Machine and Process for Accepting Customer Payments and Placing Orders

• US 20120189110A1
• Filed: 04/02/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TouchPay Holdings LLC (Global Tel-Link Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Touchpay Holdings, LP
• Inventors: Bullard, Charles Craig, Wise, David Duwayne
• Application Number:
  US13/437,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20120189110A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/144.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64

Abstract

A machine and process for accepting customer payments and placing orders for telecommunications services is disclosed. The machine and process include a kiosk operable to accept account set-up information from an individual, accept payment from the individual, collect identifying data from the individual, and communicate with a system to activate a telecommunication account for the individual. The kiosk may be placed wherever quick telecommunication account set-up and payment verification is necessary, for example: a correctional facility or college campus.

Claims

1. A system for receiving an inmate service account payment, the system comprising:

a kiosk at a correctional facility to receive transaction information associated with the inmate service account payment and to collect biometric data associated with an operator of the kiosk;

a database to store the transaction information and the biometric data;

a network allowing communication between the kiosk and the database; and

a processor to generate a real-time transaction record including the transaction information and the biometric data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the kiosk further comprises:

a payment acceptor to receive the inmate service account payment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the payment acceptor comprises a bill validator.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the payment acceptor comprises a magnetic card reader.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the kiosk further comprises:

an identification recording device to collect the biometric data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the identification recording device comprises a microphone.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the identification recording device comprises a camera.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the biometric data comprises at least one of:

a voice recording, a fingerprint, a hand print, a cornea scan, and a photograph.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a customer reporting engine to query the database for transaction records.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the network allows the kiosk to be remotely monitored.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor correlates conditions of acceptance for the inmate service account payment amount according to restrictions placed on the inmate by the correctional facility.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of:

identification information for an inmate associated with the inmate service account, a payment amount, a type of inmate service to be funded with the payment, and identification information associated with an owner of the inmate service account.

13. A system for receiving an inmate service account payment, the system comprising:

a kiosk at a correctional facility to collect biometric data associated with an operator of the kiosk and to receive transaction information comprising;

identification information for an inmate associated with the inmate service account, a payment amount, and a type of inmate service to be funded with the payment;

a processor to couple the biometric data and the transaction data into a real-time transaction record;

a database to store the real-time transaction record; and

a network allowing communication between the kiosk, the processor, and the database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the biometric data comprises at least one of:

a voice recording, a fingerprint, a hand print, a cornea scan, and a photograph.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the kiosk further comprises:

a payment acceptor having at least one of;

a cash bill validator and a magnetic card reader.

16. A method of receiving an inmate service account payment, the method comprising:

collecting information at a kiosk located at a correctional facility, the collected information comprising biometric data associated with an operator of the kiosk and transaction information;

communicating the collected information to a network;

generating a real-time transaction record that includes the transaction information and the biometric data; and

storing the real-time transaction record on a database in communication with the network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of:

identification information for an inmate associated with the inmate service account, a payment amount, a type of inmate service to be funded with the payment, and identification information associated with an owner of the inmate service account.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the biometric data is not used for verification or authentication purposes during the transaction.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a payment request; and

authorizing or denying the payment request.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the real-time transaction record is generated and stored regardless of whether the payment request is authorized or denied.