Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
379114210 | Redirect billing | 20 |
20080219421 | System and Method for Transferring Credit Between Subscribers of Differing Telecommunications Carriers - A system for transferring credit between subscribers ( | 09-11-2008 |
20090067599 | Methods and Apparatuses for Pay-Per-Call Advertising in Mobile/Wireless Applications - Methods and apparatuses to connect telephone calls and track information about the telephone calls resulting from advertisements on mobile/wireless media channels. In one embodiment, a method includes: assigning a telephone number to an advertiser, one of the telephone number and a reference to the telephone number to be included in an advertisement provided to an end user via a wireless media; and, monitoring telephone connections to the telephone number to bill the advertiser for the advertisement in response to each telephone connection to the telephone number. In one embodiment, a method includes: a first party providing an advertisement to a mobile device on behalf of an advertiser, the advertisement to include at least a reference to a telephonic connection with the advertiser; and, the first party collecting a fee from the advertiser in response to a telephonic connection being established between the advertiser and customer. | 03-12-2009 |
20090097624 | System, Method, and Devices for Allocating Communications-Related Charges - Methods, systems, and devices for allocating communications-related charges are disclosed. In an exemplary method, a communications device receives notification of an uncompleted incoming call attempt, the notification including a calling a party identifier. The communication device retrieves a call attempt descriptor associated with the uncompleted incoming call, the call attempt descriptor comprising charge-back data. In response to the initiation of a return call to the calling party, the communication device sends a charge-back message, comprising all or part of the charge-back data, to a charge allocation server for use in allocating charges relating to the return call. An exemplary system, including a charge allocation server, for implementing the disclosed methods is also disclosed. | 04-16-2009 |
20100111274 | CONTROLLED THREE WAY CALLING - An inmate calls a call processing system and provides two phone numbers to it. The first phone number is for a 2 | 05-06-2010 |
20100322400 | Device,system,and method of routing telephone calls - Device, system, and method of routing telephone calls. For example, a method of routing a telephone call includes: receiving from a first party a rejection profile, indicating that the first party wishes to reject an incoming telephone call which meet at least one criterion unless the first party is not charged for any charges associated with said incoming telephone call; receiving a request of a second party to place a telephone call to said first party, wherein the telephone call is expected to incur one or more charges to the first party; if the telephone call meets said at least one criterion of the rejection profile of the first party, notifying the second party that the telephone call is not routed to the first party unless the second party agrees to pay for all charges associated with said telephone call. | 12-23-2010 |
20110110506 | SELECTIVELY ADDING A THIRD PARTY TO A COLLECT CALL - Prior to establishing a collect call, the called party agrees to pay an additional fee for any three-way call that may be established during the proposed collect call. If during the collect call, the called party attempts to add a third party to the collect call, a call processing system determines whether the third party's phone number is blocked from accepting a collect call. If the third party's phone number is blocked from accepting a collect call, the number will be dialed in an attempt to establish a three-way call. If the third person's phone number is not blocked from accepting a collect call, the called party to the original collect call will be advised that the phone number entered is not eligible for three-ways calling during the collect call, and the parties to the original collect call will be reconnected. If the original collect call originates from a custodial facility, the call processing system may additionally verify that that the original calling party is not disallowed from dialing any entered number, including the original called party's phone number and any subsequent third party's phone number that may be entered by the original called party, prior to the call processing system dialing said number(s). Service providers, by selectively allowing a three-way call during a collect call, to add a third party whose phone line is blocked from accepting a collect call, will earn revenues from communications that may never otherwise take place. | 05-12-2011 |
20120288077 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BILLING TELEPHONE CALLS - Various implementations described herein include method and system establishing and billing a voice communication between a calling party and a called party. The method and system described herein enable placing collect calls and third party calls to the called party by billing a credit or debit card associated with the called party or by billing the called party through their mobile or wireless provider. | 11-15-2012 |
20140064469 | DESTINATION DEVICE BILLING ACCORDING TO CALL RECIPIENT - A method, system, and program for billing for service provided to destination device according to the calling plan of the individual receiving the call. An authenticated identity for a callee answering a call placed to a destination device is received at an intermediary device. The intermediary device then accesses a billing plan for the authenticated identity of the callee and loads the billing plan for specifying charges for the call, such that telephone service billed to the callee is accessible at multiple destination devices. | 03-06-2014 |
20150010137 | CHARGING OF CALLS IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - The present subject matter relates to a method for charging of calls in a communication network. The method includes, receiving subscription information pertaining to a discretionary charging feature, for a call between a first user and a second user, where the first user is subscribed to a first telecom operator and the second user is subscribed to one of the first telecom operator and a second telecom operator. The method further includes ascertaining whether the second user is subscribed to the discretionary charging feature based on the receiving, and applying discretionary charging for determining call charges for the first user, based on the ascertaining. | 01-08-2015 |
20150055767 | IDENTIFYING AN ACCOUNT AND DESTINATION FOR A COMMUNICATION BASED ON DIALED NUMBER AND ORIGINATION NUMBER - The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for identifying an account and destination for a communication based on a dialed number and origination number associated with the communication. One computer-implemented method includes identifying a first communication associated with an origination address and an access method; determining whether the first communication is associated with a destination address record in response to identifying the first communication; initiating the second communication to the destination address included in the destination address record in response to determining that the first communication is associated with the destination address record; determining whether a call recipient at the destination address accepts the second communication; and charging the account included in the destination address record for charges associated with the first communication and the second communication in response to determining that the call recipient at the destination address accepts the second communication. | 02-26-2015 |
