Allocating charges for communications services
First Claim
1. A computer implemented process for attributing charges for communications services provided in a communications system, the communications services comprising a communication session between a user'"'"'s device and a destination device, the process comprising:
- upon completion of receipt of signals indicative of completion of the communication session, causing a processor arranged in the communications system to receive a communication session time representing a duration of the communication session between the user'"'"'s device and the destination device, and to search a database of billing information to determine a pre-defined billing pattern that applies to the communication session;
causing the processor to determine a first chargeable time for the communication session in response to the communication session time and the pre-defined billing pattern, the first chargeable time representing a duration of a chargeable portion of the communication session;
causing the processor to determine a user cost value for the communication session in response to the first chargeable time associated with a user of the communications services; and
causing the processor to change an account balance associated with the user in the database in response to the user cost value.
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.
537 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computer implemented process for attributing charges for communications services provided in a communications system, the communications services comprising a communication session between a user'"'"'s device and a destination device, the process comprising:
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upon completion of receipt of signals indicative of completion of the communication session, causing a processor arranged in the communications system to receive a communication session time representing a duration of the communication session between the user'"'"'s device and the destination device, and to search a database of billing information to determine a pre-defined billing pattern that applies to the communication session; causing the processor to determine a first chargeable time for the communication session in response to the communication session time and the pre-defined billing pattern, the first chargeable time representing a duration of a chargeable portion of the communication session; causing the processor to determine a user cost value for the communication session in response to the first chargeable time associated with a user of the communications services; and causing the processor to change an account balance associated with the user in the database in response to the user cost value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for attributing charges for communications services provided in a communications system, the communications service comprising a communication session between a user'"'"'s device and a destination device, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor operably configured and arranged in the communications system, upon completion of receipt of signals indicative of completion of the communication session, to receive signals representing a communication session time; a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with codes for directing the processor to; receive the signals representing the communication session time; search a database of billing information to determine a pre-defined billing pattern to apply to the communication session; determine a first chargeable time for the communication session in response to the communication session time and the pre-defined billing pattern, the first chargeable time representing a duration of a chargeable portion of the communication session; determine a user cost value for the communication session in response to the first chargeable time; and cause an account balance associated with the user to be changed in the database in response to the user cost value. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for attributing charges for communications services provided in a communications system, the communications services comprising a communication session between a user'"'"'s device and a destination device, the apparatus comprising:
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means arranged in the communications system for receiving signals representing a communication session time associated with a user of the communications services upon completion of receipt of signals indicative of completion of the communication session; means for searching a database of billing information to determine a pre-defined billing pattern to apply for the communication session; means for determining a first chargeable time for the communication session in response to the communication session time and the pre-defined billing pattern, the first chargeable time representing a duration of a chargeable portion of the communication session; means for determining a user cost value for the communication session in response to the first chargeable time; and means for causing an account balance associated with the user to be changed in the database in response to the user cost value. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification