Method and system for providing immediate audio or data response billing information to a user

An immediate audio or data response billing information method and system allows an authorized caller or called party to a toll telephone call to receive the billing information record of the toll telephone call either during the toll telephone call or after the toll telephone call, but prior to termination of the requesting party's telephone connection to the telephone system. An authorized caller or called party may request billing information by entering a valid DTMF sequence. The billing information is extracted from the originating switch, which maintains the billing information record for the call, upon request. If the authorized party requesting billing information is the caller, the billing information is then provided directly to the caller from the originating switch by audio or data stream means. If, however, the authorized party requesting information is the called party, the billing information is provided to the terminating switch from the originating switch before being provided to the called party by audio or data stream means.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to providing telephone billing 
information to a party of a toll telephone call and more specifically to 
immediately providing requested telephone billing information in audio or 
data form in response to a valid request by the party. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The telephone industry is currently composed of several major telephone 
service providers which each offering a variety of pricing plans and 
structures. The price charged a paying party for a toll telephone call may 
depend upon a variety of factors, including the time of the day, the day 
of the week, the called party's service provider in relation to the 
caller, where the caller is calling from, how frequently the called party 
is called, arrangements for payment of the toll telephone call, whether 
operator assistance was rendered, and other relevant pricing factors. 
In the prior art, the party to the toll telephone call responsible for 
payment of the toll charge, whether it be the caller or the called party, 
has no means of requesting and then immediately receiving an audio or data 
reading of his/her billing record either during the toll telephone call 
itself or following completion of the toll telephone call. A party 
interested in such billing information must wait to receive a billing 
statement from the telephone service provider or contact the billing 
office of the telephone service provider following completion of the toll 
telephone call in order to obtain the billing information. At any rate, 
the party paying for the toll telephone call currently does, not have the 
means of requesting and then immediately receiving desired billing 
information either during a toll telephone call or upon completion of the 
toll telephone call. 
There is thus an unmet need in the art for a party to a toll telephone call 
who is authorized to receive toll information to be able to request and 
then to immediately receive requested billing information. This need 
exists both during an on-going toll telephone call and just after a toll 
telephone call has been completed. The need for immediate receipt of 
billing information about the toll telephone call has become more 
important with the recent proliferation of individual pricing plans and 
structures that are currently available from competing telephone service 
providers. With so many pricing structures from which to chose, it is 
desirable that a paying party to a toll telephone call be able to easily 
and readily monitor the toll charges levied by the telephone service 
provider selected to provide the toll telephone service. 
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
It would be advantageous in the art for a party to a toll telephone call to 
be able to dynamically request and immediately receive audio response 
billing information during a toll telephone call, prior to termination of 
the party's telephone call connection. 
It would further be advantageous in the art for a party to a toll telephone 
call to be able to dynamically request and immediately receive audio 
response billing information following completion of a toll telephone 
call, prior to termination of the party's telephone call connection. 
It would be advantageous in the art for a party to a toll telephone call to 
be able to dynamically request and immediately receive data response 
billing information during a toll telephone call, prior to termination of 
the party's telephone call connection. 
It would further be advantageous in the art for a party to a toll telephone 
call to be able to dynamically request and immediately receive data 
response billing information following completion of a toll telephone 
call, prior to termination of the party's telephone call connection. 
Therefore, according to the present invention, an authorized party to a 
toll telephone call on an automated telephone system is able to request 
and then immediately receive billing information about the toll telephone 
call. The authorized party is able to dynamically access billing 
information about the toll telephone call either during the toll telephone 
call or following completion of the toll telephone call so long as the 
authorized party's request for the billing information is made prior to 
termination of the authorized party's telephone call connection. 
An authorized caller or called party may request billing information by 
entering a valid DTMF sequence. The billing information is extracted from 
the originating switch, which maintains the billing information record for 
the call, upon request. If the authorized party requesting billing 
information is the caller, the billing information is then provided 
directly to the caller from the originating switch by audio or data stream 
means. If, however, the authorized party requesting information is the 
called party, the billing information is provided to the terminating 
switch from the originating switch before being provided to the called 
party by audio or data stream means. 
