METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CHARGING VALUE-ADDED CALLS

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for call billing for a telecommunications network, which includes an intelligent network portion (23, 24) equipped with a control logic for calls placed to a value-added access number, and for an external financial institution (32) that jointly offer a service based on a value-added access number, in which method the control logic is activated from the number of the calling party, later called the A-number (21), through the dialing of a B-number, whereby steered by the control logic, the following steps are carried out: the need for control by the intelligent network portion (23, 24) is identified by the telecommunication network and the call control is forwarded to a telephone network exchange (22) that has integrated thereto a service control point SSP (23) of an intelligent network; subsequently the SSP (23) analyzes the B-number and sends a query based on the analysis to a service control point SCP (24) of the intelligent network wherein a call control database resides; and, in the SCP, the intelligent network control logic is activated. The invention is principally characterized in that the location and/or type of the A-number connection is analyzed, voice announcements are generated on the billing terms of the access number call, accessibility thereof and/or possibility of paying the call by instruments issued by a financial institution (32) external to the telecommunication network, the caller enters from the A-number connection (21) the selection of the payment instrument and the caller's identification data, an amount of currency is transferred from the financial institution (32) to a database DB (31) of a database server, the dialed B-number is converted into a preset connection number of the target access number, that is, the C-number, the SSP (23) establishes a connection to the C-number (27), the incurred cost at the termination of the call is compared to the amount of credit stored in the database DB (31), and the information on the remaining balance is submitted to the financial institution (32) for meriting the credit or bank account allocated to the caller.

Description: METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CHARGING VALUE-ADDED CALLS The present invention relates to telecommunications and electronic payments. More specifically, the present invention relates to a call billing method for a telecommunications network, which includes an intelligent network portion comprising at least a service switching point SSP and a service control point SCP equipped with a control logic for calls placed to a value-added access number, and for an external financial institution, such as a bank or credit company, that jointly offer a service based on a value-added access number, in which method the control logic is activated from the number of the calling party, later called the A-number, through the dialing of the value-added access number, later called the B-number, whereby in the method the following steps are carried out steered by the control logic: - the need for control by the intelligent network portion is identified on the basis of the dialed B-number and the call control is forwarded to a telephone network exchange that has integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicates with said SSP unit of the intelligent network, in the SSP, the B-number is analyzed and a query based thereon is sent to the SCP of the intelligent network, wherein a call control database resides, and - in the SCP, the intelligent network control logic assigned to the value-added access call established by the dialing of the B-number is activated. The invention also relates to a call billing system for a telecommunications network, which includes an intelligent network portion comprising at least a service switching point SSP and a service control point SCP equipped with a control logic for calls placed to a value-added access number, and for an external financial institution, such as a bank or credit company, that jointly offer a service based on a value-added access number, in which system the control logic is activated from the number of the calling party, later called the A-number, through the dialing of the value-added access number, later called the B-number, whereby in the method the following steps are carried out steered by the control logic: the need for control by the intelligent network portion is identified by the telecommunication network on the basis of the dialed B-number and the call control is forwarded to a telephone network exchange that has integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicates with an intelligent network SSP, - in the SSP, the B-number is analyzed and a query based thereon is sent to the SCP of the intelligent network, wherein a call control database resides, and - in the SCP, the intelligent network control logic assigned to the value-added access call established by the dialing of the B-number is activated. Calls placed to value-added access numbers are subject, among others, to the following limitations: a. Telecommunications sector agreements and frequently, also regulations set up by authorities, curtail the upper limits of value-added access calls as per maximum call charge or duration that can be billed per call, whereby a major ob- stacle is posed to the electronic commerce of goods and services over the telecommunications network. b. Value-added call charging to a caller using a payphone or other nonsubscriber- type of connection for the service is impossible, because conventional signaling does not support any other charging information but such that can be attributed to the subscriber owning the connection. c. Value-added access calls are not possible if the subscriber owning the connection has ordered a call restriction service in order to prevent calls from being placed to value-added access numbers. d. Calls placed from abroad cannot be billed to the calling party's connection with the value-added charge, because charging information (e.g., ticks) is not transmitted between two countries in the signaling of international calls. Hence, it is a convention to program the control logics of value-added services in intelligent networks to bar calls placed from abroad in order to prevent international callers from gaining access to the services without paying the value-added charge. It is known that calling from an A-number to a value-added service takes place by dialing the value-added access number, such as a 0600- or 0700-prefixed access number serving as the B-number, whereby the telecommunications network performs conversion of the B-number conversion upon the call placed to said B-number serving as an access number and the call is then routed to a C-number assigned to the B-number. In this kind of service, the network operator carries out the billing of the value-added charge in the telephone bill sent to the owner of the A-number connection and the value-added is then passed to the service provider. Such value-added calls are generally subject to regulations issued by authorities in regard to the maximum overall duration of the access number call (e.g., by a maximum duration of 20 min) and/or maximum charge billed to the owner of the A-number connection. In telecommunications networks, prior-art implementations of calls placed from - payphones and - as international calls from abroad to value-added access numbers are generally based on a so-called prepaid account call. In these embodiments, which obviously also allow the call to be placed over a connection owned or leased by the caller, the caller generally has a prepaid credit on his call virtual billing account that can be charged by the access call time and other charge rates. When the credit of the prepaid account is exhausted, the caller can get more prepaid call time either by paying the network operator a given sum of prepayment for ' recharging" his call billing account or, if the account is a one-time agreement, by paying the value of a new account agreement. The latter type of one-time service agreements are generally purchased from the retailers of the network operator, such as magazine kiosks, in the form of calling cards having a nominal value of, e.g., FIM 50, 100 or 200 and including a user code and a password. When using these calling card for paying call charges, the caller is identified by his user code and PIN. The calls are placed by dialing a specific access number that generally is a toll- free number such as any 0800-prefixed number, whereupon the caller is requested to enter his user code and PIN. After caller identification, the caller is urged to dial the number he wishes to reach. Such a call to be charged to a prepaid account is known in the art as a prepaid account call. One of these commercially marketed service products is Nappula® offered by Sonera Oyj PLC. An alternative arrangement is that the caller has made a separate arrangement with his network operator that allows him to place calls billable to his specific account by given quantity of calls or number of ticks during a month. The call charges are later billed by a separate bill at agreed intervals or are included in the caller's normal telephone bill. Also in this case, placing the calls occurs in the same manner as in the above-mentioned prepaid account calls. One product of this type is the Green Card™ offered by HPY. Prior-art embodiments are handicapped by requiring the caller to separately make arrangements for above-described account calls even when he would not need the facility for any other calls but infrequent ones to value-added access numbers. The credit of the prepaid call account must either be "recharged" at certain intervals or, in the case of nonrenawable prepaid call services, a new card must be purchased. Furthermore, the user code and PIN of the prepaid access number calling card will change with each purchase of a new dispensable calling card. Also a subscriber who makes a separate account billing agreement must bear extra trouble and, additionally, is in most cases required to pay a fixed signing-on fee, monthly basic rate or annuity. Frequently, calls placed as prepaid account calls are charged at a higher rate, even 50 to 200 % more than calls placed from a conventional subscriber connection. Nevertheless, prepaid account calls are generally less lucrative to the network operator, because they generate minimal chargeable traffic as compared to the fixed billing and maintenance costs of the offered service product. Today, callers may draw upon the payment instrument options: - Credit cards secured with PINs. - Payment by the SET protocol over the telecommunications network. This facility of paying by the SET protocol is made possible by an MIA (Merchant Initialized Authorization) code consisting of the credit card basic number, extension of the credit card number and validity date, combined with a software module that is runnable on a terminal computer and is offered to its clients by the institution issuing the credit card. The user interface of the computer software provides a payment button that permits each payment made from the terminal to be validated toward the goods or service provider. - Different kinds of user authorizations to electronic payment methods (e.g., Solo™ offered by Merita and Kultaraha™ offered by Osuuspankkien Keskusosuuspankki. - User interface cards of terminals used in electronic telecommunications networks, such as those of the GSM networks. These means and methods are daily used by consumers for carrying out communications and money transactions/payments. Obviously, a system allowing the same payment techniques to be used by callers would substantially reduce the need for purchasing a separate instrument for account calls and even obviate the need therefor in conjunction with international calls placed from abroad to value-added access numbers. It is a primary goal of the present invention to eliminate the restrictions and problems hampering the prior-art billing of calls placed to access numbers and to provide a novel and innovative method and system for access number call billing. This goal is attained by virtue of the method described earlier, the method being principally characterized by the steps of: analyzing the location and/or type of the A-number connection, - the caller placing a call from the A-number connection being informed by means of voice announcements generated by the telecommunications network facilities on the billing terms of the access number call, accessibility thereof and/or possibility of paying the call by instruments issued by a financial institution external to the telecommunication network, - entering from the A-number connection the selection of the payment instrument and the caller's identification data, transferring an amount of currency corresponding to the preset price or estimated costs from the financial institution to an intelligent network server database DB residing in the telecommunications network, - converting the dialed B-number with the help of the intelligent network call control database into a preset connection number of the target access number, later called the C-number, and requesting the caller to dial the desired target connection number, or the C-number, for connecting the call, establishing a connection from the telephone network exchange having integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicating with the SSP, to the C- number connection, at the termination of the call, computing the incurred cost that is then compared to the amount of credit stored in the database DB of the database server in order to determine the remaining balance, and submitting the information on the remaining balance to the financial institution for meriting the credit or bank account allocated to the caller. The other goals of the invention are achieved by means of a system of the type described above, whereby the system is principally characterized in that - the telecommunications network analyzes the location and/or type of the A-number connection, - the telecommunications network generates voice announcements in order to inform the caller placing a call from the A-number connection on the billing terms of the access number call, accessibility thereof and/or possibility of paying the call by instruments issued by a financial institution external to the telecommunication network, - the caller using the A-number connection selects the payment instrument and identifies himself by his personal identification data, - the financial institution transfers an amount of currency corresponding to the preset price or estimated costs to an intelligent network server database DB residing in the telecommunications network, - the intelligent network portion converts the dialed B-number with the help of the network call control database into a preset connection number associated with the target access number, later called the C-number, or, alternatively, the caller may dial the desired target connection number, that is, the C-number, for connecting the call, - an SSP establishes a connection from the telephone network exchange having the SSP integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicating with the SSP, to the C-number connection, at the termination of the call, the incurred cost is compared to the amount of credit stored in the database DB of the database server in order to determine the remaining balance, and a database server submits the information on the remaining balance to the financial institution for meriting the credit or bank account allocated to the caller. