Card-actuated telecommunication network

• US 4,517,412 A
• Filed: 11/23/1983
• Issued: 05/14/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Larry Newkirk, Martha Newkirk
• Original Assignee: Larry Newkirk, Martha Newkirk
• Inventors: Newkirk, Larry, Newkirk, Martha
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHREYER, STAFFORD
• Application Number:
  US06/554,726
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 179/7.1 R, 179/6.3 CC, 179/2 CH, 179/2 A, 179/18 B, 179/2 CA, 179/2 DP, 179/7 R, 179/8 R, 179/18 D, 179/18 DA, 179/90 CS, 179/6.3, 179/6.4, 235/380, 340/825.33, 340/825.26
• US Class Current: 379/114.19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/023 Circuit arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13515 authentication, authorisation - fraud prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A public access network operating in conjunction with existing telecommunication lines to permit a caller holding a machine-readable credit card to make calls from any local station included in the network without having to deposit coins and without human intervention. The network is constituted by a master control central linked to a group of satellites installed at different locations, such as airport terminals. At every installation, the satellite acts as a hub for many local telephone stations each provided with a standard telephone set and a card reader adapted to scan the caller'"'"'s credit card to derive therefrom a digital signal identifying the card, its number and expiration date. This signal from an originating local station is transmitted through the associated satellite to a verification processor at the central to test the card number against a stored table of invalid numbers and in other respects to determine the acceptability of the card. If the card passes this test the originating local station is so advised and the telephone set is then activated to permit the caller to dial.

Claims

1. A public access network operating in conjunction with existing telecommunication lines, making it possible for a caller holding a credit card issued by any one of several companies to dial calls from any local station included in the network, said network comprising:

A. a satellite acting as a hub to connect local stations assocated therewith to said telecommunication lines;

B. a plurality of local stations accessible to the public and associated with said satellite, each station being provided with a normally-inactive communication set linked to said satellite whereby when said set is activated, a call dialed therefrom goes through a line selected from said telecommunication lines to the called destination, and a credit card reader adapted to receive a caller'"'"'s credit card to generate a digital signal representing the card and its holder;

C. means responsive to said signal to determine its acceptability to the network, thereby limiting access to the network to valid cards; and

D. means to generate data regarding the location of the local station from which each call originates as well as the destination of the call and its duration and to relate this data to data derived from the digital signal in regard to the identity of the credit card used by each caller to provide billing information to be supplied to the several companies, making it possible for each of these companies to bill its card holders for calls made through the network.

2. A public access network operating in conjunction with existing telecommunication lines, making it possible for a caller holding a credit card issued by any one of several companies to dial calls from any local station included in the network, said network comprising:

A. a group of satellites installed at different locations, each including an intelligent digital switch coupled to said telecommunication lines to select a line appropriate to the destination of a call dialed from an originating local station;

B. a plurality of local stations accessible to the public and associated with a respective satellite in said group, each local station being provided with a normally-inactive communication set linked to the intelligent switch of said satellite whereby when said set is activated, a call dialed therefrom goes through the line selected by the switch to the called destination, and a credit card reader adapted to receive a caller'"'"'s credit card to generate a digital signal representing the card and its holder; and

C. a master control central linked to all of said satellites to supervise the operation thereof, said central including means responsive to a digital signal transferred thereto from an originating local station through the satellite associated therewith to determine whether the card from which the digital signal is derived is acceptable to the network, and to send back to said original local station an acceptance signal to activate the communication set.

3. A network as set forth in claim 2, wherein each local station includes a local processor coupled to said card reader to transfer said digital signal from the reader to the associated satellite, said local processor being coupled to said communication set to activate said set when said acceptance signal is received from the control central.

4. A network as set forth in claim 3, wherein said satellite includes a multiplexing unit connected to the local processors in the plurality of local stations associated with said satellite to transfer the digital signal at the originating local station to the control central.

5. A network as set forth in claim 4, wherein said control central includes a verification processor connected to the multiplexing unit and responsive to the digital signal transferred thereto to determine whether the related card is acceptable, said processor having access to a table of unacceptable cards, or to a list of all acceptable cards.

6. A network as set forth in claim 5, wherein said central further includes a billing processor coupled to said verification processor to provide billing information from the card data and call data yielded by the verification processor.

7. A network as set forth in claim 6, including message means at said communication set to indicate to the caller that the card is or is not acceptable.