It is accordingly an object of the invention for an authorized party to a 
toll telephone call to be able to dynamically request and immediately 
receive audio response billing information during the toll telephone call, 
prior to termination of the authorized party's telephone call connection. 
It is accordingly further an object of the invention for an authorized 
party to a toll telephone call to be able to dynamically request and 
immediately receive audio response billing information following 
completion of the toll telephone call, prior to termination of the 
authorized party's telephone call connection. 
It is further an object of the invention for an authorized party to a toll 
telephone call to be able to dynamically request and immediately receive 
data response billing information during the toll telephone call, prior to 
termination of the authorized party's telephone call connection. 
It is a further object of the invention for an authorized party to a toll 
telephone call to be able to dynamically request and immediately receive 
data response billing information following completion of the toll 
telephone call, prior to termination of the authorized party's telephone 
call connection. 
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the 
detailed description of the invention in which numerals used throughout 
the description correspond to those found in the drawing figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention describes a method and system for providing immediate 
audio or data response billing information to a party to a toll telephone 
call who is authorized to access billing information. The authorized party 
to the toll telephone call may access billing information during the toll 
telephone call or after completion of the toll telephone call, but prior 
to the termination of the authorized party's telephone call connection 
that occurs when the authorized party hangs up the telephone receiver. The 
authorized party may be either the caller, the party placing the telephone 
call, or the called party, the party receiving the telephone call, so long 
as the party is authorized to access billing information pertaining to the 
toll telephone call. 
In the present invention, the originating switch and the terminating switch 
is capable of accessing the billing information record for the toll 
telephone call between the caller and the called party. Whether the 
originating switch or the terminating switch of the automated telephone 
system will provide the requested billing information to the authorized 
party who requested it depends upon whether the authorized party is the 
caller or the called party. By definition, the originating switch is 
associated with the calling party, since it is the calling party who 
initiates the toll telephone call. The terminating switch is associated 
with the called party who receives the toll telephone call. Once the 
telephone call is established, the originating switch processes the 
caller's telephone call connection to the telephone system and maintains 
the billing information record of the toll telephone call. The terminating 
switch processes the called party's telephone call connection to the 
telephone system. The telephone call between the caller and the called 
party is terminated when either the caller or the called party hangs up 
the telephone or otherwise terminates the party's telephone call 
connection to the telephone system. 
The caller may be connected to the called party by directly dialing the 
called party, dialing a toll-free number, calling collect, or using a 
calling card to connect to the called party. The caller is typically 
responsible for the toll charge when directly dialing the called party or 
when using a calling card to connect to the called party. In these 
circumstances, the caller and not the called party would normally be 
authorized to access the billing information of the toll telephone call. 
The called party, on the other hand, is typically responsible for the toll 
charge when the caller connects to the called party by dialing a toll-free 
number or by calling the called party collect. In these circumstances, the 
called party and not the caller, is normally authorized to access the 
billing information of the toll telephone call. 
Once the toll telephone call is established, the authorized caller or 
called party may request billing information during or immediately upon 
completing the toll telephone call by entering into the telephone keypad a 
valid Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency Signaling (DTMF) sequence, such as #7 for 
example. The caller may receive the billing information only if the caller 
is paying the toll or otherwise has authority to access the billing 
information. The called party, conversely, may receive the billing 
information only if the called party is paying the toll or otherwise has 
authority to access the billing information. A party authorized to receive 
billing information will have to enter valid DTMF sequence. 
If the caller requests billing information by entering a valid DTMF 
sequence, the originating switch will verify that the caller has access 
authority, extract the billing information record, and provide the billing 
information to the caller either audibly or by data stream. If the called 
party requests billing information by entering a valid DTMF sequence, the 
terminating switch will verify that the called party has access authority, 
request the billing information record from the originating switch, and, 
upon receipt of the billing information record from the originating 
switch, provide the billing information to the called party either audibly 
or by data stream. 
If the toll telephone call between the caller and the called party is 
terminated by the called party hanging up the telephone, the originating 
switch will continue to process the caller's telephone connection until 
the caller terminates his telephone call connection by hanging up the 
telephone receiver. The caller may request billing information by entering 
a valid DTMF sequence at any time prior to terminating the caller's 
telephone connection by hanging up the telephone receiver. 
