Frequency-based discount system for host-system within a communication network

• US 6,298,125 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1998
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rakuten, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldberg, Randy G., Mane, Amir M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Application Number:
  US09/219,354
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112, 379/114, 379/144, 379/115, 379/114.03, 379/114.1, 379/114.12, 379/114.17, 379/114.25, 379/115.01, 379/115.02, 379/121.02, 379/121.04
• US Class Current: 379/114.1
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• 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 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• 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 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts

Abstract

Method and apparatus provide a frequency discount for host payable calls provided by a communication network. Call information, including the customer'"'"'s telephone number and the dialed telephone number, is processed to determine whether a particular call is eligible for the frequency discount. A host profile is retrieved from a memory based on the dialed telephone number from which the eligibility conditions of the discount are obtained. Customer records are retrieved from the same or different memory based on the customer telephone number. If the customer'"'"'s history meets the conditions outlined by the host profile, the discount is awarded.

Claims

1. A method of awarding a frequency based discount to customers of a host payable communication service, comprising steps of:

receiving indicia of a host-payable call including a customer identifier and a destination identifier,

retrieving a host profile based on the destination identifier,

identifying a host charge and a discount identifier from the host profile, the discount identifier including a time indicator representing a time window in which the customer history must indicate the customer called the host payable communication service for the eligibility requirement to be met, said discount identifier further including a plurality of time indicators each associated with its own adjustment rate identifying eligibility requirements for a frequency based discount using the discount identifier,

retrieving a customer history based on the customer identifier, and

when the customer history meets the eligibility requirements, adjusting the host charge to be charged to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer identifier is a home telephone number entered by the customer during the host-payable call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer identifier is an ANI of a customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer identifier is a customer ID entered by the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the discount identifier identifies a minimum number of host-payable calls that must have been placed by the customer to the host for the eligibility requirements to be met.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the discount identifier identifies a minimum length that a previous host-payable call from the customer to the host must have extended for the eligibility requirements to be met.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicia is contained in an automated billing record.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of, when a discount identifier is not provided in a host profile associated with the dialed telephone number, charging the host charge to the customer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of charging the host charge to the customer when the eligibility requirements are not met.

10. A billing system for a communication network comprising:

a rating system adapted to receive a billing record identifying a customer identifier and a destination identifier of a host-payable call made to a host company,

retrieve a host profile from the first database based upon the destination identifier,

identify a host charge and discount eligibility requirements as a discount identifier from the host profile, the discount identifier including a plurality of time indicators each associated with its own reduction rate,

retrieve from the second database a customer record associated with the customer identifier,

determine whether the calling history meets the discount eligibility requirements and, when the eligibility requirements are met, writes a charge to the customer record charging the customer a reduced host charge;

a first database storing profiles of host companies, said profiles including charge rate adjustment parameters to host payable communication services; and

a second database storing customer billing records.

11. The billing system of claim 10, wherein the customer identifier is a home telephone number entered by the customer during the host-payable call.

12. The billing system of claim 10, wherein the customer identifier is an ANI.

13. The billing system of claim 10, wherein the customer identifier is a customer ID entered by the customer.

14. The billing system of claim 10, wherein the discount identifier includes a time indicator representing a time window in which the customer history must indicate the customer called the host payable communication service for the eligibility requirements to be met.

15. The billing system of claim 10, wherein the discount identifier identifies a minimum number of host-payable calls that must have been placed by the customer to the host for the eligibility requirement to be met.

16. The billing system of claim 10, wherein the discount identifier identifies a minimum length a previous host-payable call from the customer to the host must have extended for the eligibility requirements to be met.

17. The billing system of claim 10, wherein the rating system writes a charge to the customer record charging the customer the full host charge.