Method and system for selective charging by recipients of in-bound communications in communication networks

Abstract

A method, in the field of communications services, for linking several electronic and information components (including communication network elements, servers, databases and software) to implement a service for, dynamically and selectively, imposing supplementary call charges on behalf of subscribers to the network; whether for self-employed, competent experts, other categories of content provider, or any individuals or organizations receiving communications. Such supplementary tariffs are levied on those calling telephone numbers dynamically and selectively dedicated for this purpose, providing called parties with a way to collect fees for the information they provide to calling parties. The method enables the operating party (a Value added service provider) in partnership with the mobile operator to collect these revenues on behalf of and to share this revenue with, the called subscriber.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method in a telecommunications network comprising:
 receiving from a communication subscriber a request to implement and vary a user-determined increase in a tariff paid by others communicating with the communications subscriber;   implementing at a publisher server the user-determined increase in the tariff; and   billing via a billing server the user-determined increase in the tariff.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising controlling and giving effect to the entire service implementation for a network operator of the telecommunications network, using an application server. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising generating one or more reports for communications subscribers, using the publisher server. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising communicating with the publisher server and reading all user requests and all changes sent from the application server and storing an accurate record of the user requests and changes, using a log database server. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a communications subscriber electing to determine the cost of in-bound communications to a telephone number. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a communications subscriber electing to impose a supplementary tariff on in-bound communications. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a communications subscriber billing for content provided to in-bound callers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising advisors imposing content-based charges on in-bound callers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a call recipient having a GSM phone number and deciding who among various callers to the recipient's phone number will incur content-based charges. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the network operator adding and/or collecting the user-determined increase in the tariff charged, for in-bound calls to a telephone number of the communications subscriber. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the communications subscriber telephone number is a dedicated number specifically assigned and linked to another number. 
     
     
         23 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable software instructions embodied therein, wherein when executed the computer readable software instructions are configured to cause the method of  claim 12  to be carried out.