Public telephone system using a prepaid card to enable communication
First Claim
1. A public telephone system comprising:
- a plurality of public telephone sets for allowing speech communication upon insertion of a prepaid card, said prepaid card storing card information including an indentification number, value information, and an issue date; and
a center apparatus for determining whether speech communication is possible upon reception of information from said public telephone sets through a telephone line before start of speech communication by said prepaid card,each of said public telephone sets comprising reading means for reading the card information recorded in said prepaid card upon insertion of said prepaid card, andfirst transmitting means for transmitting the card information read by said reading means to said center apparatus through said telephone line, andsaid center apparatus comprisinga database for storing the card information of said prepaid card,collating means for collating the card information stored in said database with the card information from said first transmitting means upon insertion of said prepaid card into each public telephone set and allowing speech communication using said prepaid card on the basis of a collation result,setting means for setting data for designating a valid period of said prepaid card from the issue date, anddeleting means for deleting the card information related to said prepaid card which is expired in said database based on the date for designating the valid period of said card set by said setting means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A public telephone system includes a plurality of public telephone sets and a center apparatus. Each of the public telephone sets includes a reading unit for reading card information recorded in a prepaid card upon insertion of the prepaid card and a first transmitting unit for transmitting the card information read by the reading unit to the center apparatus through a telephone line. The center apparatus includes a database for storing the card information of the prepaid card for each issued card, a collating unit for collating the card information stored in the database with the card information from the first transmitting unit upon insertion of the prepaid card into each public telephone set and allowing speech communication using the prepaid card on the basis of a collation result, a keyboard for setting data for designating a valid period of the prepaid card, and a deleting unit for deleting the card information related to the prepaid card which is expired in the database when the data for designating the valid period of the prepaid card is set by the keyboard.
66 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A public telephone system comprising:
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a plurality of public telephone sets for allowing speech communication upon insertion of a prepaid card, said prepaid card storing card information including an indentification number, value information, and an issue date; and a center apparatus for determining whether speech communication is possible upon reception of information from said public telephone sets through a telephone line before start of speech communication by said prepaid card, each of said public telephone sets comprising reading means for reading the card information recorded in said prepaid card upon insertion of said prepaid card, and first transmitting means for transmitting the card information read by said reading means to said center apparatus through said telephone line, and said center apparatus comprising a database for storing the card information of said prepaid card, collating means for collating the card information stored in said database with the card information from said first transmitting means upon insertion of said prepaid card into each public telephone set and allowing speech communication using said prepaid card on the basis of a collation result, setting means for setting data for designating a valid period of said prepaid card from the issue date, and deleting means for deleting the card information related to said prepaid card which is expired in said database based on the date for designating the valid period of said card set by said setting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification