Abstract:
A method for billing mobile device calls and traffic data, the method includes: receiving a number, in response to a user&#39;s input into a mobile communications device; comparing the received number to a contact list with annotations; determining whether the received number corresponds to a number in the contact list with annotations; generating a directed communication in response to the received number; sending a corresponding annotation to a billing system in response to the determining, and the initiation of the directed communication; wherein the mobile communication device generates the contact list with annotations, in response to the user input on a mobile communication device; and wherein the contact list and annotations are placed in a storage medium within the mobile communication device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to communication via electronic devices, and more particularly to a method for intelligent billing of mobile call and data traffic. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Mobile communication devices, such as cellular phones, have become a central communication tool for both business and personal use. Competitive pressures and multiple billing options have lowered the subscriber cost of operation of mobile communication devices. In many instances, the mobile or cellular phone has replaced the traditional landline phone as a person&#39;s primary communication device. Advanced mobile communication devices offer not only voice services, but also text messaging and Internet access. Video and gaming applications are also now available on many mobile devices and service networks. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Embodiments of the present invention include a method for billing mobile device calls and traffic data, the method includes: receiving a number, in response to a user&#39;s input into a mobile communications device; comparing the received number to a contact list with annotations; determining whether the received number corresponds to a number in the contact list with annotations; generating a directed communication in response to the received number; sending a corresponding annotation to a billing system in response to the determining, and the initiation of the directed communication; wherein the mobile communication device generates the contact list with annotations, in response to the user input on a mobile communication device; and wherein the contact list and annotations are placed in a storage medium within the mobile communication device. 
         [0006]    Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings. 
       TECHNICAL EFFECTS 
       [0007]    As a result of the summarized invention, a solution is technically achieved for a method and system for intelligent data handling of billing data for mobile or cellular communication devices utilizing features of Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystems (IMS), or similar data networks. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system for implementing embodiments of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates a flow chart for intelligent data handling of billing data for mobile or cellular communication devices utilizing features of Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS), or similar data networks, according to embodiments of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates a mobile communication device with a screen displaying an exemplary phone book according to embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The widespread adoption of mobile communication devices has led to a significant increase in use of mobile devices for the purpose of business communications. However, as a result there is an increasing problem of employees making personal calls using their business mobile communication devices, or placing business calls on personal mobile communication devices. The monthly bill for communication services delivered to the customer details all calls and services, however it is left to the customer to differentiate and separate their personal calls and services, and charge the business calls to the company, or the business to charge personal calls to the employee. The process of dividing personal and business calls is tedious, time consuming, and error prone. An existing solution in place requires a user to prefix calls and then trace those prefixes once the detailed list appears on a monthly bill. However, this existing solution is also user dependent, and manual. 
         [0013]    Embodiments the invention address the aforementioned billing problem of distinguishing between personal and business use, by annotating an address book on a mobile phone, where the annotation may be encoded and broadcast when a call is made. The annotation is decoded at the service provider end, and the calls are split into personal and business calls on the monthly bill based on the annotation. Embodiments of the invention provide an automated process that saves time, and accurately distinguishes between business and personal charges with minimal user error and user interference. Embodiments of the invention may utilize the Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) platform, or similar data networks. IMS is an architectural framework for delivering internet protocol (IP) multimedia to mobile users. 
         [0014]    In embodiments of the invention, a user maintains a local address book of contacts in their mobile phone or communications device. The contacts are annotated to indicate whether they are a business or personal contact. The annotation of contacts may be accomplished manually, or in more sophisticated embodiments, by some automated means, for example, by means of an artificial intelligence rule that denotes a contact as personal, if they are typically called outside pre-defined business hours. Furthermore, in embodiments of the invention, the mobile phone or communication device has an Internet connection, such as over a 3G (third generation) network, or General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). GPRS is a Mobile Data Service available to users of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). GPRS may be used for services such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) access, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), and for Internet communication services such as email and World Wide Web access. 