20150078541 | System and Method for Determining and Associating Tariff Rates for Institutional Calls - A telecommunications method for call forwarding including storing information regarding a called party in at least one local database, where the information regarding the called party is stored in a user account and making a telephone call by dialing a telephone number with a telephone, where the telephone is contained in a telephone management system. The method also includes determining whether the telephone number is associated with the user account and transferring, via the switchboard, the call to the called party if the telephone number is associated with the user account, where the telephone management system is in communication with a revenue management system, and also where the revenue management system contains at least one local database. | 03-19-2015 |
20150131789 | DESTINATION DEVICE BILLING ACCORDING TO CALL RECIPIENT - A method, system, and program for billing for service provided to destination device according to the calling plan of the individual receiving the call. An authenticated identity for a callee answering a call placed to a destination device is received at an intermediary device. The intermediary device then accesses a billing plan for the authenticated identity of the callee and loads the billing plan for specifying charges for the call, such that telephone service billed to the callee is accessible at multiple destination devices. | 05-14-2015 |
20160127567 | PREDICTIVE TOLL-FREE NUMBER SEARCH - A method of searching for a toll-free number including identifying a previous search number history for a user; and offering a toll free number associated with the previous search number history to the user. | 05-05-2016 |
379114220 | Split billing or cost sharing | 2 |
20090116628 | Charging split negotiation in IMS sessions - A method and apparatus for implementation of split charging in an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem, allowing subsystem users to negotiate at setup and at a modification of a session initiation protocol session which user will be charged for each multimedia component of the subsystem. A method includes transmitting a first message to a user equipment for initiating a call, the first message including a split charging offer request and a first split charging offer ratio, and receiving a second message from the user equipment, the second message comprising a second split charging offer ratio. The method also includes processing the second message for determining whether a user of the user equipment accepted the call, whether the user of the user equipment accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging offer ratio, and whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging off ratio for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem. | 05-07-2009 |
20160006865 | CONTROLLED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN RESIDENTS OF CONTROLLED-ENVIRONMENT FACILITIES - Embodiments receive an indication of initiation of communication from a controlled-environment facility resident, using a communications device, with another controlled-environment facility resident. A determination is made whether the residents are allowed to communicate and the communication is established between the communications device and another communications device in use by the other resident. The residents may be residents of different or the same controlled-environment facility(ies). The communication may be monitored and/or a database of residents that communicate with one another may be compiled. The communication between the controlled-environment facility residents may proceed, even despite a determination or predetermination that the residents are not allowed to communicate with one another, so the communication may be monitored. At least one of the residents may be charged for the communication, such as by charging a community communications account maintained to the benefit of at least one of the residents. | 01-07-2016 |
379114240 | 1-800 billing | 5 |
20080279354 | ROUTING OUTBOUND TOLL-FREE CALLS THROUGH A VOIP NETWORK - A method for routing a toll-free call through a network includes receiving a toll-free call from a call origination endpoint, determining an identifier associated with the call origination endpoint, determining a meet point trunk based on at least a portion of the identifier if a DAL is not available, and routing the toll-free call to a LEC via the determined meet point trunk. A system for routing a toll-free call entering a network to an appropriate carrier includes an inbound gateway device configured to receive a toll-free call from a call origination endpoint having an assigned telephone number and to query a core routing engine (CRE) for a route plan using the assigned telephone number, and a CRE configured to select an interconnection access line based on the origination endpoint telephone number, wherein the interconnection access line is connected to a LEC that is operable to route the call to the appropriate carrier. | 11-13-2008 |
20100014651 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING OF A TOLL FREE CALL SERVICE ALARM - A method and apparatus for automatic processing of toll free call service alarms are disclosed. For example, the method receives a trouble ticket by a service provider for a toll free call service alarm, and retrieves a calling to number and a calling from number from the trouble ticket. The method determines if the service provider is a responsible organization for the toll free call service for the calling to number, and determines if a customer network for the toll free call service is active if the service provider is the responsible organization for the toll free call service. The method notifies a work center if the customer network is not active. | 01-21-2010 |
20100067675 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND STORAGE MEDIUMS FOR PROVIDING A SELF-PROVISIONING TELEPHONY SERVICE - Methods, systems, and storage mediums for implementing self-provisioning telephony services are provided. A method includes storing an access number at a service control server that services a local exchange carrier switch. The method also includes assigning a toll-free number to a customer account and distributing the toll-free number and access number to the corresponding customer. The method further includes receiving, at the local exchange carrier switch, a call from a customer, the call identified as the access number. The method also includes routing the call to a server and, absent human intervention, the server accessing the toll-free number identified for the customer account and generating a provisioning order that includes a customer telephone number from the customer account and the toll-free number. The method also includes transmitting the provisioning order to the service control server, the service control server activating the toll-free number for the customer account. | 03-18-2010 |
20120288078 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND STORAGE MEDIUMS FOR PROVIDING A SELF-PROVISIONING TELEPHONY SERVICE - A self-provisioning telephony service includes assigning a toll-free telephone number to a customer account for a customer of a telecommunications provider, distributing the toll-free telephone number and an access number to the customer along with an invitation to provision a toll-free telephone number service, and receiving, at a local exchange carrier switch, a call from the customer. The access number is identified by the local exchange carrier switch for the call in response to performing a call number translation. The telephony service also includes accessing, by a server, the toll-free telephone number identified for the customer account and generating a provisioning order that includes a customer telephone number from the customer account and the toll-free telephone number. The telephony service further includes transmitting the provisioning order to a service control server, the service control server activating the toll-free telephone number for the customer account. | 11-15-2012 |
20160127566 | ONE-CLICK SEARCH, RESERVATION, AND ACTIVIATION OF TOLL-FREE TELECOMMUNICATIONS NUMBERS - A method of receiving a one-click activation request from a user, including searching and reserving toll-free numbers in a “One-Click” manner and providing users with the ability to create a standard toll-free service in the interim with number forwarding. | 05-05-2016 |