Transparent billing and display of multiple directory numbers in wireless telephone systems

• US 6,850,755 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Shanmugam, Manickam, Allande, Darren Anthony, Madsen, Karl Andrew, Bright, Penny Lynne
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US09/756,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20020090927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/408, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/432.3, 455/433, 379/114.01, 379/121.03, 379/144.01
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• 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 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A system and methods for allowing wireless users to make and send calls using a second wireless billing number or “line” assigned to a single wireless telephone advantageously requires no changes to the air interface or messaging protocol between a Mobile Switching Center and the wireless telephone. The second line is provisioned in the HLR. When the wireless telephone registers with a VLR, the HLR inserts the second billing number. When making a call, the user flags that the second line or number is to be billed by adding a predefined set of digits or characters to the called telephone number. The system recognizes the digits and creates appropriate billing records for the second number. When a call is received on the second billing number or line, the system recognizes that the call is destined for the second billing number, and adds the predefined flag digits to the Calling Party Number to be displayed. The user can recognize from the flag digits that the call was received on the second billing number or line.

Claims

1. A method for use with a wireless system for processing a call to a wireless terminal having associated therewith first and second billing numbers, comprising the steps of:

a. storing in said wireless system information associating said second billing number with said terminal;

b. receiving a call and information identifying a called party number to which said call is directed;

c. responsive to said call, retrieving said information associating said second billing number with said terminal and determining that said information identifying a called party number to which said call is directed matches said information associating said second billing number with said terminal; and

d. transmitting a call setup message to said terminal, said call setup message including at least a field conventionally used to identify to a user of said terminal a calling party number associated with said call, and said field containing at least a predefined indicia signaling that said call was directed to said second billing number.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

e. creating at least one billing record associated with said call, said record including a representation of said second billing number.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

aa. registering said wireless terminal in a visitor location register of said wireless system; and

ab. receiving from said wireless terminal a request to clear for a line associated with said second billing number a previously entered mark of said line as not reachable.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step c. thereof further comprises the step of:

c1. transmitting a message to a home location register of said system requesting routing information for said call and including a called party number matching said second billing number.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

c2. transmitting a message to a visitor location register of said system requesting a roaming number to be used to extend said call toward said wireless terminal and including an indicia referencing said second billing number.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:

c3. receiving from said visitor location register a message containing a roaming number to be used to extend said call toward said wireless terminal, said roaming number corresponding to said second billing number.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

c4. receiving from said home location register a message containing said roaming number corresponding to said second billing number.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

c5. transmitting to said visitor location register a call setup message including said roaming number corresponding to said second billing number.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

c6. responsive to said call setup message including said roaming number corresponding to said second billing number, transmitting to said to said terminal a further call setup message, said further call setup message including at least a field conventionally used to identify to a user of said terminal a calling party number associated with said call, and said field containing at least a predefined indicia signaling that said call was directed to said second billing number.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

c7. said visitor location register creating at least one billing record associated with said call, said record including a representation of said second billing number.

11. A method for use with a wireless system having associated therewith first and second billing numbers, comprising the steps of:

a. storing in said wireless system information associating said second billing number with a wireless terminal;

b. registering said wireless terminal in a visitor location register of said wireless system; and

c. receiving from said wireless terminal a request to mark a line associated with said a selected one of said billing numbers as not reachable;

d. receiving a call and information identifying a called party number to which said call is directed;

e. responsive to said call, determining whether said information identifying a called party number corresponds to a billing number associated with a line which has been marked as not reachable; and

f. responsive to a determination that said line has been marked as not reachable, executing one of forwarding said call to a predetermined forward-to number and extending said call to said wireless terminal.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

d. receiving from said wireless terminal a request to clear for a line associated with said selected billing number a previously entered mark of said line as not reachable.

13. A method for use with a wireless system for processing a call from a wireless terminal, said wireless terminal being associated with a subscriber, said subscriber being associated with first and second billing numbers, comprising the steps of:

a. storing in said wireless system information associating said first and second billing numbers with said terminal;

b. receiving from said terminal a request to register said subscriber as not reachable when addressed using a selected one of said first and second billing numbers; and

c. said system storing information associated with said selected one of said first and second billing numbers marking said subscriber as not reachable when addressed using said selected one of said first and second billing numbers;

d. receiving a request to establish a call to said subscriber, said request being addressed to one of said first and second billing numbers; and

e. determining if said request is addressed to a billing number marked as not reachable.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

f. if said request is addressed to a billing number marked as not reachable, extending said call via a call forwarding operation.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

f. if said request is addressed to a billing number marked as not reachable, providing error treatment to said call.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

f. if said request is not addressed to a billing number marked as not reachable, extending said call through said wireless system to said terminal.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein step c. thereof further comprises the step p of:

c1. a home location register of said wireless system storing information marking said selected one of said first and second billing numbers as not reachable in a record associated with said selected one of said first and second billing numbers.

18. A method for use with a wireless system for processing a call from a wireless terminal, said wireless terminal being associated with a subscriber, said subscriber being associated with first and second billing numbers, comprising the steps of:

a. storing in said wireless system information associating said first and second billing numbers with said terminal;

b. receiving from said terminal a request to register said subscriber as not reachable when addressed using a selected one of said first and second billing numbers; and

c. said system storing information associated with said selected one of said first and second billing numbers marking said subscriber as not reachable when addressed using said selected one of said first and second billing numbers;

d. receiving from said terminal a request to clear a previous registration of said subscriber as not reachable when addressed using said selected one of said first and second billing numbers; and

e. said system storing information associated with said selected one of said first and second billing numbers so as to clear said marking of said subscriber as not reachable when addressed using said selected one of said first and second billing number.