Abstract:
An consumer contact toll optimizer providing for the automatic disconnection and reconnection of communication links between communications devices and/or services is provided. The system allows communication links to be terminated before a specified period of time has elapsed, thereby allowing consumers of communications services charging on a time of use basis to minimize the charges incurred while using such services. In particular, the present invention allows consumers to minimize fees in connection with communications networks that charge at a first, lower rate for an initial period of time, and a second, higher rate for subsequent periods of time. The present invention is particularly well-suited for use in connection with wireless telephones having service plans that do not charge for the first incoming minute of a telephone call, and in connection with long distance service plans that charge a lower rate for an initial period of time and a higher rate for a subsequent period of time.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to voice and data communications conducted over a communications channel, the use of which is charged for on a time of use basis. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many telecommunications services are charged to the consumers of such services on a time of use basis. For example, cellular telephone communications are typically billed according to the number of minutes used. Similarly, long distance telephone calls are generally billed by the long distance provider on a time of use basis. 
     Many telecommunications service providers charge consumers different rates, depending on the total amount of time that the provided communication channel has been in use. For example, many cellular telephone service providers do not charge subscribers of the service for the first minute of a call placed to the subscriber&#39;s cellular telephone. As another example, many long distance service providers charge a first rate for each minute of use up to a defined limit, and a second rate for each minute of use in excess of that defined limit. Generally, the per minute rate within the first period is less than the per minute rate during the second period. 
     In general, cellular telephone providers offer the first minute of an incoming call free to address subscriber concerns that they will be charged for telephone calls mistakenly placed to their cellular telephone, or for uninvited calls from, for example, solicitors. Long distance providers generally charge more per unit time after a certain call length has been exceeded to encourage users to free up circuits. In addition, such a tiered billing scheme allows the long distance providers to advertise lower rates, while realizing higher profits from heavy users of the service. 
     In order for a consumer to take advantage of the free or lower cost rates available from some service providers, the time of use must typically be monitored manually. Although automatic call timers are available, for example, with certain models of telephones, such timers simply provide an indication of when the time specified by the user has expired, or terminates the telephone call. However, no conventional system automatically reestablishes a connection between the subscriber and the party or service with which the subscriber was previously communicating. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to solving these and other problems and disadvantages of the prior art. Generally, according to the present invention, the amount of time that a communication channel between a first party and a second party or a service has been in place is monitored. After a specified amount of time has elapsed, the communication channel is broken. According to the present invention, a connection between the first communications device and the second communications device or service is then automatically reestablished. In this way, toll charges accrued by the users of the communication channel can be minimized or eliminated. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a communication channel is established between a subscriber of a communications service and the service. The subscriber registers with the communications service a desire to communicate according to the present invention. The communication channel is then immediately terminated. Following termination of the communication channel, a communication channel between the subscriber&#39;s communications device and the communications service is automatically reestablished by a telephone call from the server of the communications service to the communications device. Information, such as voice messages or data stored on the server, may then be transmitted to the subscriber&#39;s communications device over the communication channel. After a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the connection between the communications service and the communications device is automatically terminated by the server. If information remains to be transmitted from the server to the communications device, the communications service again establishes a communication channel with the subscriber&#39;s communications device to continue transmitting information. This continues until all of the information has been transmitted to the subscriber&#39;s communications device, or the subscriber terminates the exchange of information. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a communication channel is established between two communications devices. At least a first of the communications devices may be provided with an apparatus according to the present invention for minimizing or eliminating communication charges. Accordingly, the first communications device may automatically terminate a connection placed to the second communications device after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. The first communications device may then immediately reestablish communications with the second communications device, to allow a transfer of information between the devices to be continued. 
     These and other advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of illustrative embodiments of the invention taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communications network having economizing features according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a functional flow diagram of the operation of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a communications network having economizing features according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a communications system  100  having economizing or toll optimizing features according to the present invention. The system  100  generally includes a communications network  102 , a communications device  104 , a communications service  106 , and a communications controller  107 . The communications controller  107  generally comprises an autoredialer  108 , and a timer  110 . According to one embodiment of the present invention, the system  100  may additionally include a communications device controller  112 . 
