Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus for performing an automated collect call from a localized telecommunications device remote from a central telephone office comprising:
- circuitry at the device for receiving destination determining information input by a user;
transmitter circuitry at the device for transmitting access format information from the device to a telecommunications to establish contact with a called party;
circuitry at the device for generating prompts from the device to inform the called party of the desired collect call;
detector circuitry at the device for detecting a response from the called party; and
circuitry associated with the device for establishing a communication path between the user and the called party in response to the detection of a predetermined response from the called party, whereby the call may be placed by the user to the called party without requiring assistance from the central telephone office.
30 Assignments
Litigations
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 automatically place collect calls without the need of a live operator. The telephone uses the microprocessor control system (10) and a speech record/playback generator (44) to receive a destination number and a recorded name from a user. The telephone uses the speech generator (34) to play audio messages to prompt the user throughout the process. The phone informs a called party of the identity of the user and receives responses from the called party through a DTMF receiver (52). A communication path is established through a telephone line interface (38) if the phone receives a response indicating the called party accepts the charges for the collect call. The microprocessor control system (10) generates a billing record or the call which is stored in a call record memory (11). The billing record can later be retrieved to facilitate billing the call.
110 Citations
54 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for performing an automated collect call from a localized telecommunications device remote from a central telephone office comprising:
-
circuitry at the device for receiving destination determining information input by a user; transmitter circuitry at the device for transmitting access format information from the device to a telecommunications to establish contact with a called party; circuitry at the device for generating prompts from the device to inform the called party of the desired collect call; detector circuitry at the device for detecting a response from the called party; and circuitry associated with the device for establishing a communication path between the user and the called party in response to the detection of a predetermined response from the called party, whereby the call may be placed by the user to the called party without requiring assistance from the central telephone office. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A pay telephone station remote from a central telephone office for performing an automated collect call comprising:
-
circuitry within the station for audibly asking a called party if the party wishes to receive a collect call from a user; circuitry within the station for detecting a response from the called party and for connecting the call between the party and the user; and circuitry for storing billing information for the call at the station whereby the call may be placed by the user to the called party without the assistance of the central telephone office.
-
-
14. Apparatus for processing a telephone call from a user to a called party through a localized telecommunications device in conjunction with a telecommunications network including a central telephone office and having provisions for a call completion assistant, the device being remote from the central telephone office, the apparatus comprising:
-
circuitry associated with the device for receiving destination determining and access format information from the user related to the telephone call; audio means at the device for prompting the user to respond with one of a plurality of possible responses associated with different modes for completing the telephone call; means for routing the telephone call to the call completion assistant if a first response is input by the user; said audio means prompting the user to input identification information if a second response is input by the user; means for establishing contact with the called party through the telecommunications network; said audio means operable to inform the called party of the identity of the user utilizing said identification information and prompting the called party to respond according to the called party'"'"'s choice as to whether or not to receive and be billed for the telephone call; circuitry associated with the device for connecting a communication path between the user and the called party if a first response is input by the called party, whereby the call may be placed by the user to the called party without requiring assistance from the central telephone office; and storage means at the device for recording billing information for the telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A method for performing an automated collect call from a local telecommunications station remote from a central telephone office comprising the steps of:
-
receiving at the station destination determining information input by a user; transmitting from the station access format information and said destination determining information to a telecommunications network to establish contact with the called party; generating audio from the station to inform the called party of the desired collect call; receiving at the station response signals generated by the called party; and establishing a communication path between the user and the called party, whereby the collect call may be placed by the user to the called party without requiring assistance from the central telephone office. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A method for processing telephone calls from a user to a called party utilizing a localized telecommunications station in conjunction with a telecommunications network having a central telephone office and having provisions for a call completion assistant, the station being remote from the central telephone office, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving at the station destination determining information and access format information associated with the telephone call from the user; prompting the user to respond with a plurality of possible responses associated with different modes for completing the telephone call; routing the telephone call to a call completion assistant if a first response is input by the user; upon the input by the user of a second response, prompting the user to input identification information; inputting access format information and the destination determining information into the telecommunications network; informing the called party from the station of the identity of the user utilizing the identification information; prompting the called party to respond according to the called party'"'"'s choice as to whether or not to receive and be billed for the telephone call; connecting a communication path between the user and the called party if a first response is input by the called party, whereby the call may be placed by the user to the called party without requiring assistance from the central telephone office; and recording billing information for the call at the station. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
Specification