If the toll telephone call between the caller and the called party is 
terminated by the caller hanging up the telephone, the terminating switch 
will continue to process the called party's telephone connection until the 
called party terminates his telephone call connection by hanging up the 
telephone receiver. The called party may request billing information by 
entering a valid DTMF sequence at any time prior to the called party 
hanging up the telephone receiver. 
Referring to FIG. 1, a simplified block diagram 10 that illustrates various 
ways for a caller to connect to a called party, according to the present 
invention, is shown. Caller 12 either dialed directly as shown in Block 
14, dialed a toll-free number as shown in Block 16, or used a calling card 
as shown in Block 18 to connect to the Called Party as shown in Block 30. 
If the Caller 12 directly dialed 14 the Called Party 30, then the Caller 
12 is responsible for the toll charge as shown in Block 20. During the 
toll telephone call, the billing information is kept in the originating 
switch as shown in Block 26a. When the Caller 12 requests the billing 
information it is extracted from the originating switch 26a and is 
presented to Caller 12 either audibly or by data stream. 
If the Caller 12 dialed a toll-free number as shown in Block 16 to connect 
to the Called Party 30, then the Called Party 30 is responsible for the 
toll charge as shown in Block 22. Dialing a toll-free number as shown in 
Block 16 includes dialing either collect, or dialing an 800 or 888 number. 
During the toll telephone call, the billing information is kept in the 
originating switch as shown in Block 26b. When the Called Party 30 
requests the billing information, it is transferred from the originating 
switch 26b to the terminating switch as shown in Block 28b and is 
presented to Called Party 30 party either audibly or by data. 
If the Caller 12 used a calling card as shown in Block 18 to connect to the 
Called Party 30, then the Caller 12, Called Party 30, or a Third party is 
responsible for the toll charge as shown in Block 22. During the toll 
telephone call, the billing information is kept in the originating switch 
as shown in Block 26c. When the Caller 12 requests the billing 
information, it is extracted from the originating switch 26c and is 
presented to Caller 12 either audibly or by data stream. If the Called 
Party 30 is responsible for the toll charge, then when the Called Party 30 
requests the billing information, it is transferred from Originating 
Switch 26c to the Terminating Switch as shown in Block 28c and is 
presented to Called Party 30 either audibly or by data stream. 
Referring to FIG. 2, a flow chart 40 illustrating the billing information 
request and response at the originating switch during a toll telephone 
call, according to the present invention, is shown. First, at Block 42 and 
Block 46, the telephone call connection between the caller and the called 
party is established and the call is processed normally. Once the 
telephone call connection between the caller and the called party is 
established, originating switch 44 is responsible for processing the 
caller connection of the telephone call and terminating switch 48 is 
responsible for processing the called connection of the telephone call. As 
shown in Block 50, the toll telephone call between the caller and the 
called party is terminated when either the caller or the called party 
hangs up the telephone. 
During the toll telephone call, Decision Block 52 inquires whether the 
caller has entered a valid DTMF sequence, such as #7. If an appropriate 
DTMF sequence was not entered, then the Originating Switch 44 continues to 
process the call normally. If the valid DTMF sequence for requesting 
billing information was entered, then the flow continues on to Decision 
Block 54. Decision Block 54 inquires who is responsible for paying the 
toll for the toll telephone call between the caller and the called party. 
If the called party or a third party is responsible for paying the toll, 
then the flow continues on to Decision Block 56. If the caller is 
responsible for paying the toll, then the flow continues on to Block 58. 
Decision Block 56 inquires whether the caller has authority to access the 
billing information. If no, then normal processing continues at the 
Originating Switch 44. If yes, then the flow continues on to Block 58. 
