Debit calling label

• US 5,640,447 A
• Filed: 08/30/1993
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Fonseca
• Original Assignee: David Fonseca
• Inventors: Fonseca, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/113,193
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 379/91, 379/111, 379/112, 379/114, 379/144, 379/357, 379/355, 40/335, 40/336, 40/630, 235/375, 235/376, 235/380-382, 156/64, 156/270, 156/277, 156/152, 118/264, 118/268, 364/479.03, 364/479.05, 364/479.07
• US Class Current: 379/114.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675

Abstract

A debit calling label for allowing telephone charges to be credited against a prepaid account is disclosed. The debit calling label preferably includes a label, an account number printed on the label, and an adhesive secured between the label and a backing such that when the backing is removed, the label is adapted to be secured to an item. The debit calling label also preferably includes an additional label having a numeral representing the amount of time associated with the account code. The calling label and the number label are adapted to be used on items specifically manufactured for use with the labels. These items preferably have designated areas for securing the labels thereto and corresponding instructions concerning use of the debit label to place telephone calls against the prepaid calling credit account. In an alternative embodiment, the label includes the account code, the amount of time associated with the account code, and the instructions. The label according to this alternative embodiment is adapted to be used with items which were not specifically manufactured for use with the label.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to telephone services through a label for interactive communication, the label being selectively securable to an item, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a calling account having prepaid calling credit associated therewith;

providing a unique access identifier for the calling account;

providing a label;

affixing to said label the unique access identifier for identifying the calling account;

applying an adhesive to the label for securing said label to an item; and

covering the adhesive with a selectively removable backing material whereby the user may selectively remove the backing material from the adhesive to expose the adhesive and secure the label to an item selected by the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of selecting an item on which to apply the label, removing the backing material from the adhesive and applying the label to the item.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the item comprises a greeting card.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of removably securing a tab to the greeting card and affixing information to the tab stating the need to attach the debit calling label to the greeting card to obtain calling credit.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of affixing instructions to the greeting card describing use of the debit calling label to place telephone calls against the prepaid credit associated with said unique access identifier and further comprising forming perforations around the access identifier and instructions to facilitate removal of a portion of the greeting card therefrom.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the item comprises a calling card having instructions affixed thereto describing use of the debit calling label to place telephone calls against the prepaid credit associated with said unique access identifier.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the item is a business card having instructions affixed thereto describing use of the debit calling label to place telephone calls against the prepaid credit associated with said unique access identifier.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the item is a calender having instructions affixed thereto describing use of the debit calling label to place telephone calls against the prepaid credit associated with said unique access identifier.

9. A debit calling label constructed to be securable to an item selected by the user and further constructed to allow remote crediting of telephone charges against a prepaid account to enable interactive communication, the debit calling label comprising:

a label having a front face and a rear face;

a visually discernable access identifier affixed to the front face of the label, the access identifier enabling the user to access the prepaid account;

an adhesive secured to the rear face of the label; and

a backing material releasably mounted on the adhesive, the backing material being selectively removable from the adhesive to expose the adhesive for adhering the label to a selected item.

10. The debit calling label of claim 9 further comprising an opaque covering affixed to the label and positioned to hide said access identifier, said opaque covering being removable from said label for allowing viewing of said access identifier so that the debit calling label can be made available for merchandising without revealing the access identifier.

11. The debit calling label of claim 10 further comprising a unique product reference identifier affixed to said label for providing inventory and product tracking information related to said debit calling label.

12. The debit calling label of claim 11 further comprising a permanent transparent coating affixed to the label over said access identifier to prevent inadvertent removal of the identifier from the debit calling label, said permanent transparent coating being positioned under said opaque covering, whereby said permanent transparent coating provides a bonding surface to which said opaque covering may reliably and evenly adhere.

13. The debit calling label of claim 12 wherein said opaque covering comprises a colored wax covering that adheres to the surface of said coating so that said opaque covering can be easily removed to reveal said access identifier.

14. The debit calling label of claim 13 wherein said access identifier is randomly generated by a computer.

15. The debit calling label of claim 14 wherein said unique product reference identifier is sequential, and is tied by computer data base to the specific access identifier on each label.

16. The debit calling label of claim 15 further comprising a second label having a number indicating the amount of calling time associated with the access identifier, the second label having an adhesive secured to the second label and backing removably secured to the adhesive.

17. A method for providing access to telephone services to consumers through retail distribution of a label for enabling interactive communication, the label being selectively securable by the consumer to an item, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a calling account having prepaid calling credit associated therewith;

providing a unique access identifier for the calling account;

providing a label;

affixing to said label the unique access identifier for identifying the calling account;

affixing a selectively removable opaque covering positioned to hide said unique access identifier, said opaque covering being selectively removable from said label for allowing viewing of said unique access identifier so that the label can be made for merchandising without revealing the access identifier;

affixing a unique product reference identifier to said label for providing inventory and product tracking information related to said label;

affixing instructions to the label describing use of the label to place telephone calls against the prepaid credit associated with said unique access identifier;

applying an adhesive to the label for securing said label to an item; and

covering the adhesive with a selectively removable backing material whereby the user may selectively remove the backing material from the adhesive to expose the adhesive and secure the label to an item selected by the consumer.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of removing the backing from the adhesive and applying the debit calling label to an item.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the item comprises a business card.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the item comprises an emergency kit.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the item comprises a book.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the item comprises a calender.