System and method for authorizing and monetizing collect cellular telephone calls

• US 8,626,118 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Smith, Mark R., Martin, Jeremy R., FitzGibbon, Michael J., Simons, Matthew Joseph, Duffy, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/449,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/408, 455/466, 455/445, 455/459, 455/456.1, 455/461, 455/415, 455/414.1, 455/554.1, 380/257, 380/41, 380/266, 713/153, 379/243, 379/442, 379/211.01
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/54 for revenue sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

The collect cellular call identifies the cellular telephone carrier and called party cell phone. After determining whether the carrier and phone accept message service charges (SMS), a voice response module seeks positive authorization from the called party with the telephone. If positive, the system facilitates a connection between the calling party and the called party and initiates a predetermined billing charge assigned to the cellular telephone number. If the carrier or the cell phone is not enabled or if no authorization is obtained from the called party, the system facilitates a denial of completion signal. A timer monitors the length of the collect cellular call. Databases are accessed to locate the carrier and called cell phone number approved list of numbers and deny service list of numbers.

Claims

1. A method of monetizing a telephone communication that has been initiated by a calling party over a telecommunications system to a called party using a cellular telephone having a telephone number and that is associated with a service provider comprising:

determining whether a charge for message service using message service communication protocol can be billed to the cellular telephone associated with the service provider when a message is transmitted to the cellular telephone;

presenting information at the cellular telephone relating to the telephone communication initiated by the calling party;

determining whether a response providing authorization for the telephone communication initiated by the calling party has been received from the called party;

if the charge for message service using message service communication protocol can be billed for a message transmitted to the cellular telephone and if there is authorization from the cellular telephone for the telephone communication (a) facilitating connection of the telephone communication between the calling party and the cellular telephone over the telecommunications system and transmission of a message to the cellular telephone by message service using message service communication protocol and (b) initiating a charge for message service using message service communication protocol to be made to the cellular telephone in association with transmission of the message to the cellular telephone;

wherein transmission of a message to the cellular telephone by message service comprises transmission of a text message to the telephone number associated with the cellular telephone and wherein the charge is linked to an identifier of the cellular telephone;

wherein a service provider comprises a cellular telephone carrier;

wherein the identifier comprises the telephone number of the cellular telephone;

wherein the charge comprises a billing charge; and

wherein the telephone communication between the calling party and called party is billed at a predetermined billing charge for message service using message service communication protocol to be made to the cellular telephone in association with transmission of the message to the cellular telephone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone communication is a collect call between the calling party and called party using message service communication protocol at the predetermined billing charge;

wherein the message service communications protocol comprises a special protocol for messaging under which a message service billing charge is billed on a per-unit basis at a predetermined billing charge.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein message service communication protocol facilitates a billing charge linked to the cellular telephone by at least one of (a) a service provider;

(b) a carrier;

(c) a connect service provider;

(d) a bank;

(e) a financial institution;

(f) a credit card.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein a service provider comprises a connect service provider.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising identifying the cellular telephone carrier associated with the cellular telephone number after a call is initiated by the calling party;

in the event the carrier and cellular telephone is enabled to accept the billing charge, seeking a positive response to an inquiry directed to a called party possessing the cellular telephone, approving the collect cellular telephone call initiated by the calling party;

in the event of the positive response, (a) facilitating a connection between the calling party and the called party via the cellular telephone and the telecommunications system and (b) initiating a predetermined billing charge for the message service communications protocol and associating the predetermined billing charge with the cellular telephone number; and

in the event of (a) a failure by the carrier to be enabled to accept the billing charge for the message service communications protocol;

(b) a failure of the cellular telephone to be enabled to accept the billing charge for the message service communications protocol;

or (c) an absence of the positive response to the inquiry directed to the called party possessing the cellular telephone, then facilitating a denial of completion of the collect cellular telephone call by the calling party to the called party.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating a charge for message service communications protocol to be made to the cellular telephone in association with transmission of the message to the cellular telephone comprises having the service provider bill an account number associated with the cellular telephone.

