Method for determining an entity responsible for billing a called party
AssigneeEvercom Systems, Inc.
InventorsNadia Draizin, Aytxa Ramirez, David J. Walsh
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Abstract
A method for determining an identity of an entity responsible for billing a called party of an alternatively billed telephone call is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a telephone number, the telephone number being associated with the called party. An initial entity identifier is acquired, the initial entity identifier being an OCN associated with the telephone number. Additional steps may be made in response to the telephone number wherein more accurate information is gathered and utilized to ensure the reliable determination of the identity of the entity responsible for ultimately billing the called party.
Claims21
A method for determining an identity of a billing entity responsible for billing a called party of an alternatively billed telephone call, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a telephone number, the telephone number being associated with the called party;
- acquiring a billing entity identifier, the billing entity identifier being an OCN associated with the telephone number;
- invoking an OLNS query to a LIDB database associated with the telephone number of the called party;
- receiving an OCN in response to the OLNS query;
- and,
- replacing the billing entity identifier with the OCN received in response to the OLNS query.
A method for determining the identification of a billing entity ultimately responsible for billing a called party of an alternately billed telephone call, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a telephone number, the telephone number being associated with the called party;
- utilizing a TPM and a LARG database to acquire a billing entity identifier, the billing entity identifier being an OCN associated with the telephone number;
- utilizing the TPM and LARG databases to identify a LIDB in response to a portion of the telephone number;
- invoking an OLNS query of the identified LIDB;
- determining the account owner, the account owner being derived in response to the reply returned from the OLNS query;
- and,
- replacing the billing entity identifier with the determined account owner derived in response to the reply returned from the OLNS query.
A method for determining identification of a billing entity having responsibility for billing a called party of an alternatively billed telephone call, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a request to provide a line status and a company identifier, the line status and company identifier being associated with a telephone number of the called party;
- utilizing a TPM and a LARG database to acquire the company identifier, the company identifier being an OCN associated with the telephone number;
- utilizing the TPM and LARG databases to identify a LIDB in response to a portion of the telephone number;
- determining whether the telephone number is portable;
- invoking an OLNS query of the identified LIDB;
- determining the account owner, the account owner being derived in response to the reply returned from the OLNS query;
- and,
- replacing the company identifier with the determined account owner derived in response to the reply returned from the OLNS query.
A method for determining an identity of a billing entity responsible for billing a called party of an alternatively billed telephone call, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a telephone number, the telephone number being associated with the called party;
- acquiring an initial entity identifier, the initial entity identifier being an OCN associated with the telephone number and acquired from a LIDB identified by a TPM database in cooperation with a LARG database in response to the telephone number;
- determining whether the telephone number is portable;
- invoking either a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination of the telephone number being portable or a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination of the telephone number being non-portable,
- the method for determining the entity identity for the telephone number being non-portable comprising the steps of:
- invoking a first BNS query to the LIDB being associated with the telephone number;
- and,
- updating the entity identifier in response to a first AO being returned in response to the first BNS query to the LIDB;
- the method for determining the entity identity for the telephone number being portable comprising the steps of:
- determining whether the telephone number is associated with a facility based provider;
- performing an LNP search of an NPAC database to determine whether the telephone number is associated with a facility based provider or a non-facility based provider;
- invoking either a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination of the telephone number being associated with a facility based provider or a method for determining the identify of the entity in response to the determination of the telephone number being associated with a non-facility based provider,
- the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination of the telephone number being associated with a facility based provider comprising the steps of:
- determining whether a SPID is associated with the telephone number, the SPID being acquired from an LNP LIDB being identified during the LNP search;
- invoking either a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to a SPID being available or a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the SPID not being available,
- the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the SPID being available comprising the steps of:
- assigning the SPID as the entity identifier;
- invoking a second BNS query to the LNP LIDB;
- and,
- updating the entity identifier in response to a second AO being returned from the second BNS query invoked to the LNP LIDB;
- the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the SPID not being available comprising the steps of:
- determining whether the LIDB supports AO;
- invoking either a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination that the LIDB supports AO or a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination that the LIDB does not support AO,
- the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination that the LIDB supports AO comprising the steps of:
- invoking a third BNS query to the LIDB being associated with the telephone number and determined by the LARG;
- and,
- updating the entity identifier in response to third AO being returned in response to the third BNS query to the LIDB;
- the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination that the LIDB does not support AO comprising the steps of:
- determining whether the LIDB supports OLNS;
- invoking either a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination that the LIDB supports OLNS or a method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination that the LIDB does not support OLNS,
- the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination that the LIDB does support OLNS comprising the steps of:
- invoking an OLNS query to the LIDB determined by the LARG;
- receiving an OCN in response to the OLNS query;
- assigning the OCN received in response to the OLNS query as the entity identifier;
- invoking a fourth BNS query to the LIDB determined by the LARG;
- and,
- updating the entity identifier in response to a fourth AO being returned in response to the fourth BNS query invoked to the LIDB;
- the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination that the LIDB database does support OLNS comprising the steps of:
- invoking a fifth BNS query to the LIDB determined by the LARG;
- and,
- updating the entity identifier in response to a fifth AO being returned in response to the fifth BNS query invoked to the LIDB;
- the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the determination of the telephone number being associated with a non-facility based provider comprising the steps of:
- invoking the method for determining the identity of the entity in response to the SPID not being available.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.