Method for call forwarding without hairpinning and with split billing

• US 6,983,040 B1
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramakrishnan, Kadangode K., Mishra, Partho Pratim, Kalmanek, Charles Robert Jr., Marshall, William Todd, Nortz, Douglas M
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/370,270
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/114.01, 379/114.1, 379/114.21, 379/114.22, 379/120, 379/126, 379/127.01, 379/127.05, 455406-411
• US Class Current: 379/114.22
• 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 15/07 Split billing, i.e. both A-party and B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/64 Split billing, sharing the cost of calls, e.g. between calling and called parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres

Abstract

A call is forwarded by connecting the call between an originating location and a forwarding location without connecting the call through a terminating location. The originating location is associated with a calling party. The terminating location is associated with a dialed number. The terminating location and the forwarding location is associated with the called party. A bill for the call is apportioned between the calling party and the called party. The bill portion for the calling party is a function of the originating location and the terminating location. The bill portion for the called party is a function of the terminating location and the forwarding location.

Claims

1. A method for forwarding a call, comprising:

connecting the call between an originating location and a forwarding location without connecting the call through a terminating location, the originating location being associated with a calling party, the terminating location being associated with a dialed number, the terminating location and the forwarding location being associated with the called party, and

apportioning a bill for the call between the calling party and the called party, the bill portion for the calling party being a function of the originating location and the terminating location, the bill portion for the called party being a function of the terminating location and the forwarding location,

maintaining at least first and second copies of a user profile containing an address of the forwarding location, the first copy being stored at a terminating interface unit operative to provide call forwarding functions associated with the terminating location, and the second copy being stored at a gate controller associated with the terminating location,

operating said gate controller to determine the address of the forwarding location when a terminating interface is unavailable to do so.