Call transfer and conference with separate billing records per leg

• US 6,298,127 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1998
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Petrunka, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Application Number:
  US09/114,069
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/114, 379/212, 379/211, 379/210, 379/201, 379/202, 379/130, 379/112, 379/34, 379/221, 379/220, 379/309, 379/203, 379/223, 379/222
• US Class Current: 379/126
• 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 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 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A system efficiently transfers a telephone call from a caller terminal for a desired class of service and produces separate billing records for each leg of the call. The system includes a network level server connected to a network level switch. The network switch receives the call from the caller terminal and transmits information about the call to the network server. The network server produces a first directory number for the call based on the call information from the network switch. The network switch receives the first directory number from the network server, establishes a first connection from the caller terminal to a first terminal identified by the call using the first directory number, and creates a first billing record for the first connection. The network server receives a request to transfer the call to a second terminal from the first terminal and produces a second directory number for the call transfer. The network switch receives the second directory number from the network server, establishes a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number, and creates a second billing record for the second connection.

Claims

1. A method for transferring a telephone call, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a network level switch, a call for a desired class of service from a caller terminal;

transmitting information about the call to a network level server;

sending a first directory number for the call from the network server to the network switch;

establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to a first terminal identified by the call using the first directory number;

creating, at the network level switch, a first billing record for the first connection;

sending, by the network level switch, the first billing record to a billing system connected to the network level switch;

receiving, at the network server, a request to transfer the call to a second terminal from the first terminal;

sending a second directory number for the call transfer from the network server to the network switch;

establishing a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number;

creating, at the network level switch, a second billing record for the second connection; and

sending, by the network level switch, the second billing record to the billing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a call includes the substeps of:

recognizing at the network switch, that the call is for the desired class of service, and

initiating a data session between the network switch and the network server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a request to transfer the call includes the substeps of:

signaling the network switch by the network server requesting control of the call transfer, and

obtaining control of the call transfer by the network server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a second connection includes the substep of:

creating a three-way connection simultaneously connecting the caller terminal and the first and second terminals.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of establishing a second connection further includes the substeps of:

releasing the first connection, and

directly connecting the caller terminal to the second terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of creating a first billing record includes the substep of:

generating the first billing record to reflect time that the caller terminal and the first terminal are connected.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting information about the call includes the substeps of:

generating a call identifier in the network switch, and

sending the call identifier to the network server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a request to transfer the call includes the substeps of:

receiving, at the network switch, a predetermined dual tone multi-frequency signal from the first terminal,

connecting the first terminal to an interactive voice response unit,

receiving, at the interactive voice response unit, the second directory number from the first terminal, and

sending the second directory number to the network server from the interactive voice response unit.

53. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating a second billing record includes the substep of:

generating the second billing record to reflect time that the caller terminal and the second terminal are connected, without referring to the first billing record.

9. A system for transferring a telephone call of a caller terminal for a desired class of service, comprising:

a network level server including

means for receiving information about the call,

means for producing a first directory number for the call based on the received call information,

means for receiving a request to transfer the call to a second terminal from a first terminal identified by the call, and

means for obtaining a second directory number for the call transfer; and

a network level switch, connected to the network server, including

means for receiving the call from the caller terminal,

means for transmitting the information about the call to the network server,

means for receiving the first directory number from the network server,

means for establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to the first terminal using the first directory number,

means for creating a first billing record for the first connection,

means for sending the first billing record to a billing system connected to the network level switch;

means for receiving the second directory number from the network server,

means for establishing a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number,

means for creating a second billing record for the second connection; and

means for sending the second billing record to the billing system, wherein the first billing record is sent independent of the second billing record.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for receiving the call includes

means for recognizing that the call is for the desired class of service, and

means for initiating a data session with the network server.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving a request to transfer the call includes

means for signaling the network switch to request control of the call transfer, and

means for obtaining control of the call transfer.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for establishing a second connection includes

means for creating a three-way connection simultaneously connecting the caller terminal and the first and second terminals.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for establishing a second connection further includes

means for releasing the first connection, and

means for directly connecting the caller terminal to the second terminal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for creating a first billing record includes

means for generating the first billing record to reflect only time that the first connection is intact.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for transmitting information about the call includes

means for generating a call identifier, and

means for sending the call identifier to the network server.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising

an interactive voice response unit connected to the network server and the network switch.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the network switch further includes

means for receiving a predetermined dual tone multi-frequency signal from the first terminal, and

means for connecting the first terminal to the interactive voice response unit.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the interactive voice response unit includes

means for receiving the second directory number from the first terminal, and

means for sending the second directory number to the network server.

54. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for creating a second billing record includes:

means for generating the second billing record, without referring to the first billing record, wherein the second billing record reflects only time that the caller terminal and the second terminal are connected.

19. A method of transferring a telephone call of a caller terminal from a first terminal identified by the call to a second terminal in a network having a network level switch connected to a network level server, the method, performed in the network switch, comprising the steps of:

receiving the call from the caller terminal;

transmitting information about the call to the network server;

receiving a first directory number from the network server in response to the transmitted call information;

establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to the first terminal using the first directory number;

creating a first billing record for the first connection;

sending the first billing record to billing system connected to the network level switch;

receiving a second directory number from the network server;

establishing a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number;

creating a second billing record for the second connection; and

sending the second billing record to the billing system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of receiving the call includes the substeps of:

recognizing that the call is for a desired class of service, and

initiating a data session with the network server.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of establishing a second connection includes the substep of:

creating a three-way connection simultaneously connecting the caller terminal and the first and second terminals.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of establishing a second connection further includes the substeps of:

releasing the first connection, and

directly connecting the caller terminal to the second terminal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of creating a first billing record includes the substep of:

generating the first billing record to reflect time that the first connection is intact.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of transmitting information about the call includes the substeps of:

generating a call identifier, and

sending the call identifier to the network server.

55. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of creating a second billing record includes the substep of:

generating the second billing record to reflect time that the caller terminal and the second terminal are connected, without referring to the first billing record.

25. In a network that transfers a telephone call of a caller terminal from a first terminal identified by the call to a second terminal, having a network level switch connected to a network level server, the network switch comprising:

means for receiving the call from the caller terminal;

means for transmitting information about the call to the network level server;

means for receiving a first directory number from the network server in response to the transmitted call information;

means for establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to the first terminal using the first directory number;

means for creating a first billing record for the first connection;

means for sending the first billing record to a billing system connected to the network level switch;

means for receiving a second directory number from the network server;

means for establishing a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number;

means for creating a second billing record for the second connection; and

means for sending the second billing record to the billing system, wherein the first billing record is sent to the billing system independently of the second billing record.

26. The network switch of claim 25, wherein the means for receiving the call includes

means for recognizing that the call is for a desired class of service, and

means for initiating a data session with the network server.

27. The network switch of claim 25, wherein the means for establishing a second connection includes

means for creating a three-way connection simultaneously connecting the caller terminal and the first and second terminals.

28. The network switch of claim 27, wherein the means for establishing a second connection further includes

means for releasing the first connection, and

means for directly connecting the caller terminal to the second terminal.

29. The network switch of claim 28, wherein the means for creating a first billing record includes

means for generating the first billing record to reflect time that the first connection is intact.

30. The network switch of claim 25, wherein the means for transmitting information about the call includes

means for generating a call identifier, and

means for sending the call identifier to the network server.

56. The network switch of claim 25, wherein the means for creating a second billing record includes.

means for generating the second billing record, without referring to the first billing record, wherein the second billing record reflects time that the caller terminal and the second terminal are connected.

31. A method of transferring a telephone call of a caller terminal from a first terminal identified by the call to a second terminal in a network having a network level switch connected to a network level server, the method, performed in the network server, comprising the steps of:

receiving information about the call from the network switch;

obtaining a first directory number for the call based on the received call information;

instructing the network switch to establish a first connection from the caller terminal to the first terminal using the first directory number, create a first billing record for billing a first organization associated with the first connection and send the first billing record to a billing system;

receiving a request to transfer the call to the second terminal from the first terminal;

producing a second directory number for the call transfer; and

instructing the network switch to establish a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number, create a second billing record for billing a second organization associated with the second connection and send the second billing record to the billing system.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of receiving a request to transfer the call includes the substeps of:

signaling the network switch to request control of the call transfer, and

obtaining control of the call transfer.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of instructing the network switch to establish a second connection includes the substep of:

instructing the network switch to create a three-way connection simultaneously connecting the caller terminal and the first and second terminals.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of instructing the network switch to establish a second connection further includes the substeps of:

instructing the network switch to drop the first connection, and

instructing the network switch to directly connect the caller terminal to the second terminal.

