Reverse billing of internet telephone calls

• US 6,636,504 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1999
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Albers, Raymond F., Balkovich, Edward F., Young, David
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US09/271,450
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/401, 370/389, 379/114.14, 379/114.15, 379/114.17, 379/114.21, 379/114.24, 455/406
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1225 Details of core network interconnection arrangements

Abstract

In recent years, the world-wide packet data network, commonly known as the Internet, has grown exponentially. The data network now reaches virtually all businesses, most schools and an increasing number of homes. To provide an alternative to all or portions of the carrier-based telephone network, a number of companies have developed equipment and software that enable voice telephone-like communications via the Internet. Severs are now coming on line, which enable calls over the Internet to go off-net to end user stations still coupled to the local telephone network. A number of situations arise where a telephone service subscriber wants to allow callers to call the subscriber'"'"'s equipment and have part or all of the communication charges billed to and paid by the subscriber. The invention enables such billing to the called party, for calls routed partially or entirely via the Internet. In one example, a caller with a multimedia PC and Internet access uses the subscriber'"'"'s Internet address plus the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number. The address identifies a gateway serving the subscriber, and the gateway places a telephone call to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone. The network accumulates all billing information in records for application against the called subscriber'"'"'s account.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system for supporting billing of a called subscriber unit comprising:

a system of interlinked computer networks;

a plurality of separately located central office switching systems interconnected via trunk circuits for selectively establishing telephone call connections;

a computer terminal coupled to one of the computer networks for receiving and initiating telephone calls;

a voice station coupled to one of the central office switching systems for receiving and initiating telephone calls;

a control server coupled to the system of interlinked computer networks for providing authentication services, controlling routing of telephone calls through the system of interlinked computer networks, and processing billing and usage information related to the called subscriber unit, wherein the computer terminal, the voice station, or both can be designated as the called subscriber unit, the control server managing the telephone calls over the systems of interlinked computer networks and tracking the billing and usage information of the called subscriber unit; and

one or more gateways selectable by the control server for interfacing the system of interlinked computer networks to the plurality of separately located central office switching systems.

2. The system as in claim 1, further comprising an “

800”

service database comprising “

800”

service information associated with the called subscriber unit, wherein the control server authenticates based on the “

800”

service information.

3. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a common channel signaling (CCS) system for linking the plurality of separately located central office switching systems, wherein the control server communicates using the CCS system to determine whether the called subscriber unit is busy.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein the control server selects one of the gateways based upon cost criteria.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein the control server selects one of the gateways based upon time of day and point of origin of the telephone calls.

6. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a web server coupled to the system of interlinked computer networks for providing a graphical interface to initiate and receive the telephone calls.

7. The system as in claim 6, wherein the web server prompts a calling party for a login identification and a password to determine whether the calling party is a valid calling party.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the prompts are initiated after the gateway begins authenticating the called number.

9. The system as in claim 6, where in the web server prompts a calling party for a called subscriber identification.

10. The system as in claim 9, wherein the called subscriber identification comprises an actual directory number of the voice station.

11. The system as in claim 9, wherein the called subscriber identification comprises an alphanumeric string of characters.

12. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a profile database accessible by the control server, the profile database comprises records of calling parties predesignated by a called subscriber, and the profile database is used to restrict a calling party from completing one or more of the telephone calls.

13. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a services control point, separate from the central office switching systems, for controlling switching of calls via one or more of the central office switching systems.

14. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a signaling transfer point, separate from the central office switching systems, for routing call related signaling messages between central office switching systems.

15. The system as in claim 1, wherein in band signaling is used by the central office switching systems to determine whether the called subscriber unit is busy.

16. The system as in claim 1, wherein the voice station initiates the telephone call by dialing into the gateway, the voice station using an access code to indicate to the gateway that the telephone call is to be routed via the system of interlinked computer networks.

17. The system as in claim 1, wherein when the voice station initiates a telephone call to the computer terminal, if the gateway determines that the computer terminal is unable to receive the telephone call, the telephone call is rerouted to a voice station that is different from the initiating voice station.

18. The system as in claim 1, wherein when the voice station initiates a telephone call to the computer terminal, if the gateway determines that the computer terminal is unable to receive the telephone call, the gateway prompts the initiating voice station for a message.

19. A telecommunication system for providing reverse billing capability, comprising:

a system of interlinked computer networks;

a plurality of separately located central office switching systems interconnected via trunk circuits for selectively establishing telephone call connections;

a plurality of voice stations coupled to one of the central office switching systems for receiving and initiating telephone calls;

a control server coupled to the system of interlinked computer networks for providing authentication services, controlling routing of telephone calls through the system of interlinked computer networks, and providing billing and usage information related to a called subscriber unit, wherein the called subscriber unit is at least one of the plurality of voice stations, the control server managing the telephone calls over the system of interlinked computer networks and tracking the billing and usage information of the called subscriber unit;

an originating gateway coupled to the control server for interfacing the system of interlinked computer networks to the plurality of separately located central office switching system; and

a terminating gateway coupled to the control server for interfacing the system of interlinked computer networks to the plurality of separately located central office switching systems.

