The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 16, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 09, 1999
Von K. McConnell, Leawood, KS (US);
Thomas M. Sladek, Overland Park, KS (US);
Baoquan Zhang, Overland Park, KS (US);
Kenneth C. Jackson, Overland Park, KS (US);
Sprint Communications Company L.P., Kansas City, MO (US);
Abstract
A method and system for monitoring telecommunications traffic is disclosed. When a switch receives a call request, the switch sends a query message to a service controller. The service controller identifies the call request as a request to place a special service call and therefore returns to the switch a special service code, which causes the switch to route the call via a special looparound circuit to a destination. A signaling path associated with the looparound circuit passes through a designated network entity, which can therefore monitor the start and end of the call. An SCP or other network entity can then take appropriate action in response to the status of the call. The invention is particularly useful in facilitating robust account balance service such as prepaid calling.