Method and apparatus for providing pre-pay and post-pay communication services using a switching system to monitor call duration

• US 6,760,418 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2000
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Khuc, Minh Duy, Abbasi, Zahid, Allen, Isaac Shane, Rogers, Carl, Sbisa, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/596,950
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/114.01, 379/114.09, 379/114-4-1, 379/114-6-1, 379/114-9-1, 379/114-4-1, 379/114.28, 379/120, 379/121.01, 379/126, 379/127.01, 379/133-134, 379/144.01
• US Class Current: 379/115.01
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/023 Circuit arrangements
• 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 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/70 Administration aspects, modify settings or limits or counter-check correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7072 Validate charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 : Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 : Available credit

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing pre-pay and post-pay calls. A switching system receives the call where the switching system is class 4 or class 5. The switching system extends the call toward an integrated service platform. The switching system then receives the call destination number and the call validation parameter. The switching system releases the call extension to the integrated service platform and extends the call using the call destination number if the call validation parameter allows the call. The switching system monitors a duration of the call and terminates the call if the duration meets or exceeds an amount indicated by the call validation parameter. One advantage for post-pay calls is the provision of post-pay calls service such as messaging and validation is centralized in the integrated service platform, which reduces the time and cost of maintaining the post-pay service.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communications switching system, the method comprising:

in the switching system, receiving a pre-pay call from a first caller;

in the switching system, generating a first routing query to a service control point (SCP) in response to the pre-pay call;

in the SCP, receiving the first routing query from the switching system;

in the SCP, generating and transferring to the switching system a first pre-pay route instruction in response to the first routing query;

in the switching system, receiving the first pre-pay route instruction from the SCP;

in the switching system, in response to the first pre-pay route instruction, extending the pre-pay call to an integrated service platform over a pre-pay call extension;

in the integrated service platform, sending a first context request to the SCP;

in the SCP, receiving the first context request from the integrated service platform;

in the SCP, sending a first context response to the integrated service platform in response to the first context request, with the first context response including a pre-pay call extension context information;

in the integrated service platform, receiving the first context response from the SCP;

in the integrated service platform, prompting and receiving from the first caller a pre-pay call destination number and a pre-pay account code;

in the integrated service platform, validating the pre-pay account code to obtain a pre-pay validation parameter;

in the integrated service platform, sending a first transfer request message to the SCP, with the first transfer request message including the pre-pay call destination number and the pre-pay validation parameter;

in the SCP, receiving the first transfer request message from the integrated service platform;

in the SCP, generating and transferring a second pre-pay route instruction to the switching system in response to the first transfer request message, with the second pre-pay route instruction including the pre-pay call destination number and the pre-pay validation parameter;

in the switching system, releasing the pre-pay call extension to the integrated service platform and extending the pre-pay call using the pre-pay call destination number if the pre-pay call validation parameter allows the pre-pay call;

in the switching system, monitoring a duration of the pre-pay call and terminating the pre-pay call if the duration meets or exceeds an amount indicated by the pre-pay call validation parameter;

in the switching system, receiving a post-pay call from a second caller;

in the switching system, generating a second routing query to the SCP in response to the post-pay call;

in the SCP, receiving the second routing query from the switching system;

in the SCP, generating and transferring to the switching system a first post-pay route instruction in response to the second routing query;

in the switching system, receiving the first post-pay route instruction from the SCP;

in the switching system, in response to the first post-pay route instruction, extending the post-pay call to the integrated service platform over a post-pay call extension;

in the integrated service platform, sending a second context request to the SCP;

in the SCP, receiving the second context request from the integrated service platform;

in the SCP, sending a second context response to the integrated service platform in response to the second context request, with the second context response including a post-pay call extension context information;

in the integrated service platform, receiving the second context response from the SCP in response to the second context request;

in the integrated service platform, prompting and receiving from the second caller a post-pay call destination number and a post-pay account code;

in the integrated service platform, validating the post-pay account code to obtain a post-pay validation parameter;

in the integrated service platform, sending a second transfer request message to the SCP, with the second transfer request message including the post-pay call destination number and the post-pay validation parameter;

in the SCP, receiving the second transfer request message from the integrated service platform;

in the SCP, generating and transferring a second post-pay route instruction to the switching system in response to the second transfer request message, with the second post-pay route instruction including the post-pay call destination number and the post-pay validation parameter; and

