System and method for pre-paid and pay-per-use internet services

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method for providing access to the Internet on a pre-paid or pay-per-use basis that utilizes an Advanced Intelligent Network (“AIN”) to set up a dial up connection between a subscriber and an Internet Service Provider (“ISP”). The telecommunications system communicates with the ISP's computer systems to coordinate verification of callers attempting access to the ISP. The system uses features of the AIN to identify a call as a pre-authorized call so that the ISP grants access without requiring a username and a password from a caller. If the ISP receives a call that is not so identified, the caller is treated as regular ISP subscriber, and requires a username and a password to authenticate the caller prior to granting access to the ISP's resources. The present invention further utilizes the telephone service provider's billing systems to aggregate bills and collect revenue from subscribers. A portion of the revenue is retained by the telephone service provider as a fee for providing the service, and a portion is paid to the ISP as payment for its services.

1. In a telephone network, a method for providing pre-paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of the telephone network, comprising:
 (a) establishing a database comprising a pre-paid subscriber number and a corresponding amount of pre-paid units;    (b) receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving an internet service provider telephone number, wherein the internet service provider telephone number is stored in a called party field associated with said incoming call;    (c) sending a query from the switch to the database in response to the call, wherein the query includes a calling party number;    (d) responding to the query with a pre-determined code stored in a calling party field when the calling party number is the pre-paid subscriber number, wherein the pre-determined code is sent to the internet service provider by a service control point to be used to authorize the calling party to access resources of the internet service provider;    (e) terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the pre-determined code in the calling party field when the calling party number is the pre-paid subscriber number; and    (f) subtracting a usage amount from the amount of pre-paid units in the database.    
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the calling party number in the calling party field when the calling party number is different from the pre-paid subscriber number. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of playing an announcement to a caller before terminating the call. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of disconnecting the call when the calling party number is different from the pre-paid subscriber number. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database further comprises a blocked subscriber number. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the calling party number in the calling party field when the calling party number is the blocked subscriber number. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of playing an announcement to a caller before terminating the call. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of disconnecting the call when the calling party number is the blocked subscriber number. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of creating the pre-determined code by changing an area code in the calling party number to “111”. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of sending a transaction identification message from the service control point to the internet service provider server, wherein the transaction identification message comprises the pre-determined code. 
     
     
       11. In a telephone network, a method for providing pay-per-use access to an internet service provider using a billing system of the telephone network, comprising:
 (a) receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving the internet service provider telephone number, wherein a called party field associated with said incoming call stores the internet service provider telephone number;    (b) sending a query from the switch to a service control point in response to a call placed to an internet service provider telephone number, wherein the query includes a calling party number;    (c) in response to the query, sending a termination instruction and a notification instruction to the switch, wherein a calling party field in the termination instruction includes a pre-determined code that is sent to the internet service provider to be used to authorize a calling party to access resources of the internet service provider, and wherein said pre-determined code is based at least in part on the calling party number;    (d) logging a connection time associated with the call established between the calling party number and the internet service provider telephone number; and    (e) creating a bill for the calling party number for the connection time.    
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the termination instruction is a Continue message. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the notification instruction is a Termination_Notification message. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the connection time is measured by sending a first message from the switch to the service control point when the call is answered; sending a second message from the switch to the service control point when the call is disconnected; and recording in a database the calling party number, a first time when the first message was received by the service control point and a second time when the second message was received by the service control point. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the bill is created by sending a record of the calling party's connection time from the service control point to the billing system and generating an integrated bill comprising a telephone usage charge and an internet service provider usage charge. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pre-determined code is created by changing an area code in the calling party number to “111”. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of sending a transaction identification message from the service control point to the internet service provider server, wherein the transaction identification message comprises the pre-determined code. 
     
     
       18. In a telephone network, a method for providing pre-paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of the telephone network, comprising:
 (a) establishing a database comprising a pre-paid subscriber number and an amount of pre-paid units;    (b) receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving an internet service provider telephone number, wherein a called party field in the incoming call is an internet service provider telephone number;    (c) sending a query from the switch to the database in response to the call, wherein the query includes a calling party number;    (d) responding to the query with a pre-determined code stored in a calling party field that is sent to the internet service provider by a service control point through a gateway when the calling party number is the pre-paid subscriber number, wherein said pre-determined code is an authorized code authorizing the calling party to access resources of the internet service provider;    (e) terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the pre-determined code in a calling party field when the calling party number is the pre-paid subscriber number; and    (f) subtracting a usage amount from the amount of pre-paid units in the database.    
     
     
       19. The method as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising modifying a calling party field with the authorization code. 
     
     
       20. In a telephone network, a method for providing pay-per-use access to an internet service provider using a billing system of the telephone network, comprising:
 (a) receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving an internet service provider telephone number, wherein a called party field associated with said incoming call stores the internet service provider telephone number;  
 (b) sending a query from the switch to a service control point in response to a called placed to an internet service provider telephone number, wherein the query includes a calling party number;  
 (b c) in response to the query, sending a termination instruction and a notification instruction, wherein a calling party field in the termination instruction includes a pre-determined code which is sent to the internet service provider through a gate way to be used to authorize the calling party to access the resources of the internet service provider and said pre-determined code is based at least in part on the calling party number;  
 (c d) logging a connection time associated with the call established between the calling party number and the internet service provider telephone number; and  
 (d e) creating a bill for the calling party number for the connection time.  
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , further comprises  comprising modifying a calling party field with the authorization code. 
     
     
       22. A computer- readable medium containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the computer system to implement a method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network, comprising:    ( a )  receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving an internet service provider telephone number, wherein the internet service provider telephone number is stored in a called party field associated with said incoming call;      ( b )  sending a query from the switch to a database, the database comprising a pre - paid subscriber number and a corresponding amount of pre - paid units, in response to the call, wherein the query includes a calling party number;      ( c )  responding to the query with a pre - determined code stored in a calling party field when the calling party number is the pre - paid subscriber number, wherein the pre - determined code is sent to the internet service provider by a service control point to be used to authorize the calling party to access resources of the internet service provider;      ( d )  terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the pre - determined code in the calling party field when the calling party number is the pre - paid subscriber number; and      ( e )  subtracting a usage amount from the amount of pre - paid units in the database.     
     
     
       23. The computer- readable medium of    claim 22   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the calling party number in the calling party field when the calling party number is different from the pre - paid subscriber number.     
     
     
       24. The computer- readable medium of    claim 23   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      playing an announcement to a caller before terminating the call.     
     
     
       25. The computer- readable medium of    claim 22   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      disconnecting the call when the calling party number is different from the pre - paid subscriber number.     
     
     
       26. The computer- readable medium of    claim 22   , wherein the database further comprises a blocked subscriber number.   
     
     
       27. The computer- readable medium of    claim 26   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the calling party number in the calling party field when the calling party number is the blocked subscriber number.     
     
     
       28. The computer- readable medium of    claim 27   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      playing an announcement to a caller before terminating the call.     
     
     
       29. The computer- readable medium of    claim 27   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      disconnecting the call when the calling party number is the blocked subscriber number.     
     
     
       30. The computer- readable medium of    claim 22   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      creating the pre - determined code by changing an area code in the calling party number to “ 111 ”.     
     
     
       31. The computer- readable medium of    claim 22   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      sending a transaction identification message from the service control point to the internet service provider server, wherein the transaction identification message comprises the pre - determined code.     
     
     
       32. A computer- readable medium containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the computer system to implement a method for providing pay - per - use access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network, comprising:    ( a )  receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving the internet service provider telephone number, wherein a called party field associated with said incoming call stores the internet service provider telephone number;      ( b )  sending a query from the switch to a service control point in response to a call placed to an internet service provider telephone number, wherein the query includes a calling party number;      ( c )  in response to the query, sending a termination instruction and a notification instruction to the switch, wherein a calling party field in the termination instruction includes a pre - determined code that is sent to the internet service provider to be used to authorize a calling party to access resources of the internet service provider, and wherein said pre - determined code is based at least in part on the calling party number;      ( d )  logging a connection time associated with the call established between the calling party number and the internet service provider telephone number; and      ( e )  creating a bill for the calling party number for the connection time.     
     
