Method and system for billing remote calls if made from a primary line

• US 6,453,031 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/918,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/114.01, 379/114.21, 379/114-2-1, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 379/115-1-1, 379/121.01, 379/127.01, 379/127-4-1, 379/126, 379/230, 379/229, 379/133-134
• US Class Current: 379/114.23
• 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 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set

Abstract

A method and system for billing remote calls includes the provisioning of an active terminating attempt trigger on a subscriber'"'"'s primary line. To make a long-distance call from a remote location, the subscriber calls a service control node and provide a destination calling line number and the subscriber'"'"'s primary line number (e.g., home telephone number). The SCN assembles the data into a string and. includes a feature access code. This string is transmitted to a switch that recognizes the feature access code and transmits a message to a service control point. The service control point also recognizes the feature access code and reassembles the message into a call structure containing the primary line number, the destination line number, and a code indicating that the message should be reassembled. This message is transmitted back to the switch which then routes the call to the primary line switch where the trigger is encountered. The primary line switch then transmits the call information up to an SCP an includes the code. The SCP detects the code and reassembles the data to instruct the switch to route the call to the destination number through the primary line number. The switch routes the call to the destination number and the primary line number is billed for the call.

Claims

1. A method for billing for a communication between a selected number and a destination number as if the communication were made from a predetermined calling line number, the method comprising

storing at least an authorized number;

receiving information related to a communication from a selected number and directed to a predetermined calling line number, the information including the selected number and the predetermined calling line number;

comparing the selected number to the authorized number;

if the selected number compares to the authorized number, then obtaining a destination number for the communication, and routing the communication to the destination number; and

billing the communication to the predetermined calling line number.

2. The method for billing for a communication, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least an authorized destination number;

comparing the destination number to the authorized destination number; and

routing the communication to the destination number if the destination number compares to the authorized destination number.

3. The method for billing for a communication, as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

storing the authorized destination number in an exclusive list of destination numbers; and

receiving a password before altering the exclusive list of destination numbers.

4. The method for billing for a communication, as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

storing one or more authorized dates for communications from the selected number;

determining a date of the communication;

comparing the date of the communication to the one or more authorized dates; and

routing the communication to the destination number if the date of the communication matches the one or more authorized dates for communications from the selected number.

5. The method for billing for a communication, as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

storing one or more authorized time periods for communications from the selected number;

determining a time of the communication;

comparing the time of the communication to the one or more authorized time periods; and

routing the communication to the destination number if the time of the communication falls within the one or more authorized time periods for communications from the selected number.

6. The method for billing for a communication, as recited in claim 2, further comprising

storing a number of communications allowed to be billed to the predetermined calling line number;

keeping a current count of the number of communications corresponding to the predetermined calling line number;

comparing the current count of communications to the number of communications allowed to be billed to the predetermined calling line number; and

routing the communication to the destination number if the current count is less than or equal to the number of allowable communications.

7. A method for charging a call, comprising:

receiving a call originating from a selected number and directed to a preselected number;

finding the selected number to be associated with the preselected number;

obtaining a destination number from the call;

routing the call to the destination number; and

billing cost of the call to an account of the preselected number.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the call comprises receiving the call at a switch serving the preselected number.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein finding the selected number to be associated with the preselected number comprises finding the selected number to be associated with at least an authorized number associated with the preselected number.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

storing the authorized number in association with the preselected number.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

after obtaining the destination number from the call, checking if the destination number is an authorized destination number; and

if the destination number is the authorized destination number, then routing the call to the destination number.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing the authorized destination number in associated with the preselected number.

13. A method for billing cost of a call, comprising:

routing a call received from an originating number to a switch serving the dialed number;

without terminating the call to the dialed number, causing the switch to check if the call is to be accorded a billing service;

if the call is to be accorded the billing service, then obtaining a terminating number for further routing of the call, then further routing the call to the terminating number, and billing cost of the call to the dialed number.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the causing the switch to check if the call is to be accorded the billing service comprises checking if the dialed number is associated with the originating number;

and

if the dialed number is associated with the originating number, then determining the call is to be accorded the billing service.