Real time subscriber billing system and method

• US 6,377,938 B1
• Filed: 02/27/1997
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Real-Time Billing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Real-Time Billing Incorporated
• Inventors: Riccoboni, Richard J., Wenger, Alexander A., Chapus, Frederick H., Bramwell, Jonathan R., Daugherty, J. Roger, Block, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KALINOWSKI, ALEXANDER G
• Application Number:
  US08/806,387
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114, 379/144, 379/114.03, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 705/32
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• 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 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit

Abstract

A system and method are provided for real time subscriber billing in a standard network routing path. Account information is stored for at least one subscriber. A determination is made, based on the account information, whether the subscriber has a sufficient balance for a desired service. Service is authorized or denied to the subscriber based on the determination.

Claims

1. A system for real time subscriber billing in a standard network routing path, comprising:

means for storing account information for at least one subscriber, the account information including information regarding the subscriber'"'"'s usable balance, wherein the usable balance is at least in part established by a system operator based on a credit limit established and verified by the system operator for the subscriber;

means for determining, based on said account information, whether the subscriber has a sufficient balance for a desired service; and

means for authorizing or denying service to the subscriber based on the determination, wherein at least one of the means for storing, the means for determining, and the means for authorizing or denying service is located outside a subscriber location, within the standard network routing path, in a central office switch.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said account information is transmitted to and received from an external business management system at regular intervals or in real time, and said service can be disabled based on account information received from said external business management system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the authorizing means authorizes one of various classes of service based on the determination of whether the subscriber has a sufficient balance.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the usable balance is automatically identified upon the subscriber accessing the system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the usable balance is represented in local currency values.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the usable balance is represented by a Pulse Use Limit and a Pulse Use Credit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the credit limit established for the subscriber at least in part based on a deposit paid by the subscriber.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the authorizing means authorizes one of various classes of service when usage reaches a certain level during a given period.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein one of various classes of service includes discounts applied to the subscriber billing rates.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the desired service is a communication session.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of said storing means, said determining means, and said authorizing means is located outside the subscriber location, in a channel billing monitor in said standard network routing path or in a data processor connected to said channel billing monitor.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of said storing means, said determining means, and said authorizing means is located outside the subscriber location, in a network routing device in said standard network routing path or in a data processor connected to said network routing device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of said storing means, said determining means, and said authorizing means is located at a subscriber location in said standard network routing path or in a data processor connected to said subscriber location.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication session is a telephone call, an Internet session, or a pay-per-view television program.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said determining means repeats said determination during said service.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for detecting cost signals generated at predetermined intervals or an amount of time elapsed during the service;

means for counting a number of cost signals generated or the amount of time elapsed; and

means for comparing the count with a predetermined threshold, wherein the determining means bases the determination on said comparison.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for warning the subscriber when the count approaches the threshold.

18. A method for real time subscriber billing in a standard network routing path, the method comprising the steps of:

storing account information for at least one subscriber, the account information including information regarding the subscriber'"'"'s usable balance, wherein the usable balance is at least in part established by a system operator based on a credit limit established and verified by the system operator for the subscriber;

determining, based on said account information, whether the subscriber has a sufficient balance for a desired service; and

authorizing or denying service to the subscriber based on the determination, wherein at least one of the steps of storing, determining, and authorizing or denying service is performed outside a subscriber location, within the standard network routing path, in a central office switch.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting said account information to an external business management system; and

receiving account information from said external business management system, wherein said steps of transmitting and receiving can be performed at regular intervals or in real time, and said service can be disabled based on said account information received from said external business management system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of authorizing authorizes one of various classes of service based on the determination of whether the subscriber has a sufficient balance.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the usable balance is automatically identified upon the subscriber accessing the system.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the usable balance is represented in local currency values.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the usable balance is represented by a Pulse Use Limit and a Pulse Use Credit.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the credit limit established for the subscriber at least in part based on a deposit paid by the subscriber.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the authorizing means authorizes one of various classes of service when usage reaches a certain level during a given period.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein one of various classes of service includes discounts applied to the subscriber billing rates.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the desired service is a communication session.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of said steps of storing, determining, and authorizing is performed outside the subscriber location, in a channel billing monitor in said standard network routing path or in a data processor connected to said channel billing monitor.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of said steps of storing, determining, and authorizing is performed outside the subscriber location, in a network routing device in said standard network routing path or in a data processor connected to said network routing device.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of said steps of storing, determining, and authorizing is performed at a subscriber location in the standard network routing path or in a data processor connected to said subscriber location.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the communication session is a telephone call, an Internet session, or a pay-per-view television program.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of determining is repeated during the service.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

detecting cost signals generated at predetermined intervals or an amount of time elapsed during the service;

counting the number of cost signals of the amount of time elapsed; and

comparing the count with a predetermined threshold, wherein the step of determining bases the determination on said comparison.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising warning the subscriber when the count approaches the threshold.