Method and system for processing adjustments to the type and quality of multimedia communication sessions

• US 7,003,280 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hunter, Karla Rae, Pelaez, Mariana Benitez, Verma, Charu, Verma, Kamal K.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US10/717,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20050113062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/405, 455/445, 379/114.01, 379/114.03
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification

Abstract

A method of processing multimedia calls in a multimedia telecommunications network. The method comprises: receiving at a first network element a multimedia call from a caller using a first communication device to a prepaid wireless user using a second communication device, the prepaid wireless user having an amount of airtime remaining for the second communication device; displaying in real-time a plurality of available call features and the amount of airtime remaining on the second communication device; prompting the prepaid wireless user to select the call features from the plurality of available call features via the second communication device; receiving the user'"'"'s selected call features at the first network element; routing the selected call features from the first network element to a second network element and then to the caller; setting up the call according to the selected call features; and connecting the call.

Claims

1. In a multimedia telecommunications network, a method of processing multimedia calls, the method comprising:

receiving at a first network element a multimedia call from a caller using a first communication device to a prepaid wireless user using a second communication device, the prepaid wireless user having an amount of airtime remaining for the second communication device;

displaying in real-time a plurality of available call features and the amount of airtime remaining on the second communication device;

prompting the prepaid wireless user to select the call features from the plurality of available call features via the second communication device;

receiving the user'"'"'s selected call features at the first network element;

routing the selected call features from the first network element to a second network element and then to the caller;

setting up the call according to the selected call features; and

connecting the call.

2. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

where the prepaid wireless user desires to add more airtime, running a prepaid wireless collection routine.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the multimedia call is one of voice call, a fax message, a video call, a high-quality voice transmission, a file transfer, or a messaging service.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the first communication device is one of a wireless telephone, a personal computer, a notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant.

5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the second communication device is one of a wireless telephone, a personal computer, a notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the available call features include the amount of airtime available for each type of call and the corresponding call quality.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the selected call features include the type of call and the quality of the call.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the telecommunications network includes an IP multimedia subsystem.

9. The method defined in claim 6, wherein the first network element comprises a call session control function in the IP multimedia subsystem.

10. The method defined in claim 7, wherein the second network element comprises an application server in the IP multimedia subsystem.

11. In a multimedia telecommunications network, a system for processing multimedia calls, the system comprising:

means for receiving a multimedia call from a caller using a first communication device to a prepaid wireless user using a second communication device, the prepaid wireless user having an amount of airtime remaining for the second communication device;

means for displaying in real-time a plurality of available call features and the amount of airtime remaining on the second communication device;

means for prompting the prepaid wireless user to select the call features from the plurality of available call features via the second communication device;

means for receiving the user'"'"'s selected call features at the first network element;

means for routing the selected call features from the first network element to a second network element and then to the caller;

means for setting up the call according to the selected call features; and

means for connecting the call.

12. The system defined in claim 11, further comprising means for running a prepaid wireless collection routine.

13. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the multimedia call is one of voice call, a fax message, a video call, a high-quality voice transmission, a file transfer, or a messaging service.

14. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the first communication device is one of a wireless telephone, a personal computer, a notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant.

15. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the second communication device is one of a wireless telephone, a personal computer, a notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant.

16. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the available call features include the amount of airtime available for each type of call and the corresponding call quality.

17. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the selected call features include the type of call and the quality of the call.

18. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the telecommunications network includes an IP multimedia subsystem.