System and method for determination of network and conditional execution of applications and promotions

• US 8,160,555 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transaction Network Services Incorporated (Trident Private Holdings I LLC)
• Original Assignee: Cequint Incorporated (Trident Private Holdings I LLC)
• Inventors: Gosselin, Mark, Hennessey, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehrpour, Melody
• Application Number:
  US12/422,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20100261460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/415, 455/418, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/458, 455/550.1, 455/466, 370/335, 370/342
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• 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 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8011 using class of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/654 Pre, in or post-call message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

System and method for determining whether an incoming call originates from inside or outside of a mobile carriers network. An example system performs a GTT (global title translation) on an incoming number to determine the hosting carrier of any mobile phone number. After the result of the matching determination is made, a message is generated and sent to a caller associated with the call page. The generated message includes any of directory information associated with the subscriber, information associated with cost savings or comparisons associated with in-network calling, information regarding promotions for calling plans, mobile devices or device upgrades, requests to join a network, requests to join a social call plan, information regarding instant savings or call rebates, offers for online services or software, offers for reduced cost or free phone service in exchange for adoption of a predefined product or entering into a social network group.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a call page at a mobile switching center;

sending the call page to a mobile device associated with the subscriber receiving the call page;

determining at the mobile switching center if a mobile communications network associated with the call page matches a mobile communications network of the subscriber receiving the call page;

sending the determined results to the mobile device associated with the subscriber receiving the call page; and

processing the sent results at the mobile device of the subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the sent results are received at the mobile device prior to termination of a call event associated with the call page, outputting the sent results at the mobile device of the subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sent determined results are sent in a short message service (SMS) message, wherein outputting the sent results comprises outputting an indication of “

in network”

communication on the mobile device if a match is determined based on the SMS message.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the outputted result comprises one or more of a visual indication, a haptic indication or an audio indication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein if the sent results are received at the mobile device after termination of a call event associated with the call page, storing the sent results at the mobile device of the subscriber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a mobile communications network associated with a call page matches a mobile communications network of a subscriber receiving the call page comprises performing a global title translation (GTT) at the mobile switching center before the call page is sent to the mobile device of the subscriber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the determined results to a mobile device associated with the subscriber receiving the call page comprises sending an SMS message that includes the result of the determination via a data channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining at a mobile switching center if a mobile communications network associated with a call page matches a mobile communications network of a subscriber receiving the call page comprises:

receiving the call page at the mobile device;

sending a communication to a server associated with the mobile service center associated with the mobile device;

performing a GTT at the server based on the sent communication; and

sending the result of the performed GTT to the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing the received result of the performed GTT in memory of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining at a mobile switching center if the call page is being made from a landline or a mobile handset.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining at a mobile switching center if the call page is being made from a landline or a mobile handset comprises inspecting the NPA/NXX codes provided by caller identification information.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining at the mobile device if the call page has been properly characterized as being from a landline or a mobile handset; and

if the call page has not been properly characterized, correcting the characterization of the call page at the mobile device as originating from a landline or mobile handset.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein correcting the characterization of the call page as originating from a landline or mobile handset comprises overriding the original characterization at the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein correcting the characterization of the call page as originating from a landline or mobile handset comprises notifying the subscriber the of the mischaracterization and requesting permission to correct the mischaracterization.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the mobile communications network associated with the call page does not match the mobile communications network of the subscriber, automatically generating a message and sending the generated message to a caller associated with the call page.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the generated message comprises one or more of directory information associated with the subscriber, information associated with at least one of cost savings or comparisons associated with in-network calling, information regarding promotions for at least one of calling plans, mobile devices or device upgrades, requests to join a network, requests to join a social call plan, information regarding one of instant savings or call rebates, offers for one of online services or software, offers for one of reduced cost or free phone service in exchange for at least one of adoption of a predefined product or entering into a social network group.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising presenting information included in the sent message.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein presenting comprises displaying at least one of text or graphics.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein presenting comprises displaying a web link.