SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCAL HANDSET CHECK OF THE NXX LOCAL EXCHANGE TO DETERMINE CARRIER

• US 20100261462A1
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transaction Network Services Incorporated (Trident Private Holdings I LLC)
• Original Assignee: Cequint Incorporated (Trident Private Holdings I LLC)
• Inventors: Hennessey, Rick, Gosselin, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• 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 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• 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: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Systems and method for determining if a network of a call page has been ported to another network. The mobile communications network associated with a received call page is determined based on caller identification (CID) included in the call page and information of local exchange codes and associated mobile carriers stored in local memory of the mobile device. The method determines if the mobile communications network associated with the received call page is valid with regard to an exceptions list. Next it is determined if the determined mobile communications network associated with the call page matches the mobile communications network associated with the mobile device based on the validity determination. The exceptions list identifies phone numbers that have been ported to a mobile communications network that is different that the determined network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining if a mobile communications network associated with a call page matches a mobile communications network of a subscriber associated with the call page; and

outputting the result of the determination at a mobile device of the subscriber associated with the call page.

wherein determining comprises;

receiving the call page at the mobile device;

automatically determining at the mobile device the mobile communications network associated with the received call page based on caller identification (CID) included in the call page and information of local exchange codes and associated mobile carriers stored in local memory of the mobile device; and

determining if the determined mobile communications network associated with the call page matches the mobile communications network associated with the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting comprises outputting an indication of “

in network”

communication on the mobile device if a match is determined.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining further comprises:

determining if the mobile communications network associated with the received call page is valid with regard to an exceptions list, wherein determining matches is further based on the validity determination.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining validity comprises:

checking a full number associated with the call page with the exceptions list.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputted result comprises one or more of a visual indication, a haptic indication or an audio indication.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the call page is being made from a landline or a mobile handset.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining if the call page is being made from a landline or a mobile handset comprises inspecting the NPA/NXX codes provided by caller identification information.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining if the call page has been properly characterized as being from a landline or a mobile handset; and

if the call page has not been properly characterized, correcting the characterization of the call page at the mobile device as originating from a landline or mobile handset.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein correcting the characterization of the call page as originating from a landline or mobile handset comprises overriding the original characterization at the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein correcting the characterization of the call page as originating from a landline or mobile handset comprises notifying the subscriber the of the mischaracterization and requesting permission to correct the mischaracterization.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the mobile communications network associated with the call page does not match the mobile communications network of the subscriber, automatically generating a message and sending the generated message to a caller associated with the call page.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the generated message comprises one or more of directory information associated with the subscriber, information associated with at least one of cost savings or comparisons associated with in-network calling, information regarding promotions for at least one of calling plans, mobile devices or device upgrades, requests to join a network, requests to join a social call plan, information regarding one of instant savings or call rebates, offers for one of online services or software, offers for one of reduced cost or free phone service in exchange for at least one of adoption of a predefined product or entering into a social network group.

13. A system comprising:

a means for determining if a mobile communications network associated with a call page matches a mobile communications network of a subscriber associated with the call page; and

a means for outputting the result of the determination at a mobile device of the subscriber associated with the call page,

wherein the means for determining comprises;

a means for receiving the call page at the mobile device;

a means for determining at the mobile device the mobile communications network associated with the received call page based on caller identification (CID) included in the call page and information of local exchange codes and associated mobile carriers stored in local memory of the mobile device; and

a means for determining if the determined mobile communications network associated with the call page matches the mobile communications network associated with the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for outputting comprises a means for outputting an indication of “

in network”

communication on the mobile device if a match is determined.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for determining further comprises a means for determining if the mobile communications network associated with the received call page is valid with regard to an exceptions list, wherein determining matches is further based on the validity determination.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputted result comprises one or more of a visual indication, a haptic indication or an audio indication.

16. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for determining validity comprises a means for checking a full number associated with the call page with the exceptions list.

18. A mobile device comprising:

memory configured to store information of local exchange codes and associated mobile carriers;

a processor configured to;

receive a call page;

determine a mobile communications network associated with the received call page based on caller identification (CID) included in the call page and the information stored in the memory; and

determine if the determined mobile communications network associated with the call page matches the mobile communications network associated with the mobile device; and

an output device configured to output the result of the determination at a mobile device of the subscriber associated with the call page,

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the output device outputs an indication of “

in network”

communication on the mobile device if a match is determined.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor further determines if the mobile communications network associated with the received call page is valid with regard to an exceptions list, wherein the processor further determines matches based on the validity determination.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor further checks a full number associated with the call page with the exceptions list.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the output device comprises one or more of a visual indication, a haptic indication or an audio indication.