Sponsored call and cell service

• US 6,181,927 B1
• Filed: 02/17/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Welling, James Brian Jr., Pham, Thanh, Maxwell, Stewart Hodde, Vaserfirer, Anatoly, Chiniwala, Sima
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, DORIS HA
• Application Number:
  US09/024,985
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/405-408, 455/412, 455/414-415, 455/417, 455/422, 455/445, 455/461, 455/550, 379/67, 379/88-89, 379/201, 379/114, 379/111, 379/83
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user 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 2207/18 wireless networks
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13524 cost management least cost H04Q2213/13138
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13532 mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13546 Intelligent Peripheral
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

In a telecommunications system, a subscriber station invokes a sponsored-call application service program when the subscriber station originates a call. Based upon certain criteria, service logic determines whether the call is sponsored or not. If sponsored, additional service logic utilizes the location of the call origination (i.e., location of the subscriber station) and/or other attributes of the subscriber station to select an announcement from a plurality of announcements for transmission to the subscriber station. After the announcement is transmitted (i.e., played), the subscriber station is connected to the call'"'"'s desired destination. If not sponsored, the call is handled as a normal call.

Claims

1. A method for selecting and transmitting a message to a user in a telecommunications system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a call from a subscriber station, the call comprising call origination information;

comparing the call origination information to triggering criteria and triggering if the call origination information meets the triggering criteria, the call origination information including station identification data uniquely identifying the subscriber station;

selecting a message based on one or more attributes of the subscriber station in response to the triggering, the step of selecting the message based on one or more attributes of the subscriber station in response to the triggering comprising the steps of;

retrieving profile information associated with the subscriber station using the station identification data; and

selecting the message based on the retrieved profile information, the step of selecting the message based on the retrieval profile information comprising the steps of;

selecting a first sponsor group of a list of sponsor groups;

selecting a first sponsor from a list of sponsors in the first sponsor group; and

selecting the message from a list of messages associated with the first sponsor; and

transmitting the selected message to be received by the subscriber station.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a prompt to the subscriber station;

receiving a predetermined prompt response from the subscriber station in response to the prompt; and

transmitting the selected message after the predetermined prompt response is received.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the call origination information includes station identification data uniquely identifying the subscriber station, and wherein the step of comparing and triggering comprises the steps of comparing the identification data to a database comprising a plurality of predetermined identification numbers and triggering if the station identification data of the subscriber station is equal to a one of the plurality of predetermined identification numbers within the database.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the call origination information includes called number data, and wherein the step of comparing and triggering comprises the steps of comparing the called number data to a database comprising a plurality of predetermined called numbers and triggering if the called number data of the subscriber station is equal to a one of the plurality of predetermined called numbers within the database.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the call origination information includes destination information, and the method further includes the step of routing the call to a destination defined by the destination information after the selected message is transmitted.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the selected message is an audible announcement.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the one or more attributes includes location data that identifies the location of the subscriber station and the selected message is selected based on the location of the subscriber station.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising the step of generating the location data based on the location of the subscriber station.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the message is selected base on a plurality of attributes associated with the subscriber station using a selection process.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the call origination information includes station identification data uniquely identifying the subscriber station, and the step of selecting the message comprises the steps of:

retrieving profile information associated with the subscriber station using the station identification data; and

selecting a message based on the retrieved profile information and on the location of the subscriber station.

11. A method for selecting and playing an announcement to a subscriber station in response to a call origination received from the subscriber station in a telecommunications system, comprising the steps of:

selecting an announcement based on at least one attribute of the subscriber station in response to the triggering, the step of selecting an announcement comprising the steps of;

retrieving profile information associated with the subscriber station using a station identification of the subscriber station; and

selecting the announcement based on the retrieved profile information, the step of selecting the announcement based on the retrieved profile information comprising the steps of;

selecting a first sponsor group of a list of sponsor groups;

selecting a first sponsor from a list of sponsors in the first sponsor group; and

selecting the announcement from a list of announcements associated with the first sponsor;

establishing a communications link with the subscriber station;

prompting the subscriber station for a predetermined response;

waiting for a predetermined response from the subscriber station;

receiving the predetermined response; and

playing the selected announcement to the subscriber station after the predetermined response is received from the subscriber station.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 further comprising the step of providing a communications link between the subscriber station and a predetermined destination after playing the selected announcement.

13. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein one of the attributes is the location of the subscriber station.

14. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the selection of the announcement is also based on the location of the subscriber station.

15. A method for selecting and playing an announcement to a user in a telecommunications system, comprising steps of:

receiving a call from a subscriber station, the call comprising call origination information;

comparing the call origination information to triggering criteria and triggering if the call origination information meets the triggering criteria;

selecting an announcement based on at least one attribute of the subscriber station in response to the triggering, the step of selecting an announcement comprising the steps of;

retrieving profile information associated with the subscriber station using a station identification of the subscriber station; and

selecting the announcement based on the retrieved profile information, the step of selecting an announcement based on the retrieved profile comprising the steps of;

selecting a first sponsor group of a list of sponsor groups;

selecting a first sponsor from a list of sponsors in the first sponsor group; and

selecting the announcement from a list of announcements associated with the first sponsor;

establishing a communications link with the subscriber station;

prompting the subscriber station for a predetermined response;

waiting for a predetermined response from the subscriber station;

receiving the predetermined response; and

playing the selected announcement to the subscriber station after the predetermined response is received from the subscriber station.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising the step of routing the call to a predetermined destination after playing the selected announcement.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the call origination information includes station identification data uniquely identifying the subscriber station, and wherein the step of comparing and triggering comprises the steps of comparing the identification data to a database comprising a plurality of predetermined identification numbers and triggering if the station identification data of the subscriber station is equal to a one of the plurality of predetermined identification numbers within the database.

18. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the call origination information includes called number data, and wherein the step of comparing and triggering comprises the steps of comparing the called number data to a database comprising a plurality of predetermined called numbers and triggering if the called number data of the subscriber station is equal to a one of the plurality of predetermined called numbers within the database.

19. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein one of the attributes is the location of the subscriber station.