Methods and systems for providing on-line bills for use in communication services

• US 8,369,499 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Baker, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US12/777,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20110116611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.28, 379/121.05, 379/121.06, 379/126, 37912701-12705, 379/142.04, 379/218.01
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition speaker recognition per se G10L17/00
• 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 2215/0164 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 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a communications system that provides a service, where a plurality of parties may be associated with members of an account with the system to receive the service. The method includes receiving a call from one of a plurality of members of an account, the call including a request for a service, where a common bill is provided for services rendered to the members of the account. An identifier to be used to identify the one party from among the plurality of members is received from the one party among the plurality of members. The common bill is provided for services rendered to the plurality of members of the account to a communications device via a network. In the common bill an indicator is provided of the one party requesting the service in association with a respective entry for the requested service.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communications system for providing a service, wherein a plurality of parties may be associated with members of an account with the system to receive the service, the method comprising:

receiving a communication from one of a plurality of members of an account, the communication including a request for a service, wherein a common bill is provided for services rendered to the members of the account;

receiving from the one party among the plurality of members an identifier to be used to identify the one party from among the plurality of members;

providing the common bill for services rendered to the plurality of members of the account, to a communications device via a network; and

providing in the common bill an indicator of the one party requesting the service, in association with a respective entry for the requested service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication from one of a plurality of members of an account is a telephone call, said method further comprising:

identifying the one party based, at least in part, on a voiceprint of the one party received when the request was made and a voiceprint sample of the party stored by the system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is an information assistance service system, the method comprising:

receiving a request for information assistance from the one party, with respect to a second party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is establishing a communications connection between a first communications device of the one party and a second communications device of a second party, the method comprising:

receiving signals to establish a communications connection between the first communications device and the second communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications system provides the service with respect to a second party, the method further comprising:

providing a second indicator of the second party in association with an entry in the bill for the requested service.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing an option to either elect or suppress provision of the second indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device comprises a display for displaying the bill, the method further comprising:

displaying the bill on the display device; and

providing a party with an option of paying the bill, via an activation point on the displayed bill.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications system provides service with respect to a second party, the method further comprising:

storing information related to the second party in a database.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information related to the second party is contact information and the system stores contact information related to contacts of the account in a contacts folder, the method further comprising:

storing the contact information related to the second party in the contacts folder.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the system stores contact information related to the contacts of the one party in a respective contacts folder, the method comprising:

inserting contact information related to the second party in the respective contacts folder.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device comprises a display for displaying the bill and the network is the Internet, the method comprising:

providing the bill to the display via the Internet.