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the location and/or type of the connection, later called the A-number connection, wherefrom the call is placed to the access number, are/is analyzed based on the incoming call pathway signaling, a call information field such as the OPC (Originating Point Code) field of the signaling associated with the incoming call, the A-subscriber identity information missing from the incoming call signaling, or the A-number analysis results of the caller's connection. In conjunction with the use of an SCP logic and the voice announcements of an IP accessory device or IVR type voice response unit of the intelligent network, a preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the SCP sets up a connection via a database server supporting said database DB to a financial institution such as a credit company or a bank for accomplishing a money transfer from the financial institution to the database DB. The IP accessory device or the IVR device may be arranged to support external communications, whereby said communications and setting up of a connection can be performed directly from the IP or IVR device via the database DB to the credit card company or bank. According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the SCP generates for the identification of each payment transaction separately a signature (e.g., an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers) that is transmitted to the database DB of the database server and thus acts as a signature of the payment transaction. To assure that the amount of electronic money transferred from the financial institu- tion to the database DB is sufficient to cover all the normal costs incurred from setting up a telecommunications connection, the billing system according to the invention of calls placed to an access number is characterized in that the amount of electronic money to be transferred from the financial institution is determined with the help of the database server and is then stored in the database, e.g., into a memory register thereof, whereby the amount of electronic money to be deposited is advantageously equal to a sum corresponding to the maximum accrued charge levied from calling the access number and using the maximum allowable duration of such a call. According to the invention, the balance of the real costs is immediately refunded to the caller's account from the database DB of the database server. According to the invention, after the SCP has detected a successful completion of the payment transaction, the service control logic is enabled to carry out further steps comprising connecting the call to the C-number and starting the monitoring of the call maximum duration/incurred charge in the SSP exchange under the control of the SCP. According to the invention, the call is terminated by - the caller hanging up, - the C-number terminal hanging up, or - the maximum duration/incurred charge of the call is expired. Then, the SSP exchange writes a ticket from the call and reports the situation to the SCP call control database. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the SCP computes the price of the call ticket drawing upon information on - call duration, - tariff class associated with the call, and possible ticks received from the C-number terminal end. The ticket price information is transmitted to the database DB that computes the balance remaining from the sum initially charged from the caller and, finally, the database DB transfers the possible balance credit to the caller's "account" residing in the financial institution or bank. Among other benefits of the invention, it must be noted that the present method makes it unnecessary to make the above-described separate arrangements for calling a value-added access number from abroad, a payphone or a connection having a restriction on calls to access numbers. Rather, the caller can use, e.g., his PLN-coded credit card or the above-cited electrical payment techniques such as Solo, Kultaraha and others that are becoming ever more popular, whereby the invention offers a novel and alternative method of payment, wherein communications costs and/or access number charges can be billed in an essentially real-time manner via an external financial institution such as a bank or a credit card company. A further advantage is appreciated therein that the caller may also at an early stage be informed on the possibility of making payments and/or donations up to very substantial sums of money thus bringing an essential relief in the problems of electronic business simul- taneously as the invention permits an open marketplace to be established in the public telephone network so that both the financial institutions and the users can gain access to the marketplace via a database server. As to other details of the invention and benefits resulting therefrom, reference is made to the dependent claims of the appended set of claims. In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with the help of examples by making reference to the appended drawings in which FIG. 1 is a set of diagrams illustrating an access call billing method and system according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention suited for use in a public telecommunication network; and FIG. 2 is a set of diagrams illustrating an access call billing method and system according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention suited for use in a public telecommunication network. Referring to Fig. 1, the billing system according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated therein as an application adapted to utilize the public wireline telecommunication network comprises: 1. A financial institution 32 arranged to communicate with the telecommunication network, and 2. Telecommunication network elements comprising: i. an intelligent network portion including a service switching point SSP 22, a service control point SCP 24 and an intelligent network accessory device IP 25, ii. a first telephone exchange 22 that may be a national or an international exchange, a. via which the owner of a connection 21 communicating with said telecommunication network, when calling an access number, is connected to an intelligent network portion 23, 24, 25 of the telecommunication network , and b. wherefrom a communications path is established to a target number connection 26 of the telecommunication network as soon as, in the intelligent network portion 23, 24, 25 of the telecommunication network, has been performed a conversion of the dialed B-number, that is, of the desired access number, dialed at the calling party's connection, or the A-number connection 21 , into the actual access number of the target connection, that is, of the C-number connection 26, iii. a second telephone exchange 26 having said target number connection, that is, the C-number 26 connected thereto, and iv. a database server wherein a database DB 31 is maintained and via which the telecommunication network communicates with the financial institution 32. It must be noted herein that both the A-number and C-number connections may obviously reside within the operating area of one and the same telephone exchange. In such a case, the second telephone exchange 26 shown in FIG. 1 is redundant and both the calling party's A-number connection 21 and the target number, that