On demand real time telephone billing equipment

• US 6,091,944 A
• Filed: 10/10/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cellular Development System
• Original Assignee: Cellular Development System
• Inventors: Friend, Clarence
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Application Number:
  US08/949,118
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114, 379/113, 379/112, 379/144, 379/201, 379/409, 379/410, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408
• US Class Current: 455/409
• 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 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• 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 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An on demand, real time billing equipment for a user of a radio telephone employs a telephone switching platform, including an unintelligent switch and a computer, which is in communication with a radio telephone transmitting system, a local telephone transmitting system, and long distance telephone transmitting system. The computer is programed to monitor, control and rate telephone calls made by said customer to tally for each separate customer the identification of each individual phone number called, the date of each individual phone number called, duration of each individual phone number called, and the cost of each individual call and provide detail billing information on demand in real time. For rented radio telephones, an access terminal is in communication with the credit authorization center at which the identification of the customer is entered. When the rented telephone is returned, a printer prints a hard copy bill that provides the phone numbers of each individual call made using the rented telephone, the date of each individual call, and duration of each individual call immediately at the deactivation of the radio telephone.

Claims

1. An on demand, real time billing equipment for a customer of a rented, radio telephone, comprising

a telephone switching platform in communication with a radio telephone transmitting system, a local telephone transmitting system, and long distance telephone transmitting system,

said telephone switching platform including an unintelligent switch and a computer in communication with a credit authorization center which validates the credit of said customer,

said computer being programed to monitor, control and rate telephone calls made by said customer to tally for each separate customer billing information including the identification of each individual phone number called, the date of each individual phone number called, duration of each individual phone number called, and the cost of each individual call, and make available immediately on demand for each separate customer said billing information, and

an access terminal in communication with the credit authorization center at which the identification of the customer is entered, said terminal having a printer that prints a hard copy bill when the rented telephone is returned, said bill providing the phone numbers of each individual call made using the rented telephone, the date of each individual call, and duration of each individual call.

2. On demand, real time billing equipment, comprising

an unmodified rented radio telephone which is unable to provide a user on demand with immediate access to billing information,

a telephone switching platform in communication with said unmodified radio telephone and a radio telephone transmitting system, a local telephone transmitting system, and long distance telephone transmitting system,

said telephone switching platform including a computer in communication with a credit authorization center which validates the credit of a user,

said computer being programmed to rate telephone calls made by said user to tally for each separate user billing information including the identification of each individual phone number called, the date of each individual phone number called, the duration of each individual phone number called, and the cost of each individual call, and make available immediately on demand for each separate user said billing information, and

an access terminal i n communication with the credit authorization center at which the identification of the user is entered, said terminal having a printer that prints a hard copy bill when the rented telephone is returned, said bill providing the phone numbers of each individual call made using the rented telephone, the date of each individual call, and duration of each individual call.

3. The on demand, real time billing equipment of claim 2 where the telephone may be authorized at a remote location by entering a special access phone number using the telephone key pad to enter the special access phone number which thereupon actuates an automatic voice prompting instrument that provides instructions over the telephone.

4. The on demand, real time billing equipment of claim 3 where the instructions include directing the user to enter an authorized credit account number.

5. The on demand, real time billing equipment of claim 2 where the computer is programmed to provide separate billing for the time of radio telephone usage and the time of long distance usage.

6. The on demand, real time billing equipment of claim 2 where the access terminal is in communication with the credit authorization center through the computer.

7. The on demand, real time billing equipment of claim 2 where the computer is programmed to monitor said telephone calls made by individual users.

8. An on demand, real time billing equipment, comprising

an unmodified radio telephone which is unable to provide a user on demand with immediate access to billing information,

a telephone switching platform in communication with said unmodified radio telephone and a radio telephone transmitting system, a local telephone transmitting system, and long distance telephone transmitting system,

said telephone switching platform including a switch and a computer with memory and programmed to rate telephone calls made by individual users to tally for each separate user and store in the memory billing information including the identification of each individual phone number called, the date of each individual phone number called, duration of each individual phone number called, and the cost of each individual call, and make available immediately on demand for each separate user said billing information, and

an access terminal in communication with the computer that enables a user to access on demand in real time said billing information stored in the computer by entering an identification number.

9. The on demand, real time billing equipment of claim 8 where the computer is in communication with a credit authorization center which validates the credit of said user.

10. The on demand, real time billing equipment of claim 8 where the user is instructed upon making a call to enter an authorized credit account number.

11. The on demand, real time billing equipment of claim 8 where the computer is programmed to monitor said telephone calls made by individual users.

12. A method for billing on demand, in real time radio telephone calls, comprising the steps of

(a) an unmodified, radio telephone which is unable to provide a user on demand with immediate access to billing information,

(b) a telephone switching platform in communication with a radio telephone transmitting system, a local telephone transmitting system, and long distance telephone transmitting system,

said telephone switching platform including a computer with memory, said computer programmed to rate telephone calls made by individual users to tally for each separate user and store in the memory billing information including the identification of each individual phone number called, the date of each individual phone number called, duration of each individual phone number called, and the cost of each individual call, and make available immediately on demand for each separate user said billing information, and

(c) an access terminal in communication with the computer that enables a user to access on demand in real time said billing information stored in the computer by entering an identification number, and

making a telephone call using the unmodified radio telephone, with said call being switched through said platform to the radio telephone transmitting system to complete the call, said call being rated in real time by the programmed computer in the platform.