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:
Jul. 03, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 05, 2006
Russell G. Kindred, Lake Quivera, KS (US);
Charles E. Woodson, Peculiar, MO (US);
Thomas M. Sladek, Overland Park, KS (US);
Jim J. Dowell, Kansas City, MO (US);
Russell G. Kindred, Lake Quivera, KS (US);
Charles E. Woodson, Peculiar, MO (US);
Thomas M. Sladek, Overland Park, KS (US);
Jim J. Dowell, Kansas City, MO (US);
Sprint Spectrum L.P., Overland Park, KS (US);
Abstract
Methods are disclosed for identifying the carrier to which a phone, such as a mobile phone, subscribes in real time, at the time a call is originating from or terminating to the mobile phone. Where both parties to a call are subscribers to the same carrier, the methods can be used for applying preferential call rates to intra-carrier calls, e.g., making the calls free. The methods are particularly useful in the telephony networks with local number portability, in which the mere identification of the phone number does not necessarily identify the carrier to which the phone subscribes. The methods can use either existing databases to identify the carrier, such as LERG (Local Exchange Routing Guide) tables, number portability databases, name databases, and home location registers, or a new database can be created correlating mobile phone directory numbers with carriers.