System and method for providing counseling service

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a collect call method and system thereof, more particularly, in order to charge the called party with a uniform toll for collect call, which is determined by only the type and location of called party terminal. In one embodiment, the collect call method, system and a counsel service providing method use a free VoIP network for part of the voice call link and a charge PSTN network for the rest of the voice call link. In one embodiment, if the first link corresponding to the collect call request is established, the collect call switch calls the called party terminal to establish the second link, and billing on the second link is initiated.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method of providing counsel service based on a collect call system, the method comprising:
 storing i) an affiliated website identifier, ii) a collect call number that a counsel user submits, and iii) a counselor identifier indicating a counselor selected by the counsel user on receiving basic information from a counsel user terminal being in data communication with an affiliated website;   sending basic information, the affiliated website identifier and the collect call number to a counselor terminal corresponding to the counselor identifier; and   calculating a total call time by recording a call start time when the counselor terminal makes a call at the collect call number and a call end time when the call ends,   wherein the basic information is one of the following: text data, image data, sound data and combination of them.   
     
     
         14 . The method as stated in  claim 13 , wherein the collect call number that is sent to the counselor terminal is not exposed to the counselor and is deleted after the collect call ends. 
     
     
         15 . The method as stated in  claim 13 , further comprising providing an available counseling service list and a counselor list corresponding to the counseling service to the counsel user terminal on accessing to the affiliated website. 
     
     
         16 . The method as stated in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 assorting valid calls and invalid calls based on at least one of the call start time, the call end time and the total call time; and   calculating a sum of the total call time of valid calls for one of the counselor and the affiliated website.   
     
     
         17 . The method as stated in  claim 16 , wherein the assorting comprises comparing the call start time, the call end time and the total call time with call detail record (CDR) produced by a collect call switch. 
     
     
         18 . A method of providing counsel service based on a collect call system, the method comprising:
 storing i) a collect call number that a counsel user submits and ii) a counselor identifier indicating a counselor selected by the counsel user if a counsel user terminal, being in data communication with a counseling service server, sends basic information to a counselor terminal being in data communication with the counseling service server;   calculating a total call time by recording a call start time when the counselor terminal makes a call at the collect call number and a call end time when the collect call ends;   assorting valid calls and invalid calls based on at least one of the call start time, the call end time and the total call time; and   calculating a sum of the total call time of valid calls for the counselor,   wherein the basic information is one of the following: text data, image data, sound data and combination of them.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 establishing a first communication link between the counselor terminal and a collect call switch; and   establishing a second communication link between the collect call switch and the counsel user terminal,   wherein the billing for the collect call is made only for the second communication link.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 establishing a first communication link between the counselor terminal and a collect call switch; and   establishing a second communication link between the collect call switch and the counsel user terminal,   wherein the billing for the collect call is made only for the second communication link.   
     
     
         21 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method of providing a counsel service, comprising:
 receiving information from a counsel user, the information comprising a collect call number;   sending the information to a counselor affiliated with a counsel service provider;   enabling the counsel to make a collect call to the collect call number; and   recording a total call time of the collect call.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising providing a list of counselors to the counsel user and permitting the counsel user to select one of the counselors. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the list of counselors is provided via a website. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein receiving information from the counsel user comprising receiving the information from a client program installed on a user terminal. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the user terminal comprises an electronic data processing device. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the client program comprises a web browser. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the collect call is made from a counselor terminal through the counsel service provider. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising analyzing the information received from the counsel user. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising:
 establishing a first communication link between the counselor and a collect call switch;   establishing a second communication link between the collect call switch and the counsel user; and   connecting the first communication link and the second communication link in response to a collect call acceptance from the counsel user.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the collect call is at least partially made over a VOIP system. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the information further comprises at least one of a website identifier, a counsel identifier, and a counsel user identifier. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising:
 storing the information in a database of a counsel service management server; and   sending the stored information to the counselor.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising notifying the counsel service management server when the collect call is made by the counselor. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the information is received from the counsel user through an instant message service. 
     
     
         55 . A server system for providing counsel service, comprising:
 a management server configured to receive information comprising a collect call number from a counsel user and save the information in a database;   a counsel terminal in communication with the management server and being configured to receive the stored information from the management server, the counsel terminal being configured to make a collect call to the collect call number; and   a collect call switch configured to connect the counsel terminal with the counsel user in response to a collect call acceptance from the counsel user.   
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the collect call switch is configured to receive a notification from the counsel terminal that the collect call is being made and record a total call time of the collect call. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the management server is configured to provide a list of counselors to the counsel user and permit the counsel user to select one of the counselors. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the management server comprises a website for receiving the information from the counsel user. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the collect call switch is configured to:
 establishing a first communication link to the counselor;   establishing a second communication link to the counsel user; and   connecting the first and second communication links in response to the collect call acceptance from the counsel user.   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the management server is configured to enable the counsel terminal to make the collect call over a VOIP system. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the information further comprises at least one of a website identifier, a counsel identifier, and a counsel user identifier. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the management server is configured to receive the information through an instant message service.