	US 7,466,807 B2
	Methods, systems and computer program products for offloading prepaid status queries from a prepaid status database for unlimited in-network prepaid calls
Thomas M. McCann, Cary, N.C. (US); Devesh Agarwal, Raleigh, N.C. (US); Chin-Chuan Chiu, Algonquin, Ill. (US); and Peter J. Marsico, Chapel Hill, N.C. (US)
Assigned to Tekelec, Morrisville, N.C. (US)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/724,590.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/782673, filed on Mar. 15, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2007/0286367 A1, Dec. 13, 2007
Int. Cl. H04M 15/00 (2006.01); H04M 7/00 (2006.01); H04M 11/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 379—114.2 [379/114.01; 379/221.07; 456/406]

17 Claims

1. A method for offloading prepaid status queries for in-network prepaid calls, the method comprising:

at a signaling message routing node:

(a) intercepting a prepaid status query associated with a call originated by a calling subscriber and directed to a called subscriber;

(b) determining whether the calling subscriber is associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan based on the intercepted prepaid status query;

(c) determining whether the call is of a type that qualifies as unlimited under the calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan associated with the calling subscriber;

(d) determining whether the call is an in-network call based on the intercepted prepaid status query, where an in-network call includes a call between a calling subscriber and a called subscriber belonging to the same network;

(e) in response to determining that the call is an in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, generating a prepaid status response on behalf of a prepaid status database instructing the query originator to connect the call and forwarding the status response to the query originator; and

(f) in response to determining that the call is not an in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, forwarding the prepaid status query to the prepaid status database.