Communication assistance system and method

• US 8,265,242 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Pines, Robert, Marwell, Evan, Blakeney, John, Baumeister, Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): ISLAM, MOHAMMAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/850,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20110195689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 37911401-11409, 379/114.23, 379/121.03, 379/127.03, 379/127.05, 379/128
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/01 Details of billing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• 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 2215/0164 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 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 : Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 : Roaming
• 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 2215/74 : Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 : Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• 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 3/42068 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 : by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 : Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 : with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 : Connection initiated by DAS system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 : Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 : Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A communication assistance system provides access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscriber listings. The system includes a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of callers desiring to access the information corresponding to the subscriber listings and a database directory listing for storing information corresponding to each one of the subscriber listings. The information in the subscriber listings include a Rate Plan field associated with billing rates corresponding to each one of the subscribers such that when the system connects the caller to the subscriber, the system employs the Rate Plan Field to determine the billing amount charged to the caller so that the subscriber is not billed for the call.

Claims

1. A billing system for a communication assistance system, said system comprising:

an interface for receiving incoming communications from at least one requester desiring connection information corresponding to a wireless subscriber listing among a plurality of available wireless listings subscriber listings;

said system configured to retrieve said information corresponding to said requested connection information corresponding to said wireless subscriber; and

a billing record database, configured to store information corresponding to a communication between said requester and said subscriber, wherein said communication assistance system further is configured to receive instructions from said subscriber'"'"'s service provider such that said subscriber is not to be billed for a communication connected to said subscriber from said requester, said communication assistance system further configured to generate a bill for sending to said requester'"'"'s service provider for said communication between said requester and said subscriber.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said billing record database is configured to store information corresponding to each service provider that respectively handles said plurality of available subscriber listings.

3. The system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said system is further configured to utilizes said information corresponding to each service provider that respectively handles said plurality of available subscriber listings to prepare billing to be charged to a service providers of said requestors.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said billing charged to said service provider of said requestor is any one of the group consisting of airtime utilized by said subscriber during a call between said requestor and said subscriber, directory lookup, connection charges, roaming charges, and toll charges associated with airtime use of said subscriber.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said connection information corresponding to a subscriber listing is omitted from a requestor'"'"'s bill.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said system is configured to generate an incoming call information record containing a subscription rate plan corresponding to service provider rates for each one of said requestors.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said subscription rate plan includes information for a flat fee subscription fee corresponding to features and services provided by said system.

8. The system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said fiat fee varies depending on the type of services subscribed by said requester from their service provider.

9. The system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said system wireless subscriber listing includes a. rate plan field associated with billing rates corresponding to each one of said subscribers.

10. The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said rate plan field associated hilling rates corresponding to each one of said subscribers and said subscription rate plan corresponding to service provider rates for each one of said requestors is used by said system when sending said subscriber'"'"'s service provider instructions not to bill said subscriber for said communication.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said incoming communications from said requestor desiring connection information corresponding to a wireless subscriber listing is in a format selected from the group consisting of a telephone call, Short Messaging Service (SMS), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Live Chat, and Instant Messaging.

12. A billing method for use in a communication assistance system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving incoming communications from at least one requester desiring connection information corresponding to a wireless subscriber listing among a plurality of available wireless listings subscriber listings;

retrieving said information corresponding to said requested connection information corresponding to said wireless subscriber;

storing information corresponding to a communication between said requester and said subscriber in a billing record database;

receiving instructions from said subscriber'"'"'s service provider such that said subscriber is not to be billed for a communication connected to said subscriber from said requester; and

generating a bill for sending to said requester'"'"'s service provider for said communication between said requester and said subscriber.