1231results about "Prepayment telephone systems" patented technology

A system is provided that includes a request module adapted to receive a request from an initiation interface initiated by a user and a user profile module adapted to associate the request with a user profile of the user. The user profile includes at least a payment plan selected by the user and an identification number of the user. The system also includes a payment interface adapted to submit a payment demand to the payment plan and a mobile communication interface adapted to transmit a confirmation to a mobile communication network for transmission to a wireless device associated with the identification number. In the system, the initiation interface may be a wireless device, a magnetic swipe reader, a wireless barcode reading device, an RFID interface, a website, and/or a web banner interface. A method of operating a server is provided. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a processor is provided.

A system for generating and transmitting summary transaction data includes a computer database from which information is compiled and forwarded to a requesting party automatically, i.e., without the need to interface with a human operator. A party having access to a prepaid transaction account number may access the host computer from a remote location and interactively request transaction information pertaining to the account using virtually any communication modality. The computer is suitably configured to communicate with one or more of the foregoing communication modalities and to automatically compile and transmit the summary data to a requested destination, for example, to a PC. The computer may further be configured to allow the requesting party to select among various formats to configure the form of the summary data. Summary transaction data may be generated and transmitted for virtually any type of prepaid transaction card, including phone cards, travel, credit cards, stored value (e.g., smart cards) cards, and the like.

A method and system for monitoring telecommunications traffic is disclosed. When a switch receives a call request, the switch sends a query message to a service controller. The service controller identifies the call request as a request to place a special service call and therefore returns to the switch a special service code, which causes the switch to route the call via a special looparound circuit to a destination. A signaling path associated with the looparound circuit passes through a designated network entity, which can therefore monitor the start and end of the call. An SCP or other network entity can then take appropriate action in response to the status of the call. The invention is particularly useful in facilitating robust account balance service such as prepaid calling.

Method for carrying out a transaction on a system that includes at least one central processing platform, at least issuer server and at least one acquirer server, wherein the central processing platform includes a routing engine coupled by a communication connection to the issuer server and the acquirer server, and the method includes the steps of receiving a transaction inquiry at the acquirer server or the issuer server, routing of the inquiry from the acquirer server or from the issuer server to the central processor platform, and operating the central processor platform, in order to implement the transaction.

A method of accounting for online Internet usage credit includes establishing an account identifier in a database for a selected user. A number of credit value block records are associated in the database with the account identifier. Each credit value block has a stored credit value amount, and at least a second stored property indicator. In response to a measured amount of consumption of services by the user, at least one of the credit value blocks is debited by a debit amount based on the measured amount and the second stored property indicator. The stored property indicator may be a rate multiplier, or other factor indicating a different cost mode of online service, connection or usage.

Device agents and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises monitoring, at an access device, at least a subset of device activity. The method further comprises detecting an activity satisfies at least one condition specified by a policy and executing at least one action in the policy associated with the satisfied condition.

An apparatus and method for detecting a fraud or fraud attempt in a captured interaction. The method comprising a selection step in which interactions suspected as capturing fraud attempts are selected for further analysis, and assigned a first fraud probability, and a fraud detection step in which the voice is scored against one or more voice prints, of the same alleged customer or of known fraudsters. The first fraud or fraud attempt probability is combined with the result of the scoring of the fraud detection step, to generate a total fraud or fraud attempt probability. If the total fraud or fraud attempt probability exceeds a threshold, a notification is issued. The selection, scoring and combination thereof are performed using user-defined rules and thresholds.

The present invention is generally directed to a system and associated method for communicating information to a predetermined location. The system includes a transmitter disposed at a first location and configured to transmit a signal containing an instruction code that uniquely identifies an instruction to be carried out. The system further includes a transceiver disposed remotely from the transmitter and configured to receive the transmitted signal. The transceiver circuit includes a line interface circuit configured to interface with a telephone line that is part of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and initiate a phone call over the telephone line. Finally, the system includes a central station remotely located from said transceiver but being in communication with said transceiver via the PSTN The central station further include a decoder configured to decode the instruction code. In accordance with a broader aspect, the invention is directed to a general purpose transceiver having a receiver for receiving an information signal and a transmitter configured to transmit an outgoing signal over a phone line to a central station A portion of the information signal includes an instruction code, which may be decoded by the central station and acted upon accordingly Consistent with the general purpose nature of the transceiver, the phone number of the central station may be transmitted to the transceiver as part of the information signal.

An improved prepaid telephone card system is provided wherein a system center communicates to a calling party in the language spoken by the calling party. The system includes a system center which comprises an account database of prepaid accounts and a language library containing voice prompts and instructions in various languages. When the system center and the calling party are connected, the system center prompts the calling party in a plurality of languages to enter an account code; receives the account code from the calling party and determines if the account code is valid; accesses a database corresponding to the account code to determine if the calling party has previously set up a preferred language; presents to the calling party a plurality of languages available for selection as the preferred language; inputs from the calling party a selection of the preferred language and records the selection in the database; prompts the calling party, in the preferred language, for a destination telephone number of a desired party; and connects the calling party to the desired party.

A method is disclosed for authorizing a prepaid network service in a data network. A network end station issues a request for a prepaid network service. At a network node, such as a router serving as a gateway for selecting services, a determination is made about whether a user associated with the end station is authorized to access the prepaid network service. Network traffic from the end station is forwarded to a service provider only when the user is authorized to use the prepaid network service. Specific embodiments provide message flows among a mobile station, gateway support node, router, and authentication server that support providing prepaid services in a packet-switched network for mobile communication. In certain embodiments, a connection is held open for an end station while a prepaid quota value is refreshed at a portal, thereby reducing overhead and precluding the need to repeat user logon steps. Further, unused quota amounts can be returned to the authentication server for use in association with multiple concurrent connections of the same device.

The present invention relates generally to a method of identifying data delivery parameters relating to delivery of data accessible from a network location via a communications service provider. Embodiments of the invention are particularly well suited to identifying delivery parameters when the delivery of data is metered, such as when data are delivered to terminals connected to mobile networks.

Likelihood of fraud is reduced by having at least one of an identifier of a location from where a request is submitted or information that can lead to identification of the location, submitted with or in addition to a request. Then, determination is made to whether to service the request, based at least in part on the location from where the request is submitted. In various embodiments, the location may be compared against predetermined permissible location(s) or a current user location. The request may be a request to charge an amount against an account, such as a credit card account, a request to access a physical resource, such as a VPN, or an informational resource, such as account information, or a request to access a secured area.

Systems and methods for generating and responding to billing requests in a wireless subscriber billing system are disclosed. A billing request can be generated at a trusted service. The billing request including billing information is communicated to a wireless subscriber billing system. A validation response to the billing request is generated in the wireless subscriber billing system and the validation response is communicated to the trusted service.

A method, system, and computer readable medium for sending notification messages to a notification device and associating a fee for sending the notification message. The notification message is associated with a portable consumer device issued by an issuer and associated with an account of a consumer operated by the issuer. The fee is obtained by the issuer or a payment brand organization associated with the portable consumer device.

A rule set is used to determine at least one rule for authorizing a transaction debiting an account of an authorized user. Subsequently, the account is debited, according to the at least one rule, in real time if the transaction is authorized. The real time debit is settled with transaction providers in accordance with at least one settlement rule. If it is determined that the authorized user does not have sufficient funds in an authorized user account to debit for the transaction, the authorized user account may be recharged by a recharge routine that includes determining a recharge user account to transfer funds from and authorizing the transfer by at least one of referring to a pre-authorized transfer and requesting authorization from the authorized user. The transaction may be requested and the transaction providers may be connected via heterogeneous networks.

A multi-factor rate analysis system and method for analyzing service plan rates, service providers, and savings other information is provided. Rate information may be based on one or more of historical and other user specific usage information and preferences, current rate information for one or more services as well as other information. This information may be used to identify one or more rate plans that are advantageous to a user, enable the user to select from the identified plans, facilitate the ability of the user to switch from one rate plan to another and provide other benefits and advantages.

Method for computing a quota of service time or volume requested by a user in a system wherein a service provider provides a plurality of services to the user having pre-paid an amount of money on a user account to access at least one service. This method comprises determining whether the product of the amount of money (AMOUNT) by a reserved part (PART) is greater than a predetermined minimum reserve of money (MIN-RESERVE), and computing the quota which is equal to the minimum (MIN1) of the product and a maximum quantity of service (MAX-FLAT) that the user may reserve while being in a flat rate interval divided by the cost of one unit of the requested service (RATE) if the product is greater than MIN-RESERVE or to the minimum (MIN2) of AMOUNT, MAX-FLAT and MIN-RESERVE, divided by RATE if the product is less than MIN-RESERVE.

A method of authorizing an Internet Protocol (IP) enabled mobile host 1 to access the Internet 2 via an wireless LAN, GSM, UMTS access network 3 comprises initially sending an IP access request from the mobile host 1 to an IP router 5 within the access network 3. In response to receipt of said access request at the IP router 5, an IP address routing prefix is sent from the IP router 5 to the mobile host 1. Electronic cash is then forwarded from the mobile host 1 to a control point 6 within the access network 3. The control point 6 confirms the authenticity and/or sufficiency of the electronic cash and, providing that confirmation is made, sends an authorization message to the IP router 5. The IP router 5 blocks the transmission of IP packets between the mobile host 1 and the Internet 2 prior to receipt of the authorization message and permits the passage of IP packets only after an authorization message has been received.