is, the C-number connection 26 are connected to the same telephone exchange 22. According to the first preferred embodiment of the invention, the telecommunications and data transfer connections between the elements of the telecommunication network are accomplished in the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 by way of arranging an SS7 signaling system based on the connectionless common channel CCS signaling standards as defined in the ITU-T recommendations to func- tion between the telecommunication network elements. Alternatively, the signaling system may be accomplished as CAS signaling of the connection-specific signaling type, wherein the signals are transferred along with the voice channel and the signaling convention is based on the R2 protocol. In a system shown in FIG. 1 based on the CCS signaling standard: - The network elements, which include the A-number connection 21, the first telephone exchange 22, the service switching point SSP 23 of the intelligent network, the second telephone exchange 26 and the C-number connection 27 are adapted to perform telecommunications and data transfer by means of the ISUP (Integrated Services digital network User Part) protocol usable above Layer 3 of the SS7 protocol stack in the OSI model or by the TUP (Telephony User Part) protocol, whereby the telecommunications and data transfer connections between these portions of the network are accomplished over connections according to the SS7 - MTP (ITU-T Recommendations: Signalling System No. 7 / Message Transfer Part) established via physical PCM links, for example. - In the intelligent network portion, the service switching point SSP 23, die service control point SCP 24 and the intelligent network accessory device IP 25 are all implemented for telecommunications and data transfer using hardware compatible with the conventions of the Layer 7 LNAP (Intelligent Network Application Part) protocol of the SS7 protocol stack in the OSI model, whereby the telecommunications and data transfer connections between these portions of the network are accomplished over connections according to the SS7 - MTP (ITU-T Recommendations: Signalling System No. 7 / Message Transfer Part) established via physical PCM links, for example. In the intelligent network portion, the service control point SCP 24, the database server, wherein the database DB resides, and the server system of the financial institution 32 accomplish the telecommunications and data transfer connections therebetween using as their mutual data transfer network a packet- switched data network, wherein the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router-based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer proto- col advantageously is TCP/IP. As shown in FIG. 1, the IP accessory device 25 may also be arranged to support external data transfer in addition to its normal data communications with the intelligent network 23, 24. Then, this facility of external data transfer can be utilized to set up a connection and data transmission from the IP accessory device 25 via the database DB 31 to the financial institution 32. To identify each payment transaction, the SCP 24 generates and sends to the database DB 31 a signature identifier (such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers) that acts as a signature of the payment transaction. The telecommuni- cations and data transfer connections between the IP accessory device 25 and the database 32 can be implemented using for data transfer a packet-switched data network, wherein the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router-based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer protocol advantageously is TCP/IP. Now referring to Fig. 2, the billing system according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated therein as an application adapted to utilize the public wireline telecommunication network comprises: 1. A financial institution 32 arranged to communicate with the telecommunication network, and 2. Telecommunication network elements comprising: i. an intelligent network portion including a service switching point SSP 22 and a service control point SCP 24, ii. an intelligent voice response device IVR 28, iii. a first telephone exchange 22 that may be a national or an international exchange, a. via which the owner of a connection 21 communicating with said telecommunication network, when calling an access number, is connected to an intelligent network portion 23, 24 of the telecommunication network and to the intelligent voice response device IVR 28, and b. wherefrom a communications path is established to a target number connection 26 of the telecommunication network as soon as, in the intelligent network portion 23, 24 of the telecommunication network, has been performed a conversion of the dialed B-number, that is, of the desired access number, dialed at the calling party's connection, or the A-number connection 21, into the actual access number of the target connection, that is, of the C-number connection 26, iv. a second telephone exchange 26 having said target number connection, that is, the C-number 26 connected thereto, and 3. a database server wherein a database DB 31 is maintained and via which the telecommunication network communicates with the financial institution 32. It must be noted herein that both the A-number and C-number connections may obviously reside within the operating area of one and the same telephone exchange. In such a case, the second telephone exchange 26 shown in FIG. 2 is redundant and both the calling party's A-number connection 21 and the target number, that is, the C-number connection 27 are connected to the same telephone exchange 22. According to the second preferred embodiment of the invention, the telecommunica- tions and data transfer connections between the elements of the telecommunication network are accomplished in the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 by way of arranging an SS7 signaling system based on the connectionless common channel CCS signaling standards as defined in the ITU-T recommendations to function between the telecommunication network elements. Alternatively, the signaling system may be accomplished as CAS signaling of the connection-specific signaling type, wherein the signals are transferred along with the voice channel and the signaling convention is based on the R2 protocol. In a system shown in FIG. 2 based on the CCS signaling standard: - The network elements, which include the A-number connection 21, the first telephone exchange 22, the service switching point SSP 23 of the intelligent network, the second telephone exchange 26 and the C-number connection 27 are adapted to perform telecommunications and data transfer by means of the ISUP (Integrated Services digital network User Part) protocol usable above Layer 3 of the SS7 protocol stack in the OSI model or by the TUP (Telephony User Part) protocol, whereby the telecommunications and data transfer connections between these portions of the network are accomplished over connections according to the SS7 - MTP (ITU-T Recommendations: Signalling System No. 7 / Message Transfer Part) established via physical PCM links, for example. - In the intelligent network portion, the service switching point SSP 23, the service control point SCP 24 and the intelligent voice response device IVR 28 are all implemented for telecommunications and data transfer using hardware compatible with the conventions of the Layer 7 LNAP (Intelligent Network Application Part) protocol of the SS7 protocol stack in the OSI model, whereby the telecommunications and data transfer connections between these portions of the network are accomplished over connections according to the SS7 - MTP (ITU-T Recommendations: Signalling System No. 7 / Message Transfer Part) established via physical PCM links, for example. - The service control point SCP 24 of the intelligent network, the database server, wherein the database DB resides, and the server system of the financial institution 32 accomplish the telecommunications and data transfer connections therebetween using as their mutual data transfer network a packet-switched data network, wherein the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router- based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer protocol advantageously is TCP/IP. As shown in FIG. 2, the IVR device 28 may also be arranged to support external data transfer in addition to its normal data communications with the intelligent network 23, 24. Then, this facility of external data transfer can be utilized to set up a connection and data transmission from the IVR device 28 via the database DB 31 of the database server further to the financial institution 32. To identify each payment transaction, the SCP 24 generates and sends to the database DB 31 a signature identifier (such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers) that acts as a signature of the payment transaction. The telecommunications and data transfer connections between the IVR device 28 and the financial institution 32 can be implemented using for data transfer a packet-switched data network, wherein the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router-based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer protocol advantageously is TCP/IP. The first preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 and the second preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 are characterized in that the service control logic for the call placed to the access number is arranged to reside in the SPC 24 of the intelligent network and that, steered by this control logic, the progress of the access number call takes place as described below. The reference numerals used in the description are equivalent to those of FIGS. 1 and 2. 1. A caller calling from abroad, a payphone or a connection having a restriction on calls placed to access numbers can call an access number by way of placing a call from an A-number connection 21 by dialing a B-number representing a value-added access number. Then, the call is first directed to a first telephone exchange 22 that may be a national exchange serving to switch national calls or, alternatively, an international exchange switching international calls. In the first telephone exchange 22, the call placed from the A-number connection 21 is identified by the dialed B-number to be of an LN call type needing call control with the help of intelligent network facilities, whereby the call is routed to a telephone exchange that has integrated thereto or communicates with an intelligent network portion or at least an intelligent network service switching point SSP 23. Later in the text, this kind of a telephone exchange having integrated thereto or communicating with an intelligent network portion or at least a service switching point SSP 23 thereof is denoted for simplicity by the term SSP exchange. 2. The SSP exchange analyzes the dialed B-number and sends a query based thereon to the call control database of that service control point SCP 24 of the intelligent network portion of the telecommunication network wherein the call control logic associated with the access number concerned resides. Next, the SCP 24 activates a proper control logic. The SCP 24 analyzes the incoming call as to being placed from abroad, a payphone or a connection having a restriction on calls placed to an access number. This analysis can be based on, e.g., i. the incoming call pathway signaling, ii. the call information field such as the OPC (Originating Point Code) field of the signaling associated with the incoming call, iii. the A-subscriber identity information missing from the incoming call signaling, or iv. the analysis of calling party's A-number. 3. The SCP 24 informs the SSP exchange to direct the call to: i. IP accessory device 25, whereby the service control logic is adapted to reside in the SCP 24 and the only function of the IP accessory device 25 is to issue the voice announcements commanded by the SCP 24 and to gather the dial codes entered from the A-number connection 21 and to submit the same to the SCP 24, or ii. IVR device 28, whereby the service control logic is adapted to reside in the SCP 24 and the function of the IVR device 28 is to issue the preset voice announcement and to gather the dial codes entered from the A-number connection 21 and to submit the same to the database DB 31. The SCP 24 generates a suitable signature for the ongoing connection, such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers. 4. Information to the caller is issued in the following steps: i. A call rate announcement appropriate to the value-added access number is played to the caller, ii. the caller is informed about the nonaccessibility of the desired service or product, because the A-number connection 21 is located abroad, is a payphone or a connection having a restriction on calls to the dialed access number, whereupon the caller is informed on the possibility of paying the offered service by way of utilizing the electronic payment techniques of a financial institution 32 external to the telecommunication network, iii. the caller is informed about the accessibility of the desired service or product by way of paying the offered service or product by way of utilizing the electronic payment techniques of a financial institution 32 external to the telecommunication network, and if the caller opts to utilize the electronic payment facility, iv. a voice announcement menu is played to the caller on the currently valid payment techniques (various credit cards, SET protocol payment and the electronic payment methods used by different banks), of which the caller may then select the most appropriate payment technique for his needs. If the call proceeds according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention and uses the logic of the SPC 24 and the voice announcements of the IP accessory device 25 as shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 1 , the SCP 24 calls via the database DB 31 residing in the database server the selected financial institution 32, such as a credit company or bank, for the transfer of the required amount of money by electronic payment means from the financial institution 32 to the database DB 31. Into the database DB 31 is simultaneously transferred a suitable signature generated by the SCP 24, such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers. If the IP accessory device 25 is adapted to support external data communications, the data transfer into the database DB 31 may take place directly from the IP accessory device 25. Concurrently with this step, the appropriate signature generated by the SCP 24 is transferred into the database DB 31. If the call placed by the caller from the A-number connection 21 is arranged to proceed according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention to the IVR intelligent voice response device 28 as shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 2, the IVR device 28 establishes a connection to the database server, wherein the database DB 31 resides. Into the same database DB is also transferred a suitable signature generated by the SCP 24, such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers. From the database DB 31 is further established a connection to the selected financial institution 32, such as a credit company or bank, for the transfer of the required amount of money by electronic payment means from the financial institution 32 to the database DB 31. 