Calling party pays system bypass

• US 6,546,238 B1
• Filed: 12/20/1999
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Communications Inc.
• Inventors: Nightingale, John, Theohary, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lei, Tsuleun R.
• Application Number:
  US09/467,145
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.05, 379/114.23, 379/114.26, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 455/404, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• 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 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Landline facilities are linked to a wireless mobile network for calling party pays (CPP) calls to mobile stations. In response to placement of a telephone call to a CPP subscriber station, a land line network data base is accessed to obtain a call processing record for the called station that is indicative that the called station subscribes to CPP service. Based on the call processing record, a determination is made as to whether the call is be accorded exception status from CPP service. If the call is to receive such exception status, a signaling message is transmitted to the mobile switching center (MSC) for the called subscriber station. The signaling message includes the calling station telephone number in altered form. The MSC, upon detection of the altered telephone number, effectively recognizes the call as a normal call. The MSC will complete the call to the called party and establish in the called party subscriber'"'"'s billing record assessment of air time charges for the call to the called party. If the called mobile station is in the vicinity of a “visiting” MSC, the latter will receive the signaling message as relayed from the subscriber'"'"'s MSC. If the call is not entitled to CPP exception status, the telephone number of the calling party will not be altered in the signaling message.

Claims

1. A method for processing a telephone call placed from a calling station having a telephone number associated therewith to a mobile station Calling Party Pays (CPP) service subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

routing said call to a land line network system switch;

determining whether the call is an exception to CPP service status;

in response to an exception determination in said determining step, transmitting a signaling message to a mobile switching center (MSC) associated with said called mobile station, said message including the calling station telephone number in altered form;

detecting at said MSC of the altered telephone number received in said transmitting step; and

in response to detection by said MSC of the altered telephone number, completing the call to the called party and billing the called party for air time charges.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said MSC is a home MSC for said mobile station.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said MSC is a visiting MSC for said mobile station and said signaling message is relayed to said visiting MSC via a home MSC for said mobile station in said transmitting step.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said completing step comprises accessing a billing record for said mobile station and entering the call for rating of air time charges to said mobile station.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises:

accessing a record associated with the CPP subscriber in a land line network data base, said record containing a listing of telephone numbers that are to be excluded CPP status for calls to said subscriber; and

comparing the telephone number of the calling station with a telephone number listed in the data base record;

wherein a match of the telephone number with the listing is indicative of an exception determination.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises:

accessing a record associated with the CPP subscriber in a land line network data base, said record containing a PIN for identifying calls to said subscriber that are to be excluded CPP status;

communicating with said calling station for receiving a PIN input therefrom; and

comparing a PIN input received from said calling station with a PIN stored in said land line network data base record;

wherein a match in said comparing step is indicative of an exception determination.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said signaling message is an IAM message generated by said land line switch and the altered form of the telephone number is the inclusion of an added digit.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said signaling message is an IAM message generated by said land line switch and the area code of the telephone number is changed to an alphanumeric string pre-designated as an indicator of CPP exception status.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the altered telephone number of the calling station to said called mobile station to be displayed as caller ID information;

wherein the called party is apprised that the call is an exception to CPP service.

10. For a wireless telephone network including a signaling capable mobile switching center (MSC) for interfacing a wireless base station with a land line network, a method for processing a telephone call placed from a calling telephone station having an associated telephone number to a wireless telephone called station associated with said (MSC), said method comprising the steps of:

in response to initiation of said telephone call by said calling station, accessing a data base associated with said land line network to obtain a call processing record for the called station that is indicative that said called station subscribes to calling party pays billing (CPP) service;

based on said call processing record, determining whether the call is excepted from CPP status;

if the call is established as a CPP status exception in said determining step, transmitting a signaling message to said (MSC), said signaling message including the calling station telephone number in altered form; and

in response to detection by said MSC of the altered telephone number, completing the call to the called party and billing the called party for air time charges.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said determining step comprises:

comparing the telephone number of the calling station with the call processing record for a match to a telephone number listed therein, said match being indicative of an exception determination.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said call processing record contains a PIN for identifying calls to said subscriber that are to be excluded CPP status;

and said determining step comprises;

communicating with said calling station for receiving a PIN input therefrom; and

comparing a PIN input received from said calling station with a PIN contained in call processing record;

wherein a match in said comparing step is indicative of an exception determination.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

if the call is not established as a CPP status exception in said determining step, transmitting a signaling message to said mobile switching center, said signaling message including the calling station telephone number in unaltered form; and

in response to detection by said MSC of the unaltered telephone number, completing the call to the called party and billing the calling party for air time charges for the called party.

14. A method for processing a telephone call placed from a calling station to a mobile station of a Calling Party Pays (CPP) service subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

routing said call to a land line network system switch;

determining whether the call is an exception to CPP service status;

formulating a signaling message related to said call including a calling number field, wherein in response to an exception determination in said determining step, the step of formulating includes setting a value in the calling number field of the signaling message to indicate the determination of the exception;

transmitting the signaling message to a mobile switching center (MSC) associated with the called mobile station;

detecting at said MSC of the set value in the calling number field of the signaling message; and

in response to the detection by said MSC of the set value, completing the call to the called party and billing said subscriber for air time charges.

15. A method as recited in claim, 14, wherein the step of determining comprises:

accessing a data base associated with said land line network to obtain a call processing record for the called mobile station that is indicative that said called mobile station subscribes to the CPP service; and

based on said call processing record, determining whether the call is excepted from CPP status.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein:

the step of completing includes transmitting the set value from the calling number field of the signaling message to said called mobile station to be displayed as caller ID information; and

display of the set value apprises the called party that the call is an exception to CPP service.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the set value from the calling number field comprises an altered version of a telephone number of the calling station.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the altered version of telephone number of the calling station comprises a first portion indicating that the call is an exception to CPP service and a second portion comprising a plurality of digits from the telephone number of the calling station.

19. A method for processing a telephone call placed from a calling station to a mobile station of a Calling Party Pays (CPP) service subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

routing said call to a land line network system switch;

determining whether or not the call is an exception to CPP service status;

formulating a signaling message related to said call, including a calling number field;

wherein if said determining step results in an exception determination, the step of formulating includes setting a value in the calling number field of the signaling message to indicate the determination of the exception;

wherein if said determining step results in no exception determination, the step of formulating includes populating the calling number field with a telephone number of the calling station;

transmitting the signaling message to a mobile switching center (MSC) associated with the called mobile station;

completing the call to the called mobile station;

if the calling number field of the signaling message contains the telephone number associated with the calling station, billing the calling party for air time charges for the called party; and

if the calling number field of the signaling message contains the set value, billing the subscriber for air time charges.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the set value comprises an altered version of the telephone number of the calling station.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the altered version of the telephone number of the calling station comprises a first portion indicating that the call is an exception to CPP service and a second portion comprising a plurality of digits from the telephone number of the calling station.