20. The system as in claim 19 further comprising an “

800”

database comprising “

800”

service information associated with the called subscriber unit, wherein the control server authenticates based on the “

800”

service information.

21. A telecommunication system for providing reverse billing capability, comprising:

a plurality of computer networks communicating via a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP);

a computer terminal coupled to one of the computer networks;

a web server communicating with the computer terminal configured for establishing a telephone call;

a public switched telephone network (PSTN) providing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS);

a voice station receiving POTS service, the voice station having a directory number;

a called subscriber unit comprising the computer terminal or the voice station;

a gateway for interfacing the plurality of computer networks with the public switched telephone network; and

a control server coupled to one of the plurality of computer networks comprising;

a routing table used for routing the telephone call;

a billing and usage database comprising records related to the called subscriber unit;

an authentication database comprising records associated with the called subscriber computer terminal and a predesignated profile of calling party stations,

wherein the control server manages the telephone calls over the plurality of computer networks and tracks the billing and usage information of the called subscriber unit, the called subscriber unit being registered with the control server.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein the PSTN is coupled to an “

800”

service database comprising “

800”

service information associated with the subscriber unit, wherein the control server authenticates based on the “

800”

service information.

23. A telecommunication system for providing reverse billing capability, comprising:

a plurality of computer networks communicating via a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP);

a public switched telephone network (PSTN) providing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS);

at least two voice stations receiving POTS service, each of the voice stations having a directory number, at least one of the voice stations is a called subscriber unit;

a gateway for interfacing the plurality of computer networks with the public switched telephone network; and

a control server coupled to one of the plurality of computer networks comprising;

a routing table used for routing the telephone call;

a billing and usage database comprising records related to the called subscriber unit;

an authentication database comprising records associated with the called subscriber computer terminal and a predesignated profile of calling party stations,

wherein the control server manages the telephone calls between the two voice stations over the plurality of computer networks and tracks the billing and usage information of the called subscriber unit.

24. The system as in claim 23, wherein the PSTN is coupled to an “

800”

service database comprising “

800”

service information associated with the subscriber unit, wherein the control server authenticates based on the “

800”

service information.

25. A method for providing reverse billing capability, comprising:

supplying a called subscriber information for establishing a telephone call communication between a computer terminal and a voice station to a web server;

determining whether the called subscriber information is valid;

providing routing information in response to the determining step, the routing information comprising identification of a particular gateway among a plurality of gateways on the data network;

initiating a communication session with the particular gateway;

authenticating the communication session with the particular gateway;

terminating the communication session based upon the authenticating step;

establishing the telephone call between the computer terminal and the voice station if the communication session with the particular gateway has not been terminated; and

tracking billing and usage information associated with the telephone call via a control server, the control server processing the billing and usage information to charge a called party for the telephone call.

26. The method as in claim 25, wherein the determining, routing, and authenticating steps are performed by a control server.

27. The method as in claim 25, wherein the providing of routing information step comprises selecting a gateway based upon cost criteria.

28. The method as in claim 25, wherein the providing of routing information step comprises selecting a gateway based upon time of day and point of origin of the telephone call.

29. The method as in claim 25, wherein the authenticating step further comprises prompting the calling party for a login identification and a password via the web server.

30. The method as in claim 25, wherein the called subscriber identification comprises an actual directory number of the voice station.

31. The method as in claim 25, wherein the called subscriber identification comprises an alphanumeric string of characters.

32. The method as in claim 25, wherein the particular gateway is located within a LATA boundary that is the same as the control server.

33. The method as in claim 25, wherein the called subscriber information is associated with the voice station.

34. The method as in claim 25, wherein the called subscriber information is associated with the computer terminal.

35. A method for providing reverse billing capability to charge a called party account, comprising:

supplying called subscriber information to an originating gateway on a data network for a telephone call between a first voice station and a second voice station, the called subscriber information being associated with the called party account and the first voice station or the second voice station;

determining whether the called subscriber information is valid;

providing routing information in response to the determining step, the routing information comprising identification of the terminating gateway on the data network;

establishing a communication session between the originating gateway and the terminating gateway;

authenticating the communication session via a control server, the control server signaling the terminating gateway to confirm authentication;

establishing the telephone call between the computer terminal and the voice station via the originating and terminating gateways;

tracking billing and usage information associated with the established telephone call; and

charging the called party account for the telephone call based upon the billing and usage information.

36. A method as in claim 35, wherein the providing of routing information step comprises selecting the terminating gateway based upon cost criteria.

37. A method as in claim 35, wherein the providing of routing information step comprises selecting the terminating gateway based upon time of day and point of origin of the telephone call.