7. The method of authorizing and monetizing a cellular telephone communication as a collect call of claim 4 wherein determining whether the cellular telephone carrier and the cellular telephone is enabled to accept the billing charge for the message service communications protocol includes accessing the designated data store and determining the presence of a record of the cellular telephone number after the call is initiated by the calling party.

8. The method of authorizing and monetizing a cellular telephone communication as a collect call of claim 3 wherein seeking the positive response includes an interactive voice response and data reply with the cellular telephone.

9. The method of authorizing and monetizing a cellular telephone communication as a collect call of claim 3 including, in conjunction with the facilitating the connection, facilitating activation of a timing function to limit a duration of the connection between the connection between the calling party and the called party via the cellular telephone.

10. The method of authorizing and monetizing a cellular telephone communication as a collect call of claim 3 wherein determining whether the cellular telephone carrier and the cellular telephone is enabled to accept the billing charge for the message service communications protocol includes accessing the designated data store and determining the presence of a record of the cellular telephone number after the call is initiated by the calling party.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the charge for message service communications protocol is made by the service provider to the called party wherein determining whether a charge for message service communications protocol can be billed comprises determining whether an account associated with the telephone number of the cellular telephone is configured to accept a charge for a message sent to the cellular telephone.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting information at the cellular telephone comprises identification of the calling party to the called party.

13. The method of authorizing and monetizing a cellular telephone communication as a collect call of claim 6 wherein initiating the predetermined billing charge includes generating billing charge data with the cellular telephone number and sending the billing charge data to the cellular telephone carrier.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein a collect call comprises a cellular telephone used by a called party being charged for a telephone communication initiated by a calling party;

and wherein the charge for message service communications protocol made to the cellular telephone monetizes the telephone communication between the calling party and the cellular telephone as a collect call.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications system comprises at least one of a network, the internet, a telephone network, a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, message service or text messaging service.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein transmission of the message to the cellular telephone is initiated after authorization of the telephone communication between the calling party and the called party using the cellular telephone and authorization from the cellular telephone to receive the telephone communication comprises at least one of a voice input by the called party or an alphanumeric input from the cellular telephone.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the service provider is a cellular telephone carrier;

and wherein monetizing the telephone communication comprises billing data being sent to the cellular telephone carrier and the charge for message service communications protocol being sent to an account associated with the cellular telephone used by the called party.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein billing data is sent to the cellular telephone carrier by a connect service provider;

and wherein the charge for message service communications protocol is a message service billing charge.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone communication by the calling party is initiated through an operator service provider;

and wherein the connect service provider interacts with the calling party by use of an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone communication is billed as a collect call to the cellular telephone and wherein the service provider comprises a cellular telephone carrier and the telephone communication comprises a cellular telephone communication.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone communication comprises a voice call on a telephone network to the cellular telephone and wherein facilitating connection of the telephone communication comprises continuation of the voice call by the calling party to the called party over the telecommunications system.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the call is monetized by a card payment.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the call is monetized by a card payment by the owner of the cellular telephone.

24. A method of billing a telephone communication on a telecommunications system between a calling party and a called party using a mobile device associated with a service provider for the telephone communication comprising:

determining whether the mobile device associated with the service provider has authorization for billing a charge using message service communication protocol for message service to the mobile device;

determining whether the called party has provided authorization for the telephone communication from the calling party;

if the service provider has authorization for billing the charge for message service using message service communication protocol to the mobile device and if the called party has provided authorization for the telephone communication from the calling party (a) transmitting a message to the mobile device after the telephone communication has been initiated; and

