54 results about "Prepaid telephone call" patented technology

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.

The present invention includes a prepaid telephone calling card for use by the visually impaired. A braille printer is configured to print a wallet-sized, plastic prepaid telephone calling card having one or more information fields printed in braille. A first information field printed in braille corresponds to an access number through which an individual can access a host computer for completing prepaid telephone calls. A second field printed in braille corresponds to a unique account code associated with the prepaid card. Various other information fields may also be printed in braille on the card, as desired. The information fields may also be printed in very large type face to facilitate reading by individuals who are not blind, yet substantially visually impaired.

Inmates place free incoming calls to a call processing system and are prompted to choose between accessing a voice mail system and calling an outside party. If an outside party is to be called, an inmate provides a phone number and an outgoing call is placed to the outside party. If the outside party provides payment for the call, the inmate is connected to the outgoing call and the incoming call is terminated. If the outgoing call is not accepted, the inmate may record a voice message for the outside party in a voice mailbox assigned to the inmate. For an access fee, the outside party may access the voice mailbox assigned to the inmate. Advertising messages may be presented to inmates during incoming calls and / or to outside parties during outgoing calls. Advertising revenue may cover incoming call charges. Inmates and / or outside parties may record voice messages for advertisers.

A wireless communications system providing interactive voice response is disclosed. The system is menu-driven, and can accept information and requests from customers. In response to one type of request, the system can provide the customer with information regarding locations where pre-paid calling cards can be purchased. The system also includes provisions that provide customers with locations that are close to or within a ZIP code entered by the customer. Customers can also retrieve multiple locations.

A user purchases a card and uses it to make pre-paid telephone calls via a telephone service provider system associated with the issuer of the card. After the account balance on the card is depleted, the user can present the card to a merchant or other party for redemption in the manner of a discount coupon for products or services.

A method for providing a quantity of pre-paid telephone time from an automated teller machine (ATM) or a point-of-sale device (POS terminal), to a patron of either of such device. PIN numbers, obtained from a telephone service provider and each designating a pre-paid quantity of telephone service time, are made available to the ATM or POS terminal. The patron is queried by the device if he / she wishes to purchase telephone time. Upon selection of a quantity of pre-paid telephone time by a patron and payment for such purchased quantity of time, the device selects a particular PIN number having an associated quantity of telephone time corresponding to the quantity of telephone service time purchased by the patron, and provides such PIN number to the patron. In a preferred embodiment the PIN number is provided to the patron by being printed out on the ATM's existing account statement printer, or on the account statement printer of a POS terminal if a POS device is alternatively employed. An ATM to permit patrons of such ATM to purchase a quantity of telephone time from one of a plurality of telephone service providers is further disclosed.

A system and method for electronic purchase of prepaid telephone services is provided. An initiating terminal receives input of a customer's request to purchase a specified amount of prepaid telephone services and receives input of the customer's designation of a financial account from which to electronically debit the price of such purchase. A central terminal receives these inputs from the initiating terminal, obtains authorization for the request, and transmits data to the initiating terminal for the initiating terminal to, in turn, print on a receipt and provide to the customer. This receipt is then used instead of a telephone card to obtain telephone services up to the specified amount. Such receipt may also detail instructions and an authorization number, such as a personal identification number or PIN, to initiate the pre-paid telephone service. The system and method of the present invention also preferably transfers the funds from the appropriate demand or credit account to pay for the purchased telephone services. An additional, separate Regulation E-type receipt is preferably also printed reflecting the financial transaction.

A service control point transmits a recharge request message or advice of charge to a mobile client resident in a wireless communications device. The message is first received by a wireless telephony application server that then forwards the message to a wireless access protocol gateway. The wireless access protocol gateway then sends the request to the mobile client. The user of the mobile client responds with an affirmative or negative answer to the request to recharge the prepaid telephone airtime account. The service control point then either recharges the account as instructed or lets the account expire, depending on the response from the user.

The invention provides a method, business method, and system for conducting micropayment transactions between consumers and merchants. A merchant offers micropayment transactions to a consumer. The micropayment transaction is authorized, and the micropayment transaction is executed between the merchant and the consumer. A value parameter associated with a prepaid instrument, such as a prepaid calling card, is decremented by an amount corresponding to the value provided by the merchant. A payment is transferred to the merchant to settle the micropayment transaction. The invention also provides a system for conducting micropayment transactions between consumers and merchants. At least one prepaid calling card is issued to a consumer in exchange for a payment from the consumer. A merchant site conducts micropayment transactions and accepts the prepaid calling card as payment. A clearinghouse receives data associated with the prepaid calling card from the merchant site and processes the data to settle the micropayment transaction. The invention also provides a business method for conducting micropayment transactions between consumers and merchants. The invention further provides systems and methods for effecting remote commerce which are particularly adapted for the intelligent selection and proffer of products, services, or information to a user or customer during micropayment transactions.

