Local access to a mobile network

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for billing a user associated with a mobile service for a VoIP call made by the user using a wireless local area network are disclosed The VOIP call can be received by a local area network. At least a portion of the VoIP call is decoded to obtain session information related to the VoIP call including information identifying the user. The VoIP call is coupled to a public data network. At least a portion of the session information is sent to a provider of the mobile service, to bill the user, and not an owner of the wireless local area network, for the VoIP call. A credit is initiated to an account associated with said owner of the wireless local area network to prevent the owner from incurring charges associated with the VoIP call.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for billing a user associated with a mobile service for a VoIP call made by the user using a wireless local area network, the method comprising:
 receiving said VoIP call by a local area network;   decoding at least a portion of said VoIP call to obtain session information related to said VoIP call, said session information including information identifying said user;   coupling said VoIP call to a public data network;   sending at least a portion of said session information to a provider of said mobile service, thereby enabling said mobile service provider to bill said user, and not an owner of said wireless local area network, for said VoIP call, wherein said user is a different entity than said owner; and   initiating a credit to an account associated with said owner of said wireless local area network thereby preventing said owner from incurring charges associated with said VoIP call.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating user billing cost incurred by said owner of said wireless local area network for said VoIP call.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 debiting a billing record of said user for said user billing cost.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 redirecting said VoIP call to a remote device via a VoIP gateway.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein initiating the credit to said account associated with said owner comprises:
 crediting said owner by crediting an account belonging to said owner at an ISP of said owner.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for billing a user associated with a mobile service for a VoIP call made by the user using a wireless local area network, the apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving said VoIP call by a local area network;   means for decoding at least a portion of said VoIP call to obtain session information related to said VoIP call, said session information including .information identifying said user;   means for coupling said VoIP call to a public data network;   means for sending at least a portion of said session information to a provider of said mobile service, thereby enabling said mobile service provider to bill said user, and not an owner of said wireless local area network, for said VoIP call, wherein said user is a different entity than said owner; and   means for initiating a credit to an account associated with said owner of said wireless local area network thereby preventing said owner from incurring charges associated with said VoIP   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 means for calculating user billing cost incurred by said owner of said wireless local area network for said VoIP call.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 means for debiting a billing record of said user for said user billing cost.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 means for redirecting said VoIP call to a remote device via a VoIP gateway.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein initiating the credit to said account associated with said owner comprises:
 means for crediting said owner by crediting an account belonging to said owner at an ISP of said owner.   
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, encoded with processor readable instructions to perform a method for billing a subscriber to a cellular telephone service for a VOIP call made by the subscriber, the method comprising:
 receiving said VOIP call by a local area network;   decoding at least a portion of said VoIP call to obtain session information related to said VoIP call, said session information including information identifying said user;   coupling said VOIP call to a public data network;   sending at least a portion of said session information to a provider of said mobile service, thereby enabling said mobile service provider to bill said user, and not an owner of said wireless local area network, for said VoIP call, wherein said user is a different entity than said owner; and   initiating a credit to an account associated with said owner of said wireless local area network thereby preventing said owner from incurring charges associated with said VoIP call.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 11 , further encoded with processor readable instructions comprising:
 calculating user billing cost incurred by said owner of said wireless local area network for said VoIP call.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 12 , further encoded with processor readable instructions comprising:
 debiting a billing record of said user for said user billing cost.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 11 , further encoded with processor readable instructions comprising:
 redirecting said VoIP call to a remote device via a VoIP gateway.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 11 , further encoded with processor readable instructions comprising:
 crediting said owner by crediting an account belonging to said owner at an ISP of said owner.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus configured to bill a user associated with a mobile service for a VoIP call made by the user using a wireless local area network, the apparatus comprising:
 logic module configured to receive said VoIP call by a local area network;   logic module configured to decode at least a portion of said VoIP call to obtain session information related to said VoIP call, said session information including information identifying said user;   logic module configured to couple said VoIP call to a public data network;   logic module configured to send at least a portion of said session information to a provider of said mobile service, thereby enabling said mobile service provider to bill said user, and not an owner of said wireless local area network, for said VoIP call, wherein said user is a different entity than said owner; and   logic module configured to initiate a credit to an account associated with said owner of said wireless local area network thereby preventing said owner from incurring charges associated with said VoIP call.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 logic module configured to calculate user billing cost incurred by said owner of said wireless local area network for said VoIP call.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 logic module configured to debit a billing record of said user for said user billing cost.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 logic module configured to redirect said VoIP call to a remote device via a VoIP gateway.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the logic module configured to initiate the credit to said account associated with said owner comprises:
 logic module configured to credit said owner by crediting an account belonging to said owner at an ISP of said owner.