Method and apparatus for the billing of value-added communication calls
First Claim
1. A method for connecting a call through a long distance telephone network by dialing a seven-digit number from the local-dialed end of the public telephone network, that must be completed at the disparate long distance-dialed end of said network, said local-dialed end of said public telephone network being bridged to said long distance-dialed end of said network by a phantom-number bridging circuit, the method comprising the following steps:
- dialing a 555-XXXX number assigned to a service provider, said number being dialed from a caller telephone;
capturing the caller telephone number;
sending a query to a first data base resident in the public telephone network;
identifying a phantom routing number assigned to said service provider;
transferring the call to a routing network using the phantom routing number;
sending a query from the routing network to said first data base, the query including the phantom routing number and the caller telephone number;
identifying a terminating toll switch servicing said service provider;
routing the call to the identified terminating toll switch servicing said service provider;
connecting said service provider to the routing network;
sending call identification information to said service provider, including the caller telephone number and the phantom routing number;
determining if the call is billable and validating the caller telephone number via a second data base resident in the public telephone network;
presenting questions to the caller;
providing information to said service provider in response to said questions; and
sending a credit to the caller'"'"'s bill in payment for providing information in response to said questions.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A new method of charging enhanced service provider (ESP) fees on phone bills of telephone numbers originating seven digit 555 number calls within the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The Local Exchange Carrier routes the call to the PSTN which translates a dialed 7-digit 555 number into a ten-digit phantom routing number and then passes the call to the carrier assigned the ten-digit routing plan. Translation is performed as a look-up in a database, i.e., the Service Management System (SMS). The SMS is used for 800-number translation and was not heretofore available to ESPs. This novel use of PSTN facilities enables the system to provide caller dialed number and billing information on a real-time basis (during call processing). It signals the billing and caller dialed number information in the voice channel (In-Band) during setup of calls to connecting carriers. The ESPs receive the circuit "off-hook" signal (seizure), and two fields of Multi-Frequency Tones, then process the information to collect and validate billing information needed to deny the call or to accept it. If the ESP accepts the call, the caller dialed information is processed to bill or credit the subscriber for the service the caller selected. Using a phantom routing number bridging circuit between the Local Exchange Carriers and the toll carriers in a manner similar to 800 call processing allows the billing information to remain intact through-out the call hand-off from the carriers to the ESP.
94 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method for connecting a call through a long distance telephone network by dialing a seven-digit number from the local-dialed end of the public telephone network, that must be completed at the disparate long distance-dialed end of said network, said local-dialed end of said public telephone network being bridged to said long distance-dialed end of said network by a phantom-number bridging circuit, the method comprising the following steps:
-
dialing a 555-XXXX number assigned to a service provider, said number being dialed from a caller telephone; capturing the caller telephone number; sending a query to a first data base resident in the public telephone network; identifying a phantom routing number assigned to said service provider; transferring the call to a routing network using the phantom routing number; sending a query from the routing network to said first data base, the query including the phantom routing number and the caller telephone number; identifying a terminating toll switch servicing said service provider; routing the call to the identified terminating toll switch servicing said service provider; connecting said service provider to the routing network; sending call identification information to said service provider, including the caller telephone number and the phantom routing number; determining if the call is billable and validating the caller telephone number via a second data base resident in the public telephone network; presenting questions to the caller; providing information to said service provider in response to said questions; and sending a credit to the caller'"'"'s bill in payment for providing information in response to said questions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification