Patent ID: 7466807
Filing Date: 2008-12-16
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
1. A method for offloading prepaid status queries for in-network prepaid calls, the method comprising: at a signaling message routing node: (a) intercepting a prepaid status query associated with a call originated by a calling subscriber and directed to a called subscriber; (b) determining whether the calling subscriber is associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan based on the intercepted prepaid status query; (c) determining whether the call is of a type that qualifies as unlimited under the calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan associated with the calling subscriber; (d) determining whether the call is an in-network call based on the intercepted prepaid status query, where an in-network call includes a call between a calling subscriber and a called subscriber belonging to the same network; (e) in response to determining that the call is an in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, generating a prepaid status response on behalf of a prepaid status database instructing the query originator to connect the call and forwarding the status response to the query originator; and (f) in response to determining that the call is not an in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, forwarding the prepaid status query to the prepaid status database.