Method and system for refilling mobile terminal prepaid phone cards via electronic distribution of refill codes. Refill codes for prepaid phone cards are distributed to end users via a prepaid phone card distributor, which contracts with mobile phone operators and prepaid phone card retailers to distribute refill codes. End users enter identification and payment information to the refill code distributor, which then records the payment and returns a refill code to the end users. End users can purchase refill codes by mediums including a computer network and refill terminals located at retail shops.

A system including a cellular phone or a telephone card having, pre-registered therein, the identification number of a connection telephone company and a user ID, a store processing terminal unit handling it, a point-of-sale POS terminal, and a management host computer of the telephone company, wherein these are connected through a communication line. A merchandise information of the cellular phone that is transacted, etc., is sent to, and stored in, the host computer. When a call is made using the cellular phone, or the like, the host computer carries out reduction processing of a prepaid telephone charge depending upon a call rate on the basis of the stored merchandise information of the cellular phone, or the like. When the cellular phone or the telephone card is used, telephone charges can be paid in a store handling such a cellular phone, or the like.< / PTEXT>

A system and method for electronic purchase of prepaid telephone services is provided. An initiating terminal receives input of a customer's request to purchase a specified amount of prepaid telephone services and receives input of the customer's designation of a financial account from which to electronically debit the price of such purchase. A central terminal receives these inputs from the initiating terminal, obtains authorization for the request, and transmits data to the initiating terminal for the initiating terminal to, in turn, print on a receipt and provide to the customer. This receipt is then used instead of a telephone card to obtain telephone services up to the specified amount. Such receipt may also detail instructions and an authorization number, such as a personal identification number or PIN, to initiate the pre-paid telephone service. The system and method of the present invention also preferably transfers the funds from the appropriate demand or credit account to pay for the purchased telephone services. An additional, separate Regulation E-type receipt is preferably also printed reflecting the financial transaction.

A product registration system and method is disclosed that automatically registers a product with a manufacturer. In the product registration system, a point of sale system obtains a communication code that is associated with a product and transfers the communication code to a code processing system. Examples of the communication code include a phone card code or a pre-paid phone card code. The code processing system processes the communication code to determine manufacturer information for the product. The code processing system transfers a product registration request to a manufacturer registration system based on the manufacturer information to register the product with the manufacturer. The code processing system also transfers the communication code and a communication code activation request to a communication code activation system to activate the communication code. The product registration system advantageously automates product registration and communication code activation.

The gaming system with phone card payout is a system for playing a video game using a smart card. A dispensing station includes a smart card reader, a bill acceptor and a phone card dispenser. The bill acceptor reads the monetary value of currency inserted in the machine and stores the monetary value on a smart card. The stored monetary value can be used to either purchase prepaid phone cards at the dispensing station or to play video games at an establishment hosting the dispensing station. The video games at the establishment are equipped with smart card readers. Logic in the video games verifies that the smart card monetary value was purchased at the hosting establishment and accepts the monetary value from a verified smart card for playing the video game. Video game credits accumulated on the game may be transferred back to the smart card.

A telecommunications network includes a mobile switching center (MSC) and a service control point (SCP) communicatively coupled to one another. The SCP is configured to provide the MSC with call routing information for a mobile telephone call received at the MSC so as to direct the call to a wire-line prepaid telephone service provider platform (WPP) in accordance with calling number identification information received at the MSC. The call routing information may include a temporary routing number (TRN) to be used by the MSC to connect the mobile telephone call to the WPP, a carrier identification code, or steering digits prepended to a called number.

The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing prepaid card service to customers for placing telephone calls without relying on a post-service billing model. A service management computer having access to a card database is connected to the network only by out-of-band connections. A voice response unit or a tone receiver and announcement player in the network are the voice interface with the customer and are provided at the originating switch in the network to eliminate multiple switches from the call path.

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing prepaid telecommunication services. More particularly, prepaid telephone calls can be made by users without entering any access code, if such calls are made from telephone numbers previously registered in the telecommunication system in connection with valid access codes. Prepaid telephone calls can also be made from non-registered telephone numbers after providing the telecommunication system with a valid access code.

A service control point transmits a recharge request message or advice of charge to a mobile client resident in a wireless communications device. The message is first received by a wireless telephony application server that then forwards the message to a wireless access protocol gateway. The wireless access protocol gateway then sends the request to the mobile client. The user of the mobile client responds with an affirmative or negative answer to the request to recharge the prepaid telephone airtime account. The service control point then either recharges the account as instructed or lets the account expire, depending on the response from the user.

Costs associated with accessing the internet from a public terminal are borne by one or more sponsors. The terminal thus sponsored may, in exchange, be limited in the internet domains it is capable of browsing. If a user wishes to browse beyond the sponsored domains, a usage charge may be assessed. In other arrangements, web cards (like pre-paid phone cards) may be sold at retail establishments (or issued by libraries), to permit web browsing from compliant terminals. A variety of other arrangements are also detailed.

