comprises defining the rule having at least one of the following parameters:

a name of the rule, a membership of the rule identifying a source of the call, and a call scenario set.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the call scenario set comprises conditional statements associated with at least one of the following information:

a date, a time, a caller'"'"'s source ID, a user'"'"'s destination, a call initiation type, a dial type, a maximum duration, and a maximum cost.

15. A system for establishing a connection from a caller to a user using a pre-authorized credit from the user, said system comprising:

a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions for;

identifying one or more source identifications (IDs) for receiving pre-authorized credit for the incoming call;

specifying one or more destinations to receive the incoming call;

defining a rule associated with the one or more destinations and the one or more source IDs;

an interface for receiving the incoming call directed to one of the destinations from a caller;

a storage area for storing the defined rule;

wherein the processor is configured to;

identifying a source ID from the incoming call;

determine the incoming call and the caller as a function of the one of the destinations, one or more identified source IDs and the defined rule;

issue the pre-authorized credit for the incoming call from the caller if it is determined that the incoming call to the destination satisfies the defined rule; and

route the incoming call from the caller to the user, wherein the caller establishes a connection with the user without being charged for the incoming call.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a notification to the caller if it is determined that the incoming call does not satisfy the defined rule to receive the issued pre-authorized credit for the incoming call.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a suggestion to recursively re-direct the incoming call to another destination in the one or more destinations, and wherein determining comprises determining the incoming call and the caller as a function of the one or more identified source IDs, the defined rule, and the another destination.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to prompt the caller to identify at least one of the following if the identified source ID is not understood:

a source ID or an authentication credential for the pre-authorized credit.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to define the rule having at least one of the following parameters:

a name of the rule, a membership of the rule identifying a source of the call, and a call scenario set.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the call scenario set comprises conditional statements associated with at least one of the following information:

a date, a time, a caller'"'"'s source ID, a user'"'"'s destination, a call initiation type, a dial type, a maximum duration, and a maximum cost.