5. Via the database DB 31 is transferred to the selected financial institution 32, such as a credit company or bank, a request to establish a connection that is responded by request to identify the calling customer. 6. The caller may be identified through the following steps: i. If the selected financial institution 32 is a credit card company, the caller typically enters in conjunction with this type of a credit card payment the number of his credit card and a signature identifier of the card such as a PIN code, ii. If the selected financial institution 32 is a bank, the caller typically enters in conjunction with this banking type of an electronic payment transaction his bank customer number or user code and a password or the like that can be found, e.g., from a printed list sent earlier to the bank's customer. During the payment transaction, the database DB 31 sets the amount of money to be transferred by electronic payment means from the financial institution 32. Preferred- ly, the amount of money is equal to the grand total determined by the access number call charge times the maximum duration allowed for the call (e.g., FIM17.90/min x 20 min = FIM358). The record of a successful payment transaction is stored into the database DB 31. 7. The credit card number and PIN code of a credit card payment or, alternatively, the customer ID code and password required in the selected way of electronic payment, are transmitted via the telecommunication network and the database DB 31 to the credit card company 32 or the like. 8. The SCP 24 releases the connection to the IP accessory device 25 or, respectively, the IVR device 28 releases backwards the connection to the SSP exchange 23. 9. The SCP 24 verifies from the database DB 31 of the database server that the payment transaction from the financial institution 32 to the database DB 31 was successful. In this manner, the payment transaction becomes a one-time payment stored into a memory register of the database DB 31 and uniquely confirmed by a signature generated by the SCP 25. 10. After a successful payment transaction, the SCP 25 continues to keep the service control logic associated with the selected value-added access number in an activated state, whereby the following items are determined: i. the correct charge rate, and ii. the actual target number, that is, the C-number, which is either a C-number directly associated with the dialed B-number or, alternatively, is specifically dialed by the caller. 11. The call is next switched from the SSP exchange 23 to the C-number and the monitoring of the call maximum duration/charge is initiated in the SSP exchange under the control of the SCP 24. 12. The call is terminated when: i. The A-number connection 21 or the C-number connection 27 hangs up, or ii. the maximum duration/charge of the call is exceeded. Then, the SSP exchange writes a ticket on the call. 13. The SSP exchange 23 sends information on the call termination and written ticket to the call control database of the SCP 24. 14. Based on the information submitted by the SSP exchange 23, the SCP 24 computes the charge or billing value of the access number call utilizing such data as call duration, tariff class and possibly the number ticks received from direction of the C-number. Next, the SCP 24 sends this charge or billing value information to the database DB 31 residing in the database server that then computes the balance possibly remaining from amount of money initially trans- ferred from the financial institution 32 into the database DB 31 , that is, from the sum initially charged from the caller. If the comparison shows a positive balance to be credited to the caller, information thereon is sent to the financial institution for i. returning the correct balance to the credit card company's credit account wherefrom the initial sum was paid, or ii. returning the correct balance to the caller's bank account. Thence, the balance is returned back to the financial institution immediately after the termination of each access number call and, thus according to the invention, the service payment registers of the database DB 31 will not keep or store any amount of money that could be later used for other services. The above-described preferred embodiments of the invention have been described by way of using a wireline public telephone network as a typical platform. Hence, the invention must not be understood to be limited to such few exemplifying applications adapted to the needs of a wireline telecommunication network and/or the like. Rather, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention has a plurality of feasible variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the invention defined in the appended claims. To this end, a specific note must be made that - the wireline connection of the calling A-number and/or the target number, that is, the C-number, may as well be a so-called mobile connection such as a mobile phone, the wireline public telephone network may as well be a mobile phone network, or - the intelligent network portion of the telecommunication network may reside in or be connected to a mobile phone network, instead of a wireline telecommunication network, and that, in general, all kinds of combinations of the type mobile-to-stationary terminal or mobile-to-wireline telecommunication network with an intelligent network portion may be contemplated with the cooperation of an external financial institution according to the invention in order to carry out in real time the steps of - providing a value-added service product and/or - setting-up a value-added call from an A-number connection to a C-number connection under such circumstances that, e.g., the caller is abroad and wishes to place an international call to a national value-added access number. Herein, the invention offers a novel type of alternative payment technique for paying calls to a value- added access number, facilitates calling beyond preset number restrictions, and makes it easier to charge larger sums of money or donations, e.g., a flat sum of FIM50 from the caller inasmuch the method does not need sending ticks, whereby there is no need to set a minimum duration for a call. It must further be noted that the database server with its residing database DB 31 may be implemented as hardware that is or is not integral with the telecommunica- tion network, whereby the hardware may also be maintained by the service provider and, thus, there is no direct connection from the financial institution 32 to: - the intelligent network portion 24 of the telecommunication network, the intelligent voice response device IVR 28 or the intelligent accessory device IP 25.