Systems and methods for collect call processing

• US 7,120,237 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruckart, John P., Rauba, Rimas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/159,882
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/144.02, 379/114.21, 379/114.15, 379/114.19, 379/114.2, 37911422-11426, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 379/144.01, 37914405-14408, 379/201.02, 379/201.04
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• 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 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• 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 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A method of processing a collect call. The method includes receiving a request for a collect call from a calling party and transmitting information required pursuant to a detariffing order to a called party.

Claims

1. A method of processing a collect call to a called party, comprising:

receiving a request for a collect call from a calling party at a collect call processing system of a service provider, wherein the calling party utilizes at least one of a facsimile machine, an answering machine and a modem to make calls;

determining that the called party is not a customer of the service provider, wherein the called party utilizes a personal computing device to receive calls; and

transmitting at least one of a term of service and a condition of service to the called party, wherein the term of service and condition of service are resident on a website in communication with the collect call processing system of a service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the collect call between the calling party and the called party.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the called party has accepted the collect call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a term of service and a condition of service are related to information that is required pursuant to a detariffing order.

5. A method of processing a collect call, comprising:

receiving a request for a collect call to a called party from a calling party at a collect call processing system of a service provider;

determining whether the called party is a customer of the service provider; and

when the called party is determined to not be a customer of the service provider, then transmitting information required pursuant to a detariffing order to the called party wherein the information is resident on a website in communication with the collect call processing system of a service provider.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising connecting the collect call between the calling party and the called party.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether the called party has accepted the collect call.

8. A method of processing a collect call, comprising:

receiving a request for a collect call to a called party from a calling party at a collect call processing system of a service provider;

determining whether the called party is a customer of the service provider;

when the called party is determined to not be a customer of the service provider, then transmitting, by the service provider, information to the called party; and

receiving an acceptance of an adequacy of the information from the called party, wherein the acceptance creates a contractual relationship between the called party and the service provider wherein the information comprises a term of service and condition of service and are resident on a website in communication with the collect call processing system of a service provider.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising connecting the collect call between the calling party and the called party.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information is related to information that is required pursuant to a detariffing order.

11. A telecommunications switch that is configured to process a collect call placed by a calling party to a called party, comprising:

a switch fabric of a service provider in communication with a web server upon which a webpage exists pursuant to a detariffing order;

a processor of the service provider that is in communication with the switch fabric and that determines whether the called party is a customer of the service provider; and

a voice response unit in communication with the switch fabric and the processor, wherein the processor and the voice response unit are configured to provide collect call information existent in the web page required pursuant to the detariffing order to the called party when it is determined that the called party is not a customer of the service provider.

12. The switch of claim 11, further comprising a database in communication with the switch fabric and the processor.

13. The switch of claim 11, further comprising a dual tone multi-frequency decoder in communication with the switch fabric and the processor.

14. The switch of claim 11, wherein the information includes at least one of a term of service and a condition of service relating to the collect call.

15. An advanced intelligent network configured to process a collect call placed by a calling party to a called party comprising:

a web server upon which a webpage has been made available pursuant to a detariffing order containing collect call information;

a switch of a service provider in communication with the web server;

a service control point of the service provider that is in communication with the switch and that determines whether the called party is a customer of the service provider; and

a services node of the service provider that is in communication with the switch, wherein the service control point and the services node are configured to provide the collect call information required pursuant to a detariffing order to the called party when it is determined that the called party is not a customer of the service provider.

16. The advanced intelligent network of claim 15, wherein the information includes at least one of a term of service and a condition of service relating to the collect call.

17. The advanced intelligent network of claim 15, further comprising a database in communication with the service control point.

18. A calling card platform configured to process a collect call placed by a calling party to a called party, comprising:

a switch of a service provider;

a web server in communication with the switch;

a voice response unit of the service provider in communication with the switch wherein the voice response unit is configured to process collect call information;

a processor of the service provider that is in communication with the switch and that determines whether the called party is a customer of the service provider, wherein the voice response unit and the processor are configured to provide collect call information required pursuant to a detariffing order to the called party when the called party is not a customer of the service provider, wherein further the collect call information is existent on a web page executing on the web server.

19. The calling card platform of claim 18, wherein the information includes at least one of a term of service and a condition of service relating to the collect call.

20. The calling card platform of claim 18, further comprising a dual tone multi-frequency decoder in communication with the switch.

21. The calling card platform of claim 18, further comprising an automatic dialing unit in communication with the processor.

22. The calling card platform of claim 18, further comprising a database in communication with the processor.

23. An apparatus for processing a collect call, comprising:

means for receiving a request for a collect call from a calling party;

means for displaying information on a web page required to be posted on a web site and at a specific place of business pursuant to a detariffing order wherein the information comprises at least one of a term of service and a condition of service;

means for determining whether the call is a calling card call; and

means for transmitting at least one of a term of service and a condition of service to a called party at least partially in response to the calling card authorization result, wherein the information is existent on the website.

24. An apparatus for processing a collect call, comprising:

means for receiving a request for a collect call to a called party from a calling party within a service provider network;

means for displaying collect call information on a web page required to be posted on a web site and at a specific place of business of the service provider pursuant to a detariffing order;

means for determining whether the called party is a customer of the service provider; and

means for transmitting the collect call information required pursuant to a detariffing order from the service provider to the called party when the called party is not a customer of the service provider.

25. An apparatus for processing a collect call, comprising:

means for receiving a request for a collect call to a called party from a calling party within a network of a service provider;

means for determining whether called party is a customer of the service provider;

means for transmitting, by a telecommunications entity, collect call information to the called party when the called party is not a customer of the service provider; and

means for receiving an acceptance of an adequacy of the information from the called party, wherein the acceptance creates a contractual relationship between the called party and the service provider wherein the collect call information is resident on a website in communication with the network of a service provider.

26. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a request for a collect call to a called party from a calling party within a service provider network;

determine whether the called party is a customer of the service provider; and

when the customer is determined to not be a customer of the service provider, then transmit at least one of a term of service and a condition of service relating to the collect call to the called party wherein the term of service and condition of service are resident on a website in communication with the collect call processing system of a service provider.

27. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a request for a collect call to a called party from a calling party within a service provider network;

determine whether called party is a customer of the service provider; and

when it is determined that the called party is not a customer of the service provider, transmit collect call information required pursuant to a detariffing order to a called party wherein the collect call information is resident on a website in communication with the collect call processing system of a service provider.

28. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a request for a collect call to a called party from a calling party within a service provider network, wherein the calling party is utilizing at least one of a facsimile machine, an answering machine and a modem to make calls;

determine whether called party is a customer of the service provider, wherein the called party is using a personal computing device to receive calls;

when the called party is not a customer of the service provide, then transmit, by the service provider, collect call information to the called party wherein the collect call information includes at least a term of service and condition of service and is resident on a website in communication within the service provider network; and

receive an acceptance of an adequacy of the information from the called party, wherein the acceptance creates a contractual relationship between the called party and the telecommunications entity.