Real-time call rating and debiting system

• US 6,058,173 A
• Filed: 02/19/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LHS Telekommunikation GmbH & Co. KG (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: LHS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Penfield, Robert F., MeLampy, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/025,877
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 379/144, 379/114, 379/67.1, 379/111, 379/112
• US Class Current: 379/114.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/775 Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/201 automatic recharging with predetermined amount at threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/22 with automatic recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection the account is recharged automatically
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7277 Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 Session based

Abstract

A software process setting time limits for telephone calls so that a subscriber'"'"'s account balance is not exceeded. The method estimates the time when the subscriber'"'"'s balance will expire by using total charges for all calls per second. The process accounts for time already paid for, reserving the minimum continuation time for adding a new call, reserving time for all calls up to the latest paid for time, dividing the remaining balance by total charges per second to estimate the time left before the subscriber'"'"'s balance reaches zero, an setting the time limit for each call accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for setting time limits for a debit card subscriber'"'"'s multiple telephone calls;

the method comprising the following steps;

a) calculating total charges for all subscriber calls per a given time period;

b) accounting for time already paid for calls in progress for the subscriber'"'"'s account;

c) reserving a minimum continuation time for any calls in progress;

d) reserving time for all calls up to the most recently paid time;

e) reserving a minimum call time for either of new and unanswered calls;

f) dividing the remaining balance by the total charges per second;

g) estimating the time the subscriber'"'"'s balance reaches zero based upon the quotient resulting from the dividing steps; and

h) setting a time limit for subscriber'"'"'s calls based upon said estimating step.

2. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

i) accepting or rejecting a call based upon the time limit in said setting step.

3. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of repeating steps a) to h) for each new call while continuing prior calls.

4. The method recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of:

j) accepting or rejecting a new call based upon the latest time limit established in the most recent repetition of step h).

5. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of rejecting a new call if the time limit set in step g) does not exceed the minimum time reserved in step e).

6. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the time limits recited in steps a) to h) when an inbound call arrives.

7. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the time limits recited in steps a) to h) when an outbound call is requested by the subscriber.

8. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the time limits recited in steps a) to h) when an outbound call is seized.

9. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the time limits recited in steps a) to h) when either of an inbound or an outbound call is answered.

10. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the time limits recited in steps a) to h) when a first call is connected to another call.

11. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the time limits recited in steps a) to h) when a first call is connected to a conference.

12. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the time limits recited in steps a) to h) when a first call is connected to an internal call resource.

13. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the time limits recited in steps a) to h) when a call service is invoked.

14. A system for setting time limits for a debit card subscriber'"'"'s multiple telephone calls, comprising:

a) a means for calculating total charges for all subscriber calls per a given time period;

b) a means for accounting for time already paid for calls in progress for the subscriber'"'"'s account;

c) a means for reserving a minimum continuation time for any calls in progress;

d) a means for reserving time for all calls up to the most recently paid time;

e) a means for reserving a minimum call time for either of new and unanswered calls;

f) a means for dividing the remaining balance by the total charges per second;

g) a means for estimating the time the subscriber'"'"'s balance reaches zero based upon the quotient obtained from said means for dividing; and

h) a means for setting a time limit for subscriber'"'"'s calls based upon said estimated time.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a means for accepting or rejecting a call based upon the time limit received by said means for setting a time limit.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a means for accepting or rejecting a new call based upon the latest time limit established by said means for setting a time limit.