Prepay telecommunications system
First Claim
1. A method for managing a prepay wireless call, comprising:
- at a roaming platform;
transferring a wireless call, received from a cellular switch, to a home prepay call management platform;
at the home prepay call management platform;
receiving the wireless call from the roaming platform;
determining a prepay account balance associated with the wireless call;
computing a maximum allowable call duration based on the prepay account balance;
sending the maximum allowable call duration to the roaming platform;
releasing the wireless call back to the roaming platform;
at a roaming prepay call management platform co-located with the roaming platform;
starting a call duration timer; and
if the call duration timer reaches the maximum allowable call duration, disconnecting the call.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The prepay telecommunications system (60) includes a prepay call, management, platform (50) which is directly coupled to a telecommunications carrier switch (24). A customer database (116) is coupled to the prepay call management platform (50) for storing prepay customer data, and a plurality of customer interface facilities (62, 64, 66, 68, 80) are provided for accepting customer prepayment and immediately updating the customer database (116). The prepay calls are recognized by the mobile identification number and is routed to the prepay call management platform (50) coupled to and co-located with the telecommunications carrier switch (24). The customer account balance associated with the prepay call is looked up in a customer database (116), and the maximum allowable call duration in response to the customer account balance is computed. The prepay call is then released to the telecommunications carrier switch (24) for line termination. At the same time, a call duration timer is started. The call is disconnected in response to the call duration timer reaching the maximum allowable call duration. The prepay telecommunications system is applicable to both wireless and non-wireless telecommunications systems.
68 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method for managing a prepay wireless call, comprising:
-
at a roaming platform; transferring a wireless call, received from a cellular switch, to a home prepay call management platform; at the home prepay call management platform; receiving the wireless call from the roaming platform; determining a prepay account balance associated with the wireless call; computing a maximum allowable call duration based on the prepay account balance; sending the maximum allowable call duration to the roaming platform; releasing the wireless call back to the roaming platform; at a roaming prepay call management platform co-located with the roaming platform; starting a call duration timer; and if the call duration timer reaches the maximum allowable call duration, disconnecting the call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system for managing a prepay wireless call, comprising:
-
a roaming platform, coupled to a cellular switch, to; transfer a wireless call received from a cellular switch; a home prepay call management platform, coupled to the roaming platform, to; receive the wireless call from the roaming platform; determine a prepay account balance associated with the wireless call; compute a maximum allowable call duration based on the prepay account balance; send the maximum allowable call duration to the roaming platform; release the wireless call back to the roaming platform; a roaming prepay call management platform, coupled to the roaming platform, to; start a call duration timer; and if the call duration timer reaches the maximum allowable call duration, disconnect the call. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification