Calling-party-pays call processing for cellular and paging

• US 6,263,056 B1
• Filed: 04/16/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gruchala, Carol Shifrin, Blumenschein, Gordon Lynn, Marshall, Douglas, Sosa, Roger Albert, Donoso, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/061,514
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111-133, 379/201, 379/207, 379/220, 379/222, 379/144, 455/405, 455/406-408
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• 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 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/68 Billing calls completely to the calling party, except POTS, e.g. charge on caller's choice service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13213 Counting, timing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13374 Paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

An enhanced Calling Party Pays (CPP) or Paging Party Pays (PPP) system that enables 1) billing of calls originating from traditionally non-billable sources, 2) routing of incoming calls to voicemail if the caller does not wish to incur the additional charges, 3) allowing the caller to complete the call and charge the cellular (or paging) subscriber for additional air-time usage when the caller enters a PIN or security code, also referred to as a billing override code, and 4) allowing the caller to block CPP/PPP charges from being billed to the calling party.

Claims

1. A method of processing a call initiated by a first subscriber device to a second subscriber device comprising:

receiving an automatic number identifier (ANI) comprising a calling number and a called number;

determining the billing status of the first subscriber device based on a charge party station type (CPST) of the first subscriber device;

determining the billing preferences of the second subscriber device in response to the received called number; and

,

routing the call to an outside billing service provider which collects billing information from the first subscriber device if the billing status is determined to be nonbillable and the billing preferences are calling party pays, thereby allowing the billing service provider to obtain billing information associated with the first subscriber device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the billing status of the first subscriber comprises examining a database field containing the Charge Party Station Type of the first subscriber device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the billing preferences of the second subscriber comprises examining a database field containing billing preferences of the second subscriber device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of determining the billing status and billing preferences are performed at a service control point of an advanced intelligent network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving information is formed using the TCAP component of the signaling system 7 protocol.

6. A method of call processing performed at a service control point in an advanced intelligent network comprising:

receiving a first TCAP query from a switching device, wherein the query contains an automatic number identifier (ANI) comprising a calling number and a called number;

determining whether the called number utilizes calling party pays services;

determining whether the calling number is a billable number based on a charge party station type (CPST);

instructing the switching device to route the call to an outside billing service provider which collects billing information if the called number uses calling party pays services and the calling number is non-billable, thereby allowing the billing service provider to obtain billing information corresponding to the calling party; and

receiving a second TCAP query from a switching device, wherein the query contains calling number information associated with the outside billing service provider.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of prompting the calling subscriber to enter a ‘

1’

if the call should be routed to a billing service rovider if the calling number billing status is non-billable.

8. A method of processing a call initiated by a first subscriber device to a second subscriber device comprising:

receiving an automatic number identifier (ANI) of the first subscriber device comprising a calling number and a called number;

determining the billing status of the first subscriber device based on a charge party station type (CPST) of the first subscriber device;

determining the billing preferences of the second subscriber device in response to the received called number; and

,

if the billing status is determined to be nonbillable and the billing preferences are calling party pays;

playing a message to the first subscriber device indicating that voice mail and routing the call to an outside billing service provider which collects billing information are options;

routing the call to the outside billing service provider if the outside billing service provider option is chosen; and

routing the call to a service provider for voice mail service if the voice mail option is chosen.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of determining the billing status of the first subscriber comprises examining a database field containing the Charge Party Station Type of the first subscriber device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of determining the billing preferences of the second subscriber comprises examining a database field containing billing preferences of the second subscriber device.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the steps of determining the billing status and billing preferences are performed at a service control point of an advanced intelligent network.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of receiving information is performed using the TCAP component of the signaling system 7 protocol.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the played message also indicates that no additional charges are associated with the voice mail option.