Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call charge metering or monitoring
Patent
1996-01-29
1998-08-04
Loomis, Paul
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call charge metering or monitoring
379126, 379112, H04M 1500
Patent
active
057906432
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of pricing a call originating in a telecommunications network and also to a system for pricing a telecommunications call originating in a telecommunications network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a known method of pricing calls in a public telephone network, each call is initially priced in arbitrary units at the local exchange of the calling number. The main parameters used in the initial pricing are the distance between the calling and called numbers, the duration of the call and the charging period in which the call occurs. The price of the call in arbitrary units is then transferred, usually in a batch, to a computer located at a remote position which has a database containing details of the customers of the telephone network. This computer then translates the price in arbitrary units to a price in local currency using the tariff applicable to the customer.
This known method of pricing a telephone call is generally inflexible. For example, if it is desired to change the tariff for calls in a particular charge period for the whole telephone network, the data must be changed at each local exchange.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of pricing a call originating in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of:
retrieving a record of the call from a point located in the telecommunications network; providing a first database containing details of customers of the network; providing a second database containing details of the network and a set of call tariffs; and processing data from the call record, the first database and the second database to price the call.
Because calls are priced using data from call records and from the first and second databases, the present invention makes it possible to price calls in a flexible manner. For example, in order to provide a new tariff, it is only necessary to provide the data for the new tariff in the second database and details of a new tariff are not required at points where records of calls originate.
According to a second aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of pricing a call originating in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of: retrieving a record of a call from a point located in the telecommunications network; finding a factor (the service factor) relating to the type of service used in the call by processing data contained in the call record; finding a factor (the customer factor) relating to the type of customer making the call; finding a factor (the network factor) relating to the locations of the calling number and the called number; finding a factor (the calendar factor) relating to the day of the call; selecting a call tariff from a set of call tariffs stored in a database in accordance with a combination of the service factor, the customer factor, the network factor and the calendar factor; and pricing the call in accordance with the selected call tariff.
According to a third aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of pricing a call originating in a telecommunications network, the price of the call having at least one component, said method comprising the steps of:
retrieving a record of a call from a point located in the telecommunications network; finding a factor (the first service factor) relating to the type of service used in the call by processing data contained in the call record; using the first service factor to select an algorithm from a set of algorithms which defines which factors from a group of factors are to be used in determining the or each component of the price of the call and the manner of combining the components to determine the price of the call, said group of factors comprising a factor (the second service factor) relating to the type of service used in the call, a factor (the customer factor) relating to the type of customer making the call, a factor (the network factor) relating to the locations of the calling and called numbers, and a factor (the
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Smyton et al, "National Charging Database", British Telecommunications Engineering, vol. 10, No. 3, Oct. 1992, London, GB, pp. 250-253.
Crookes James St. John
Gordon Dale Robert
Smyton Shaun Alexander
British Telecommunications public limited company
Loomis Paul
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