Cellular telephone call administration system

• US 5,148,472 A
• Filed: 12/05/1990
• Issued: 09/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wireless Billing Systems
• Original Assignee: Subscriber Computing, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, David A., Freese, David E., Nielsen, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Application Number:
  US07/622,508
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 379/59, 379/60, 379/63, 379/144
• US Class Current: 455/408
• 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 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A cellular telephone call administration system processes detailed call records from a cellular switch as the calls are processed. This arrangement expedites automatic, electronic distribution of detailed call records to resellers and service provider billing facilities and to the roam billing clearing house. The call administration system, without operator intervention, provides a metered billing class of service to customers as an aid to controlling their cellular communication expenses; and provides for registration of roam sets for service on a cellular switch without need for a billing agreement with the set'"'"'s home carrier.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone call administration system for a cellular telephone switching system which comprises:

a switch for providing communication service to a plurality of cellular sets;

means for generating and transmitting detailed call records of calls processed by the switch to a data output port; and

an administrative port for receiving control signals for selectively activating and deactivating service to identified cellular sets;

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT;

the call administration system comprises;

memory means comprising a plurality of service class data files assigned respectively to corresponding system service classes;

means coupled to said data output port for assigning detailed call records appearing at said data output port into a plurality of system service classes; and

for storing records corresponding to each of said detailed call records in the data file of the service class assigned to the call record;

means for automatically distributing the contents of said service class data files; and

means for automatically generating said control signals for selectively activating and deactivating cellular sets for service by said cellular switch.

2. A cellular telephone call administration system in accordance with claim 1

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT:

said call administration system further comprises means for rating detailed call records of selected service classes as the records are received from said data output port, and

means for including call rating charge data in the records stored in the data files of said selected service classes.

3. A cellular telephone administration system in accordance with claim 1

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT:

certain of said system service classes each comprise a plurality of divisions;

said means coupled to said data output port assigns call records of said certain service classes to said divisions of said classes; and

said records stored in said certain service class data files are assigned said divisions.