Personal communications service having a calling party pays capability
First Claim
1. A method of routing calls in an integrated wired and wireless communication network, said network including communication lines, a central office switching system having at least one distribution switch and at least one Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) providing a communication link between said communication lines and wireless communication units, and a network controller separate from said distribution switches, said method comprising the steps of:
- stopping a call to one of said wireless communication units at one of said distribution switches;
sending notification of said stopped call to said network controller;
receiving at said distribution switch data from said network controller regarding existence of a calling party pays feature in effect for a party being called by said caller;
playing an announcement to said caller;
receiving an acknowledgement from said caller at said distribution switch; and
routing said call responsive to said acknowledgment from said caller in accordance with routing instructions received at said distribution switch from said network controller.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) wireline system connects to and controls processing of calls to a Personal Communication Service subscriber'"'"'s wireless handset via a home base station or a wireless communication network. Depending on its current location, the subscriber'"'"'s handset automatically registers with the base station or with a mobility controller of the wireless network. A new registration with the base station when the handset comes within range causes that station to update the subscriber'"'"'s home location register in a central data base of the AIN. Similarly, when a handset first registers with a mobility controller, that controller updates the subscriber'"'"'s home location register in the central data base of the AIN. In response to calls directed to the subscriber, the AIN accesses the home location register to determine the current location where the handset is registered. The AIN then uses that data to route the call to the current location. In order for this system to operate efficiently, the handset must remain activated to receive calls at all times. This is facilitated through the use of a Calling Party Pays (CPP) service permitting a subscriber to pay the cellular air time charges for selected callers. Other callers are instructed that they will be billed for these charges.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of routing calls in an integrated wired and wireless communication network, said network including communication lines, a central office switching system having at least one distribution switch and at least one Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) providing a communication link between said communication lines and wireless communication units, and a network controller separate from said distribution switches, said method comprising the steps of:
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stopping a call to one of said wireless communication units at one of said distribution switches; sending notification of said stopped call to said network controller; receiving at said distribution switch data from said network controller regarding existence of a calling party pays feature in effect for a party being called by said caller; playing an announcement to said caller; receiving an acknowledgement from said caller at said distribution switch; and routing said call responsive to said acknowledgment from said caller in accordance with routing instructions received at said distribution switch from said network controller.
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2. A method of routing calls in an integrated wired and wireless communication network, said network including communication lines and a central office switching system having distribution switches, and at least one Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) providing a communication link between said communication lines and wireless communication units, and a network controller separate from said distribution switches, said method comprising steps of:
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stopping a call to one of said wireless communication units at one of said distribution switches; sending data regarding said stopped call from said distribution switch to said network controller to carry out Automatic Number Identification (ANI) of a caller initiating said call; playing an announcement to said caller; receiving an acknowledgement from said caller at said distribution switch; routing said call responsive to said acknowledgement; and at said distribution switch calculating mobile telephone calling charges accruing to said caller. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of providing Calling Party Pays (CPP) service in an integrated wired and wireless communication network, said network including communication lines and a central office switching system having distribution switches, and at least one Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) providing a communication link between said communication lines and wireless communication units, and a network controller separate from said distribution switches, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing in said network controller a file containing call processing data for providing said CPP service to a subscriber assigned to one of said mobile communication units; receiving request for said CPP service in said central office switching system from one of the local communication lines, or in the MTSO from one of the mobile communication units; recognizing that the request for a CPP service originates from said subscriber; accessing the subscriber'"'"'s files stored in the network controller to obtain call processing data for the requested CPP service responsive to a trigger in a distribution switch serving said MTSO; and providing said CPP service based on data received from an incoming call for said subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of providing Calling Party Pays (CPP) service in an integrated wired and wireless communication network, said network including communication lines and a central office switching system having distribution switches, and at least one Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) providing a communication link between said communication lines and wireless communication units, and a network controller separate from said distribution switches, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing in said network controller a file containing call processing data for providing said CPP service to a subscriber assigned to one of said mobile communication units; receiving a request for said CPP service in said central office switching system from oneof the local communication lines, or in the MTSO from one of the mobile communication units; recognizing that the request for a CPP service originates from said subscriber; accessing the subscriber'"'"'s files stored in the network controller to obtain call processing data for the requested CPP service responsive to a trigger in a distribution switch serving said MTSO.; providing said CPP service based on data received from said call; detecting for automatic number identification for said calling party in said communication network; playing an announcement to said calling party requesting credit card information; transmitting said credit card information to said network controller; comparing said credit card information to data contained in a data base external to said network controller; and routing said call to said called party upon validation of said credit card data.
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14. A method of providing Calling Party Pays (CPP) service in an integrated wired and wireless communication network, said network including communication lines and a central office switching system having distribution switches, and at least one Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) providing a communication link between said communication lines and wireless communication units, and a network controller separate from said distribution switches, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing in said network controller a file containing call processing data for providing said CPP service to a subscriber assigned to one of said mobile communication units; receiving a request for said CPP service in said central office switching system from one of the local communication lines, or in the MTSO from one of the mobile communication units; recognizing that the request for a CPP service originates from said subscriber; accessing the subscriber'"'"'s files stored in the network controller to obtain call processing data for the requested CPP service; providing said CPP service based on data received from said call; detecting for automatic number identification for said calling party in said communication network; playing an announcement to said calling party requesting credit card information; transmitting said credit card information to said network controller; comparing said credit card information to data contained in a data base external to said network controller; and routing said call to said called party upon validation of said credit card data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A system arranged to provide Calling Party Pays (CPP) operation to selected subscribers in an integrated wired and wireless communication network, said network including communication lines and a central office switching system having distribution switches, and at least one Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) providing a communication link between said communication lines and wireless communication units associated with said selected subscribers, and a network controller separate from said distribution switches, said CPP system comprising:
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means for detecting a call for a subscriber having said CPP service; means for triggering stoppage of said call at a distribution switch serving said MTSO; means for obtaining data regarding a party making said call; means for re-initiating and routing said call responsive to said data from said calling party. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification