ACTIVATING TELEPHONE-BASED SERVICES USING A POS DEVICE

• US 20080091543A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Arthur, Steven, Newbrough, Keith, McGee, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US11/957,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20080091543A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A method of providing telephone response unit (TRU)-based services includes receiving from a point-of-sale (POS) device a request at a host computer system to activate TRU-based services. The request includes an identifier that indicates the specific TRU-based services to be activated. The method also includes confirming the availability of the specific TRU-based services to be activated and storing at the host computer system information that indicates the services are activated. The method also includes returning a message to the POS that indicates that the TRU-based services have been activated.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A method of providing telephone response unit (TRU) -based services, comprising:

at a TRU, receiving a request from a customer to access TRU-based services wherein the request includes an identifier which identifies a specific TRU-based service;

transmitting from the TRU to a host computer system a request to provide an activation status of TRU-based services relating to the customer;

receiving a response from the host computer system; and

using the response to determine whether to allow the customer to access the TRU-based services.

18. A method of providing interactive voice response (IVR) services, comprising:

receiving an IVR access number from an IVR access card via a reader associated with a point-of-sale (POS) device;

sending the IVR access number to a host computer system for validation;

at the host computer system, validating the IVR access number by;

searching for an activation status of the IVR access number; and

in real time, activating the IVR access number by storing information that indicates that the number is active;

receiving at the host computer system from an IVR system a request to confirm the activation status of the IVR access number;

searching for stored information relating to the activation status of the access number;

returning from the host computer system to the IVR system information that relates to the activation status of the IVR access number; and

maintaining an account balance relating to the IVR services.

19. A system for providing telephone response unit (TRU)-based services, comprising:

a point-of-sale (POS) device configured to receive a TRU-based services access number and transmit a request to activate the TRU-based services access number to a host computer system; and

the host computer system, wherein the host computer system is programmed to;

validate the TRU-based services access number by;

searching for an activation status of the TRU-based services access number; and

activating the TRU-based services access number by storing information that indicates that the number is active;

receive from a TRU a request to confirm the activation status of the TRU-based services access number;

search for stored information relating to the activation status of the access number;

return to the TRU information that relates to the activation status of the TRU-based services access number; and

maintain a record reflective of an account balance of the customer.