Method and system for billing remote calls as if made from a primary line

• US 6,807,258 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOHAMED, ABDEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/205,292
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/114.01, 379/114.21, 379/114.22, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 379/115.01, 379/115.02, 379/121.01, 379/127.01, 379/127.04, 379/127.05, 379/126, 379/131-134, 379/230, 379/229
• US Class Current: 379/114.21
• 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 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set

Abstract

A method and system for billing remote calls includes the provisioning of an active terminating attempt trigger on a subscriber'"'"'s primary line. To make a long-distance call from a remote location, the subscriber calls a service control node and provides a destination calling line number and the subscriber'"'"'s primary line number (e.g., home telephone number). The SCN assembles the data into a string and includes a feature access code. This string is transmitted to a switch that recognizes the feature access code and transmits a message to a service control point. The service control point also recognizes the feature access code and reassembles the message into a call structure containing the primary line number, the destination line number, and a code indicating that the message should be reassembled. This message is transmitted back to the switch which then routes the call to the primary line switch where the trigger is encountered. The primary line switch then transmits the call information up to an SCP and includes the code. The SCP detects the code and reassembles the data to instruct the switch to route the call to the destination number through the primary line number. The switch routes the call to the destination number and the primary line number is billed for the call.

Claims

1. A method for handling a communication between a selected number and a destination number so that the communication appears as if it were made from a predetermined number, the method comprising:

receiving a communication from the selected number;

receiving the predetermined number and the destination number;

creating a message string that includes a feature access code in a feature access code field, the selected number in a calling party field, the predetermined number in a subscriber number field and the destination number in a redirecting party field;

routing a call using the feature access code;

creating a call structure by reassembling the message string, the call structure including the predetermined number as a called party parameter, the destination number as a redirecting party parameter and a selected code as a calling party parameter;

using the call structure to route the call to a network element associated with the predetermined number; and

based on the code in the call structure, reassembling the call structure so that the call is routed to the destination number instead of being terminated to the predetermined number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

billing the communication to the predetermined number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein reassembling the call structure so that the call is routed to the destination number instead of being terminated to the predetermined number, comprises:

setting the calling party parameter to the predetermined number; and

setting a route call to number to the destination number.

4. A method for billing a call, comprising:

receiving a call originating from a selected number and directed to a predetermined number;

determining whether the predetermined number corresponds to an authorized number;

If the predetermined number corresponds to an authorized number, then obtaining a destination number from the caller;

routing the call to the destination number; and

billing the call to the predetermined number.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

if the predetermined number corresponds to the authorized number, then determining whether the destination number corresponds to an authorized destination number; and

if the destination number does not correspond to the authorized destination number, then routing the call to the predetermined number.

6. A system for billing a subscriber for a call made between a selected number and a destination number as if the call were made from a predetermined number, the system comprising:

a first network element operative to;

receive a communication directed to an access code,

receive information related to the predetermined number and the destination number in connection with the communication,

create a string of data containing the information related to the predetermined number and the destination number, and

cause the string of data to be transmitted to a second network element;

the second network element operative to;

receive the string of data,

manipulate the string of data to create a call structure that includes a code, and

cause the call structure to be transmitted to a third network element;

the third network element having an active trigger provisioned thereon with respect to the predetermined number, the third network element being operative to transmit the call structure to the second network element when triggered; and

the second network element further operative to recognize the code in the call structure and further operative to reassemble the call structure;

whereby reassembling the call structure causes the third network element to route the call to the destination number and allows the call to be billed to the predetermined number.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first network element is a service circuit node.

8. The system, as recited in claim 6, wherein the second network element is a service control point.

9. The system, as recited in claim 6, wherein the third network element is a service switching point.