Method for billing in a telecommunications network

• US 7,406,306 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallant, John K., McMurry, Kathleen A
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): THIER, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/036,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20020146005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,412 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.21, 379/114.22, 379/114.23, 379/115.01, 379/121.02, 379/120, 379/127.02, 379/127.05, 379/127.01, 455406-411
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 : Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 : specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• 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 15/43 : Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 : Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 : using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 : for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 : for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 : based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/67 : Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 : Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 : Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 : Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 : VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 : Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method for placing a call between a client in one network and a client in another network. The IP network includes a SIP server and a network gateway configured to provide access to a public switched network. The method includes receiving a SIP call request message from the first client. The SIP call request message is authenticated to thereby identify an authentic originating client. Subsequently, a database is searched to find client billing tag corresponding to the authentic originating client. The call is completed if the client billing tag is obtained, and not completed if the client billing tag cannot be obtained. Thus, the present invention provides an efficient method for billing phone calls that are placed from SIP enabled devices to a telephone connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The method of the present invention also substantially eliminates certain types of fraud.

Claims

1. A method for placing a call between a first client and a second client, the method comprising:

receiving a SIP call request message;

challenging a device that originated the SIP call request message to authenticate itself, the device performing a first authentication process based on a username and a password associated with the device to generate a first authentication result as a result of authenticating itself;

authenticating the SIP call request message by performing a second authentication process based on the username and the password associated with the device to generate a second authentication result and comparing the second authentication result to the first authentication result;

evaluating at least one calling feature in a profile of the second client;

identifying, based on the at least one calling feature, an authentic originating client when the second authentication result matches the first authentication result;

searching a database to determine whether the database includes a client billing tag that identifies the authentic originating client as a party responsible for paying for the call;

authorizing the call to be completed if the client billing tag is included in the database; and

not authorizing the call to be completed if the client billing tag is not included in the database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inserting the client billing tag into the SIP call request message; and

transmitting the SIP call request message to a gateway after the client billing tag is inserted into the SIP call request message.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing, by the gateway, a network operating support system with the client billing tag.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first authentication process or the second authentication process includes performing a calculation using a hash algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting, by a server, a client billing tag corresponding to the second client into the SIP call request message based on the at least one calling feature.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting, by the server, the SIP call request message to a gateway after the client billing tag corresponding to the second client is inserted into the SIP call request message.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a gateway provides a network operating support system with the client billing tag.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one calling feature includes a call forwarding command.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one calling feature includes a call transfer command.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the client billing tag corresponding to the authentic originating client; and

inserting the client billing tag corresponding to the authentic originating client into the SIP call request message.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting, by a server, the call request message to a gateway after the client billing tag is inserted into the call request message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one calling feature includes a call forwarding command.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one calling feature includes a call transfer command.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a header to the SIP call request message, the header including a server identifier; and

transmitting the SIP call request message to a gateway, the gateway being configured to complete the call if the header is detected and not complete the call if the header is not detected.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking the SIP call request message for the presence of a header, the header including a server identifier; and

completing the call if the header is detected.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the call is not completed if the header is not detected.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first client is a SIP-telephone and the second client is a SIP-telephone.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first client is a SIP-telephone and the second client is a standard telephone coupled to a PSTN.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client is coupled to a network gateway.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client is coupled to an enterprise gateway.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client includes a SIP voicemail server.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client includes a SIP conferencing server.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client is coupled to a DAL gateway.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client includes a client PBX system.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client includes a personal computer.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the call request message includes:

receiving the username and the first authentication result from the device,

determining a password that corresponds to the username,

performing a hash function based on the username and password, and

determining whether a result of the hash function matches the first authentication result.

27. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method for placing a call between a first client and a second client, the computer-readable medium comprising:

instructions for receiving a call request message;

instructions for challenging a device that originated the call request message to authenticate itself, the device generating an authentication result as a result of authenticating itself;

instructions for authenticating the call request message based on the authentication result;

instructions for evaluating at least one calling feature in a profile of the second client;

instructions for determining, based on the at least one calling feature, an authentic originating client when the call request message is authenticated;

instructions for searching a database to identify whether the database includes a client billing tag that identifies the authentic originating client as a party responsible for paying for the call;

instructions for not authorizing the call to be completed if the database does not include the client billing tag;

instructions for authorizing the call to be completed if the database includes the client billing tag;

instructions for inserting the client billing tag into the call request message when the call is authorized to be completed; and

instructions for forwarding the call request message with the inserted client billing tag when the call is authorized to be completed.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein authenticating the call request message includes:

receiving a user name and the authentication result from the device,

determining a password that corresponds to the user name,

performing a hash function based on the user name and password, and

determining whether a result of the hash function matches the authentication result.

29. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method for placing a call between a first client and a second client, the computer-readable medium comprising:

instructions for receiving, by a SIP server, a SIP call request message;

instructions for challenging, by the SIP server, a device that originated the SIP call request message to authenticate itself, the device generating an authentication result as a result of authenticating itself;

instructions for authenticating, by the SIP server, the SIP call request message based on the authentication result;

instructions for evaluating at least one calling feature in a profile of the second client;

instructions for determining, based on the at least one calling feature, an authentic originating client when the SIP call request message is authenticated;

instructions for searching, by the SIP server, a database to find a client billing tag that identifies the authentic originating client as a party responsible for paying for the call;

instructions for inserting, by the SIP server, the client billing tag into the SIP call request message; and

instructions for transmitting, by the SIP server, the SIP call request message to a gateway.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising:

instructions for completing, by the SIP server, the call if the client billing tag is obtained; and

instructions for not completing, by the SIP server, the call if the client billing tag cannot be obtained.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the gateway provides a network operating support system with the client billing tag and call statistics after receiving the SIP call request message from the SIP server.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein authenticating the SIP call request message includes:

receiving a user name and the authentication result from the device,

determining a password that corresponds to the user name,

performing a hash function based on the user name and password, and

determining whether a result of the hash function matches the authentication result.

33. A method for placing a call between a first client and a second client, the method comprising:

receiving a SIP call request message from the first client;

challenging a device that originated the SIP call request message to authenticate itself, the device generating an authentication result as a result of authenticating itself;

evaluating at least one calling feature in a profile of the second client;

determining an authentic originating client based on the at least one calling feature and the authentication result;

retrieving a client billing tag that identifies the authentic originating client as a party responsible for paying for the call; and

inserting the client billing tag into the SIP call request message.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting, by a server, the SIP call request message to a gateway after the client billing tag is inserted into the SIP call request message.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising providing, by the gateway, a network operating support system with the client billing tag and at least one call statistic after the call is completed.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least one calling feature includes a call forwarding command.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least one calling feature includes a call transfer command.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the party responsible for paying for the call is the first client.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the party responsible for paying for the call is the second client.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein authenticating the SIP call request message includes:

receiving a user name and the authentication result from the device,

determining a password that corresponds to the user name,

performing a hash function based on the user name and password, and

determining whether a result of the hash function matches the authentication result.

41. A system for placing a call between a first client and a second client, the system comprising:

a SIP server configured to;

challenge a device that originated the call by requesting the device to authenticate itself, the device performing a first authentication process based on a username and password associated with the device to generate a first authentication result as a result of authenticating itself,

process a SIP call request message received from the first client by performing a second authentication process based on the username and the password associated with the device to generate a second authentication result and comparing the second authentication result with the first authentication result,

evaluate at least one calling feature in a profile of the second client,

determine an authentic originating client based on the at least one calling feature and a result of comparing the second authentication result with the first authentication result,

obtain a client billing tag that identifies the authentic originating client as a party responsible for paying for the call; and

a network gateway coupled to the SIP server, the network gateway being configured to provide at least one of the first client or the second client conditional access to a public switched telephone network.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the server transmits the SIP call request message to the network gateway if the client billing tag is obtained, and does not transmit the call request message to the network gateway if the client billing tag cannot be obtained.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the SIP server is configured to insert the client billing tag into the SIP call request message and transmit the call request message to the network gateway.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising a network operation support system coupled to the network gateway, the network gateway being configured to transmit the client billing tag to the network operation support system after the call is completed.

45. The network of claim 41, wherein the SIP server inserts a client billing tag corresponding to the second client based on the at least one calling feature.

46. The network of claim 41, wherein the SIP server is configured to add a header to the SIP call request message.

47. The network of claim 46, wherein the network gateway is configured to complete the call if the header is detected and not complete the call if the header is not detected.

48. The method of claim 41, wherein the first client is a SIP-telephone and the second client is SIP-telephone.

49. The method of claim 41, wherein the first client is a SIP-telephone and the second client is a standard telephone coupled to a PSTN.

50. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client is coupled to the network gateway.

51. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client is coupled to an enterprise gateway.

52. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client includes a SIP voicemail server.

53. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client includes a SIP conferencing server.

54. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client is coupled to a DAL gateway.

55. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client includes a client PBX system.

56. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first client or the second client includes a personal computer.

57. The system of claim 41, wherein the SIP server is further configured to:

receive the username and the first authentication result from the device,

determine a password that corresponds to the username,

perform a hash function based on the username and password, and

determine whether a result of the hash function matches the first authentication result.

58. A server system for placing a call between a first client and a second client, the system comprising:

a database configured to store at least one client billing tag; and

a processor coupled to the database, the processor being programmed to;

challenge a device that originated the call by requesting the device to authenticate itself, the device performing a first authentication process based on a username and password associated with the device to generate a first authentication result as a result of authenticating itself,

process a SIP call request message by performing a second authentication process based on the username and the password associated with the device to generate a second authentication result and comparing the second authentication result with the first authentication result,

evaluate at least one calling feature in a profile of the second client;

determine an authentic originating client based on the at least one calling feature and a result of comparing the second authentication result with the first authentication result,

search the database to find the client billing tag that identifies the authentic originating client as a party responsible for paying for the call,

allow the call to be completed if the client billing tag is obtained, and

not allow the call to be completed if the client billing tag cannot be obtained.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the processor is programmed to insert the client billing tag into the SIP call request message.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the processor is programmed to transmit the SIP call request message with the client billing tag to a network gateway.

61. The system of claim 58, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

add a header to the SIP call request message, the header including a server identifier identifying the server system that forwards the call request message; and

transmit the SIP call request message and header to a network gateway.

62. The system of claim 58, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive the username and the first authentication result from the device,

determine a password that corresponds to the username,

perform a hash function based on the username and password, and

determine whether a result of the hash function matches the first authentication result.