     
       33. The computer- readable medium of    claim 32   , wherein the termination instruction is a Continue message.   
     
     
       34. The computer- readable medium of    claim 32   , wherein the notification instruction is a Termination _Notification message. 
     
     
       35. The computer- readable medium of    claim 32   , wherein the connection time is measured by sending a first message from the switch to the service control point when the call is answered; sending a second message from the switch to the service control point when the call is disconnected; and recording in a database the calling party number, a first time when the first message was received by the service control point and a second time when the second message was received by the service control point.   
     
     
       36. The computer- readable medium of    claim 32   , wherein the bill is created by sending a record of the calling party's connection time from the service control point to the billing system and generating an integrated bill comprising a telephone usage charge and an internet service provider usage charge.   
     
     
       37. The computer- readable medium of    claim 32   , wherein the pre-determined code is created by changing an area code in the calling party number to “ 111 ”.   
     
     
       38. The computer- readable medium of    claim 32   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pay - per - use access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      sending a transaction identification message from the service control point to the internet service provider server, wherein the transaction identification message comprises the pre - determined code.     
     
     
       39. A computer- readable medium containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the computer system to implement a method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network, comprising:    ( a )  receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving an internet service provider telephone number, wherein a called party field in the incoming call is an internet service provider telephone number;      ( b )  sending a query from the switch to a database, the database comprising a pre - paid subscriber number and an amount of pre - paid units, in response to the call, wherein the query includes a calling party number;      ( c )  responding to the query with a pre - determined code stored in a calling party field that is sent to the internet service provider by a service control point through a gateway when the calling party number is the pre - paid subscriber number, wherein said pre - determined code is an authorized code authorizing the calling party to access resources of the internet service provider;      ( d )  terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the pre - determined code in a calling party field when the calling party number is the pre - paid subscriber number; and      ( e )  subtracting a usage amount from the amount of pre - paid units in the database.     
     
     
       40. The computer- readable medium as claimed in    claim 39   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pre - paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      modifying a calling party field with the authorization code.     
     
     
       41. A computer- readable medium containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the computer system to implement a method for providing pay - per - use access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network, comprising:    ( a )  receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving an internet service provider telephone number, wherein a called party field associated with said incoming call stores the internet service provider telephone number;      ( b )  sending a query from the switch to a service control point in response to a call placed to an internet service provider telephone number, wherein the query includes a calling party number;      ( c )  in response to the query, sending a termination instruction and a notification instruction, wherein a calling party field in the termination instruction includes a pre - determined code which is sent to the internet service provider through a gate way to be used to authorize the calling party to access the resources of the internet service provider and said pre - determined code is based at least in part on the calling party number;      ( d )  logging a connection time associated with the call established between the calling party number and the internet service provider telephone number; and      ( e )  creating a bill for the calling party number for the connection time.     
     
     
       42. The computer- readable medium of    claim 41   , further containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the method for providing pay - per - use access to an internet service provider using a billing system of a telephone network implemented by the computer system to further comprise:      modifying a calling party field with the authorization code.     
     
     
       43. A computer- readable medium containing computer - readable program code that, when executed on a computer system, causes the computer system to implement a method for providing pre - paid and pay - per - use access to an internet service provider using a billing system of the telephone network comprising:    ( a )  provisioning a trigger on an internet service provider telephone number on a switch in the telephone network;      ( b )  transmitting a query from the switch to the service control point when a call to the internet service provider telephone number arrives at the switch, thereby activating the trigger, wherein the query comprises a calling party number and the internet service provider telephone number;      ( c )  determining whether the calling party number is a pre - paid number, a pay - per - use number, an unknown number or a blocked number;      ( d )  transmitting a termination instruction from the service control point to the switch, wherein when the calling party number is either a pre - paid number or a pay - per - use number, a pre - determined code is inserted into a calling party field, and wherein when the calling party number is either the unknown or the blocked number the calling party number is in the calling party field;      ( e )  sending a first notification message and a second notification message from the switch to the service control point when the calling party number is a pre - paid or pay - per - use number, said first notification message being sent when the call begins and said second notification message being sent when the call ends;      ( f )  billing the calling party number for a usage amount when the calling party number is a pre - paid or pay - per - use number; and      ( g )  updating the billing system when the calling party number is a pre - paid or pay - per - use number.     
     
     
       44. The computer- readable medium of    claim 43   , wherein said determining whether the calling party number is a pre - paid number, a pay - per - use number, a foreign number or a blocked number comprises comparing the calling party number to a number stored in the database.   
     
     
       45. The computer- readable medium of    claim 43   , wherein the usage amount is determined by comparing the first notification message to the second notification message.   
     
     
       46. The computer- readable medium of    claim 45   , wherein the usage amount is subtracted from the pre - paid units in the database when the calling party number is a pre - paid number.   
     
     
       47. The computer- readable medium of    claim 45   , wherein the usage amount is recorded in the database when the calling party number is a pay - per - use number.   
     
     
       48. The computer- readable medium of    claim 43   , wherein the trigger is a public office dialing plan trigger.   
     
     
       49. The computer- readable medium of    claim 43   , wherein the amount of pre - paid units is a quantity of time.   
     
     
       50. The computer- readable medium of    claim 43   , wherein the amount of pre - paid units is a quantity of connections.   
     
     
       51. The computer- readable medium of    claim 43   , wherein the pre - determined code comprises a portion of the calling party number and a set of pre - determined digits.   
     
     
       52. In a telephone network, a method for providing pre- paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of the telephone network, comprising:    ( a )  receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving an internet service provider telephone number, wherein the internet service provider telephone number is stored in a called party field associated with said incoming call;      ( b )  sending a query from the switch to a database, the database comprising a pre - paid subscriber number and a corresponding amount of pre - paid units, in response to the call, wherein the query includes a calling party number;      ( c )  responding to the query with a pre - determined code stored in a calling party field when the calling party number is the pre - paid subscriber number, wherein the pre - determined code is sent to the internet service provider by a service control point to be used to authorize the calling party to access resources of the internet service provider;      ( d )  terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the pre - determined code in the calling party field when the calling party number is the pre - paid subscriber number; and      ( e )  subtracting a usage amount from the amount of pre - paid units in the database.     
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 52 , further comprising the step of terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the calling party number in the calling party field when the calling party number is different from the pre- paid subscriber number.   
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 53 , further comprising the step of playing an announcement to a caller before terminating the call. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 52 , further comprising the step of disconnecting the call when the calling party number is different from the pre- paid subscriber number.   
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 52 , wherein the database further comprises a blocked subscriber number. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising the step of terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the calling party number in the calling party field when the calling party number is the blocked subscriber number. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 57 , further comprising the step of playing an announcement to a caller before terminating the call. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising the step of disconnecting the call when the calling party number is the blocked subscriber number. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 52 , further comprising the step of creating the pre- determined code by changing an area code in the calling party number to “ 111 ”.   
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 52 , further comprising the step of sending a transaction identification message from the service control point to the internet service provider server, wherein the transaction identification message comprises the pre- determined code.   
     
     
       62. In a telephone network, a method for providing pre- paid access to an internet service provider using a billing system of the telephone network, comprising:    ( a )  receiving an incoming call from a calling party at a switch serving an internet service provider telephone number, wherein a called party field in the incoming call is an internet service provider telephone number;      ( b )  sending a query from the switch to a database, the database comprising a pre - paid subscriber number and an amount of pre - paid units, in response to the call, wherein the query includes a calling party number;      ( c )  responding to the query with a pre - determined code stored in a calling party field that is sent to the internet service provider by a service control point through a gateway when the calling party number is the pre - paid subscriber number, wherein said pre - determined code is an authorized code authorizing the calling party to access resources of the internet service provider;      ( d )  terminating the call to the internet service provider number with the pre - determined code in a calling party field when the calling party number is the pre - paid subscriber number; and      ( e )  subtracting a usage amount from the amount of pre - paid units in the database.     
     
     
       63. The method as claimed in  claim 62 , further comprising modifying a calling party field with the authorization code.