Beginning at Block 58, the billing information is accessed. At Block 58, 
the billing record is extracted. The billing record is provided to the 
caller either orally or by data stream at Block 60. The data stream may be 
configured to be received by hearing impaired parties, using the TTY or 
the TDD standards, or may be a standard computer signal for computer 
access. The caller is prompted for whether a replay is desired at Block 62 
and the system pauses for a response at Block 64. Again the prompt to the 
caller may be either oral or by data stream at Block 62 and the data 
stream may be similarly configured to be received by hearing impaired 
parties or may be a standard computer signal. Decision Block 66 inquires 
whether the caller desires a replay of the billing information. If a 
replay is desired, then the flow continues on to Block 58. If a replay is 
not desired, then normal processing continues at originating switch 44. 
Referring to FIG. 3, a flow chart 70 illustrating the billing information 
request and response at the terminating switch during a toll telephone 
call of the present invention is shown. The toll telephone call between 
the caller and the called party is established and the call is processed 
normally at Block 42 and Block 46. Once the toll telephone call between 
the caller and the called party is established, the originating switch 44 
is responsible for processing the caller connection and the terminating 
switch 48 is responsible for processing the called connection of the 
telephone call. As shown in Block 50, the toll telephone call between the 
caller and the called party is terminated when either the caller or the 
called party hangs up the telephone. 
During the toll telephone call, Decision Block 72 inquires whether the 
called party has entered a valid DTMF sequence, such as #7, to request 
billing information. If an appropriate DTMF sequence was not entered, then 
the Terminating Switch 48 continues to process the call normally. If the 
valid DTMF sequence for requesting billing information was entered, then 
the flow continues on to Decision Block 74. Decision Block 74 inquires who 
is responsible for paying the toll for the telephone call between the 
caller and the called party. If the caller or a third party is responsible 
for paying the toll, then normal processing continues at Terminating 
Switch 44. If the called party is responsible for paying the toll, then 
the flow continues on to Block 76. At Block 76, Terminating Switch 48 
requests and waits for a copy of the billing record to be sent from 
Originating Switch 44 to Terminating Switch 48. Decision Block 78 inquires 
whether the billing record was received from Originating Switch 44. If the 
billing information was received, then the flow continues on to Block 80. 
If the billing information was not received, then normal processing 
continues at Terminating Switch 48. 
Beginning at Block 80, the billing information is accessed. The billing 
record is provided to the called party either orally or by data stream at 
Block 80. The data stream may be configured to be received by hearing 
impaired parties or by a standard computer signal for computer access. The 
called party is prompted for whether a replay is desired at Block 82 and 
the system pauses for a response at Block 84. Again the prompt to the 
called party may be either oral or by data stream at Block 84 and the data 
stream may be similarly configured to be received by hearing impaired 
parties or by a standard computer signal. Decision Block 86 inquires 
whether the called party desires a replay of the billing information. If 
yes, then the flow continues on to Block 30. If no, then normal processing 
continues at Terminating Switch 48. 
Referring to FIG. 4, a flow chart 90 illustrating the billing information 
request and response at the originating switch after the called party 
hangs up the telephone, according to the present invention, is shown. The 
call between the caller and the called party is established and the call 
is processed normally at Block 42 and Block 46. As shown in Block 92, the 
call between the caller and the called party is terminated when the called 
party hangs up the telephone. Once the called party hangs up the 
telephone, Originating Switch 44 is responsible for processing the caller 
connection of the telephone call until the caller hangs up the telephone. 
After the called party hangs up the telephone terminating the call between 
the caller and the called party, Originating Switch 44 waits for the 
caller to enter a valid DTMF sequence, such as #7, at Block 94. Decision 
Block 96 inquires whether the caller has entered a valid DTMF sequence. If 
an appropriate DTMF sequence was not entered, then the Originating Switch 
44 continues to wait for the caller to enter a valid DTMF sequence at 
Block 94. If the valid DTMF sequence for requesting billing information 
was entered, then the flow continues on to Decision Block 98. Decision 
Block 98 inquires who is responsible for paying the toll for the call 
between the caller and the called party. If the called party or a third 
party is responsible for paying the toll, then the flow continues on to 
Decision Block 100. If the caller is responsible for paying the toll, then 
the flow continues on to Block 102. Decision Block 100 inquires whether 
the caller has authority to access the billing information. If no, then 
processing is terminated at Originating Switch 44. If yes, then the flow 
continues on to Block 102. 
