Systems and methods for offering a service to a party associated with a blocked call

• US 20030086546A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Evercom Systems Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Duke, Jeremy W., Hoffman, Randy, Kelson, Keith S., Falcone, Richard, Johnson, Lee R., Sullivan, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,836,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of offering a service to a user. The method comprises receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect telephone call from an origination source; processing the dialed number to determine whether payment may be received for the collect telephone call, wherein the processing blocks the collect call and stores the dialed number when the processing determines that payment may not be received for the collect telephone call; and establishing a telephone connection with the dialed number to communicate an offer for the service to a user associated with the dialed number.

Claims

1. A call processing platform, comprising:

an interface for receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect telephone call from an origination source;

a validation application for processing said dialed number to determine whether payment may be received for said collect telephone call, wherein said validation application is operable to block said collect call and to store said dialed number when said validation application determines that payment may not be received for said collect telephone call; and

an automated call application that is operable to retrieve said stored dialed number to generate a telephone connection with said dialed number, wherein said automated call application communicates an offer for a service to a user associated with said dialed number.

2. The call processing platform of claim 1 wherein said automated call application comprises an interactive voice response system.

3. The call processing platform of claim 1 wherein said call processing platform communicates with an external database to receive credit information of said user associated with said dialed number.

4. The call processing platform of claim 1 wherein said validation application determines that said dialed number is serviced by a telephony service provider that does not permit billing to said user by a service provider that operates the call processing platform.

5. The call processing platform of claim 1 wherein said automated call application offers said user a billing arrangement to permit said user to receive a subsequent collect call from said origination source.

6. The call processing platform of claim 1 wherein said automated call application offers said user a prepaid service to permit said user to receive a subsequent collect call from said origination source.

7. The call processing platform of claim 6 wherein said automated call application prompts said user for account information to initiate payment for said prepaid service.

8. The call processing platform of claim 7 wherein said payment for said prepaid service is completed by said automated call application.

9. The call processing platform of claim 8 wherein said payment is made by an electronic transfer of funds from an account.

10. The call processing platform of claim 8 wherein said payment is made by debiting a credit account of said user.

11. A method of offering a service, comprising:

receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect telephone call from an origination source;

processing said dialed number to determine whether payment may be received for said collect telephone call, wherein said processing blocks said collect call and stores said dialed number when said processing determines that payment may not be received for said collect telephone call; and

establishing a telephone connection with said dialed number to communicate an offer for said service to a user associated with said dialed number.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said processing determines that said dialed number is serviced by a telephony service provider that does not permit billing to said user by a service provider that offers said service.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

offering said user a billing arrangement to permit said user to receive a subsequent collect call from said origination source.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said processing utilizes credit information related to said user associated with said dialed number that is received from an external database.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said establishing a telephone connection is performed by an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

establishing a prepaid account to permit said user to receive a subsequent collect call from said origination source utilizing said IVR system.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

prompting said user for account information to initiate payment for said prepaid service utilizing said IVR system.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

completing said payment for said prepaid service.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said payment is made by an electronic transfer of funds from an account.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said payment is made by debiting a credit account of said user.

21. A call processing system, comprising:

means for receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect telephone call from an origination source;

means for processing said dialed number to determine whether payment may be received for said collect telephone call, wherein said means for processing is operable to block said collect call and to store said dialed number when said validation application determines that payment may not be received for said collect telephone call; and

means for generating a telephone connection with said dialed number, wherein said means for generating offers a service to a user associated with said dialed number.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said means for generating comprises an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein means for processing processes credit information of said user associated with said dialed number, wherein said credit information is received from an external database.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein said means for processing determines that said dialed number is serviced by a telephony service provider that does not permit billing to said user by a service provider that operates the call processing platform.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein said means for generating offers said user a billing arrangement to permit said user to receive a subsequent collect call from said origination source.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein said means for generating offers said user a prepaid service to permit said user to receive a subsequent collect call from said origination source.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said means for generating prompts said user for account information to initiate payment for said prepaid service.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said means for generating completes payment for said prepaid service.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said payment is made by an electronic transfer of funds from an account.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein said payment is made by debiting a credit account of said user.