Systems and methods for processing calls directed to telephones having a portable interface

• US 7,496,345 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Evercom Systems Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: King, James E., Davis, Michelle L., Rae, Robert L., Keiser, Luke
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cai; Wayne
• Application Number:
  US10/954,935
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/1, 455/404.2, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455/417, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/558, 379/114.29, 379/188, 379/343, 705/75, 375/343
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1432 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1453 Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide for processing of calls by determining when a called number is associated with telephone having a portable interface and providing call processing adapted for addressing issues associated with a portable interface. Call processing may provide for point of demand processing of calls to facilitate completion of calls in real-time, even when such calls are directed to a wireless telephone, a telephone for which LNP has been utilized, or other telephone having a portable interface. If an appropriate relationship has not been already been established for facilitating a call to a telephone having a portable interface, embodiments operate to establish such a relationship. When it is determined that a called number is associated with telephone having a portable interface, embodiments operate to invoke rating schemes appropriate to the called number, possibly including flat rate schemes and rating determined using current location determination.

Claims

1. A method for processing calls comprising:

determining if a call is directed to a user terminal implementing a portable interface, wherein said call is originated within a prison facility and said user terminal implementing said portable interface is disposed external to said prison facility;

using a score associated with a party to the call to select a particular call payment method of call payment methods acceptable for use with respect to the call, wherein said call payment methods are determined as a function of a type of said portable interface;

completing said call if the selected particular call payment method of call payment methods acceptable for said portable interface is implemented with respect to said call; and

utilizing a call rating scheme selected for said portable interface to account for charges due under said call payment method.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable interface comprises a wireless telephone interface and said user terminal comprises a wireless telephone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable interface comprises a telephone interface for which local number portability has been implemented.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interacting with a party to said call to implement, in real-time, a call payment method of said call payment methods acceptable for said portable interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said interacting with said party comprises:

intervening in a call already in progress for the purpose of obtaining said call payment method.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said interacting with said party comprises:

placing said party in communication with a customer service representative.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said interacting with said party comprises:

placing said party in communication with an interactive voice response unit.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein interacting with said party comprises:

establishing a prepaid account by accepting payment from the group consisting of credit card payment, debit card payment, electronic check payment, and electronic commerce funds transfer.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein interacting with said party comprises:

providing an estimate of charges associated with said call.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein a combination of said interacting with said party and said call as completed utilize a multimedia interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said interacting with said party comprises:

communicating textually with said party.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said call as completed comprises:

a voice interface between two parties to the call, said two parties including said party.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a particular said call payment method of said call payment methods acceptable for said portable interface is selected as a function of scoring at least one party to the call.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein information used with respect to said scoring is associated with an individual independent of a particular portable interface.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said call rating scheme comprises a distance charge based upon a location determination made with respect to said user terminal.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said call rating scheme comprises a flat charge based upon a type of said portable interface.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current location of said user terminal implementing said portable interface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining said current location comprises:

querying a location determination service provider.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said location determination service provider comprises an E911 location service.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining said current location comprises:

querying an intelligent network for information with respect to particular network elements utilized with respect to said call.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said intelligent network comprises a signaling system seven network.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein determining said current location comprises:

determining a location of a terminating switch utilized with respect to said call.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein determining said current location comprises:

querying at least one of a home location register and a visiting location register associated with said portable interface.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein determining said current location comprises:

querying a number portability administration center database.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein said current location is utilized in determining a rate for charging service with respect to said call.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining if said current location is associated with a location for which calls are not authorized to be made;

blocking said call if said current location is a location for which calls are not authorized to be made.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

using said current location for investigative analysis of a party to said call.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein said call payment method is a method for payment for said call by a called party.

29. A method for processing calls comprising:

determining if a call is directed to a user terminal implementing a portable interface;

using a score associated with a party to the call to select one or more particular call payment methods of call payment methods acceptable for use with respect to the call, wherein said call payment methods are determined as a function of a type of said portable interface;

completing said call if the particular call payment method of call payment methods acceptable for said portable interface is implemented with respect to said call, wherein said call payment methods acceptable for said portable interface are determined at least in part based upon a type of number portability utilized with respect to said portable interface; and

utilizing a call rating scheme selected for said portable interface to account for charges due under said call payment method.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said type of number portability is selected from the group consisting of:

wireline to wireless;

wireless to wireline;

wireless to wireless;

wireline to wireline;

wireline to Internet protocol; and

Internet protocol to wireline.

31. A method for processing calls comprising:

identifying calls directed to user terminals implementing a portable interface, wherein said calls are originated within a prison facility and said user terminals implementing said portable interface are disposed external to said prison facility;

determining call payment methods for use with respect to said portable interface;

using a score associated with a party to the call to select one or more particular call payment methods of said call payment methods acceptable for use with respect to the call, wherein said call payment methods are determined as a function of a type of said portable interface; and

completing said call if at least one of said one or more particular call payment methods is implemented with respect to said call.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said portable interface comprises a wireless telephone interface.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said portable interface comprises a telephone interface for which number portability has been utilized.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

interacting with a party to said call to implement a call payment method of said call payment methods at a point of demand for said call.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein interacting with said party comprises:

establishing a prepaid account by accepting payment from the group consisting of credit card payment, debit card payment, electronic check payment, and electronic commerce funds transfer.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein interacting with said party comprises:

establishing a post paid account by accepting billing information with respect to said party.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein interacting with said party comprises:

providing an estimate of charges associated with said call.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said interacting with said party comprises:

communicating textually with said party.

39. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

utilizing a call rating scheme selected for said portable interface.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said call rating scheme comprises a distance charge based upon a location determination made with respect to said user terminal.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein said call rating scheme comprises a flat charge based upon a type of said portable interface.

42. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

determining a current location of said user terminal implementing said portable interface.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein determining said current location comprises:

querying a location determination service provider.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said location determination service provider comprises an E911 location service.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein determining said current location comprises:

querying an intelligent network for information with respect to particular network elements utilized with respect to said call.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said intelligent network comprises a signaling system seven network.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein determining said current location comprises:

determining a location of a terminating switch utilized with respect to said call.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein determining said current location comprises:

querying at least one of a home location register and a visiting location register associated with said portable interface.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein determining said current location comprises:

querying a number portability administration center database.

50. The method of claim 42, wherein said current location is utilized in determining a rate for charging service with respect to said call.

51. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

determining if said current location is associated with a location for which calls are not authorized to be made;

blocking said call if said current location is a location for which calls are not authorized to be made.

52. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

using said current location for investigative analysis of a party to said call.

53. The method of claim 31 wherein said call payment methods comprise at least one method for payment by a called party.

54. A method for processing calls comprising:

identifying calls directed to user terminals implementing a portable interface;

determining call payment methods for use with respect to said portable interface;

using a score associated with a party to the call to select one or more particular call payment methods of said call payment methods acceptable for use with respect to the call, wherein said call payment methods are determined as a function of a type of said portable interface; and

completing said call if at least one of said one or more particular call payment methods is implemented with respect to said call.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said call payment methods are further determined as a function of a type of number portability utilized with respect to said portable interface.

56. A call processing system comprising:

a call treatment processor-based system under control of an instruction set operable to determine if a call placed through said call processing system will terminate with a user terminal having a portable interface;

a validation processor-based system under control of an instruction set operable to determine if a payment method acceptable with respect to said portable interface is activated for use with respect to said call, wherein said payment method acceptable with respect to said portable interface comprises a method for payment by a called party, the validation engine using a score associated with a party to the call to select said payment method acceptable with respect to said call, wherein said call payment method is determined as a function of a type of said portable interface; and

a customer service processor-based system under control of an instruction set operable to establish a payment method acceptable with respect to said portable interface in real-time for use with respect to said call if said validation processor-based system determines that said payment method is not activated.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein a same computerized server comprises said call treatment processor-based system and said validation processor-based system.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein said computerized server further comprises said customer service processor-based system.

59. The system of claim 56, further comprising:

a location determination processor-based system under control of an instruction set operable to determine a current position with respect to said user terminal having a portable interface.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein said location determination processor-based system is coupled to a communication system intelligent network for use in determining said current position.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein said intelligent network comprises a signaling system seven network.

62. The system of claim 59, wherein said location determination processor-based system is coupled to a locator service system for use in determining said current position.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein said locator service comprises a 911 location service.

64. The system of claim 59, wherein said location determination processor-based system is coupled to at least one of a home location register and a visiting location register for use in determining said current position.

65. The system of claim 56, wherein said call treatment processor-based system is coupled to a communication system database for use in determining if said call will terminate with a user terminal having a portable interface.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein said communication system database comprises a line information database.

67. The system of claim 56, wherein said call treatment processor-based system is coupled to a number portability administration center database for use in determining if said call will terminate with a user terminal having a portable interface.

68. The system of claim 56, wherein said customer service processor-based system comprises an interactive voice response unit.

69. The system of claim 56, wherein said customer service processor-based system is coupled to a live operator for use in establishing said payment method.

70. The method of claim 56 wherein said method for payment by said called party comprises an account funded by said called party.

71. The method of claim 56 wherein said call is originated within a prison facility and said user terminal having said portable interface is disposed external to said prison facility.

72. A call processing system comprising:

a call treatment processor-based system under control of an instruction set operable to determine if a call placed through said call processing system will terminate with a user terminal for which a service provider associated with said call treatment processor-based system has no direct billing agreement in place;

a validation processor-based system under control of an instruction set operable to determine if a payment method acceptable with respect to said service provider is available for use with respect to said call, the validation processor-based system using a score associated with a party to the call to select one or more particular call payment methods of said call payment methods acceptable for use with respect to the call, wherein said call payment methods are determined as a function of a type of said portable interface;

a customer service processor-based system under control of an instruction set operable to establish said payment method acceptable with respect to said service provider in real-time for use with respect to said call if said validation processor-based system determines that said payment method is available; and

a location determination processor-based system under control of an instruction set operable to determine a current position with respect to said user terminal, wherein said validation processor-based system utilizes current position information from said location determination processor-based system in determining if a payment method acceptable with respect to said service provider is available for use with respect to said call.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein said user terminal utilizes a portable interface.

74. The system of claim 72, wherein said call treatment processor-based system is coupled to a communication system database for use in determining if said call will terminate with a user terminal having a portable interface.

75. The system of claim 72, wherein said call treatment processor-based system is coupled to a number portability administration center database for use in determining if said call will terminate with a user terminal having a portable interface.

76. The system of claim 72, wherein said location determination processor-based system is coupled to a communication system intelligent network for use in determining said current position.

77. The system of claim 72, wherein said location determination processor-based system is coupled to a locator service system for use in determining said current position.

78. The method of claim 72 wherein said call is originated within a prison facility.