Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call charge metering or monitoring
Utility Patent
1997-07-25
2001-01-02
Loomis, Paul (Department: 2743)
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call charge metering or monitoring
C379S091020, C379S111000, C379S121020, C379S127030
Utility Patent
active
06169791
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of least cost telephone call routing. In particular, the invention relates to a method which generates and utilizes a customized database of telecommunications carriers for routing telephone calls along a least cost route.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The growth and deregulation of the telephone industry over the past several years has given birthto hundreds of commercial long distance carriers. Presently, more than 450 long distance carriers operate in the United States, with an average of more than 30 of such carriers serving each state. The resulting competition has caused long distance carriers to offer specific rate plans to gain market share. These rate plans include special pricing for various calling patterns during specific time periods. Long distance subscribers (i.e., consumers and businesses) have been overwhelmed these often confusing rate plans, each promising big discounts and cost savings. Typically, most subscribers use a single major carrier (e.g., AT&T, MCI, Sprint) for long distance telephone service. For example, more than 90% of consumers presently use one of the three major long distance carriers. Few subscribers know that hundreds of smaller long distance carriers exist. Moreover, few subscribers know how to get access to the superior rates offered by these carriers, or that they can select each carrier on a call-by-all basis.
Various systems aimed at providing subscribers with access to multiple carriers on a call-by-call basis, i.e., least cost call routing systems, have been described in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,122,308, 4,585,094, 4,751,728, 5,289,536, 5,400,395, 5,420,914, 5,425,084, 5,425,085, 5,473,630, 5,519,769, and 5,553,124 describe least cost call routing devices and methods. To date, however, the technology described in these patents has not resulted in a least cost call routing system of widespread commercial acceptance with household and small office/home office consumers.
About 40% of the households in the United States have a personal computer (PC), and that percentage is expected to increase to approximately 70% by the millennium. The small office/home office market is expected to grow to 15 million PC-equipped organizations during the same time period.
It is therefore a principle object of the present invention to provide a least cost call routing system allows subscribers, including household and small office/home office consumers, to save significantly and automatically on a call-by-call basis for each telephone call made anywhere in the world.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A least cost call routing system operates in conjunction with one or more telephones disposed in a location to provide least cost telephone call routing using a selected one of a number of commercial telephone carriers. A central server stores a plurality of telecommunications carriers and associated billing rates. A user's computer registers with the central server by providing certain user identification information. The user identification information includes user credit card information. The central server verifies the user credit card information in real time. If the user credit card information is verified, the central server generates a customized database of telecommunications carriers and associated billing rates for the user in response to the location of the user. In one mbodiment, the customized database only includes telecommunications carriers which offer service to the user's location. In another embodiment, the customized database includes active telecommunications carriers which currently offer service to the user's location and inactive carriers which will offer service at a predetermined activation date.
The customized database is transmitted to the user's PC and stored on the user's PC for use in routing telephone calls along a least cost route. The central server establishes an account for the user at each of the telecommunications carriers in the user's customized database. Once the accounts are established at the telecommunications carriers, the user's PC communicates directly with the carriers to route telephone calls. The user's PC periodically contacts the central server to receive updates to the customized database.
The criteria the system utilizes to determine a least cost carrier for a call includes: (i) the location from which the call originates; (ii) the destination called, (iii) the distance between the origin of the call and the destination of the call; (iv) the time of day; (v) the day of the week; (vi) free minutes time offered by carriers; and (vii) volumes of calls made with a specific carrier.
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Loomis Paul
MediaCom Corporation
Testa Hurwitz & Thibeault LLP
Tieu Binh K.
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