Method for classifying calls for a mobile subscription

• US 5,898,918 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sonera OY
• Inventors: Leppanen, Osmo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US08/727,454
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/414, 455/445, 455/461, 455/560, 379/113, 379/114, 379/121, 379/125, 379/126, 379/127, 379/134, 379/139
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• 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 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method for classifying calls placed from a mobile station by a subscriber to facilitate creation of an invoice record. When placing a call from the mobile station, the subscriber dials a predetermined prefix associated with a particular invoice code to identify the call as belonging to a particular invoice cost group that corresponds to the invoice code. When the invoice record is generated, all calls for which prefixes were dialed and that were placed by the subscriber from the mobile station, are automatically placed in appropriate invoice cost groups in accordance with the invoice codes of the prefixes.

Claims

1. A method for automatically classifying calls, made by a subscriber using a mobile station, in accordance with a plurality of invoice codes, wherein the subscriber places each call to another station by dialing a particular selection number corresponding to the other station, and wherein each call is routed though a mobile station center, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) dialing, by the subscriber, a predetermined prefix prior to dialing the particular selection number for a particular call, said prefix being associated with a particular invoice code of the plurality of invoice codes; and

(b) recording, by the mobile station center, invoice data indicative of placement of said particular call in a predefined invoice section stored in the mobile station center that corresponds to said particular invoice code associated with said prefix, so that all calls made by the subscriber for which the predetermined prefix was dialed are thereby automatically classified and recorded in appropriate invoice sections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said invoice data comprises the particular selection number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of invoice codes comprise a first invoice code and a second invoice code, wherein said predetermined invoice section comprises a first call invoice section corresponding to said first invoice code and a second call invoice section corresponding to said second invoice code, and wherein said step (b) further comprises the steps of:

(c) determining, in the mobile station center, whether the subscriber dialed said prefix at said step (a), and;

(1) when the subscriber is determined to have not dialed said prefix at said step (a), recording, in the mobile station center, invoice data for said particular call in a said first call invoice section; and

(2) when the subscriber is determined to have dialed said prefix at said step (a), recording, in the mobile station center, invoice data for said particular call in a said second call invoice section.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first invoice code comprises a personal invoice code, wherein said first invoice section comprises a personal invoice section, wherein said second invoice code comprises a business invoice code, and wherein said second invoice section comprises a business invoice section.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of invoice codes comprises at least one of:

a personal invoice code, a business invoice code, and an invoice code of at least one particular subscriber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a general invoice section for storing unclassified invoice data is provided in said mobile station center, further comprising the steps of:

(d) prior to said step (a) selectively recording, in the mobile station center, a right of the subscriber to use said predefined prefix when placing calls;

(e) after said step (a), determining in the mobile station center whether the subscriber has a recorded right to use said predefined prefix, and;

(1) when the subscriber is determined to have the right to use said predefined prefix, proceeding to said step (b); and

(2) when the subscriber is determined not to have the right to use said predefined prefix, recording invoice data for said particular call in said general invoice section.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(f) prior to said step (a) selectively recording, in the mobile station center, a right of the subscriber to use said predefined prefix when placing calls; and

(g) after said step (a), determining in the mobile station center whether the subscriber has a recorded right to use said predefined prefix, and;

(1) when the subscriber is determined to have the right to use said predefined prefix, proceeding to said step (b); and

(2) when the subscriber is determined not to have the right to use said predefined prefix, blocking by the mobile station center said particular call from being routed to the other station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the other station comprises one of a mobile station and a wire line-based telephone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (b) further comprises the steps of:

(h) recording said predetermined prefix along with said invoice data; and

(i) routing, by said mobile station center, said particular call to the other station using only the particular selection number.