Allocating charges for communications services
First Claim
1. A computer implemented process for attributing charges for communications services, the process comprising:
- causing a processor to determine a first chargeable time in response to a communication session time and a pre-defined billing pattern;
causing the processor to determine a user cost value in response to the first chargeable time and a free time value associated with a user of the communications services;
causing the processor to change an account balance associated with the user in response to the user cost value;
causing the processor to change an account balance associated with a reseller of the communications services in response to a reseller cost per unit time and the communication session time; and
causing the processor to change an account balance associated with an operator of the communications services in response to an operator cost per unit time and the communication session time.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process and apparatus to facilitate communication between callers and callees in a system comprising a plurality of nodes with which callers and callees are associated is disclosed. In response to initiation of a call by a calling subscriber, a caller identifier and a callee identifier are received. Call classification criteria associated with the caller identifier are used to classify the call as a public network call or a private network call. A routing message identifying an address, on the private network, associated with the callee is produced when the call is classified as a private network call and a routing message identifying a gateway to the public network is produced when the call is classified as a public network call.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A computer implemented process for attributing charges for communications services, the process comprising:
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causing a processor to determine a first chargeable time in response to a communication session time and a pre-defined billing pattern; causing the processor to determine a user cost value in response to the first chargeable time and a free time value associated with a user of the communications services; causing the processor to change an account balance associated with the user in response to the user cost value; causing the processor to change an account balance associated with a reseller of the communications services in response to a reseller cost per unit time and the communication session time; and causing the processor to change an account balance associated with an operator of the communications services in response to an operator cost per unit time and the communication session time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for attributing charges for communications services, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor operably configured to receive signals representing a communication session time, a pre-defined billing pattern, a free time value associated with a user of the communications services, a reseller cost per unit time; and
an operator cost per unit time;a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with codes for directing the processor to; receive the signals representing the communication session time, the pre-defined billing pattern, the free time value associated with a user of the communications services, the reseller cost per unit time, and the operator cost per unit time; determine a first chargeable time in response to the communication session time and the pre-defined billing pattern; determine a user cost value in response to the first chargeable time and the free time value; cause an account balance associated with the user to be changed in response to the user cost value; cause an account balance associated with a reseller of the communications services in response to the reseller cost per unit time and the communication session time; and cause an account balance associated with an operator of the communications services to be changed in response to the operator cost per unit time and the communication session time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for attributing charges for communications services, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving signals representing a communication session time, a pre-defined billing pattern, a free time value associated with a user of the communications services, a reseller cost per unit time; and
an operator cost per unit time;means for determining a first chargeable time in response to the communication session time and the pre-defined billing pattern; means for determining a user cost value in response to the first chargeable time and the free time value; means for causing an account balance associated with the user to be changed in response to the user cost value; means for causing an account balance associated with a reseller of the communications services in response to the reseller cost per unit time and the communication session time; and means for causing an account balance associated with an operator of the communications services to be changed in response to the operator cost per unit time and the communication session time. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification