Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call charge metering or monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2004-07-06
Nguyen, Duc (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call charge metering or monitoring
C379S112010, C379S114010, C379S114200, C379S144010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06760418
ABSTRACT:
RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable
MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to communication networks, and more particularly, to a system for providing pre-pay and post-pay calls using an integrated service platform connected for a portion of the calls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is the case for most businesses, telecommunication service providers desire to increase their profits. Typically, profits are increased by offering new products and services, and by reducing costs associated with providing products and offering services. Communication service providers typically offer services on a very large scale, such as on a nationwide basis. In this environment, communication providers can substantially reduce costs by decreasing the number of network resources required for offering a service.
Communication providers today offer many types of communication services, including pre-pay and post-pay calling card services. In a pre-pay calling card service, a caller obtains a pre-pay account with an amount such as monetary amount or a period of time that is debited against when a pre-pay call is made. Typically, a caller calls an 800 number to place the pre-pay call and enters the pre-pay account number and destination phone number. In a post-pay calling card service, the caller pays for the post-pay call after the post-pay account is charged with the post-pay call and the caller is billed. With some post-pay calling card services, there is a credit limit that is not to be exceeded for a post-pay account. Current implementations of these services require different platforms, despite the similar functions being performed to implement these services. For example, current implementations of pre-pay and post-pay calling card services use separate and distinct validation servers.
FIG. 1
depicts a system level block diagram for prior solutions of pre-pay calling card services, post-pay calling card services, and “connect to resource” services.
FIG. 2
depicts a message sequence chart for a prior solution of providing pre-pay calling card services. In
FIG. 2
, a first switch
110
receives a pre-pay call over a link
102
. The first switch
110
then processes the pre-pay call and transmits a route query for a Service Control Point (SCP)
150
via a link
106
, a signal transfer point
140
, and a link
108
. The first switch
110
receives a routing instruction from the SCP
150
. Using information from the routing instruction, the first switch
110
routes the pre-pay call to a service platform
160
via a link
112
, a third switch
130
, and a link
128
. The service platform
160
then collects the digits from the pre-pay call for the pre-pay account code and destination number. The service platform
160
validates and rates the collected digits. If the pre-pay account code and destination number are valid, the service platform
160
extends the pre-pay call to the destination phone via the link
128
, the third switch
130
, a link
126
, a second switch
120
and a link
124
. The service platform
160
monitors a duration of the pre-pay call and terminates the pre-pay call if the call duration exceeds the number of remaining units on the pre-pay account. One disadvantage with this solution is the pre-pay call is extended through the first switch
110
, third switch
130
, the service platform
160
, and the second switch
120
. Thus, many network resources are utilized, which unnecessarily burdens the service platform
160
and the 3
rd
switch
130
for the pre-pay call to reach its destination.
FIG. 3
depicts a message sequence chart for a prior solution of providing post-pay calling card services. In
FIG. 3
, the first switch
110
receives the post-pay call over the link
102
. The first switch
110
then processes the post-pay call. The first switch
110
collects the digits from the post-pay call for a post-pay account code and a post-pay destination number. The first switch
110
then transmits a validate code query for the SCP
150
via the link
106
, the signal transfer point
140
, and the link
108
. The first switch
110
receives a validate code response from the SCP
150
. If the post-pay account code is valid based on the validate code response, the first switch
110
extends the post-pay call to the destination phone via a link
114
, the second switch
120
, and the link
124
. Once the post-pay call is completed, the first switch
110
generates billing information for the post-pay account code. The disadvantage with this solution is the maintenance and cost problems of providing the post-pay call service. In this solution, the first switch
110
performs the majority of the post-pay call service such as collecting digits and validating caller digits. Thus, a simple change in post-pay call service would have large costs to distribute the change to each switch that performs post-pay call service.
FIG. 4
depicts a message sequence chart for a prior solution of providing “connect to resource” call processing services. In
FIG. 4
, the first switch
110
receives the call over the link
102
from a user that requires voice response interaction before the call is connected to the called destination. The first switch
110
then processes the call and transmits a route query for the SCP
150
via the link
106
, the signal transfer point
140
, and the link
108
. The first switch
110
receives a routing instruction from the SCP
150
that routes the call from the first switch
110
to the service platform
160
. The SCP
150
also transmits a context message containing call information to the service platform
160
via the link
116
. Using information from the routing instruction, the first switch
110
routes the call to the service platform
160
via the link
112
, the third switch
130
, and the link
128
. After receiving the call and the context information from the SCP
150
, the service platform
160
plays a prompt message and collects information from the caller. The service platform
160
processes the call by processing the information and sending a transfer request message to the SCP
150
via the link
116
. The SCP
150
processes the transfer request message and transmits a destination instruction to the first switch
110
via the link
108
, the signal transfer point
140
, and the link
106
. The first switch
110
then disconnects the call between the first switch and the service platform
160
and extends the call to the destination phone via the link
114
, the second switch
120
, and the link
124
.
The “connect to resource” solution is further described in a pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/063,902 entitled “Telecommunications Resource Connection and Operation Using a Service Control Point”, filed on Apr. 21, 1998, and is hereby incorporated by reference.
Current pre-pay and post-pay implementations do not provide enough flexibility for providing new services, such as providing customized greetings that are easily and dynamically changeable. Currently, post-pay call greetings are played to a customer by a switching system and a voice response unit, which cause the greetings to be very expensive to change, and do not provide enough flexibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention solves the above problem by providing pre-pay calls and post-pay calls using an integrated system. In accord with the invention, the switching system receives the call wherein the switching system is class 4 or class 5. The switching system extends the call toward an integrated service platform. The switching system then receives the call destination number and the call validation parameter. The switching system releases the call extension to the integrated service platform and extends the call using the call destination number if the call validation parameter allows the call. The switching system monitors a duration of the call and terminates the call if the duration meets or exceeds an amount indicated by the c
Abbasi Zahid
Allen Isaac Shane
Khuc Minh Duy
Rogers Carl
Sbisa Dan
Nguyen Duc
Sprint Communications Company L.P.
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