Method and apparatus for providing prepaid local telephone services in metered states

• US 6,785,372 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2000
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Tiliks, Dianna, Moss, John, Blumenschein, Gordon, Kovarik, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US09/616,667
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.16, 379/112.01, 379/114.01, 379/114.14, 379/114-5-1, 379/114.24, 379/114.28, 379/11.29, 379/115.01, 379/115.02, 379/121.01, 379/126, 379/127.01, 379/127.02, 379/133, 379/139, 379/140, 379/145, 379/210.02, 379/220.01, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.12
• US Class Current: 379/114.2
• 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 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• 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 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/24 with on-line recharging of an account or card, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/26 with real-time recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection user is asked if he wants to recharge or not
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing prepaid local telephone services is provided. The method includes determining if a subscriber is making a qualified local telephone call, checking to see if a maximum number of calls have been made by the subscriber and decrementing a call counter if a telephone call in connected. The system includes a switch for receiving telephone calls and identifying subscribers and qualified telephone calls. In addition, the system includes a telephone network element in communication with the switch, the telephone network element having logic for identifying local telephone calls, a notification timer configured to remove the telephone network element from a telephone call after a predetermined period of time, and a call counter for monitoring a number of local calls permitted to a subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for providing prepaid local telephone services to a subscriber having a telecommunications device connected to a subscriber line and in communication with a telephone network via the subscriber line, the method comprising:

receiving a telephone call directed to a called party from the subscriber at a first network element;

communicating a local telephone call request from the first network element to a second network element;

determining if a maximum number of local telephone calls has been completed by the subscriber within a predetermined time period;

instructing the first network element to connect the telephone call to the called party if the subscriber has not exceeded the maximum number of local telephone calls within the predetermined time period;

initiating a notification timer in the second network element; and

disengaging the second network element from the telephone call upon expiration of the notification timer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing a value of a call counter to reflect completion of a call upon expiration of the notification timer.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising maintaining the value of a call counter if a busy signal is detected.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising maintaining the value of the call counter if the subscriber terminates the telephone call prior to the called party answering the telephone call.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein maintaining the value of the call counter if a busy signal is detected comprises the first network element detecting a busy signal and sending a signal from the first network element to the second network element indicating that the called party is busy.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein maintaining the value of the call counter if the subscriber terminates the telephone call prior to the called party answering comprises the first network element detecting an on-hook signal from the subscriber and sending a signal from the first network element to the second network element indicating that the subscriber terminated the telephone call prior to connecting the telephone call with the called party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating a local telephone call request from the first network element further comprises verifying that the telephone call is one of an intralata local, toll-free and 911 call.

8. The method of claims 1, wherein the second network element provides a voice message to the subscriber if the maximum number of local telephone calls has already been completed by the subscriber.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second network elements comprise advanced intelligent network (AIN) elements.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first network element comprises a service switching point (SSP) and the second network element comprises a service control point (SCP).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network element comprises an SSP and the second network element comprises a SCP, and wherein instructing the first network element to connect the telephone call comprises the SCP sending a multicomponent message, comprising an analyze_route response and a second_notification request, to the SSP.

11. A system for monitoring and implementing prepaid dialtone services for local telephone calls in regions having metered calling, the system comprising:

a switch for receiving telephone calls from land-line telephone subscribers to the prepaid dialtone services for local telephone calls, the switch comprising a memory containing information on the land-line subscribers and information for identifying local telephone calls; and

a telephone network element in communication with the switch, the telephone network element comprising logic for determining whether a telephone call received at the switch is a local telephone call, a notification timer configured to automatically remove the telephone network element from a telephone call transaction after expiration of a predetermined time, and a call counter configured to monitor a number of local telephone calls permitted to a subscriber.