Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Usage measurement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2002-05-28
Maung, Nay (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Usage measurement
C455S406000, C455S445000, C379S114050, C379S114210, C379S114280
Reexamination Certificate
active
06397055
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an enhanced network architecture for providing Calling-Party-Pays billing services for customers of a wireless telephone network, such as cellular or personal communication service (PCS) customers. More particularly, enhancements are provided for calls originating from wireless phone units that are directed to Calling-Party-Pays customer wireless units.
BACKGROUND
Wireless telephone communication systems have evolved from the initially introduced Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) technology to more sophisticated digital-based air interface protocols. Digital access technologies have been developed based on Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) schemes. Although these digital access technologies have advantages with respect to analog-based systems, they have not yet been deployed in as many regions as AMPS-based systems. However, digital cellular subscribers in many areas presently are offered continuous coverage via dual-mode wireless telephones capable of switching between a digital mode (e.g., CDMA) and an analog mode (e.g., AMPS).
Ordinarily, charges for wireless services air-time charges are applied to the party subscribing to the wireless service. The wireless carrier bills, either directly or through the local exchange carrier, a monthly subscription fee plus per-minute fees for telephone communications over-the-air to and from each subscriber's telephone. A wireless subscriber is charged for the air-time, both on outgoing calls and on incoming calls directed to the subscriber's cellular or PCS telephone. In contrast, call charges for landline telephone service usually are billed to the subscriber associated with the calling station. Alternative landline billing arrangements are available for collect call billing or 800/888 type “toll-free” calling.
The costs for wireless air-time has tended to be high, compared to costs for traditional landline telephone services. In light of high costs and the fact that charges are incurred for air-time on incoming calls, many wireless subscribers have been reluctant to distribute widely their wireless telephone numbers. Such subscribers tend to utilize their wireless telephone for outgoing calls, as needed, but disclose their wireless telephone numbers to a limited number of friends or family from whom they are willing to pay to receive calls. Calls from relatively unknown parties, e.g. solicitors and nuisance sources, thereby are avoided.
To overcome these issues and to Encourage increased wireless usage, the wireless industry has developed a modified billing arrangement, commonly referred to as “Calling Party Pays.” The intent of the service generally is to shift the air-time charges for calls to wireless telephones from the wireless subscribers to the callers. The calling party would pay for all network charges, in a manner more like that used in the normal landline service billing. A number of techniques have been developed for processing and billing call charges on a Calling Party Pays basis.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,331 to Emery et al. discloses an intelligent network type integrated wireless and wireline system for processing calls to and from a Personal Communication Service (PCS) subscriber's wireless handset via a home base station or a public cellular network. The service logic in the integrated service control point (ISCP) facilitates a variety of service enhancements to the wireless PCS service. One of the disclosed service enhancements is calling party pays. When the intelligent network functionality detects a call to the PCS customer's number, the network accesses a call processing record for that customer. Based on that record, the network screens the call based on the caller's identity. If the caller is not a recognized party, the ISCP database causes the network to play an announcement asking the caller if he or she is willing to pay all charges for the call. If the PCS subscriber is currently registered via a public wireless network switching office, the announcement would ask if the caller is willing to pay for the air-time necessary to complete the call via a wireless link. If the caller accepts the charges, the ISCP provides messages to a landline switch and/or to a mobile switch to instruct them to complete the call and to add charges for the air-time to the calling party's telephone bill.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,379 to D'Amico et al. discloses an AIN-based PCS service similar to the Emery arrangement. D'Amico adds further details to the calling party pays operations of that network. When a call directed to a mobile subscriber is detected, the call processing is stopped to determine if the calling party pays feature is in operation. At the same time, the network collects data regarding the calling party for analysis. If the called subscriber is using the calling party pays feature, the ISCP analyzes the caller data to determine if the caller is on a list of those individuals not required by the particular mobile service subscriber to pay for cellular charges. If the calling party does not fall in this category, the network provides an announcement to the calling party, asking the calling party whether or not the calling party is willing to pay for air-time necessary to complete the call. If the caller indicates willingness to pay for the air-time, the AIN network functionality obtains correct billing information, and the network completes the call and computes the cellular charges.
In systems such as those of Emery et al. and D'Amico et al., a landline carrier typically operates the intelligent network and performs the routing services, for certain aspects of the follow-me functionality of the PCS service. The carrier operating that network also performs the billing services related to the Calling Party Pays feature. If the caller is a subscriber of the landline carrier, that carrier adds the air-time charges to the subscriber's normal telephone bill. The landline network carrier, rather than the cellular carrier, bears the responsibility of billing the calling party.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,664 to Burns et al. discloses use of a central database to determine whether to bill a calling party or a called party for charges for completion of a call to a mobile telephone. The illustrated system includes switches of a local exchange carrier network, switches of an interexchange carrier (IXC) network, one or more mobile switching centers and a service processor with announcement facilities, service logic and a database. If a calling station dials a telephone number of a party who subscribes to the calling party pays service, the local exchange switches extend the call to the originating IXC switch. The originating IXC switch provides a message, containing the dialed telephone number, to the service processor. The service processor retrieves a record corresponding to the dialed telephone number, and causes the announcement platform to provide an announcement regarding the pricing of the call through the network to the calling party. If the caller responds to the announcement by staying on the line to indicate acceptance of the charges, the service processor instructs the originating IXC switch to record billing information and notifies the billing system to charge the caller's account. The service processor also provides the mobile identification number (MIN) for completion of the call, to the originating IXC switch. The IXC network includes an indicator, preferably in the form of the dialed number, together with the MIN in the signaling to the mobile switching center, as an indication to inhibit normal billing for the call.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,667 to Neustein discloses a paging network. The system utilizes an automated attendant, which prompts a caller for desired information, to make a page. As part of the control of a paging operation, a central processor checks the profile of the paged party in the profile data base. The profile data enables the system to provide a
McHenry James
Nightingale John
Bell Atlantic Mobile
Maung Nay
McDermott & Will & Emery
Persino Ray B.
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