     The communications network  102  may include the public switched telephony network (PSTN), a private branch exchange (PBX), a computer local area or wide area network, such as the public Internet or a private intranet, or a wireless communications service. In addition, the communications network  102  may comprise any combination of these or other particular communications networks. Generally, at least one of the particular communications networks making up all or part of the communications network  102  will charge users on a time of use basis. 
     The communications device  104  may comprise a telephone, a wireless telephone, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or any other device suitable for transferring information using a communications network  102 . Generally, the communications device  104  is operated by a user desiring to establish communications with a communications service  106  using a communications network  102  that charges the user of the communications device  104  on a time of use basis. 
     The communications service  106  may comprise any service capable of communicating with a communications device  104  over a communications network  102 . Accordingly, the communications service may include any type of communications server, such as an interactive voice response (IVR) server, a voice messaging server; or other communications service, such as one having live operators. 
     The autoredialer  108  of the controller  107  may be associated with the communications service  106  to control operation of the communications service  106  as will be described below. According to one embodiment, the autoredialer  108  comprises a software module integral to the controlling software of the communications service  106 . According to another embodiment, the autoredialer  108  is part of a controller  107  apparatus having a processor and memory containing suitable programming. The autoredialer  108  generally controls the connection between the communications device  104  and the communications service  106  across the communications network  102 . Therefore, the autoredialer  108  may sever the connection across the communications network  102 , and reestablish communications across the communications network  102  after a previous connection has been severed. 
     The timer  110 , associated with the autoredialer  108  may be implemented in any one of a number of ways. Generally, the timer  110  is implemented as a software module within the autoredialer  108  software. The timer  110  may also comprise a separate apparatus interconnected to the autoredialer  108 . The timer  110  generally monitors the amount of time that a connection between the communications device  104  and the communications service  106  has existed across the communications network  102 . The timer  110  may provide this time of connection information to the autoredialer  108  to allow the autoredialer  108  to sever a connection after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. Alternatively, the timer  110  may trigger a signal that is communicated to the autoredialer  108  after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. 
     The communications system  100  may also include a communications device controller  112  associated with the communications device  104 . The communications device controller  112  may comprise a processor and associated memory for running a communications device control program to perform functions associated with use of the autoredialer  108 . For example, the controller  112  may automatically answer a request to establish a communications link placed by the autoredialer  108  to the device  104 , and may suppress notification of the request. Where the communications device  104  is a telephone, the suppression of notification of a request to establish a connection may include disabling the ringing function normally performed by the communications device  104  to indicate an incoming call. The controller  112  may also include additional functions, as will be described in greater detail below. According to one embodiment, the controller  112  is implemented as programming code resident in the control circuitry of the communications device  104  itself. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a communications device  104  or a communications service  106  having access to multiple lines in the communications network  102  may selectively engage those fines to reduce latency between disconnection of a communications link and reestablishment of a fink. In addition, the time required to initiate functioning of the autoredialer  108  may be minimized, in order to limit the amount of time that an initial connection between the communications device  104  and the communications service  106  needs to be in place. Accordingly, as soon as the communications service  106  has the information necessary to utilize the autoredialing function, it can disconnect service, and immediately reestablish a connection. In a further embodiment, the communications controller  107  may be provided with the ability to preserve an application session across multiple call backs. For example, interactive voice response scripts being transmitted from the communications service  106  to a communications device  104  may pause while one communications link across the communications network is disconnected and another is established. Similarly, data transmissions and the like may be paused during any delays associated with the disconnection of communications links. According to yet another embodiment, the communications controller  107  may be provided as a service available to users of devices  104  on a subscription basis to reduce or eliminate charges for use of the communications network  102 . 
     With reference now to FIG. 2, the operation of the system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention begins with the establishment of a communications link between the communications device  104  and the communications service  106  (step  200 ). Generally, the establishment of a communications link  200  between a communications device  104  and the communications service  106  is initiated by the user of the communications device  104 . 
     At step  202 , the communications service  106  is instructed to use the autoredialer  108  in communicating with the communications device  104 . These instructions may be submitted to the communications service  106  in a variety of ways. For example, the communications service  106  may present a menu to the user of the communications device  104 , from which use of the autoredialer  108  may be selected. The menu may also allow the user of the communications device  104  to select the maximum time period for which a communications link is to be maintained. Alternatively, use of the autoredialer  108  in connection with the communications service  106  may be stored in memory associated with the communications service  106  during an initial user set up. Accordingly, the user may specify a maximum time period for any individual communication with the communications device  104  for use whenever the user instructs the communications service  106  to use the autoredialer  108  function. Alternatively, the communications service  106  may recognize the communications device  104  when communications are initially established using automatic number identification (ANI) or other identification means, and associating the communications device  104  with preset autodialer preferences. As a further embodiment, the communications service  106  may automatically enter an economizing autoredialer mode upon entry of an account number by the user of the communications device  104  having associated with it preset autoredialer preferences. 
