Methods and systems for billing and routing local toll-free communications

• US 7,443,969 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ward, Jonathan O.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/478,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20070071196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.05, 379/114.24, 37911427- 28, 37911501-11502, 37912101-12102, 379/125, 379/127.01, 379/120
• US Class Current: 379/114.24
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8061 Selecting least cost route depending on origin or type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• 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 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• 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 2215/0184 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 2215/42 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 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7471 Select route depending on origin or type of service, e.g. route TDMA voice calls differently than VoIP calls

Abstract

A system routes local toll-free communications to a toll-free communications address via local switches and/or local network onto interconnecting local providers with local access settlement rates, thereby allowing a local rather than toll cost structure of the communication. When an originating communications address is identified as an LCA, intraLATA, or otherwise local communications address, the system routes the local toll-free call from the network to participating local switches that service the subscriber'"'"'s terminating communications. According to exemplary embodiments, the originating communications are separated between the LCA and the rest of the LATA based upon the NPA-NXXs that are considered local to the subscriber'"'"'s terminating number. The system also provides for communicating and routing local toll free communications and for reporting each local toll free communication to the subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for billing a subscriber for a local toll-free communication, comprising:

receiving originating information related to an originating number;

receiving terminating information related to a terminating number;

comparing an originating geographical location of the originating information to a terminating geographical location of the terminating information;

if the originating geographical location and the terminating geographical location are within the same service area, then determining that a communication is the local toll-free communication and routing the originating number to a switch serving the terminating number;

completing the local toll-free communication to the terminating number; and

transmitting a call record to a billing database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an originating the NPA-NXX of the originating number is compared with a terminating NPA-NXX of the terminating number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an originating NPA-NXX-XXXX of the originating number is compared with a terminating NPA-NXX of the terminating number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call record contains information for the local toll free communication, the call record comprising at least one of the originating geographic location of the originating number, the terminating geographic location of the terminating number, minutes of use, routing, call features, and troubleshooting information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the switch that processes the local toll-free communication completes the associated call record.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple local toll-free call records are combined into a billing block.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the originating number comprises a portable telephone number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminating number comprises a portable number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminating number is selected from a plurality of subscriber locations serving the originating number.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting an interactive subscriber interface, the interactive subscriber interface for accessing and configuring a local toll-free database of at least one terminating number, the originating geographic location associated with one or more originating numbers, the terminating geographic location associated with the terminating number, a call volume feature, a time of day, and a routing preference.

11. A system for routing a telephone call from an originating party who dials a local toll-free calls comprising:

means for receiving originating information related to an originating number;

means for receiving terminating information related to a terminating number;

means for comparing an originating geographical location of the originating information to a terminating geographical location of the terminating information;

if the originating geographical location and the terminating geographical location are within the same service area, then means for determining that a communication is the local toll-free communication and means for routing the originating number to a switch serving the terminating number;

means for completing the local toll-free communication to the terminating number; and

means for transmitting a call record to a billing database.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for producing bills based upon the originating geographical location of the originating number.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising routing to a subscriber'"'"'s long distance carrier (IXC).

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the originating number further comprises a portable telephone number.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the terminating number is selected from a plurality, of geographic locations serving the originating number.

16. A method for discriminating among toll-free calls to identify each communication that originates and terminates within a common geographic area in order to bill the communication at a selected rate, the method comprising:

receiving an identifier associated with an origination point in which the communication originates;

determining a destination point associated with the destination to which the communication is directed; and

analyzing the origination point and the destination point to determine whether the communication may be entirely routed via a local telecommunications service provider.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected rate is derived from a volume of communications routed via the local telecommunications service provider to the destination point.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected rate is derived from a subscription term for participating over an amount of time for communications routed via the local telecommunications service provider to the destination point.