35. In a network that transfers a telephone call of a caller terminal from

a first terminal identified by the call to a second terminal, having a network level switch connected to a network level server, the network server comprising:

means for receiving information about the call from the network switch;

means for producing a first directory number for the call based on the received call information;

means for instructing the network switch to establish a first connection from the caller terminal to the first terminal using the first directory number, create a first billing record for the first connection and send the first billing record to a billing system;

means for producing a second directory number for the call transfer; and

means for instructing the network switch to establish a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number, create a second billing record for the second connection and send the second billing record to the billing system;

wherein the first and second billing records are sent to the billing system independently of each other.

36. The network server of claim 35, wherein the means for receiving a request to transfer the call includes

means for signaling the network switch to request control of the call transfer, and

means for obtaining control of the call transfer.

37. The network server of claim 35, wherein the means for instructing the network switch to establish a second connection includes

means for instructing the network switch to create a three-way connection simultaneously connecting the caller terminal and the first and second terminals.

38. The network server of claim 37, wherein the means for instructing the network switch to establish a second connection further includes

means for instructing the network switch to drop the first connection, and

means for instructing the network switch to directly connect the caller terminal to the second terminal.

39. A method for transferring a telephone call, comprising the steps of:

receiving at a network level switch, a call for a desired class of service from a caller terminal;

establishing a first data session between the network level switch and a network level server;

transmitting call data reflecting information about the call from the network level switch to the network level server;

sending a first directory number for the call from the network level server to the network level switch;

sending the first call data to a first local level server connected to a first terminal identified by the call;

ending the first data session between the network level server and the network level switch;

establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to the first terminal using the directory number;

receiving, at the network level server, a request to transfer the call to a second terminal from the first terminal;

creating, at the network level switch, a first billing record for the first connection;

sending, by the network level switch, the first billing record to a billing system connected to the network level switch;

sending a second directory number for the call transfer from the network level server to the network level switch;

establishing a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number;

creating, at the network level switch, a second billing record for the second connection;

sending, from the network level server, second call data to a second local level server connected to the second terminal identified by the transfer request;

sending the call to the second terminal; and

sending, by the network level switch, the second billing record to the billing system.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein establishing a first connection includes:

routing the call from the network level switch to a first local level switch connected to the first terminal and the first local level server;

sending call information from the first local level switch to the first local level server;

providing, by the first local level server, customer information to the first terminal; and

sending the call from the first local level switch to the first terminal.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein providing customer information to the first terminal includes:

associating, by the first local level server, the call information received from the first local level switch with the call data received from the network level server; and

generating the customer information in response to the association.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein establishing a second connection includes:

creating a three-way connection simultaneously connecting the call terminal and the first and second terminals;

releasing the first connection; and

directly connecting the caller terminal and the second terminal.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein receiving a request to transfer includes:

receiving, at the first local level server, a call transfer command from the first terminal; and

sending the call transfer command to the network level server.

44. A system for transferring a telephone call of a caller terminal from a first terminal identified by the call to a second terminal in a network having a network level switch connected to a network level server, and first and second local servers connected to the network level server, wherein the first and second local servers are respectively connected to the first and second terminals, the system comprising:

means for receiving at the network level switch, a call for a desired class of service from the caller terminal;

means for establishing a first data session between the network level switch and the network level server;

means for transmitting call data reflecting information about the call from the network level switch to the network level server;

means for sending a first directory number for the call from the network level server to the network level switch;

means for sending the first call data to a first local level server connected to a first terminal identified by the call;

means for ending the first data session between the network level server and the network level switch;

means for establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to the first terminal using the directory number;

means for receiving, at the network level server, a request to transfer the call to the second terminal from the first terminal;

means for creating, at the network level switch, a first billing record for the first connection;

means for sending, by the network level switch, the first billing record to a billing system;

means for sending a second directory number for the call transfer from the network level server to the network level switch;

means for establishing a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number;

means for creating, at the network level switch, a second billing record for the second connection;

means for sending, from the network level server, second call data to the second local level server connected to the second terminal identified by the transfer request;

means for sending the call to the second terminal; and

means for sending, by the network level switch, the second billing record to the billing system, wherein the second billing record is sent independent of the first billing record.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the means for establishing a first connection includes:

means for routing the call from the network level switch to a first local level switch connected to the first terminal and first local level server;

means for sending call information from the first local level switch to the first local level server;

means for providing, by the first local level server, customer information to the first terminal; and

means for sending the call from the first local level switch to the first terminal.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the means for providing customer information to the first terminal includes:

means for associating, by the first local level server, the call information received

from the first local level switch with the call data received from the network level server; and

means for generating the customer information in response to the association.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the means for establishing a second connection includes:

means for creating a three-way connection simultaneously connecting the call terminal and the first and second terminals;

means for releasing the first connection; and

means for directly connecting the caller terminal and the second terminal.

