Telephonic communications – With check operated control – Other than coin
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-09
2001-07-31
Tieu, Binh K. (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
With check operated control
Other than coin
C229S092800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269158
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to the telecommunication and postal industries, and in particular to a combination of telephone call cards, postcards, special events cards, coupons, gift certificates or aerograms, to provide prepaid and/or postpaid communication means.
Telecommunication, a form of audio message transfer, is by for the most popular form of communication because of its convenience and speed. A telephone call provides the benefit of speaking to each other for parties and persons who are geographically separated.
Postal communication, a form of visual message transfer, provides a means of communicating in writing between people and for exchanging written documents and materials. Telecommunication is replacing postal communications for providing the benefit of interactive conversation as well as making it possible for exchange of written information rapidly by fax. However, in many parts of the world, access to means of telecommunication is not easy, practical or affordable.
The prior art includes examples of items which combine a telephone calling card with a greeting card (U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,977, issued to Fonseca, F. on May 3, 1997) or a card including an electronic device containing a recorded message (U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,606, issued to Sasaki, N. et al. on Jul. 29, 1997). Fonseca discloses a method and assembly for allowing telephone calling credit to be provided in conjunction with a greeting card. The greeting card comprises a greeting card, an envelope having an inside pocket adapted to receive the greeting card and a calling card access identifier designating a account against which telephones can be charged. Thus, Fonseca discloses an invention which comprises several separate items and which is suitable for greeting cards (most probably for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or weddings) which must first be placed into the envelope. The envelope further needs to be sealed after adding the calling card and finally to be stamped. The main disadvantages of this assembly and method are: 1) the inconvenience of having to buy and/or deal with several items separately rather than have everything in a single unit, and 2) the cost of the individually purchased greeting card/calling card,envelope and stamp.
Sasaki et al. discloses a message card which includes a button type dry battery, a visual image display, a speaker, a control circuit for recording, storing and reproducing both of visual images and audio messages data, and a flexible circuit substrate for the control circuit. The electronic device used in this invention is complex, expensive, heavy and requires an outside energy source such as batteries to run it. Thus, the invention disclosed by Sasaki et al. is unsuitable for providing a convenient, easy and cheap system and method for combining the audio and visual message transfers in one unit. It is therefore important to provide a method and combination of a postal communication, providing postal communication and a telephone calling card, providing the benefits of telecommunication in a unique single card product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a postal communication and telephone calling card unit system and a method for constructing and implementing such a unit system which combines the benefits of telecommunication by including a predetermined, calling charge credit with postal communication by including a pre-stamped and/or bulk rate post-paid postcard which is separated form the calling card by a perforated edge.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a unit system and method for combining a postcard and a telephone card which unit itself may be mailed without an envelope and includes a bulk rate postage stamp so that the user does not have to purchase separate stamps.
It is yet another object of the present invention to include a toll free number on a designated region of the unit which can access a database to pick up a voice mail message.
It is also an object of the present invention to further include in the unit system a gift certificate or coupons and an appropriate toll free number. The sender may thus send by mail gift certificates, coupons, or advertisement notices which are inscribed on the unit system. The receiver may call the toll free number, enter the receiver's account number and activate the coupon or certificate, or the user may mail back the signed communication to the sender or leave a synthetic voice mail or recorded musical message.
It is also an object of the present invention to construct a unit system that combines an aerogram and a calling card which is suitable for use world wide, provides privacy because the aerogram is folded and sealed, and which can be mailed on a cheap flat postal rate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination of a telephone calling card and a postcard, the postcard portion containing an exposed visual display such as a photograph or picture.
Another object of the invention is to provide a foldable card unit system having the detachable calling card portion fold over the message portion, thereby allowing the entire and/or partial unit to be mailed confidentially.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a card unit system comprising a gift certificate or coupons, a toll free number and/or an additional postage stamp covered by a removable label.
It is also the object of the invention to provide an aerogram comprising a visual image, a detachable calling card and commercial advertising space, thereby renewing the use of aerogram use worldwide.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a card unit system and method for constructing which allows the unit to be sold through the post office, retail and wholesale markets, holiday resorts and commercial outlets, public and private vendors, and which minimizes the opportunity for misappropriation of the calling credit, the gift certificate or the coupons.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4838580 (1989-06-01), Tuhkanen
patent: 5513117 (1996-04-01), Small
patent: 5609253 (1997-03-01), Goade, Sr.
patent: 5629977 (1997-05-01), Fonseca
patent: 5640447 (1997-06-01), Fonseca
patent: 5652606 (1997-07-01), Sasaki
patent: 5921584 (1999-07-01), Goade, Sr.
patent: 5923734 (1999-07-01), Taskett
patent: 5992731 (1999-11-01), Tani
Karmali Rashida A.
Kim Hyun D.
Tieu Binh K.
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