         [0015]    In embodiments of the invention, in response to a subscribing user placing a call or utilizing a data service, a determining component in the mobile device performs a lookup in the mobile device&#39;s local address book, and determines whether the call or data service is being placed to a business or personal contact. If the call or service is business related (or conversely personal), a notification is sent over a transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) network to the call service provider in parallel with the call or service. The notification provides sufficient information for the service provider to correlate the physical call or service with the notification (e.g., a timestamp and target telephone number). It is noted that the notification may be slightly delayed, in embodiments of the invention, until the call or service is actually accepted by a called party or their receiving communication device. In embodiments of the invention, the service provider correlates the received notification with the billing call record. Subsequently, the billing call record is annotated with a flag indicating the nature of the call or service (business or personal). The service provider may either tale the approach of assuming all calls or services are business, unless told otherwise (to flag calls or services to numbers not in the address book), or personal, depending on the nature of the user&#39;s service contract. Finally, the service provider provides a usage summary to a subscriber with business (or personal) calls or services annotated for identification. The usage summary may be further divided between personal and business use. In the event that the billing information is supplied to the subscriber in electronic form, the subscriber may perform various sorting of the billing information based on the annotations. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system  100  for implementing embodiments of the invention. A mobile communication device  102  with an alphanumeric keypad  104  and display screen  122  is utilized to place a wireless call or initiate a service over a communication network  108 . The communication network  108  may be any known wireless network, or Internet enabled network. The mobile communications device  102  (shown in greater detail in  FIG. 3 ) has a local address book (phone book) that is annotated to identify either business or personal contacts in the display screen  122 . Cellular communications are signified by base station  114  and antenna  116  in electrical signal communication with the mobile communication device  102  and a central billing and subscriber records server  106  via network  108 , and a public switched telephone network (PSTN)  124 . Annotation information is sent, to the central billing and subscriber records server  106 , by the mobile communication device  102  via the communications network  108 . The subscriber records server  106  correlates the annotation information with network usage time determined by the cellular base station  118 , and the phone number selected for initiating the call or service to delineate a billing summary. The delineated billing summary may be issued in written form as signified by letter  120  and mailbox  118 , or delivered electronically to a subscriber computer  110 , and displayed on screen  112 . The computer  110  is connected to the network  108  or the PSTN  124 . The subscriber based on the annotations may sort the electronic bill on their computer  110 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a flow chart for intelligent data handling of billing data for mobile or cellular communication devices utilizing features of Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) according to embodiments of the invention. The process starts (block  200 ) with a cell phone user initiating a call (block  202 ). The dialed call number is automatically compared to a contact list (block  204 ) stored in the cell phone&#39;s memory to determine if the call is a business or personal call (decision block  206 ). If the dialed number is determined not to be a business call (decision block  206  is No), the cell phone call is sent to a receiving cell site (block  208 ). If the call is not completed (decision block  210  is No) the process ends (block  212 ). If the call is completed (decision block  210  is Yes), a remote billing system tracks time and adjusts the bill according to callers plan (block  214 ), and the process ends (block  216 ) when the call ends. 
         [0018]    Continuing with  FIG. 2 , if the dialed number is determined to be a business call (decision block  206  is Yes), the cell phone call is sent to a receiving cell site (block  208 ). If the call is not completed (decision block  218  is No) the process ends (block  212 ). If the call is completed (decision block  218  is Yes), additional billing identifier information is sent over an IMS or similar network to a remote billing system (block  220 ). The remote billing system records and correlates the billing identifier with the number of the completed call (block  222 ), and the remote billing system tracks time and adjusts the bill according to callers plan (block  214 ), and the process ends (block  216 ) when the call ends. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates a mobile communication device  300  with a screen  302  displaying an exemplary phone book  304  according to embodiments of the invention. The mobile communication device&#39;s  300  phone book  304  is organized in memory in a database format, and displayed on the screen  302  in a series of columns. The first column  306  is an alphabetical list of names of stored contacts. The second column  308  has the corresponding contact numbers, and the third column  310  has the annotation identifiers for personal (P) or business (B) contacts. As described earlier, the annotation identifier is sent via an IMS, or similar data transmission means, to a service provider to assist in call categorization and billing preparation. 
         [0020]    The capabilities of the present invention can be implemented in software, firmware, hardware or some combination thereof. 
         [0021]    As one example, one or more aspects of the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture (e.g., one or more computer program products) having, for instance, computer usable media. The media has embodied therein, for instance, computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present invention. The article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately. 
         [0022]    Additionally, at least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the present invention can be provided. 
         [0023]    The flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention. 
         [0024]    While the preferred embodiments to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.