     Use of an autoredialer  108  associated with a communications service  106  may also be initiated by instructions communicated from the user of a communications device  104  to an operator associated with the communications service  106 . The operator may then initiate the autoredialer  108  function to control the time that an individual communication link is in place between the communications device  104  and the communications service  106  before being broken. The operator may also serve as the autoredialer  108  by manually performing the functions of the autoredialer  108  described in greater detail below. 
     As yet another method for instructing the communications service  106  to use an autoredialer  108  function, the communications device  104  may transmit a machine readable code to the communications service  106 , instructing the communications service  106  to use the autoredialer  108  functions, and to specify parameters associated with the use of that function. These instructions may be transmitted as part of an in-band or out-of-band signal. 
     Where the provider of a communication link used by the communications device  104  does not charge for, for example, the first minute of incoming calls, it is desirable for the initial communication link between the device  104  and the service  106  to be terminated as soon as possible. Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, at step  204  the communications service  106  suspends service and terminates the communication link upon receiving the user&#39;s full instructions regarding use of the autoredialer  108 , including a call back number. After terminating the communication link, the communications service  106  immediately redials the communications device  104  at step  206 . Depending on the type of communications network  102  used to connect the communications device  104  and the communications service  106 , the time required to reestablish a communication link can be as little as a fraction of a second. For example, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) communications network  102  may require only about half a second between termination of a connection, and reestablishment of that connection. Where the communications network  102  comprises at least in part the public switched telephony network, the delay between termination of a connection and reestablishment of that connection generally must be one second or longer. 
     Where the communications device  104  is associated with a communications device controller  112 , and there is an intelligent communications device  104  (step  208 ), the communications device  104  may automatically answer a request to establish a connection and may suppress notification of the request (step  210 ) made by the communications service  106 . Where the communications device  104  is a telephone, this may comprise suppressing the ring normally associated with such a request. In general, the communications device  104  may register the commencement of autoredialer  108  controlled communications in the device controller  112 , and suppress new call notification when a call is received from the communications service  106 . In this way, a user may, for example, continue to hold the communications device  104  to his or her ear when using the autoredialer function, without having the communications device  104  ring loudly. The communications device  104  may recognize the communications service  106  through, for example, automatic number identification. The automatic answering and the suppression of ringing  210  in combination with the automatic redialing  206  may allow information to be transferred between the communications device  102  and the communications service  106  with little interruption or delay apparent to the user. 
     Upon the reestablishment of a communication link between the communications device  104  and the communications service  106 , the timer  110  is begun (step  212 ). For example, when used in connection with a communications network  102  offering the user of a communications device  104  a rate plan according to which the first incoming minute is free, the timer  110  will generally count up to some period of time less than one minute, and issue an alarm. Generally, the full time period at which a lower rate is offered is not used, to allow for the time required to tear down an established communication link. 
     After the communication link has been reestablished, data may be transferred (step  214 ). As mentioned above, the timer expires (step  216 ) generally at some amount of time slightly less than the maximum time period during which a lower rate is charged. Upon expiration of the timer  110  (step  216 ), the autoredialer  108  directs the communications service  106  to suspend service and sever the communication link (step  218 ). 
     If data remains to be transferred (step  220 ), the autoredialer  108  redials the communications device  104  (step  206 ), the timer  110  is reset (step  212 ), data is transferred (step  214 ), and the communications service  106  is again suspended upon expiration of the timer  110  (steps  216  and  218 ). This continues until the data transfer has been completed, to provide a virtually continuous link, while minimizing or eliminating charges for use of the communications network  102 . Where no more data remains to be transferred, or if the user of the communications device  104  manually terminates the connection, the service ends  222 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, preferences regarding the length of time that communications between the communications device  104  and the communications service  106  should be maintained need not be transmitted to the autoredialer  108  associated with the communications service  106 . Instead, a device controller  112  associated with the communications device  104  may automatically terminate the connection after the desired period of time has elapsed. By registering with the autoredialer  108 , the autoredialer  108  may be instructed to redial the communications device  104  automatically. In this way, a virtually continuous communications link maybe maintained between the communications device  104  and the communications service  106  until the user directs the autoredialer  108  to discontinue the automatic redialing, such as by transmitting a specified signal to the autoredialer  108 . 
