Method and apparatus for providing pre-pay and post-pay communication services using the same integrated system

• US 7,415,266 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Khuc, Minh Duy, Abbasi, Zahid, Allen, Isaac Shane, Rogers, Carl, Sbisa, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana N.
• Application Number:
  US10/350,687
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/410, 455/414.1, 455/426.1, 455/408, 455/414, 379/115.01, 379/112.01, 379/114.2
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/775 Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/785 Reserving amount on the account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/853 Calculate maximum communication time or volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• 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 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• 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 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 : Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7277 : Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7295 : Reserve amount, e.g. according to estimated costs for a typical communication duration or according to the estimated volume to be transferred
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 : Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8162 : Calculate maximum communication time or volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing pre-pay and post-pay calls. After receiving a pre-pay call, an integrated service platform obtains and transfers a pre-pay destination number and a pre-pay validation parameter to a switching system. The switching system then releases the pre-pay call extension to the integrated service platform and extends the pre-pay call using the pre-pay destination number. As the pre-pay call is in progress, the switching system monitors a duration of the pre-pay call and terminates the pre-pay call if the duration meets or exceeds a pre-pay amount indicated by the pre-pay validation parameter. In this manner, integrated service platforms, as required by prior approaches, are no longer required to be connected to the pre-pay call for the entire duration of the pre-pay call. Rather, an integrated service platform can request and receive authorization and call destination information, then be released for use by other calls. After receiving the post-pay call, the integrated service platform obtains and transfers a post-pay destination number and a post-pay validation parameter to the switching system. The switching system then releases the post-pay call extension to the integrated service platform and extends the post-pay call using the post-pay destination number if the post-pay validation parameter allows the post-pay call. One advantage for post-pay calls is the provision of post-pay calls service such as messaging and validation is centralized in the integrated service platform, which reduces the time and cost of maintaining the post-pay service.

Claims

1. A method of providing calls using an integrated service platform, the method comprising:

receiving a call into a switching system;

extending the call from the switching system toward the integrated service platform;

in the integrated service platform, obtaining a destination number and a validation parameter for the call;

transferring the destination number and the validation parameter from the integrated service platform to the switching system;

in the switching system, releasing the call extension to the integrated service platform and extending the call using the destination number;

in the switching system, monitoring a duration of the call; and

in the switching system, terminating the call if the call is a pre-pay call and if the duration meets or exceeds an amount indicated by the validation parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the integrated service platform, collecting an account code for the call; and

in the integrated service platform, querying an integrated validation database with the account code to obtain the validation parameter.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the integrated service platform, playing a message for the call based on a called number.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the integrated service platform, playing a message for the call based on a caller number.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating the validation parameter with the duration of the call;

generating an update instruction including the validation parameter; and

transmitting the update instruction for an integrated validation database.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a call detail record for the call; and

transmitting the call detail record for a billing system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the call into the switching system further comprises:

transmitting a route query for a service control point indicating the received call; and

receiving a routing instruction from the service control point for the integrated service platform.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the destination number and the validation parameter from the integrated service platform to the switching system further comprises:

in the integrated service platform, generating and transmitting a transfer request message for a service control point;

receiving the transfer request message into the service control point;

in the service control point, generating and transmitting a transfer instruction for the switching system to release the call extension from the switching system to the integrated service platform and extend the call using the destination number; and

receiving the transfer instruction into the switching system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a notice of termination to a service control point when the call is terminated.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising querying a rating platform with the validation parameter in order to obtain a cost-per-minute rating for the call.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and wherein the validation parameter comprises a period of time.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and wherein the validation parameter comprises a monetary value.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and further comprising imparting an audible indication to the call to indicate the duration of the call has reached a predetermined threshold duration value that is less than the amount indicated by the validation parameter.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and further comprising imparting an audible indication to the call to indicate a remaining credit for an account.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the call is a post-pay call and further comprising:

in the switching system, monitoring the duration of the call and terminating the call if the duration meets or exceeds a amount indicated by the validation parameter.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the call is a post-pay call and wherein the validation parameter corresponds to a predetermined credit limit.

17. A communication system for providing calls using an integrated service platform, the communication system comprising:

a switching system that is configured to receive a call, extend the call toward the integrated service platform, release the call extension to the integrated service platform, extend the call using a destination number, monitor a duration of the call, and terminate the call if the call is a pre-pay call and if the duration meets or exceeds an amount indicated by a validation parameter; and

the integrated service platform that is configured to obtain the destination number and the validation parameter for the call and transfer the destination number and the validation parameter to the switching system.

18. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the integrated service platform is configured to collect an account code for the call and query an integrated validation database with the account code to obtain the validation parameter.

19. The communication system of claim 18 wherein the integrated service platform is configured to generate and transmit a transfer request message for a service control point and the switching system is configured to receive the transfer instruction, the communication system further comprising:

a service control point configured to receive the transfer request message and generate and transmit a transfer instruction for the switching system to release the call extension from the switching system to the integrated service platform and extend the call using the destination number.

20. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the integrated service platform is configured to play a message for the call based on a called number.

21. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the integrated service platform is configured to play a message for the call based on a caller number.

22. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the switching system is configured to transmit a notice of termination to a service control point when the call is terminated.

23. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the switching system is configured to update the validation parameter with the duration of the call, generate a update instruction including the validation parameter, and transmit the update instruction for an integrated validation database.

24. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the switching system is configured to generate a call detail record for the call and transmit the call detail record for a billing system.

25. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the switching system is configured to transmit a route query for a service control point indicating the received call and receive a routing instruction from the service control point for the integrated service platform.

26. The communication system of claim 17, the communication system further comprising:

a service control point configured to receive a notice of termination.

27. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and wherein the validation parameter comprises a period of time.

28. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and wherein the validation parameter comprises a monetary value.

29. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and wherein the switching system is configured to impart an audible indication to the call to indicate the duration of the call has reached a predetermined threshold duration value that is less than the amount indicated by the validation parameter.

30. The communication system of claim 29 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and wherein the switching system is configured to receive the predetermined threshold duration value.

31. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the call is a pre-pay call and wherein the switching system is configured to impart an audible indication to the call to indicate a remaining credit for an account.

32. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the call is a post-pay call and wherein the switching system is configured to monitor the duration of the call and terminate the call if the duration meets or exceeds an amount indicated by the validation parameter.

33. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the call is a post-pay call and wherein the validation parameter corresponds to a predetermined credit limit.