in the switching system, releasing the post-pay call extension to the integrated service platform and extending the post-pay call using the post-pay call destination number if the post-pay call validation parameter allows the post-pay call.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-pay validation parameter comprises a period of time.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-pay validation parameter comprises a monetary value.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the switching system imparting an audible indication to the pre-pay call to indicate the duration of the pre-pay call has reached a predetermined threshold duration value that is less than the amount.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the switching system imparting an audible indication to the call to indicate a remaining credit for a pre-pay account.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the switching system, updating the call validation parameter with the duration of the call;

in the switching system, generating an update instruction including the call validation parameter; and

in the switching system, transmitting the update instruction to an integrated validation database.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the switching system, generating a call detail record for the call; and

in the switching system, transmitting the call detail record to a billing system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein terminating the call further comprises the switching system transmitting a notice of termination to the SCP.

9. A communications switching system comprising:

a switching system configured to receive a pre-pay call from a first caller, generate a first routing query to a service control point (SCP) in response to the pre-pay call, receive a first pre-pay route instruction from the SCP, in response to the first pre-pay route instruction, extend the pre-pay call to an integrated service platform over a pre-pay call extension, release the pre-pay call extension to the integrated service platform and extend the pre-pay call using a pre-pay call destination number if a pre-pay call validation parameter allows the pre-pay call, and monitor a duration of the pre-pay call and terminate the pre-pay call if the duration meets or exceeds an amount indicated by the pre-pay call validation parameter, with the switching system being further configured to receive a post-pay call from a second caller, generate a second routing query to the SCP in response to the post-pay call, receive a first post-pay route instruction from the SCP, in response to the first post-pay route instruction, extend the post-pay call to the integrated service platform over a post-pay call extension, and release the post-pay call extension to the integrated service platform and extending the post-pay call using a post-pay call destination number if a post-pay call validation parameter allows the post-pay call;

the SCP configured to receive the first routing query from the switching system, generate and transfer to the switching system the first pre-pay route instruction in response to the first routing query, receive a first context request from the integrated service platform, send a first context response to the integrated service platform in response to the first context request, with the first context response including a pre-pay call extension context information, receive a first transfer request message from the integrated service platform, and generate and transfer a second pre-pay route instruction to the switching system in response to the first transfer request message, with the second pre-pay route instruction including the pre-pay call destination number and the pre-pay validation parameter, and wherein the SCP is further configured to receive the second routing query from the switching system, generate and transfer to the switching system the first post-pay route instruction in response to the second routing query, receive a second context request from the integrated service platform, send a second context response to the integrated service platform in response to the second context request, with the second context response including a post-pay call extension context information, receive a second transfer request message from the integrated service platform, and generate and transfer a second post-pay route instruction to the switching system in response to the second transfer request message, with the second post-pay route instruction including the post-pay call destination number and the post-pay validation parameter; and

the integrated service platform configured to send the first context request to the SCP, receive the first context response from the SCP in response to the first context request, prompt and receive from the first caller the pre-pay call destination number and a pre-pay account code, validate the pre-pay account code to obtain the pre-pay validation parameter, and send the first transfer request message to the SCP, with the first transfer request message including the pre-pay call destination number and the pre-pay validation parameter, and wherein the integrated service platform is further configured to send the second context request to the SCP, receive the second context response from the SCP in response to the second context request, prompt and receive from the second caller the post-pay call destination number and a post-pay account code, validate the post-pay account code to obtain the post-pay validation parameter, and send the second transfer request message to the SCP, with the second transfer request message including the post-pay call destination number and the post-pay validation parameter.

10. The communications switching system of claim 9 wherein the pre-pay validation parameter comprises a period of time.

11. The communications switching system of claim 9 wherein the pre-pay validation parameter comprises a monetary value.

12. The communications switching system of claim 9 wherein the switching system is further configured to impart an audible indication to the pre-pay call to indicate a remaining credit for a pre-pay account.

13. The communications switching system of claim 9 wherein the switching system is further configured to update the pre-pay or post-pay validation parameter with the duration of the call, generate an update instruction including the pre-pay or post-pay validation parameter, and transmit the update instruction to an integrated validation database.

14. The communications switching system of claim 9 wherein the switching system is further configured to generate a call detail record for the call and transmit the call detail record to a billing system.

15. The communications switching system of claim 9 wherein the switching system is further configured to transmit a notice of termination to the SCP.