Telephonic communications – With check operated control – Other than coin
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-17
2001-02-27
Kuntz, Curtis A. (Department: 2743)
Telephonic communications
With check operated control
Other than coin
C379S115030, C379S120000, C379S127030, C379S220010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195422
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to providing toll services from a subscriber line subject to pre-established limits in amount, and more particularly to a means and methodology for using selected calling card type processing equipment in providing such services, without user input of identification information, while providing equal access to inter-exchange carriers.
Acronyms
The written description uses a large number of acronyms to refer to various services, messages and system components. Although generally known, use of several of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of this discussion, acronyms therefore will be defined as follows:
AIN—Advanced Intelligent Network
AMA—Automatic Number Ientification
ANI—Automatic Message Accounting
CCN—Cash Card Network
CCS—Calling Card System
CPR—Call Processing Record
CLEC—Competitor Local Exchange Carrier
EO—End Office
GAP—Generic Address Parameter
IAM—Initial Address Message
ISDN—Integrated Services Digital Network
ISUP—ISDN User Part (of SS
7
)
ISCP—Integrated Service Control Point
IXC—Interexchange Carrier
LATA—Local Access and Transfer Area
LEC—Local Exchange Carrier
OHD—Off Hook Delay
PIC—Preferred Interexchange Carrier
PIN—Personal Identification Number
POP—Point of Presence
PSTN—Public Switched Telephone Network
SCP—Service Control Point
SS
7
—Signaling System Seven
SSP—Service Switching Point
STP—Service Transfer Point
TCAP—Transactional Capabilities Application Part
BACKGROUND
Prepaid cash card calling is presently being made available by certain companies (AT&T, Sprint, and others) over their own networks. Generally these services involve allowing access to the provider's network by having the end-user dial an 800 number. A database with account management and real-time-rating capabilities (RATER) tracks the prepaid cash card value and deducts the account as call progression occurs.
The customer acquires a card with a special code, a credit amount and the telephone number of a special central office or like facility, by either a cash or credit card payment. The code, the credit amount and telephone numbers may be acquired, for example, through the regular credit card companies and charged to the acquirer's credit card.
Alternatively, the credit or cash amount, the telephone numbers and identifying code can be purchased at sales points such as in airports, hotels, rent-a-car stations and the like. The amount paid is credited to the acquirer for use against future telephone calls. The credited amount is stored in a memory at the special central office or the like, such as a data base or platform, along with the special code.
A party wishing to make a telephone call, which may be a local call or a toll call, can acquire a prepaid credit amount. He or she uses the nearest available telephone, removes the handset, and dials a special data base, platform or special central office or exchange. When he or she is connected to the data base, platform, special central office or exchange, a special dial tone is sent from the special exchange to the calling station. When the calling party hears the special dial tone, indicating that the computer at the exchange is ready for the user, he or she dials the identifying code and the desired called number. The computer at the special exchange checks the code and registers the desired called number.
If the code number is a genuine code with credit, a regular dial tone is sent to the calling party station as he or she is connected to the regular telephone system. The computer at the special exchange routes the call on the most economical available lines according to prior arrangements with long distance line suppliers. The calling party's predialed numbers are transmitted. The system can also be arranged so that the calling party dials the called party responsive to receipt of the regular dial tone.
Special exchange equipment, such as an intelligent platform, can provide an artificial or prerecorded voice announcement stating the amount of credit available and that the amount of credit is equivalent to a stated number of minutes of talking time on the call being connected. The announcement is made according to the charge rate for the distance between the calling and called parties.
A credit check can be accomplished contemporaneously with the number code verification. If the code is invalid an announcement is made advising the customer to try again. The customer is allowed a predetermined plurality of tries (for example three) before being disconnected from the special central office. If he or she is trying again for the second and third times he or she is reconnected to receive the special dial tone. After the third time he or she is released from the special exchange after receiving a recorded announcement explaining that the code is not valid.
Conventional systems can operate to allow the calling party to dial while the verification is being accomplished, in which case when the calling party hears normal dial tone. A register in the exchange can then input the dialed information to cause the exchange to complete the call between the calling party and the called party.
A normal time and distance computing circuit, such as a peg counter, can be put into service to provide information for timing the call against the available credit. Thus, for example, the information from the peg counter is sent to a comparator to continuously determine whether the calling party's credit is sufficient to pay for the call. When the credit equals the used time×rate, the call is automatically ended by the computer.
Upon failure to maintain a positive credit level, the connection between the calling and called party opens, the connection to the computer however remains, and an announcement is made to notify the customer to insert another code number, if available. If a new code number (with valid credit) is inserted by the customer, then the calling party again receives a dial tone and can dial a new called party. In other words, he or she goes back to the input where he or she has computer tone and is told to dial the code number and the calling party number. All the steps are repeated and the new call is connected. If the customer does not have a new code number, then the connection between the computer and the calling party is broken.
The call can also be terminated by the user. When the call is terminated by the user, and he or she still has credit, he or she is again connected to normal dial tone, and he or she merely has to dial another call, if so desired. If he or she does not want to dial another call, then he or she returns the handset to the hookswitch. If he or she does want to make another call, he or she dials the number after hearing a normal dial tone. Thus, the customer does not have to repeat the entire connection back to the computer and have the validation procedure repeated. He or she had already been checked and validated and therefore is connected to a normal dial tone. The process is repeated as long as positive credit remains.
With a dedicated public telephone, the customer calling party must have a prepaid code number. To begin the operation, he or she goes off hook with the dedicated public telephone. The calling station receives computer dial tones as soon as going off hook. He or she then dials in the secret code number and the system checks to see if he or she has a valid number. If he or she does, he or she is visually or audibly notified of the amount of credit available in his code. If he or she does not have a valid code then he or she is notified that he or she has inserted an invalid code. A recorded message can be sent for this purpose.
If an invalid code is inputted more than a predetermined number of times (three times for example), then the phone is disconnected for a specified time period (for example, five minutes). This disconnection time is implemented to discourage practical jokes, fraud or anyone maliciously trying to tie up the telephone. After the five minute time period, the phone is returned to it
Farris Robert D.
Jones Douglas R.
Bell Atlantic Network Services Inc.
Kuntz Curtis A.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Tieu Binh K.
LandOfFree
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