Telephone call tracking and billing system and method

• US 5,943,406 A
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Perceptre LLC (Information Architects Corp.)
• Original Assignee: John T. Leta, Paul J. Mortilla
• Inventors: Leta, John T., Mortilla, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Loomis, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US08/941,866
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/112, 379/114, 379/116, 379/119, 379/120, 379/144, 379/199, 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/118, 379/135
• US Class Current: 379/120
• 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 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]

Abstract

A telephone call tracking and billing system and method in which a subscriber can call a central system location, enter personal identification and billing code information, and then place a desired call is provided. The call duration can be logged and stored along with the billing code information. Monthly billing statements can be generated and provided to the subscriber, and custom reports can be generated and delivered at any time according to the subscriber'"'"'s requests. The system is maintained at the provider'"'"'s site so that the subscriber need not purchase or maintain hardware and software.

Claims

1. A telephone call tracking and billing reporting system, comprising:

means for answering an incoming call and thereby establishing a two-party connection with a caller;

means for verifying that the caller is a valid user;

means for recalling stored reported criteria preselected by said valid user, in response to a first report request received from said user;

means for receiving first report data from said user corresponding to said preselected report criteria;

means for requesting a first report delivery to said user;

means for storing said preselected report criteria and said first report data;

means for terminating the incoming call;

means for receiving said request for said first report delivery to said user;

means to generate a report in a preselected format;

means to recall a preselected telephone number for report delivery from said user;

means to establish a connection with said telephone number for report delivery;

means to transmit said report via said telephone number for report delivery;

means to monitor the connection with said telephone number for report delivery; and

means to document report delivery when finished transmitting said report and means to terminate said call.

2. The system of claim 1 further including means for receiving a second report request from said user and means for terminating the incoming call if no second report request is desired by said user.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for verifying that the caller is a valid user includes comparing and matching a user personal identification number with a stored list of valid personal identification numbers.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said preselected format is a printed medium.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said preselected format is an electronic file for transmission.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said means for transmission includes a modem.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said means for transmission further includes via the internet.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein said means for transmission further includes via facsimile.

9. A method of telephone call tracking and billing reporting, comprising the steps of:

answering an incoming call and establishing a two-party connection with a caller;

verifying that the caller is a valid user;

recalling stored report criteria preselected by said valid user, in response to a first report request received from said a user;

receiving first report data from said user corresponding to said preselected report criteria;

requesting a first report to be delivered to said user;

storing preselected report criteria and said first report data;

terminating the incoming call;

receiving said request for said first report delivery to said user;

generating a report in a preselected format;

recalling a preselected telephone number for report delivery from said user;

establishing a connection with said telephone number for report delivery;

transmitting said report via said telephone number for report delivery;

monitoring the connection with said telephone number for report delivery; and

documenting report delivery when finished transmitting said report and terminating said call.

10. The method of claim 9 further including receiving a second report request from said user and terminating the incoming call if no second report request is desired by said user.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of verifying that the caller is a valid user includes comparing and matching a user personal identification number with a stored list of valid personal identification numbers.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said preselected format includes an electronic file.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said preselected format includes a printed medium.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of transmitting includes a modem.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of transmitting further includes via the internet.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the step of transmitting further includes via facsimile.

17. A telephone call tracking and billing system comprising:

at least one telephone device to be used by a subscriber so as to establish a telephony type communication;

a processor assembly operatively associated with said telephone device;

said processor assembly structured to verify that the subscriber associated with a particular one of said telephony type communications is a valid user;

said processor assembly structured to store documentation criteria corresponding said valid user;

said processor assembly further structured to identify said valid user and to recall said documentation criteria in connection with said particular telephony type communication;

said processor assembly structured to receive and store documentation data from said valid user corresponding said documentation criteria for said particular telephony type communication;

said documentation criteria including a reason for said particular telephony type communication, said reason for said particular telephony type communication comprising documentation data stored by said processor assembly in association with said particular telephony type communication;

said documentation criteria further includes at least one identifier for said particular telephony type communication, said identifier for said particular telephony type communication comprising documentation data stored by said processor assembly in association with said particular telephony type communication and structured to distinguish said particular telephony type communication from other telephony type communications; and

said processor assembly structured to monitor a duration of said particular telephony type communication.

18. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 17 wherein said processor assembly is structured to report a duration and said documentation data associated with said particular telephony type communication.

19. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 17 wherein said particular telephony type communication comprises an inbound person to person telephone call.

20. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 17 wherein said particular telephony type communication comprises an outbound person to person telephone call.

21. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 17 wherein said particular telephony type communication comprises a facsimile transmission.

22. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 17 wherein said identifier comprises a telephone number being called by said valid user as said particular telephony type communication.

23. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 22 wherein said identifier further comprises a date of said particular telephony type communication as determined by said processor assembly.

24. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 17 wherein said reason for said particular telephony type communication comprises a reason code inputted by said valid user.

25. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 24 wherein said processor assembly is structured to store a plurality of said reason codes defined by said valid user so as to permit said user to select at least one of said reason codes in order to define said reason for said particular telephony type communication.

26. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 17 wherein said processor assembly is structured to be remotely and affirmatively accessed by said valid user.

27. A telephone call tracking and billing system as recited in claim 17 wherein said processor assembly is automatically associated with said at least one telephone device.