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. Method for call billing for a telecommunications network, which includes an intelligent network portion comprising at least a service switching point SSP (23) and a service control point SCP (24) equipped with a control logic for calls placed to a value-added access number, and for an external financial institution (32), such as a bank or credit company, that jointly offer a service based on a value-added access number, in which method the control logic is activated from the number of the calling party, later called the A-number (21), through the dialing of the value-added access number, later called the B-number, whereby in the method the following steps are carried out steered by the control logic: i. the need for control by the intelligent network portion (23, 24) is identified on the basis of the dialed B-number and the call control is forwarded to a telephone network exchange (22) that has integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicates with said intelligent network SSP (23), ii. in the SSP (23), the B-number is analyzed and a query based thereon is sent to the SCP (24) of the intelligent network wherein a call control database resides, and iii. in the SCP, the intelligent network control logic assigned to the value-added access call established by the dialing of the B-number is activated, characterized in that iv. the location and or type of the A-number connection is analyzed, v. the caller placing a call from the A-number connection (21) is informed by means of voice announcements generated by the telecommunications network facilities on the billing terms of the access number call, accessibility thereof and/or possibility of paying the call by instruments issued by a financial institution (32) external to the telecommunication network, vi. the caller enters from the A-number connection (21) the selection of the payment instrument and the caller's identification data, vii. an amount of currency corresponding to the preset price or estimated costs of the call is transferred from the financial institution (32) to an intelligent network server database DB (31) residing in the telecommunications network, viii. the dialed B-number is converted with the help of the intelligent network call control database into a preset connection number of the target access number, later called the C-number (27), and the caller is requested to dial the desired target connection number, that is, the C-number (27) for connecting the call, ix. a connection is established from the telephone network exchange (22) having integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicating with the SSP (23), to the C- number connection (27), x. at the termination of the call, the incurred cost is computed that is then compared to the amount of credit stored in the database DB (31) of the database server in order to determine the remaining balance, and xi. the information on the remaining balance is submitted to the financial institution (32) for meriting the credit or bank account allocated to the caller. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the location and/or type of the A-number connection is analyzed based on i. incoming call pathway signaling, ii. a call information field such as the OPC (Originating Point Code) field of the signaling associated with the incoming call, iii. the A-subscriber identity information missing from the incoming call signaling, or iv. the A-number analysis results of the caller's connection. 3. Method according to claim 1 and/or 2, characterized in that the SCP (24) generates for the identification of the established connection and/or each payment trans- action separately a signature that advantageously is an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers and is then transmitted to the database DB (31) residing in the database server. 4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the voice announcements in- elude information on the billing terms of the dialed access number call, accessibility of the dialed access number service and/or possibility of reaching the desired service or product through paying the same by means of electronic payment instruments issued by a financial institution (32) external to the telecommunication network, 5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that i. as the availability information is announced that the service is barred as a. the caller is abroad b. the caller is using a payphone, or c. the caller is calling from a connection having a restriction on calls placed to access numbers, whereby ii. the caller is informed to use as electronic payment instruments the possibility of paying with a credit card or from a bank account for the call costs incurring from: a. call set-up, b. call duration, c. a monetary contribution or donation and/or d. a desired service product. 6. Method according to any one of foregoing claims 1-5, characterized in that the amount of money to be transferred from the financial institution is determined in the database server wherein the database DB (31) resides and via which the financial institution (32) is connected to the telecommunication network. 7. Method according to any one of foregoing claims 1-6, characterized in that the payment transaction from the financial institution (32) to the database DB (31) of the database server is carried out as a one-time payment into a memory register of the database DB (32), whereby the transaction is linked to a call procedure activated by the dialing of the B-number and to a signature generated by the SCP (25), and that the balance remaining over from the incurred call costs is returned back to the financial institution immediately after the termination of each call procedure initiated by the dialing of the B-number, whereby the memory register of the database DB (31) is also cleared. 8. Method according to any one of foregoing claims 1-7, characterized in that i. advantageously in the database server is determined the amount of money to be transferred from the financial institution (32) into the database DB (31) of the database server, ii. a connection is established from the SCP (24) via the database DB (31) of the database server to the selected financial institution (32) for the transfer of the required amount of money by electronic payment means from the financial institution (32) to the database DB (31), iii. simultaneously with the call established to the financial institution (32), into the database DB (31) is transferred a signature generated by the SCP (24), the signature advantageously being an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers, and iv. the progress of the payment transaction is monitored in the SCP (24) and, after a successful payment transaction, the operation of the service control logic is continued through the steps of: a. switching the call to the C-number, and b. starting the monitoring of the call maximum duration charge in the SSP (23) under the control of the SCP. 9. Method according to any one of foregoing claims 1-8, characterized in that the incurred cost of the call is computed with the help of the SCP (24) immediately after the termination of the call. 10. Method according to any one of foregoing claims 1-9, characterized in that the voice announcements issued over the telecommunication network are generated by means of either an intelligent accessory device (25) or an intelligent voice response device IVR (28). 11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that said intelligent accessory device (25) or IVR device (28) supports external data communications, whereby communications is established via the database DB (31) of the database server from the IP device or IVR device to a credit card company or a bank and, with the help of the SCP (24), a signature is generated for the data communications, advantageously such as a code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers. 12. System for call billing for a telecommunications network, which includes an intelligent network portion comprising at least a service switching point SSP (23) and a service control point SCP (24) equipped with a control logic for calls placed to a value-added access number, and for an external financial institution (32), such as a bank or credit company, that jointly offer a service based on a value-added access number, in which system the control logic is activated from the number of the calling party, later called the A-number (21), through the dialing of the value-added access number, later called the B-number, whereby the following steps are carried out steered by the control logic: i. on the basis of the dialed B-number, the telecommunication network identifies the need for control by the intelligent network portion (23, 24) and the call control is forwarded to a telephone network exchange (22) that has integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicates with said intelligent network SSP (23), ii. in the SSP (23), the B-number is analyzed and a query based thereon is sent to the SCP (24) of the intelligent network wherein a call control database resides, and iii. in the SCP, the intelligent network control logic assigned to the value-added access call established by the dialing of the B-number is activated, characterized in that, steered by the system control logic, iv. the telecommunication network analyzes the location and/or type of the A- number connection, v. in order to inform the caller placing a call from the A-number connection (21), the telecommunication network generates voice announcements on the billing terms of the access number call, accessibility thereof and/or possibility of paying the call by instruments issued by a financial institution (32) external to the telecommunication network, vi. the caller enters from the A-number connection (21) his selection of the payment instrument and identifies himself by personal identification data, vii. the financial institution (32) transfers an amount of currency corresponding to the preset price or estimated costs of the call to an intelligent network server database DB (31) residing in the telecommunications network, viii. the intelligent network portion converts the dialed B-number with the help of the call control database into a preset connection number associated with the target access number, later called the C-number (27), or, alternatively, the caller may dial the desired target connection number, that is, the C-number (27), for connecting the call, ix. the SSP (23) establishes a connection from the telephone network exchange (22) to which it is integrated or with which it communicates to the C-number connection (27), x. at the termination of the call, the incurred cost is computed that is then compared to the amount of credit stored in the database DB (31 ) of the database server in order to determine the remaining balance, and xi. the database server submits the information on the remaining balance to the financial institution (32) for meriting the credit or bank account allocated to the caller. 13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the location and/or type of the A-number connection is analyzed based on i. incoming call pathway signaling, ii. a call information field such as the OPC (Originating Point Code) field of the signaling associated with the incoming call, iii. the A-subscriber identity information missing from the incoming call signaling, or iv. the A-number analysis results of the caller's connection. 14. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that the voice announcements include information on the billing terms of the dialed access number call, accessibility of the dialed access number service and/or possibility of reaching the desired service or product through paying by electronic payment instruments issued by a financial institution (32) external to the telecommunication network, 15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that i. the availability information includes information reporting the unavailability of the service as a. the caller is abroad b. the caller is using a payphone, or c. the caller is calling from a connection having a restriction on calls placed to access numbers, whereby ii. the scope of available electronic payment instruments includes the possibility of paying with a credit card or from a bank account for the call costs incurring from: a. call set-up, b. call duration, c. a monetary contribution or donation and/or d. a desired service product. 16. System according to any one of foregoing claims 12-15, characterized in that the SCP (24) generates an appropriate signature that is transferred into the database DB (31) of the database server and is suitable for uniquely identifying each payment transaction, the signature advantageously being an A-subscriber identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers. 17. System according to any one of foregoing claims 12-16, characterized in that the amount of money to be transferred from the financial institution is determined in the database server wherein the database DB (31) resides and via which the financial institution (32) is connected to the telecommunication network. 18. Method according to any one of foregoing claims 12-17, characterized in that the payment transaction from the financial institution (32) to the database DB (31) of the database server is carried out as a one-time payment into a memory register of the database DB (31), whereby the transaction is linked to a call procedure activated by the dialing of the B-number and to a signature generated by the SCP (25), and that the balance remaining over from the incurred call costs is returned back to the financial institution immediately after the termination of the call procedure initiated by the dialing of the B-number, whereby the memory register of the database DB (31) is also cleared. 19. Method according to any one of foregoing claims 12-18, characterized in that i. advantageously in the database server is determined the amount of money to be transferred from the financial institution (32) into the database DB (31) of the database server, ii. a connection is established from the SCP (24) via the database DB (31) of the database server to the selected financial institution (32) for the transfer of the required amount of money by electronic payment means from the financial institution (32) to the database DB (31), iii. simultaneously with the call established to the financial institution (32), into the database DB (31) is transferred a signature generated by the SCP (24), the signature advantageously being an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers, and iv. the progress of the payment transaction is monitored in the SCP (24) and, after a successful payment transaction, the operation of the service control logic is continued through the steps of: a. switching the call to the C-number, and b. starting the monitoring of the call maximum duration/charge in the SSP (23) under the control of the SCP. 20. System according to any one of foregoing claims 12-19, characterized in that the incurred cost of the call is computed with the help of the SCP (24) immediately after the termination of the call. 21. System according to any one of foregoing claims 12-20, characterized in that the telecommunication network includes an intelligent accessory device (25) and/or an intelligent voice response device IVR (28) for generating said voice announce- ments. 22. System according to claim 21, characterized in that said intelligent accessory device (25) or IVR device (28) supports external data communications, whereby communications is established via the database DB (31) of the database server from the IP device or IVR device to a credit card company or a bank and, with the help of the SCP (24), a signature is generated for the data communications, advantageously such as an A-number subscriber identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers.

Inventors: ISOTALO LAURI, ISOTALO, LAURI
Applicants: HELSINGIN PUHELIN OYJ, ISOTALO LAURI, HELSINGIN PUHELIN OYJ - HELSINGFORS TELEFON ABP, ISOTALO, LAURI
Application year: 2000
Main classification: H04M15
IPC codes: H04M15, H04M17, H04Q3