Method, system and apparatus for teleprinting
First Claim
1. In a teleprinting method for periodically transmitting billing data to a user of a meter for measuring service and of allowing the user to control and pay the bill to a supplier of the service at a telephone user, the steps comprising:
- collecting service data referred to a service utilized by the user from a user meter associated with a telephone installed at the telephone user to a central processor installed at a supplier location and storing said service data in a memory of said central processor;
processing the service data and a corresponding service rate for the service data stored in the memory of the central processor to obtain a service charge related to a given period of time, including additional charges and taxes;
assembling said service data, service rate and service charge with all other data related to the user and stored in the memory of the central processor and intended to be shown in a bill;
periodically sending through said telephone at the telephone user the assembled data related to the user from the central processor installed at the user location and storing said data in a memory of said remote processor, said assembled data being sent through a communication line;
sending a command from the central processor to the remote processor through said communication line for printing the data stored in said remote processor on a blank bill form available to the user at the supplier location; and
printing the blank bill form supplied by the user to a printing machine, the resulting bill form being the document allowing the user to control the billed data and carry out payment for the service received.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Teleprinting system, at a telephone user, comprising an apparatus containing a microprocessor corrected to a telephone line through a modem unit providing to distinguish data transmission messages from standard telephone messages using differences in the ring signal to send the received data to a printer, to a display, or through an interface circuit to an outer computer, and receiving messages from an optical reader or from a keyboard for their transmission through the modem unit to the corresponding apparatus of an agency or individual connected in order to embody the interaction, and is particularly applicable to telebilling or teleinvoicing methods from service agencies to an end user.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. In a teleprinting method for periodically transmitting billing data to a user of a meter for measuring service and of allowing the user to control and pay the bill to a supplier of the service at a telephone user, the steps comprising:
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collecting service data referred to a service utilized by the user from a user meter associated with a telephone installed at the telephone user to a central processor installed at a supplier location and storing said service data in a memory of said central processor; processing the service data and a corresponding service rate for the service data stored in the memory of the central processor to obtain a service charge related to a given period of time, including additional charges and taxes; assembling said service data, service rate and service charge with all other data related to the user and stored in the memory of the central processor and intended to be shown in a bill; periodically sending through said telephone at the telephone user the assembled data related to the user from the central processor installed at the user location and storing said data in a memory of said remote processor, said assembled data being sent through a communication line; sending a command from the central processor to the remote processor through said communication line for printing the data stored in said remote processor on a blank bill form available to the user at the supplier location; and printing the blank bill form supplied by the user to a printing machine, the resulting bill form being the document allowing the user to control the billed data and carry out payment for the service received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a method for periodically transmitting an invoice through a telephone system to a user of a meter and a telephone located at the user for measuring service and for allowing the user to control and pay the invoice to a supplier of said service, the steps comprising:
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collecting service data referred to a service utilized by the user from a user meter associated with said telephone to a central processor installed at a supplier location and storing said data in a memory of said central processor; processing the service data and a corresponding service rate stored in the memory of said central processor to obtain a service charge related to a given period of time, including possible additional charges and taxes; assembling said service data, service rate and service charge with all other data related to the user and stored in the memory of said central processor and intended to be shown in the invoice; combining said assembled data with a blank invoice form stored in the memory of said central processor to obtain a completed invoice form; periodically sending, through said telephone system, said completed invoice form to the user from said central processor to a remote processor installed at the user location and storing said completed invoice form in a memory of said remote processor; periodically sending a command from said central processor to said remote processor, through said telephone system, for printing the completed invoice form stored in the memory of said remote processor, the resulting invoice printed on paper being the document allowing the user to control and carry out payment for the service received. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for use of a teleprint apparatus at a telephone user site to permit information pertaining to billing and the payments of meter measurable services based on data of meters to relate the measurement of products or services supplied to each user at a user site to a central accounting computer (126) at another site, comprising the steps of:
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sending data from said accounting computer through the telephone line (152) to provide a billing message to each user provided with said teleprinting apparatus prior to billing; sending all data necessary for preparing information pertaining to said billing from the central computer through a receiving modem (154), and a computing and printing unit (156) for printing billing data onto a form (157); controlling the operation of said printing unit at the site of the telephone user free from access by the user to said printing unit at the user site; and printing with a printer necessary billing data at the user site onto said form (157) by means of said printer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification