Method and Apparatus For Providing Separable Billing Services

• US 20120041857A1
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Doyle, Thomas F., Lauer, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 9,143,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 using an account
• 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 15/16 according to connection obtained
• 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 15/8214 Data or packet based
• 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 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing separable billing services. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a memory for storing a data address associated with a first type of communication and a processor for receiving a data packet, the data packet comprising a destination data address. The processor compares the destination data address to the data address associated with the first type of communication, and routes the data packet to the destination data address if the destination data address matches the data address associated with the first type of communication and bills an account associated with the first type of communication.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing separable billing services, comprising:

a memory for storing an identifier, the identifier identifying a digital processing device connected to a data network, the identifier further assigned a communication type; and

a processor for receiving a data packet, the data packet comprising an address, the processor for comparing the address to the identifier and for adjusting an account associated with the communication type if the address matches the identifier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an interface for routing said data packet to a destination associated with the address.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication type comprises a business-type communication.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the address comprises a destination address.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the address comprises a source address.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further for billing a second account, the second account associated with a second type of communication, if the address does not match the identifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second type of communication comprises a personal-type communication.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data packet is not forwarded to the digital processing device if the address does not match the identifier.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver for transmitting a message to an originator of the data packet informing the originator that the data packet was not sent to the digital processing device if the address does not match the identifier.

10. A method for providing separable billing services, comprising:

receiving a data packet, the data packet comprising a first address identifying a digital processing device connected to a data network;

comparing the address to an identifier stored in a memory, the identifier identifying one of such digital processing devices, the identifier further assigned a communication type associated with a first type of communication; and

adjusting an account associated with the communication type if the address matches the identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication type comprises a business-type communication.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication type comprises a personal-type communication.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising routing the data packet to the digital processing device if the address matches the identifier.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the address comprises a destination address.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the address comprises an source address.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

adjusting a second account, the second account associated with a second type of communication, if the address does not match the identifier.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting a message to an originator of the data packet informing the originator that the data packet was not sent to the digital processing device if the address does not match the identifier.

18. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for providing separable billing services, said method comprising operations of:

receiving a data packet, the data packet comprising a first address identifying a digital processing device connected to a data network;

comparing the address to an identifier stored in a memory, the identifier identifying one of such digital processing devices, the identifier further assigned a communication type associated with a first type of communication; and

adjusting an account associated with the communication type if the address matches the identifier.

19. The signal-bearing medium of claim 18, wherein the communication type comprises a business-type communication.

20. The signal-bearing medium of claim 18, wherein the communication type comprises a personal-type communication.

21. The signal-bearing medium of claim 18, further comprising routing the data packet to the digital processing device if the address matches the identifier.

22. The signal-bearing medium of claim 18 wherein the address comprises a destination address.

23. The signal-bearing medium of claim 18 wherein the address comprises an source address.

24. The signal-bearing medium of claim 18 further comprising:

adjusting a second account, the second account associated with a second type of communication, if the address does not match the identifier.

25. The signal-bearing medium of claim 18, further comprising transmitting a message to an originator of the data packet informing the originator that the data packet was not sent to the digital processing device if the address does not match the identifier.