US 4,791,640 A · Call charging arrangement

Abstract

An arrangement is disclosed for charging a credit card number for a call extended from a calling customer line to a called destination via a toll telecommunications network. Calls including supervisory and traffic information from a plurality of calling lines are multiplexed for extending the calls over a time division multiplex communications channel through the call charging arrangement to the network. The arrangement includes a time slot separator for separating the supervisory information from the call information and a switching network for switching the remaining call information to a traffic information receiver. A central processor in the arrangement receives the credit card number from the traffic information receiver and forwards the number to a data base for call charging authorization. When authorized, the processor utilizes the supervisory information to make a record charging the credit card number for the call. In addition, a transmitter in the arrangement forwards the supervisory information to the toll network. The switching network also switches the call information which is combined with the supervisory information to the toll network. Periodically, the call records are sent to a billing system for processing.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An arrangement for charging a customer-entered identification number for a call originated from a calling line and extendable to a called destination via a communications channel, said call including supervisory and traffic information, comprising:

means for separating said supervisory information from said call on said channel;
traffic receiver means for receiving said traffic information including said customer-entered identification number for said call on said channel;
switching means for switching said call on said channel to said traffic receiver means;
processor means for controlling said switching means and responsive to predetermined of said supervisory information from said separating means and to said customer-entered identification number from said traffic receiver means for making a record charging said customer-entered identification number for said call;
and
means for communicating said customer-entered identification number to a data base, independent of said arrangement, for returning authorization to charge said number for said call.

3 more elements

An arrangement for charging a customer-entered identification number for a call from a calling line to a called line via a digitial communications line and a telecommunications network, said digital line for communicating a first digital signal having a first plurality of time slots and including said call from said calling line to said arrangement in a predetermined one of said first time slots and a second digital signal having a second plurality of time slots and including said call from said arrangement to said network in a designated one of said second time slots, said call including supervisory and traffic information, comprising:

means for separating said supervisory information of said ca11 form said first digit signal;
supervisory receiver means for receiving said supervisory information from said separating means;
switching means for switching said call from said predetermined time slot to a selected one of a third plurality of time slots;
traffic receiver means for receiving said traffic information including said customer-entered identification number of said call in said selected time slot;
and
processor means for controlling said switching means and responsive to predetermined of said supervisory information from said supervisory receiver means and said customer-entered identification number from said traffic receiver means for making a record charging said customer-entered identification number for said call.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Call charging arrangement

Life of this patent

Call charging arrangement

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24