     With reference now to FIG. 3, a further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The system  300  generally includes a communications network  302 , a first communications device  304 , and a second communications device  306 . Associated with the first communications device  304  is a first communications device controller  308 . The first communications device controller  308  generally includes an autoredialer  310  and a timer  312 . The second communications device  306  may have associated with it a second communications device controller  314 . 
     Generally, the system  300  allows users of the first communications device  304  and the second communications device  306  to communicate while incurring reduced toll charges. For example, the user of the first communications device  304  may place long distance telephone calls over a communications network  302  offering reduced rates for the first 20 minutes that a connection is established. Accordingly, the user of the first communications device  304  may wish to limit the time that any one connection is in place to 20 minutes or less. Thus, according to the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 3, the user of the first communications device  304  may interact with the first communications device controller  308  associated with the first communications device  304  appropriately. For instance, the user may set the timer  312  to some amount of time slightly less than 20 minutes, for example, 19 minutes and 55 seconds and activate the autoredialer  310  function. Generally, the first communications device controller  308  and the associated autodialer  310  and timer  312  are implemented in software integral to or associated with software running on the first communications device  304 . Alternatively, the first communications device controller  308  and the associated autoredialer  310  and timer  312  may be implemented in a device that is separate from the first communications device  304 , and that is capable of controlling the first communications device  304  through, for example, external electrical contacts provided on the first communications device  304 . The autoredialer  310  of the first communications device controller  308  may be set initially by the user, and automatically put into service each time the first communications device  304  is used. Alternatively, the amount of time accumulated by the timer  312  before communication with a second communications device  306  is terminated may be set during an initial setup of the controller  308 , and operation of the autoredialer  310  selectively engaged before each call. As yet a further alternative, the timer  312  expiration time and the operation of the autoredialer  310  may be selected before a call is placed from the first communications device  304 . 
     After the user has initialized the first communications device controller  308  as described above, a communication link may be established over the communications network  302  between the first  304  and second  306  communications devices. A telephone call or exchange of data may then proceed normally. Upon expiration of the time period set in the timer  312 , the autoredialer  310  of the first communications device controller  308  may terminate the communication link across the communications network  302 . The autoredialer  310  associated with the first communications device  304  may then initiate the establishment of a subsequent communication link across the communications network  302  with the second communications device  306 . Where the second communications device  306  has associated with it a second communications device controller  314 , notification of a request to establish the communications link may be suppressed, and the communications link between the devices  304  and  306  may be completed without intervention by the user. For example, where the second communications device  306  is a telephone, the device  306  may be placed off-hook automatically, and the normal ringing suppressed. Activation of the suppression of notification may occur automatically according to an in-band or out-of-band signal communicated from the first communications device controller  308  of the first communications device  304  to the second communications device controller  314  of the second communications device  306 . Thus, the communications device controllers  308  and  314  may operate together to provide a virtually continuous connection between the communications devices  304  and  306 , while minimizing or eliminating charges to the user of the first  304  and/or second  306  communications devices for use of the communications network  302 . 
     As yet another embodiment, where the second communications device controller  314  includes an autoredialer and a timer, and where placing a call from a communications device  304  or  306  incurs a charge, but an incoming call is toll free, a call initiated by the first communications device  304  may be continued with a call from the second communications device  306  after the first communications link is disconnected. In this way, communications charges may be evenly distributed between charges billed to the user of the first communications device  304  and charges billed to the user of the second communications device  306 . Where, for example, the communications network  302  does not charge for the first incoming minute of a telephone call, the cost of maintaining a connection between the devices  304  and  306  may be effectively halved. 
     Of course, various modifications to the systems described above can be contemplated. Such variations can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages, and it is intended that such variations be covered by the appended claims. 
     The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Further, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, within the skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain the best mode presently known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such or in other embodiments and with various modifications required by their particular application or use of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.