Beginning at Block 102, the billing information is accessed. At Block 102, 
the billing record is extracted. The billing record is provided to the 
caller either orally or by data stream at Block 104. The data stream may 
be configured to be received by hearing impaired parties or be a standard 
computer signal for computer access. The caller is prompted for whether a 
replay is desired at Block 106 and the system pauses for a response at 
Block 108. Again the prompt to the caller may be either oral or by data 
stream at Block 106 and the data stream may be similarly configured to be 
received by hearing impaired parties or be a standard computer signal. 
Decision Block 110 inquires whether the caller desires a replay of the 
billing information. If yes, then the flow continues on to Block 102. If 
no, then processing is terminated at Originating Switch 44. 
Referring to FIG. 5, a flow chart 120 illustrating the billing information 
request and response at the terminating switch after the caller hangs up 
the telephone, according to the present invention, is shown. The call 
between the caller and the called party is established and the call is 
processed normally at Block 42 and Block 46. As shown in Block 122, the 
call between the caller and the called party is terminated when the caller 
hangs up the telephone. Once the caller hangs up the telephone, 
Terminating Switch 48 is responsible for processing the called connection 
of the telephone call until the called party hangs up the telephone. 
After the caller hangs up the telephone terminating the call between the 
caller and the called party, the Terminating Switch 48 waits for the 
called party to enter a valid DTMF sequence, such as #7, at Block 124. 
Decision Block 126 inquires whether the caller has entered a valid DTMF 
sequence. If an appropriate DTMF sequence was not entered, then 
Terminating Switch 48 continues to wait for the called party to enter a 
valid DTMF sequence at Block 124. If the valid DTMF sequence for 
requesting billing information was entered, then the flow continues on to 
Decision Block 128. Decision Block 128 inquires who is responsible for 
paying the toll for the call between the caller and the called party. If 
the caller or a third party is responsible for paying the toll, then 
processing is terminated at Terminating Switch 48. If the called party is 
responsible for paying the toll, then the flow continues on to Block 130. 
At Block 130, Terminating Switch 48 requests and waits for a copy of the 
billing record to be sent to Terminating Switch 48 from the originating 
switch. Decision Block 132 inquires whether the billing record was 
received from the originating switch. If yes, then the flow continues on 
to Block 134. If no, then processing is terminated at Terminating Switch 
48. 
Beginning at Block 134, the billing information is accessed. The billing 
record is provided to the called party either orally or by data stream at 
Block 134. The data stream may be configured to be received by hearing 
impaired parties or be a standard computer signal for computer access. The 
called party is prompted for whether a replay is desired at Block 136 and 
the system pauses for a response at Block 138. Again, the prompt to the 
called party may be either oral or by data stream at Block 136 and the 
data stream may be similarly configured to be received by hearing impaired 
parties or be a standard computer signal. Decision Block 140 inquires 
whether the called party desires a replay of the billing information. If 
yes, then the flow continues on to Block 134. If no, then processing is 
terminated at Terminating Switch 48. 
Referring to FIG. 6, a representation of the billing information database 
150 of the present invention is shown. A Billing Record 152 of the billing 
information database may typically contain the following information: the 
telephone number called; the total call duration; the carrier for the 
party paying the toll; any plan information for the party paying the toll 
such as friends and family; the starting time of the telephone call; day 
of the week information such as whether this is a weekend or weekday; the 
per unit rate such as cost per minute; and the total charge of the 
telephone call. Other desired information may be contained within the 
billing information database 150. 
The present advantage provides an important advantage over the prior art in 
that it provides for an authorized party to a toll telephone call to 
access billing information in "real time" either during the actual 
telephone call itself, or after completion of the telephone call but prior 
to the requester of billing information hanging up the telephone receiver. 
An authorized party accessing billing information during the telephone 
call can use the billing information received to determine whether to 
continue with the telephone call or to complete it. Additionally, an 
authorized party accessing billing information after the telephone call 
has been completed but prior to terminating the telephone call connection 
by hanging up the telephone receiver can use the cost of the call to 
appropriately bill a client for the cost of the telephone call, for 
instance, before the billing statement is received from the telephone 
system provider. 
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with 
reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those 
skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made 
therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.