48. The system of claim 44, wherein the means for receiving a request to transfer includes:

means for receiving, at the first local level server, a call transfer command from the first terminal; and

means for sending the call transfer command to the network level server.

49. A method for transferring a telephone call, comprising the steps of:

receiving at a network level switch, a call for a desired class of service from a caller terminal;

sending a first directory number for the call from a network level server to the network level switch;

establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to a first terminal using the directory number;

receiving, at the network level server, a request to transfer the call to a second terminal from the first terminal;

creating, at the network level switch a first billing record for the first connection;

sending, by the network level switch, the first billing record to a billing system;

sending a second directory number for the call transfer from the network level server to the network level switch;

establishing a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number; and

creating, by the network level switch, a second billing record for the second connection;

releasing the second connection in response to the call ending; and

sending, by the network level switch, the second billing record to the billing system, wherein the second billing record is sent to the billing system independent of the first billing record.

50. A system for transferring a telephone call, comprising:

means for receiving at a network level switch, a call for a desired class of service from a caller terminal;

means for sending a first directory number for the call from the network level server to the network level switch;

means for establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to a first terminal using the directory number;

means for receiving, at the network level server, a request to transfer the call to a second terminal from the first terminal;

means for creating, at the network level switch a first billing record for the first connection;

means for sending, by the network level switch, the first billing record to a billing system;

means for sending a second directory number for the call transfer from the network level server to the network level switch;

means for establishing a second connection to the second terminal using the second directory number; and

means for creating, by the network level switch, a second billing record for the second connection;

means for releasing the second connection in response to the call ending; and

means for sending, by the network level switch, the second billing record to the billing system, wherein the second billing record is sent to the billing system independent of the first billing record.

51. A method for transferring a telephone call, comprising the steps of:

receiving a call from a caller terminal;

establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to a first terminal;

creating, at a network level switch, a first billing record for billing a first organization associated with the first connection;

sending by the network level switch, the first billing record to a billing system;

receiving a request to transfer the call to a second terminal from the first terminal;

establishing a second connection to the second terminal;

creating, at the network level switch, a second billing record for billing a second organization associated with the second connection; and

sending, by the network level switch, the second billing record to the billing system.

57. The method of claim 51, wherein the second billing record is created without referring to the first billing record.

52. A system for transferring a telephone call, comprising:

means for the receiving a call from a caller terminal;

means for establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to a first terminal;

means for creating, at a network level switch, a first billing record for billing a first organization associated with the first connection;

means for sending, by the network level switch, the first billing record to a billing system;

means for receiving a request to transfer the call to a second terminal from the first terminal;

means for establishing a second connection to the second terminal;

means for creating, at the network level switch, a second billing record for billing a second organization associated with the second connection; and

means for sending, by the network level switch, the second billing record to the billing system.

58. The system of claim 52, wherein the second billing record is created without referring to the first billing record.

59. A method for transferring a telephone call, comprising:

receiving a call for a requested service from a caller terminal;

establishing a first connection from the caller terminal to a first terminal associated with a first business organization;

creating, at a network level switch, a first billing record to bill the first organization associated with the first terminal for the first connection;

sending, by the network level switch, the first billing record to a billing system;

transferring the call from the first terminal to a second terminal associated with a second business organization unrelated to the first business organization;

establishing a second connection between the caller terminal and the second terminal;

creating, by the network level switch, a second billing record to bill the second organization associated with the second terminal for the second connection; and

sending, by the network level switch, the second billing record to the billing system wherein the first billing record is used to bill the first business organization and the second billing record is used to bill the second business organization.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the first connection is released when the second connection is established, wherein releasing the first connection includes releasing all voice facilities associated with the first terminal.

61. A system for transferring a telephone call, comprising:

a customer terminal, connected to a network, for producing a call for a requested service;

a first terminal for processing the call from the customer terminal and for transferring the call, wherein the first terminal is associated with a first business organization;

a second terminal for receiving the transferred call, wherein the second terminal is associated with a second business organization unrelated to the first business organization;

a network level switch for establishing a first connection between the customer terminal and the first terminal, based on the requested service, for creating a first billing record to bill the first organization associated with the first terminal for the first connection, for establishing a second connection between the customer terminal and the second terminal and creating a second billing record to bill the second organization associated with the second terminal for the second connection independent of the first billing record; and

a billing system for receiving from the network level switch, the first billing record and second billing record.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the network level switch is configured to release all voice facilities with the first terminal when the second connection is established.