Method and apparatus for establishing a collect call originated through a packet based network

• US 6,788,674 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITXC IP Holdings SARL (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ITXC INCORPORATED (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Karamchedu, Murali, Sponaugle, Jeffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Molinari, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US09/910,679
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 379/210.01, 379/114.21, 379/114.22, 379/114.23, 379/93.01, 370/260, 370/261, 370/352, 370/353, 370/356
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

A method and apparatus for establishing a collect call originated through a packet based network is provided. In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, a system is described that facilitates voice communication between a calling party and a party to be called while the costs of the communication session are charged to the called party. In one embodiment, the called party is queried as to whether they wish to accept the costs associated with the pending voice communication session, prior to the two parties being placed in voice communication with each other.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving by a web server over a first data link, a request by an offeror computer system to cause a voice communication session to be established between the offeror computer system and a PSTN extension associated with an indicated offeree, said web server generating an electronic token in response to said request and transmitting said electronic token to the offeror computer system, the offeror computer system sending said electronic token to a bridge server via a second data link and requesting said bridge server to establish and facilitate a voice communication session between said offeror computer system and the PSTN extension associated with said offeree based at least in part upon information associated with said electronic token;

the bridge server selecting one from a plurality of Internet/PSTN changeover servers capable of establishing voice communications between the offeror and the offeree over PSTN, the selected changeover server causing a first voice call to be made to the PSTN extension associated with the offeree, said first voice call including an offer for the offeree to assume charges associated with the voice communication session, and in response to the offeree accepting said offer to assume charges, the selected changeover server causing a second voice call to be made to said offeror over a third data link and bridging said first voice call with said second voice call to place said offeror and offeree in voice communication with one another.