Automatic validation of telephone account numbers
First Claim
1. Apparatus for determining the validity of a billing account number entered by a user of a localized telecommunications device operating in conjunction with a telecommunications network comprising:
- circuitry at the device for making an attempt to complete a predetermined telephonic connection using the billing account number;
sensing circuitry at the device to determine if said attempt to complete said predetermined telephonic connection was made by the telecommunications network in order to indicate the validity of the billing account number.
31 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telephone system and method of operation are disclosed which use a microprocessor control system (10), a speech generator (34) and speech memory (46) to interact with a calling party placing a long distance phone call. The telephone receives a billing account number from the calling party thorugh a keypad (24). The telephone determines the validity of the billing account number by attempting to place a telephone call using the billing account number to a controlled telephone number. If the attempt is successful the billing account number is valid and a communication path is established through a telephone line interface (38). The microprocessor controlled system (10) generates a billing record for the call which is stored in a call record memory (11). The billing record can later be retrieved to facilitate billing the call.
72 Citations
31 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining the validity of a billing account number entered by a user of a localized telecommunications device operating in conjunction with a telecommunications network comprising:
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circuitry at the device for making an attempt to complete a predetermined telephonic connection using the billing account number; sensing circuitry at the device to determine if said attempt to complete said predetermined telephonic connection was made by the telecommunications network in order to indicate the validity of the billing account number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for determining the validity of an account number entered by a user of a local telecommunications device operating in conjunction with a telecommunications network comprising:
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memory circuitry for storing the account number upon entry by the user; circuitry for attempting to complete a predetermined telephonic connection by transmitting electronic signals to the telecommunications network which correspond to the telephone number of a controlled telephone address known to be non-answering; first sensing circuitry to sense a cue tone returned from the telecommunications network requesting an account number; circuitry for retrieving the account number from said memory circuitry; circuitry for transmitting the account number to the telecommunications network; second sensing circuitry for determining if an attempt to complete said predetermined telephonic connection was made by the telecommunications network in order to indicate the validity of said account number, wherein the determination that the attempt to complete said predetermined telephonic connection was made by the telecommunications network indicates that the account number is valid and wherein the determination that said attempt to complete said predetermined telephonic connection was not made by the telecommunications network indicates that the account number is not valid; audio circuitry for playing an audio signal for the user during the time necessary for the determination of the validity; and circuitry for completing a telephone call to be billed to the account number. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of determining the validity of a account number entered by a user of a localized telecommunications device operating in conjunction with a telecommunication network comprising the steps of:
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attempting to complete a predetermined telephonic connection using the account number; and determining if an attempt to complete the predetermined telephonic connection was made by the telecommunications network in order to indicate the validity of the account number. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of determining the validity of an account number entered by a user of a localized telecommunications device operating in conjunction with a telecommunications network comprising the steps of:
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storing the account number upon entry by the user; attempting to complete a predetermined telephonic connection by transmitting electronic signals to the telecommunications network which correspond to the telephone number of a controlled telephone address known to be non-answering; sensing a cue tone returned from the telecommunications network; retrieving the account number from memory; transmitting the account number to the telecommunications network; determining if an attempt to complete said predetermined telephonic connection was made by the telecommunications network in order to indicate the validity of said account number, wherein the determination that said attempt to complete the predetermined telephonic connection was made by the telecommunications network indicates that the account number is valid and wherein the determination that said attempt to complete the predetermined telephonic connection was not made by the telecommunications network indicates that the account number is not valid; and playing an audio signal for the user during the time necessary for the determination of the validity. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification