Communication assistance system and method

• US 7,218,711 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: INFONXX, Inc.
• Original Assignee: INFONXX, Inc.
• Inventors: Pines, Robert, Baumeister, Christine, Blakeney, John, Marwell, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Escalante; Ovidio
• Application Number:
  US11/059,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20050136887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.02, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.09, 379/121.02, 379/121.03, 379/127.03, 379/127.05, 379/128, 379/114.23, 379/218.01
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• 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 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/01 Details of billing arrangements
• 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 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 : Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 : Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 : Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 : Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 : Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 : by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 : Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 : with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 : Connection initiated by DAS system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 : Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 : Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A billing system is provided for a communication assistance system that provides access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers. The billing system and communication assistance system include a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of requesters desiring access to the information corresponding to subscribers. A database stores the information corresponding to each of the subscribers, including their phone numbers. A billing record database is coupled to the switch and configured to store information corresponding to amount of time the requester was connected to each one of the subscribers. The communication assistance system provides instructions to the subscriber'"'"'s service provider such that the subscriber is not billed for the call.

Claims

1. A billing system for a communication assistance system that provides access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscriber listings, the system comprising:

a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of callers desiring access to said information corresponding to subscriber listings;

a database configured to store said information corresponding to each of said subscriber listings, including phone numbers of each of said subscribers; and

a billing record database coupled to said switch, configured to store information corresponding to amount of time caller was connected to each one of said subscriber listings, wherein said communication assistance system further provides instructions to said subscriber'"'"'s service provider such that said subscriber is not billed for said call when said caller is connected to said subscriber.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a call center coupled to said switch for routing each of said received calls from said caller to an operator terminal.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an operator terminal operated by a customer representative so as to retrieve information stored in said database.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an automated operator terminal so as to automatically retrieve information stored in said database.

5. The system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said billing record database coupled to said switch is additionally coupled to said operator terminal.

6. The system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said billing record database further comprises information corresponding to each service provider that respectively handled a call between a caller and a subscriber.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said billing record database is configured to send information stored relating to billing records to a service provider that handled said call for said caller, so as to bill said caller for charges associated with said call between said caller and said subscriber.

8. The system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said charges include airtime utilized by said subscriber during said call between said caller and said subscriber and directory look-up and connection charges, roaming and toll charges associated with airtime use of said subscriber.

9. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein telephone number of said subscriber is omitted from said caller'"'"'s bill.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said communication assistance system handles distribution of funds collected by said caller'"'"'s service provider to said subscriber'"'"'s service provider.

11. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said communication assistance system handles distribution of funds collected by said caller'"'"'s service provider to all service providers that contributed in handling said call between said caller and said subscriber.

12. The system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said subscriber'"'"'s service provider for handling said call to said subscriber is also said caller'"'"'s wireless carrier.

13. A communication assistance system for providing access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscriber listings, the system comprising:

a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of callers desiring access to said information corresponding to subscriber listings, wherein said switch is configured to generate an incoming call information record containing a subscription rate plan corresponding to service provider rates for each one of said callers;

a database accessible by an operator terminal and configured to store said information corresponding to each of said subscriber listings, including phone numbers of each of said subscribers; and

a billing record database coupled to said switch, configured to store information corresponding to amount of time caller was connected to each one of said subscriber listings, wherein said communication assistance system further provides instructions to said subscriber'"'"'s service provider such that said subscriber is not billed for said call when said caller is connected to said subscriber.

14. The system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising a call center coupled to said switch for routing each of said received calls from said caller to an operator terminal.

15. The system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising an operator terminal operated by a customer representative so as to retrieve information stored in said database.

16. The system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising an automated operator terminal so as to automatically retrieve information stored in said database.

17. The system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said subscription rate plan includes a flat fee subscription fee corresponding to various features and services provided by said system.

18. The system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said flat fee varies depending on the type of services subscribed by the caller from their service provider.

19. A billing system for a communication assistance system that provides access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscriber listings, the system comprising:

a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of callers desiring access to said information corresponding to subscriber listings, wherein said switch is configured to generate an incoming call information record containing a subscription rate plan corresponding to service provider rates for each one of said callers; and

a database directory listing storing information corresponding to each one of said subscriber listings including their phone number, said information said information in said subscriber listings including a Rate Plan field associated with billing rates corresponding to each one of said subscribers; and

a billing record database coupled to said switch, configured to store information corresponding to amount of time caller was connected to each one of said subscriber listings, wherein said communication assistance system further provides instructions to said subscriber'"'"'s service provider such that said subscriber is not billed for said call when said caller is connected to said subscriber.

20. A method of operating a billing system for a communication assistance system that provides access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscriber listings, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving calls from a plurality of a callers desiring to access said information corresponding to subscriber listings, at a telephone switch;

accessing a first database and retrieving said information corresponding to a subscriber listing, including phone numbers of each of said subscribers;

storing information corresponding to said caller accessing said information and an amount of time said caller was connected to each one of said subscribers in a billing record database; and

instructing said subscriber'"'"'s service provider not to bill said subscriber for said call when said caller is connected to said subscriber.

21. A method of operating a communication assistance system for providing access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscriber listings, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving calls from a plurality of a callers desiring to access said information corresponding to subscriber listings, at a telephone switch;

generating an incoming call information record containing a Feature Code field, said feature code field containing a subscription rate plan corresponding to service provider rates for each one of said callers;

accessing a first database and retrieving said information corresponding to each of said subscriber listings, including phone numbers of each of said subscribers; and

storing information corresponding to said caller accessing said information and an amount of time said caller was connected to each one of said subscribers in a billing record database; and

instructing said subscriber'"'"'s service provider not to bill said subscriber for said call when said caller is connected to said subscriber.