Internet-based message delivery with PSTN billing

• US 7,403,602 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khan, Azhar I.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/598,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.05, 37910015- 16, 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.05, 379/121.01, 379/127.01, 379 88- 89, 379/93.09, 379/115.01, 379/115.03
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1482 involving use of telephony infrastructure for billing for the transport of data, e.g. call detail record [CDR] or intelligent network infrastructure
• 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 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8207 Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/28 SMS billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7813 Time based data, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols

Abstract

A global computer network message delivery service is disclosed. A sender enters a short message for delivery to a recipient'"'"'s telephone. The sender also enters the recipient'"'"'s telephone number. The sender may also enter the telephone number that he can be reached at in case the recipient wants to converse live with the sender upon receipt of the message. The message and other entered information is authenticated and validated. The sender'"'"'s billing telephone number is determined for billing purposes. A call leg is created from a service node to the switch hosting the sender'"'"'s billing telephone number. The sender'"'"'s inter-exchange carrier codes are determined and another call leg is created from the service node to the recipient'"'"'s telephone. After the recipient answers, the service node plays the message (via text-to-speech technology) to the recipient. The inter-exchange carrier codes are used to bill the message service to the sender'"'"'s billing telephone number.

Claims

1. A method for sending a message to a recipient'"'"'s telephone over a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving the message and a directory number associated with a recipient'"'"'s telephone, over a computer network;

receiving a billing directory number associated with a sender of the message;

creating a call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number;

determining if the recipient'"'"'s telephone is answered;

if the recipient'"'"'s telephone is answered, receiving input from the recipient, wherein the recipient indicates how to respond to the received message; and

forwarding information associated with the answered telephone call for use in charging one of the billing directory number and a billing telephone number designated by a user for fees associated with the call, wherein the sender is charged for calls to the recipient and from the recipient if the input from the recipient indicates a desire to talk to the sender based on the received message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number comprises:

creating a call from the service node to a service switching point (SSP) in a telecommunications network hosting the billing directory number; and

creating a call from the SSP hosting the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a text message.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining at least one inter-exchange (IEC) carrier code associated with the billing directory number;

converting the text message to an audio message; and

playing the audio message over the recipient'"'"'s telephone.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a user identification and a password; and

validating the user identification and password before performing the steps of the method.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein charging the billing directory number for fees associated with the call comprises:

determining the duration of the call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number; and

creating a call record for the call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the call record establishes that the at least one carrier identified by the at least one inter-exchange (IEC) carrier code should receive payment for the call from the service node assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the telecommunications network is an advanced intelligent network (AIN) wireline network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the call record is an AIN AMA record.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a plurality options to the recipient for responding to the received message.

11. A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for sending a message to a recipient'"'"'s telephone over a computer network, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving the message and a directory number associated with a recipient'"'"'s telephone, over a computer network;

receiving a billing directory number associated with a sender of the message;

creating a call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number;

determining if the recipient'"'"'s telephone is answered;

if the recipient'"'"'s telephone is answered, receiving input from the recipient, wherein the recipient indicates how to respond to the received message; and

forwarding information associated with the answered telephone call for use in charging one of the billing directory number and a billing telephone number designated by a user for fees associated with the call, wherein the sender is charged for calls to the recipient and from the recipient if the input from the recipient indicates a desire to talk to the sender based on the received message.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein creating a call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number comprises:

creating a call from the service node to a service switching point (SSP) in a telecommunications network hosting the billing directory number; and

creating a call from the SSP hosting the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the message is a text message.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

determining at least one inter-exchange (IEC) carrier code associated with the billing directory number;

converting the text message to an audio message; and

playing the audio message over the recipient'"'"'s telephone.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a user identification and a password; and

validating the user identification and password before performing the steps of the method.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein charging the billing directory number for fees associated with the call comprises:

determining the duration of the call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number; and

creating a call record for the call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the call record establishes that the at least one carrier identified by the at least one inter-exchange (IEC) carrier code should receive payment for the call from the service node assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the telecommunications network is an advanced intelligent network (AIN) wireline network.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the call record is an AIN AMA record.

20. A system for sending a message to a recipient'"'"'s telephone over a computer network, the method comprising:

means for receiving the message and a directory number associated with a recipient'"'"'s telephone, over a computer network;

means for receiving a billing directory number associated with a sender of the message;

means for creating a call assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient'"'"'s directory number;

means for determining if the recipient'"'"'s telephone is answered;

if the recipient'"'"'s telephone is answered, means for receiving input from the recipient, wherein the recipient indicates how to respond to the received message; and

means for forwarding information associated with the answered telephone call for use in charging one of the billing directory number and a billing telephone number designated by a user for fees associated with the call, wherein the sender is charged for calls to the recipient and from the recipient if the input from the recipient indicates a desire to talk to the sender based on the received message.