The present invention provides systems and methods for allowing access to a voice mailbox associated with a pre-paid mobile phone subscriber's account after the expiration of the subscriber's credits. A call processing system may be configured to receive a call from a calling party and to connect the call to a voice mailbox system. The call processing system may allow the calling party to record a voice message that can subsequently be accessed by the subscriber for an access fee. The call processing center may also be configured to allow the calling party to add credit to the subscriber's account. Access fees are paid and credits are added to the account by way of pre-paid calling cards, smart cards, credit cards, debit cards, electronic fund transfers.

A method for placing a telephone call from a caller using a prepaid phone card includes the steps of connecting a caller with a caller interface having a speech recognition application, receiving voice input from the caller in the form of phone card information spoken by the caller, comparing the voice input from the caller with personalized prepaid phone card information previously stored in a database and placing a requested telephone call if the voice input from the caller matches the personalized prepaid phone card information stored in the database. The personalized prepaid phone card information stored in the database may be a personal identification number (PIN) assigned to the caller's phone card and the voice input from the caller is in the form of a personal identification number (PIN) spoken by the caller. The speech recognition application then compares the spoken personal identification number with the personal identification number (PIN) stored in the database. The method may further include the step of retrieving a telephone number stored in the database if a voice input from the caller matches a telephone number identifier assigned to the telephone number.

A system, method and apparatus for prepaid calling cards, providing prepaid phone system connections between calling parties and called parties, whereas said prepaid calling cards are authorized at a point of purchase and restrictions are created at the point of purchase such that said prepaid calling card cannot be used if said restrictions are violated. For example, a restriction of a preprogrammed phone number may be added at the point of purchase rendering that prepaid calling card useful only for calls made to the restricted phone number.

A method and system allows multiple and simultaneous use of a pre-paid calling card. A call management system allows for the completion of multiple calls under one pre-paid calling card account number. Depending on the number of concurrent users, a billing system assigns a portion of the total number of available service units to individualized user accounts. The individualized accounts are debited according to the rate charges for each of the calls and are initially assigned an account balance that allows all concurrent users with the same amount of talk time.

Systems and methods for cross-border payment of accounts, and other remittance, resulting from provision of goods and services via a trusted agent. In particular, the invention provides systems, methods, and computer programming useful in making, accepting, and processing safe and reliable electronic payment of such debts. The invention is also useful in prepayment for goods and services such as pre-paid telephone or other communication cards and accounts. In some embodiments, such systems and methods proceed in real-time.

System and a method for recording a personal greeting associated with a pre-paid telephone calling card. The system and method include and involve a data storage system for storing data corresponding to a pre-paid telephone calling card and a personal greeting. Also included and involved is a pre-paid telephone calling card processing system that is coupled to the data storage system and which is configured to receive a request to record the personal greeting during a setup call over a telephone network and to cause the personal greeting to be recorded for subsequent playback. The pre-paid telephone calling card processing system is also configured to receive a request to make an outbound telephone call in relation to the pre-paid telephone calling card during an access call over the telephone network and to cause the personal greeting to be played back automatically during the access call.

In a system and method for enabling bad debt recovery in a prepaid services environment, a bad debt balance (acquired under a post-paid regime) is stored in a bad debt database associated with the customer who accumulated the bad debt. Deposits by the customer into a pre-paid account are then accepted and the balance tracked in a pre-paid account database. Requests for service by the customer, e.g. pre-paid telephone service, are tracked by the pre-paid application server and the services rendered while debiting the pre-paid service database according to the services used. Such requests for pre-paid service also serve to trigger an automatic withdrawal of an additional amount from the pre-paid account which is then applied to the bad debt balance.

A storage and display unit for prepaid telephone calling cards, collectible cards, and the like which is made, at least in a major part, of a substantially transparent plastic having a reasonable amount of impact resistance to breakage, the unit being combinable with other units to assemble larger units, the unit providing one or more bins holding cards that are for sale, with the cards in view through the transparent portions of the unit, and arranged to have a key-lockable cover to at least deter unauthorized removal of cards. The unit also provides for display of a card's face to indicate the type of card in each card bin. The display can be arranged to be on the front or back of the unit, or both. When on the back, the unit is best oriented so that the display card seen through the transparent unit back is facing customers, and the locked cover is facing the clerk or other salesperson who has a key and is authorized to remove cards for sale. When the display card is also on the locked cover, it provides quick visual identification of the various cards in various bins. Individual units, having one or several bins, can be attached in horizontal or vertical array, or both, to form larger display units having more bins. Processes for making and assembling the units are also disclosed, preferably using a thermoplastic material which is heated at bend points to become pliable, and bent to combine what would otherwise be several individual unit panels into one piece. A jig for heating and bending a blank patterned part is also schematicly disclosed.