Apparatus and method for real-time rate changes for telecommunication services

• US 6,574,464 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Ben-Ren
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harry, Andrew T
• Application Number:
  US09/631,759
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/405, 455/408, 455/432
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• 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 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• 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: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A network system capable of changing the billing rate for a telecommunication service includes Service Switching Point (SSP) (7) and a Service Control Point (SCP) (9). The SSP (7) implements call management by performing switching functions for placing a call, and implements service selection functions by detecting service indicators associated with the call. The SSP (7) also activates interactions with the SCP (9), which contains logic programs used for providing the indicated service. Signaling System 7 (SS7) of the Common-Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) system is used for digital signaling between the SCP (9) and the SSP (7). When a user initiates a call, the SSP (7) acquires user data and trigger information from a Service Data Base (SDB) (11) associated with the SCP (9). During the call, when the SSP (7) detects that a trigger corresponding to the trigger information has been activated, the SSP (7) subsequently activates a SCP whose address the activated trigger gives. The SCP, in turn, activates a logic program to switch the billing rate for the remainder of the call to a new billing rate, and provides the new billing information to the SSP (7), which stores the new billing information in the call'"'"'s detailed record and which continues processing the call according to the new billing rate.

Claims

1. An apparatus for billing a subscriber for a service provided over a network, said apparatus comprising:

an electronic memory configured to store a record and trigger information for the subscriber;

an electronic detector circuit configured to detect while the service is being provided whether a trigger corresponding to the trigger information has occurred; and

an electronic control circuit configured to effect a real-time billing rate change while the service is being provided, when said detector circuit detects that the trigger has occurred.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic control circuit changes the billing rate at least once during the service, such that the service is billed at more than one rate.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the trigger indicates that a time period of the service has changed to another time period.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the trigger indicates that the subscriber has moved out of a predetermined area.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the trigger indicates that the subscriber has moved into a predetermined area.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the service is a telephone call, and

the trigger indicates that a called party has moved out of a predetermined area.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the service is a telephone call, and

the trigger indicates that a called party has moved into a predetermined area.

3. An apparatus for billing a subscriber for a service provided over a network, said apparatus comprising:

an electronic memory configured to store a record and trigger information for the subscriber;

an electronic detector circuit configured to detect whether a trigger corresponding to the trigger information has occurred during the service; and

an electronic control circuit configured to change a billing rate for the service, while the service is being provided, when said detector circuit detects that the trigger has occurred,

wherein the trigger indicates that a time duration of the service is equal to or greater than a predetermined time duration.

9. An apparatus for billing a subscriber for a service provided over a network, said apparatus comprising:

an electronic memory configured to store a record and trigger information for the subscriber;

an electronic detector circuit configured to detect whether a trigger corresponding to the trigger information has occurred during the service; and

an electronic control circuit configured to change a billing rate for the service, while the service is being provided, when said detector circuit detects that the trigger has occurred, wherein

the service is a telephone call in a pre-paid charging system in which the subscriber has an account,

the trigger indicates that funds in the account have been depleted, and

the billing rate is changed to a rate in a Post-Usage Billing system.

10. A programmable computer for use in billing a subscriber for a service provided over a network, said programmable computer comprising:

a memory adapted to store computer-executable program code; and

a processor adapted to execute the program code stored in said memory,

wherein the computer-executable program code includes;

code for accessing from a data base a record and trigger information corresponding to the subscriber,

code for detecting while the service is being provided whether a trigger corresponding to the trigger information has been satisfied, and

code for effecting a real-time billing rate change while the service is being provided, when the code for detecting detects that the trigger has been satisfied.

11. The programmable computer according to claim 10, wherein the changing step changes the billing rate at least once during the service, such that the service is billed at more than one rate.

12. A method of billing a subscriber for a service provided over a network, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing from a data base a record and trigger information corresponding to the subscriber;

detecting while the service is being provided whether a trigger corresponding to the trigger information has been satisfied; and

effecting a real-time billing rate change while the service is being provided, when said detecting step detects that the trigger has been satisfied.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said changing step changes the billing rate at least once during the service, such that the service is billed at more than one rate.

14. An apparatus for billing a subscriber for a service provided over a network, said apparatus comprising

means for storing a record and trigger information for the subscriber;

means for detecting while the service is being provided whether a trigger corresponding to the trigger information has occurred; and

means for effecting a real-time billing rate change while the service is being provided, when said detector means detects that the trigger has occurred.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said control means changes the billing rate at least once during the service, such that the service is billed at more than one rate.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing a method of billing a subscriber for a service provided over a network, the program comprising:

code for an accessing step of accessing from a data base a record and trigger information corresponding to the subscriber;

code for a detecting step of detecting while the service is being provided whether a trigger corresponding to the trigger information has been satisfied; and

code for a rate changing step of effecting a real-time billing rate change while the service is being provided, when the detecting step detects that the trigger has been satisfied.

17. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the rate changing step changes the billing rate at least once during the service, such that the service is billed at more than one rate.