Policy control and billing support for call transfer in a session initiation protocol (SIP) network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, by a first session initiation protocol (SIP) server, a first SIP message based on a first party device initiating a call transfer relating to a second party and a third party;
retrieving first party call policy information and third party call policy information from a call policy information database;
verifying, by the first SIP server using the first party call policy information and the third party call policy information, that the first party is authorized to initiate the call transfer to the third party;
creating, by the first SIP server and based on the verifying, a digital signature identifying the first SIP server;
generating, by the first SIP server and using account information in the stored profile for the first party, billing information related to the call transfer;
appending, by the first SIP server, the billing information and the digital signature to the first SIP message;
authenticating, by a processor, the first SIP server based on the digital signature appended to the first SIP message; and
completing, by the processor, the call transfer based on the authenticating the first SIP server, and determining whether to bill the first party, with respect to the completed call transfer, based on the billing information appended to the first SIP message.
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Abstract
A system includes a database configured to store account information relating to users of a telecommunications network. Additionally, a session initiation protocol (SIP) server receives first messages initiating call transfers. The server appends billing information and a digital signature to the first message based on account information of one of the users stored in the database. The digital signature provides for authentication of the call transfers.
7 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a first session initiation protocol (SIP) server, a first SIP message based on a first party device initiating a call transfer relating to a second party and a third party; retrieving first party call policy information and third party call policy information from a call policy information database; verifying, by the first SIP server using the first party call policy information and the third party call policy information, that the first party is authorized to initiate the call transfer to the third party; creating, by the first SIP server and based on the verifying, a digital signature identifying the first SIP server; generating, by the first SIP server and using account information in the stored profile for the first party, billing information related to the call transfer; appending, by the first SIP server, the billing information and the digital signature to the first SIP message; authenticating, by a processor, the first SIP server based on the digital signature appended to the first SIP message; and completing, by the processor, the call transfer based on the authenticating the first SIP server, and determining whether to bill the first party, with respect to the completed call transfer, based on the billing information appended to the first SIP message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for effecting a call transfer in accordance with session initiation protocol (SIP), the method comprising:
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receiving a first SIP message at a SIP server, the first SIP message being generated by a first party and indicating that the first party is requesting a call be initiated between a second party and a third party; accessing, by the SIP server, first call policy information and account information in a stored profile for the first party and second call policy information in a stored profile for the third party, associated with the call; determining, by the SIP server and based on the first call policy information and the second call policy information, that the first party is allowed to initiate the call transfer, where, when a conflict exists between the first call policy and the second call policy, the first call policy overrides the second call policy; and determining, by the SIP server and based on the account information, whether to bill the first party for the call between the second and third party. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a computer comprising; a first processor, and a first memory, connected to the first processor, including a database comprising profile information relating to a plurality of users of a telecommunications network, where the profile information for each of the plurality of users includes call policy information and account information; and a session information protocol (SIP) server comprising; a second processor, and a second memory, connected to the second processor, storing executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the second processor to perform the steps of; receiving a first SIP message based on a first party device initiating a call transfer relating to a second party and a third party, retrieving first party call policy information and third party call policy information from the database, verifying, using the first party call policy information and the third party call policy information, that the first user is authorized to initiate the call transfer to the third user, creating, based on the verifying, a digital signature identifying the SIP server; generating, using the account information in the profile for the first user, billing information related to the call transfer, appending the billing information and the digital signature to the first SIP message, the digital signature providing for authentication of the call transfer, authenticating the SIP server based on the digital signature appended to the first SIP message, and completing the call transfer based on the authenticating the SIP server, and determining whether to bill the first party, with respect to the completed call transfer, based on the billing information appended to the first SIP message. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system comprising:
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means for receiving a first session initiation protocol (SIP) message from a first party device initiating a call transfer relating to a second party and a third party; means for retrieving first party call policy information and third party call policy information from a call policy information database; means for verifying, using the first call policy information and the third call policy information, that the first party is authorized to initiate the call transfer to the third party; means for creating, based on the verifying, a digital signature identifying a SIP server; means for generating, using account information in the stored profile for the first party, billing information related to the call transfer; means for appending the billing information and a digital signature to the first SIP message; means for authenticating the SIP server based on the digital signature appended to the first SIP message; and means for receiving a second SIP message initiating a call related to the call transfer, the second SIP message including the digital signature, the means for receiving the second SIP message additionally generating, based on the billing information appended to the first SIP message, an indication how the first party is to be billed for the call when the digital signature appended to the first SIP message indicates that the second SIP message is authentic. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification