Call billing and measurement methods for redirected calls

• US 5,517,560 A
• Filed: 08/08/1995
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Greenspan, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/512,609
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/112, 379/113, 379/114, 379/115, 379/121, 379/127, 379/201, 379/204, 379/205, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/222, 379/223
• US Class Current: 379/115.01
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80

Abstract

A call processing and billing method where the two billing records generated for a redirected call are transmitted to the same billing center or to the same network of interconnected billing centers, and where the two billing records are correlated to generate a single billing record for use in billing the call. The method is extensible for calls that are redirected more than once.

Claims

1. A call processing and billing method comprising connecting a call from a first station to a second station,

contemporaneously with said connecting of said call to said second station, initiating a first billing record for said call,

connecting said call to a third station,

contemporaneously with said connecting of said call to said third station, initiating a second billing record for said call,

completing said first and second billing records proximate to the end of said call, said first billing record reflecting a first time duration and said second billing record reflecting a second time duration,

delivering said first and second billing records to a common billing center,

correlating said first and second billing records to generate a single billing record such that said single billing record reflects a resultant time duration different from the sum of said first and second time durations, and

establishing a charge for said call dependent on said resultant time duration.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 where said connecting of said call to said third station comprises

conferencing said third station into said call.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 where said connecting of said call to said third station comprises

transferring said call to said third station.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 where said transferring of said call to said third station comprises

connecting one of said first and second stations with said third station for an initial two-way consultation and thereafter connecting the other of said first and second stations with said third station for two-way consultation.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3 where said transferring of said call to said third station includes

initially connecting said first, second and third stations for a conference.

6. A method in accordance with claim 3 where said transferring of said call to said third station comprises

without having previously connected one of said first and second stations with said third station for an initial two-way consultation, connecting the other of said first and second stations with said third station for two-way consultation.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 where said correlating comprises

modifying one of said first and second billing records using information from the other of said first and second billing records to generate said single billing record.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 where said correlating comprises

combining information from said first and second billing records to generate said single billing record.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 where said correlating comprises

using information from only one of said first and second billing records to generate said single billing record.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 where only one of said first and second billing records is used as said single billing record.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising

including an identifier, in at least one of said first and second billing records, for use in said correlating.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising

connecting said call to a fourth station, and

contemporaneously with said connecting of said call to said fourth station, initiating a third billing record for said call, where said correlating comprises

correlating said first, second and third billing records to generate said single billing record.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein delivering said first and second billing records includes transmitting

call segment event messages to said common billing center

said common billing center utilizing said call segment event messages to generate said single billing record.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising

subsequent to connecting said call to a said third station, disconnecting said first station from said call,

transferring said call back to said first station,

contemporaneously with said transferring of said call back to said first station, initiating a third billing record for said call, and where said correlating includes

correlating said first, second and third billing records to generate said single billing record for use in billing said call.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14 where said transferring of said call back to said first station comprises

automatically returning said call to said one station in response to a prespecified event without receiving a dialed number for said one station.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 where said prespecified event is receiving disconnect signaling from only one of said other and third stations.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15 where said prespecified event is receiving predefined signaling from one of said other and third stations.