Telephonic communications – Special services – Repetitive call attempts
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-26
2001-04-03
Zele, Krista (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Special services
Repetitive call attempts
C370S352000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212268
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computer and communication systems and, more particularly, to telephone callback services arranged over a data network, such as the Internet.
2. Description of Related Art
The cost of an international telephone call between two countries can differ based on where the call originated. Callback services take advantage of this price difference by allowing a customer to place an international telephone call by arranging to have it originate in the country which has the most favorable tariffs. For example, a telephone call originating in Argentina and calling a phone number in the United States will typically cost more than the same telephone connection originating in the United States. Therefore, an Argentine customer may use a callback service that allows the call from Argentina to originate in the United States. The Argentine customer will place a call to a callback system's phone number in the United States. The customer hangs up the phone on the first ring, thus normally incurring no charge. The callback system places a call to the customers number and provides the customer with a dial tone such as one which allows a customer access to a United States long distance carrier.
The Problems
Currently, callback services experience at least three problems. The first problem is that the public telephone company in the customer's country may try to block access to the callback service. Some countries have attempted to block access to certain phone numbers associated with callback services. In some areas this approach has even extended to the blocking of entire area codes and local office prefixes. Another approach attempts to block the touch-tone signals required for the callback service.
A second problem is that the user interface provided by the callback service is not user friendly. A typical callback service typically requires the user to enter a long stream of digits into the phone keypad.
The third problem is that in some countries the customer may be charged for the initial call to the callback service.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides methods, apparatus, systems, and computer program products which overcome the problems of the prior art and allow a user to setup a pre-planned calling schedule with a callback service. The user provides callback information, such as the time of the call, the telephone numbers of the parties involved and the frequency with which a pre-scheduled call should be placed, via a data network, such as the Internet or through other means such as mail or fax if data network access is not available.
The callback service's computer server maintains the user's data and continuously checks to determine when a call should be placed. The server may store E-mail addresses for each of the parties who have E-mail access and who are involved in the call. At a predetermined time before the call is to be placed the server will send an E-mail to each party reminding them about the impending call. At a time stored in the database, the server will attempt to place the call. If the call is placed and the connection is made then the user is billed for the call using standard billing mechanisms. If the connection cannot be made, then the server will attempt to place the call again after a specified period of time.
The foregoing and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5619555 (1997-04-01), Fenton et al.
patent: 5661790 (1997-08-01), Hsu
patent: 5742674 (1998-04-01), Jain et al.
patent: 5835568 (1998-11-01), Bass et al.
patent: 5884032 (1999-03-01), Bateman et al.
patent: 5909487 (1999-06-01), Mainker
McDermott & Will & Emery
Sun Microsystems Inc.
Tieu Benny Q.
Zele Krista
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