Technique for assessing charges for a telecommunication service including information assistance
First Claim
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1. A method for use by a service provider for providing at least an information assistance service, comprising:
- receiving a call by a caller which includes at least one information assistance request, the call being realized by a connection from a first terminal associated with the caller to the service provider;
assigning an identifier to the call;
in response to the request, searching for a desired telephone number;
connecting the first terminal to a second terminal associated with the desired telephone number without terminating the connection;
generating a plurality of records for activities in a session during which the connection is maintained, the records including the identifier therein;
associating the records based on the identifier therein; and
determining a charge for the session based on selected ones of the records.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A call to an information/call center is assigned a call sequence number. Call segments associated with the call sequence number are bundled as a single call session. A call session begins with the connection between the caller and the information/call center, and continues until that connection is torn down. Call segments are realized when connections are made or torn down between the information/call center and called parties. Each call is billed per call session, not per call segment. Call charges for each call session are determined, as are taxes allocated to one or more call segments.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for use by a service provider for providing at least an information assistance service, comprising:
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receiving a call by a caller which includes at least one information assistance request, the call being realized by a connection from a first terminal associated with the caller to the service provider; assigning an identifier to the call; in response to the request, searching for a desired telephone number; connecting the first terminal to a second terminal associated with the desired telephone number without terminating the connection; generating a plurality of records for activities in a session during which the connection is maintained, the records including the identifier therein; associating the records based on the identifier therein; and determining a charge for the session based on selected ones of the records. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for providing at least an information assistance service by a service provider, comprising:
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an interface for receiving a call by a caller which includes at least one information assistance request, the call being realized by a connection from a first terminal associated with the caller to the service provider, the call being assigned an identifier; a database server responsive to the request for searching for a desired telephone number, the first terminal being connected to a second terminal associated with the desired telephone number without terminating the connection; one or more devices for generating a plurality of records for activities in a session during which the connection is maintained, the records including the identifier therein; and a processor for associating the records based on the identifier therein, a charge for the session being determined based on selected ones of the records. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification