Internet-based message delivery with PSTN billing

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the message is entered by the sender using an input method of a computing device.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the computing device is connected to a server in the global computer network.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein the message is received by the server.

Claim 6

The method of claim 2 wherein the directory number of the recipient's telephone is entered by the sender.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of receiving a user identification and a password and validating the user identification and password before performing the steps of the method.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of charging the billing directory number for fees associated establishing the connection between the service node and the recipient's directory number comprises: determining the time duration of the call from the service node assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient's directory number; and creating an AIN AMA record for the call from the service node assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient's directory number.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein the AIN AMA record establishes that the at least one carrier identified by the at least one inter-exchange (IEC) carrier code should receive payment for the call from the service node assigned to the billing directory number to the recipient's directory number.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: playing at least one option over the recipient's telephone wherein the at least one option comprises an action the recipient may take to respond to the audio message.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 wherein the action comprises pressing a button on a keypad of the recipient's telephone to indicate receipt of the message and to terminate the call.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of sending a receipt notification to the sender of the message.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9 wherein the action comprises pressing a button on a keypad of the recipient's telephone to speak with the sender.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of: establishing a call between the receiver's telephone set and a directory number at which the sender may be reached.

Claim 15

The method of claim 9 wherein the action comprises pressing a button on a keypad of the recipient's telephone to record and deliver a response.

Claim 16

The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of: recording a response; and delivering the response to the sender.

Claim 17

A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for performing the steps of claim 1 .

Claim 18

A server in a global computer network for sending a message to an advanced intelligent network (AIN) wireline network, wherein the server comprises computer-readable instructions for performing the following steps: transmitting data to a computing device to display a webpage on the computing device, wherein the webpage requests a user identification and a password from the user of the computing device; receiving the user identification and the password as inputs from the computing device; validating the user identification and the password by comparing them to a list of user identifications and passwords pairs; if the user identification and the password match at least one of the pairs, then determining a billing directory number associated with the user identification and password; transmitting data to a computing device to display a second webpage on the computing device, wherein the second webpage requests a message body and a recipient's telephone number; receiving the message body and the recipient's telephone number as inputs from the computing device; and transmitting the message body, recipient's telephone number and the billing directory number to a public switched telephone network (PSTN), wherein the PSTN delivers the message body in audio format to a telephone set associated with the recipient's telephone number and wherein the costs for delivering the message body are billed to the billing directory number.

Claim 19

A server in a global computer network for sending a message to an advanced intelligent network (AIN) wireline network, wherein the server comprises computer-readable instructions for performing the following steps: transmitting data to a computing device to display a webpage on the computing device, wherein the webpage requests a user identification and a password from the user of the computing device; receiving the user identification and the password as inputs from the computing device; validating the user identification and the password by comparing them to a list of user identifications and passwords pairs; if the user identification and the password match at least one of the pairs, then determining a billing directory number associated with the user identification and password; transmitting data to a computing device to display a second webpage on the computing device, wherein the second webpage requests a message body and a recipient's telephone number; receiving the message body and the recipient's telephone number as inputs from the computing device; and transmitting the message body, recipient's telephone number and the billing directory number to a public switched telephone network (PSTN), wherein the PSTN delivers the message body in audio format to a telephone set associated with the recipient's telephone number and wherein the costs for delivering the message body are billed to the billing directory number.

Claim 20

The server of claim 17 , wherein the step of transmitting the message body, recipient's telephone number and the billing directory number to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) comprises transmitting the message body, recipient's telephone number and the billing directory number as Internet protocol (IP) packets to a service node of the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

Claim 21

The server of claim 17 , further operable to perform the following steps: receiving a receipt acknowledgement from the PSTN, wherein the receipt acknowledgement verifies that the recipient received the message body; and transmitting the receipt acknowledgement to the computing device for display.