(b) initiating the billing of the charge for message service using message service communication protocol to the mobile device for the message when the message has been transmitted;

wherein authorization for the telephone communication comprises acceptance of a charge from the service provider for message service in association with the telephone communication;

wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular telephone having an identifier;

wherein a collect call comprises a cellular telephone used by a called party being charged for a telephone communication initiated by a calling party; and

wherein transmission of the message to the cellular telephone by message service comprises transmission of a text message to the telephone number associated with the cellular telephone and wherein the charge to the mobile device is linked to the identifier of the mobile device;

wherein a service provider comprises at least one of a carrier and a connect service provider and authorization for message service communications protocol is obtained by the connect service provider.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein message service communications protocol comprises at least one of (a) messaging over a network;

(b) text messaging;

(c) SMS;

(d) premium SMS;

(e) messaging authorized by the mobile device and by the called party; and

(f) messaging authorized by the service provider associated with mobile device.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the identifier is linked to at least one of (a) the telephone number associated with the cellular telephone comprising the mobile device;

(b) the owner of mobile device;

(c) a card to facilitate payment of the charge;

(d) a credit card to facilitate payment of the charge;

(e) a bank to facilitate payment of the charge;

(f) the carrier to facilitate payment of the charge.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the identifier comprises the telephone number of the cellular telephone.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the called party comprises at least one person and wherein authorization for the telephone communication comprises indicating acceptance of a collect call from the calling party;

wherein the charge for message service communications protocol made to the cellular telephone monetizes the telephone communication between the calling party and the cellular telephone as a collect call;

wherein monetizing the telephone communication further comprises billing data being sent to the cellular telephone carrier and the charge for message service communications protocol being sent to an account associated with the cellular telephone used by the called party.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the telecommunication system is capable of transmitting data wherein the mobile device is capable of receiving data wherein the charge for message service communications protocol is for the message transmitted to the mobile device rather than for the telephone communication to the mobile device;

and wherein the text message comprises at least one of an SMS message, a premium SMS message, a short message, a text alert or a premium text message;

wherein the message service communications protocol comprises a special protocol for messaging under which a message service billing charge is billed on a per-unit basis at a predetermined billing charge.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the charge for message service communications protocol to be made to the cellular telephone in association with transmission of the message to the cellular telephone comprises initiating a charge to a credit card authorized by the called party using the cellular telephone.

31. A system of authorizing and monetizing a cellular telephone communication that has been initiated by a calling party over a telecommunications system to a called party using a cellular telephone having a telephone number and that is associated with a service provider comprising:

determining whether a charge for message service communications protocol can be billed when a message is transmitted to the cellular telephone;

presenting information at the cellular telephone relating to the telephone communication initiated by the calling party;

determining whether authorization for the telephone communication initiated by the calling party has been received from the called party;

if the charge for message service communications protocol can be billed for a message transmitted to the cellular telephone and if there is authorization from the cellular telephone for the telephone communication (a) facilitating connection of the telephone communication between the calling party and the cellular telephone over the telecommunications system and transmission of a message to the cellular telephone by message service using message service communication protocol and (b) initiating a charge for message service communications protocol to be made to the cellular telephone in association with transmission of the message to the cellular telephone;

wherein a collect call comprises a cellular telephone used by a called party being charged for a telephone communication initiated by a calling party;

wherein the charge is linked to the cellular telephone by an identifier;

wherein the charge for message service communications protocol made to the cellular telephone monetizes the telephone communication between the calling party and the cellular telephone as a collect call;

wherein the identifier is linked to at least one of (a) the telephone number associated with the cellular telephone comprising the mobile device;

(b) an owner of the mobile device;

(c) a card to facilitate payment of the charge;

(d) a credit card to facilitate payment of the charge;

(e) a bank to facilitate payment of the charge;

(f) a carrier to facilitate payment of the charge.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein a service provider comprises at least one of a carrier and a connect service provider and authorization for message service communications protocol is obtained by the connect service provider;

wherein the message service communications protocol comprises a special protocol for messaging under which a message service billing charge is billed on a per-unit basis at a predetermined billing charge.