Method and system for updating a call rating database

A method for updating a database that stores billing rate parameters for a call rating device associated with a calling station operatively connected to a telephone network, comprising

• calling at a predetermined date and time a rate provider having billing rate parameters for a plurality of calling stations so as to connect between the calling station with the associated call rating device and the rate provider,
• transmitting over the telephone network to the rate provider the phone number of the calling station and the date and time of the last update of the billing rate parameters,
• verifying if the billing rate parameters should be updated, and
• transmitting over the telephone network to the calling station the updated billing rate parameters when the rate provider determines that a database update is required.

A method for updating subscriber databases that store billing rate parameters for call rate devices which are associated with respective subscriber calling stations operatively connected to a telephone network, comprising the steps of

• each subscriber station calling at a scheduled time a rate provider having billing rate parameters for each calling station, wherein the scheduled time for each call is such that the calls from each calling station are substantially spaced apart in time from each other,
• each station transmitting over the telephone network the respective phone number of its station and the date and time of the last update of the billing rate parameters,
• verifying in the rate provider that an update is required, and
• transmitting over the telephone network from the rate provider to the calling station the updated billing rate parameters when an update is required.

A call rating updating system comprising

• a call rating device, including a database that stores current updated billing rate parameters used for cost determinations for a calling station,
• a data transfer line operatively connected to the call rating device,
• means for transmitting over the data transfer line indicia information identifying the call rating device and update information identifying the last update of the billing rate parameters, and
• a rate provider operatively connected to said data transfer line, said rate provider including
• a) a database having updated billing rate parameters for a plurality of calling stations,
• b) means for receiving the information from the call rating device,
• c) means for verifying if billing rate parameters should be updated, and
• d) means transmitting from the rate provider to the call rating device the updated billing rate parameters when the rate provider determines that an update is required.

A system for updating a database having billing rate parameters for determining the cost of telephone calls originating from a calling station to a destination calling station via a telephone network, comprising

• a calling station operatively connected to the telephone network, and including database means associated with the calling station for storing billing rate parameters for determining the cost of the phone call, and including means for transmitting over the telephone network information identifying the phone number of the calling station and the date and time of the last update of the billing rate parameters,
• rate providing means operatively connected to the phone network for storing billing rate parameters for calling stations, said rate providing means including means for receiving said information from the calling station, said rate providing means including:
• a) control means for determining whether the calling party database should be updated, and
• b) means for transmitting updated billing rate parameters to the calling party when an update is required.