Method of charging for a communications service, as well as a charge computer, exchange, and communications network

• US 6,085,179 A
• Filed: 02/13/1998
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Halm, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Thomas A
• Application Number:
  US09/023,033
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 705/400, 705/418, 455/2, 455/405, 455/406, 379/111, 379/114
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list

Abstract

A method of determining fees for chargeable telecommunications (TK) services, whereby a counting device is used to calculate the amount of charges accumulated by an individual customer during a predetermined billing period, is characterized in that after exceeding a threshold value of the accumulated amount of charges, which can be individually established for the customer by the provider of the TK services, a limited low-fee, preferably a no-fee usage of the TK services is made available to the customer. To announce the start of the low-fee usage, a signal is preferably transmitted to the customer. This contributes to a further increase in the incentive of using the TK service, and causes an increased utilization of the respective TK service system as well as an increase in the service provider'"'"'s sales.

Claims

1. A method of determining fees for chargeable telecommunications (TK) services, whereby a counting device is used to calculate the amount of charges accumulated by an individual customer during a predetermined billing period, characterized in that, after exceeding a preset value of the accumulated amount of charges which can be individually established for the customer by the provider of the TK services, a limited low-fee, preferably a no-fee usage of the TK services is made available to the customer, characterized in that several different preset values are provided within the same billing period.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a signal is transmitted to the customer to announce the start of the low-fee usage of the TK services.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the announcement of the start of the low-fee usage takes place optically, preferably by lighting a lamp (10) in a TK terminal (4) of the customer.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that indication of the start of the low-fee usage takes place acoustically, preferably by an automated announcement or a specific signal tone in the customer'"'"'s TK terminal.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the extent of the low-fee usage of the TK services including a number of low-fee or no-fee units or an amount of free usage, or the time period of a low-fee or a no-fee usage is also transmitted to the customer.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that a signal to announce the end of the low-fee usage of the TK services is also transmitted to the customer.

7. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the indication of the start of the low-fee usage takes place acoustically, preferably by an automated announcement or a specific signal tone in the customer'"'"'s TK terminal.

8. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the extent of the low-fee usage of the TK services including a number of low-fee or no-fee units or an amount of free usage, or the time period of a low-fee or a no-fee usage is also transmitted to the customer.

9. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a signal to announce the end of the low-fee usage of the TK services is also transmitted to the customer.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the individual customer-specific preset value is manually established by the service provider.

11. A method of determining fees for chargeable telecommunications (TK) services, whereby a counting device is used to calculate the amount of charges accumulated by an individual customer during a predetermined billing period, characterized in that,

after exceeding a preset value of the accumulated amount of charges which can be individually established for the customer by the provider of the TK services, a limited low-fee, preferably a no-fee usage of the TK services is made available to the customer;

a signal is transmitted to the customer to announce the start of the low-fee usage of the TK services;

the announcement of the start of the low-fee usage takes place optically, preferably by lighting a lamp (10) in a TK terminal (4) of the customer;

the indication of the start of the low-fee usage takes place acoustically, preferably by an automated announcement or a specific signal tone in the customer'"'"'s TK terminal;

the extent of the low-fee usage of the TK services is also transmitted to the customer, preferably by the number of low-fee or no-fee units or an amount of free usage, or the time period of a low-fee or a no-fee usage;

a signal to announce the end of the low-fee usage of the TK services is also transmitted to the customer; and

the individual customer-specific preset value is manually established by the service provider.

12. A method of determining fees for chargeable telecommunications (TK) services, whereby a counting device is used to calculate the amount of charges accumulated by an individual customer during a predetermined billing period, characterized in that,

after exceeding a preset value of the accumulated amount of charges which can be individually established for the customer by the provider of the TK services, a limited low-fee, preferably a no-fee usage of the TK services is made available to the customer;

a signal is transmitted to the customer to announce the start of the low-fee usage of the TK services;

the announcement of the start of the low-fee usage takes place optically, preferably by lighting a lamp (10) in a TK terminal (4) of the customer,

the indication of the start of the low-fee usage takes place acoustically, preferably by an automated announcement or a specific signal tone in the customer'"'"'s TK terminal;

the extent of the low-fee usage of the TK services is also transmitted to the customer, preferably by the number of low-fee or no-fee units or an amount of free usage, or the time period of a low-fee or a no-fee usage;

a signal to announce the end of the low-fee usage of the TK services is also transmitted to the customer; and

the individual customer-specific preset value is determined from a statistic of previous bills sent to the customer, wherein the statistic represents an individual usage behavior of each customer.

13. A method as claimed in claims 12, characterized in that the established preset value is automatically entered into the TK system.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that several different preset values are provided within the same billing period.

15. A method of determining fees for chargeable telecommunications (TK) services, whereby a counting device is used to calculate the amount of charges accumulated by an individual customer during a predetermined billing period, characterized in that, after exceeding a preset value of the accumulated amount of charges which can be individually established for the customer by the provider of the TK services, a limited low-fee, preferably a no-fee usage of the TK services is made available to the customer, characterized in that the individual customer-specific preset value is determined from a statistic of previous bills sent to the customer, wherein the statistic represents an individual usage behavior of each customer.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the established preset value is automatically entered into the TK system.