Method and apparatus for authorization based phone calls in packet switched networks

Claim 2

A call authorization system for use in a packet switched network, comprising: a gateway receiving an authorization request for establishing a phone call through the packet switched network; the gateway sending an authorization request message forwarding the authorization request and receiving back a response message either accepting the call and authorization request message or rejecting the call and authorization request, the response message accepting the call and authorization request including a credit value; the gateway connecting the phone call and maintaining authorization states for the connected phone call when the response message indicates the authorization request is accepted; the gateway sending another authorization request message during the connected phone call requesting additional time when the credit value is about to be used up by the connected phone call; and maintaining the connected phone call when the response to the additional authorization request message provides an additional credit value.

Claim 3

A call authorization system according to claim 1 wherein the gateway receives an account identifier from a user and transmits the account identifier in the authorization request message to an authorization server, the authorization server using the account identifier as an index for matching a user record in a database.

Claim 4

A call authorization system according to claim 2 wherein the account identifier comprises an account number and/or a personal identification number.

Claim 5

A call authorization system according to claim 2 wherein the response message indicates acceptance of the authorization request when a user record in the database matches the account identifier and contains the authorization request in the authorization request message.

Claim 6

A call authorization system according to claim 1 wherein the response message includes a credit value from a user record matching the account identifier.

Claim 7

A call authorization system according to claim 5 wherein the gateway uses the credit value to initialize a timer for tracking duration of the connected phone call.

Claim 8

A call authorization system according to claim 5 where the gateway reports the credit value and the duration of the call back to the user over an IVR system.

Claim 9

A call authorization system according to claim 5 wherein the gateway transmits an accounting message to an authorization system after the call is terminated, the accounting message indicating a duration of the phone call.

Claim 10

A call authorization system according to claim 8 wherein the authorization system updates the credit value in the matching user record according to the call duration.

Claim 11

A call authorization system according to claim 5 wherein the gateway periodically transmits authorization request messages to the authorization server requesting updates to the credit value.

Claim 12

A call authorization system according to claim 1 wherein the authorization request message includes a destination address, the gateway connecting the call when the destination address is indicated as accepted by the response message.

Claim 13

A call authorization system according to claim 2 wherein a Radius protocol is used in the gateway and the authorization server for processing the authorization request.

Claim 14

A call authorization system according to claim 1 wherein the authorization states maintained by the gateway include tracking an account identifier for the call, a duration of the call, a connect status of the call, and accounting information for the phone call.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 14 wherein the gateway connects the call for a time period corresponding to escrowed funds from a user debit account contained in the response message.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 15 wherein the gateway periodically sends update messages requesting more escrowed funds from the debit account.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 15 including notifying the user from time to time with the gateway as to what portion of the time period remains in the call.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 15 including disconnecting the call when the user hangs up and sending an accounting message from the gateway identifying any remain portion of the escrowed funds to be recredited to the debit account.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 14 including: sending a destination address in the call connection request; receiving the response message accepting the call request when a matching user record verifies the destination address; receiving the response message rejecting the call connection request when there is no matching user record or the matching user record does not verify the destination address; connecting the call through the gateway when the response message accepts the call connection request; and terminating the call when the authorization message rejects the call connection request.

Claim 22

An authorization server for authorization based call requests made in a packet switched network having a gateway, comprising: the authorization server receiving an authorization request message from the gateway including a call account identification and an authorization request; the authorization server using the call account identification as an index for matching a user record in a user database; the authorization server accepting the authorization request when a matching user record verifies the authorization request; the authorization server rejecting the authorization request when there is no matching user record or a matching user record does not verify the authorization request; the authorization server sending a response message back to the gateway enabling the gateway to connect and maintain authorization based states for the call when the authorization request is accepted and causing the gateway to terminate the call when the authorization request is accepted; the authorization server authorizing the call for a period of time with the response message accepting the authorization request; the authorization server receiving another authorization request from the gateway requesting authorization of the connected call for an additional period of time; and the authorization server sending out another response message authorizing the additional time period for maintaining the connected phone call when an account associated with the matching user record indicates available credit.

Claim 23

An authorization server for authorization based call requests made in a packet switched network having a gateway, comprising: the authorization server receiving an authorization request message from the gateway including a call account identification and an authorization request; the authorization server using the call account identification as an index for matching a user record in a user database; the authorization server accepting the authorization request when a matching user record verifies the authorization request; the authorization server rejecting the authorization request when there is no matching user record or a matching user record does not verify the authorization request; the authorization server sending a response message back to the gateway enabling the gateway to connect and maintain authorization based states for the call when the authorization request is accepted and causing the gateway to terminate the call when the authorization request is accepted; the authorization server authorizing the call for a period of time with the response message accepting the authorization request; the authorization server receiving another authorization request from the gateway requesting authorization of the connected call for an additional period of time; and the authorization server sending out another response message authorizing the additional time period for maintaining the connected phone call when an account associated with the matching user record indicates available credit.

Claim 24

An authorization server according to claim 20 wherein the response message contains a credit value obtained from the matching user record.

Claim 25

An authorization server according to claim 20 wherein the authorization server verifies a destination address in the authorization request with the matching user record.

Claim 28

A method according to claim 23 including sending a credit value from the matching user record in the authorization message.

Claim 29

A method according to claim 23 including verifying a destination address in the call connection request corresponds with the matching user record.