Prepaid long-distance telephone service system with flexible operating parameters
First Claim
1. A method for providing long-distance service comprising:
- establishing a plurality of different access phone numbers;
preselecting a plurality of different sets of global operating parameters, each preselected set corresponding to a respective one of the access phone numbers;
receiving a telephone call on one of said access phone numbers;
identifying the access phone number called to initiate the received telephone call;
retrieving fie preselected set of global operating parameters corresponding with the identified access phone number called;
collecting a destination telephone number;
completing the call to the destination telephone number in accordance with the retrieved preselected set of global operating parameters;
establishing a plurality of calling card numbers;
associating at least two of said calling card numbers with one of the different access phone numbers;
preselecting a plurality of different groups of processing parameters, each preselected group corresponding to a respective one of the calling card numbers;
collecting a credit card number;
identifying the credit card number collected;
retrieving the preselected group of processing parameters corresponding with the identified credit card number;
comparing the collected destination telephone number to the retrieved processing parameters; and
processing the call to the destination telephone number in accordance with the retrieved processing parameters.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A long-distance telephone service system provides for accounting and flexible, customizable control of long-distance telephone usage by customers, especially prepaid long-distance service customers. The system maintains a set of global operating parameters associated with each access number. It further maintains a database of user accounts or card numbers, and a set of card processing parameters associated with each card number. Both the global parameters and the individual card processing parameters are applied in completing a long-distance call to a destination number so as to provide highly flexible control over individual accounts as well as groups of accounts. Establishment of new accounts, and "recharging" the prepaid balance of existing accounts is accomplished automatically from remote locations.
160 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for providing long-distance service comprising:
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establishing a plurality of different access phone numbers; preselecting a plurality of different sets of global operating parameters, each preselected set corresponding to a respective one of the access phone numbers; receiving a telephone call on one of said access phone numbers; identifying the access phone number called to initiate the received telephone call; retrieving fie preselected set of global operating parameters corresponding with the identified access phone number called; collecting a destination telephone number; completing the call to the destination telephone number in accordance with the retrieved preselected set of global operating parameters; establishing a plurality of calling card numbers; associating at least two of said calling card numbers with one of the different access phone numbers; preselecting a plurality of different groups of processing parameters, each preselected group corresponding to a respective one of the calling card numbers; collecting a credit card number; identifying the credit card number collected; retrieving the preselected group of processing parameters corresponding with the identified credit card number; comparing the collected destination telephone number to the retrieved processing parameters; and processing the call to the destination telephone number in accordance with the retrieved processing parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for connection to an incoming telephone line in front of a digital central office (DCO) switch to provide long-distance telephone services, the system comprising:
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interface means for sending and collecting data over the telephone line; a global dictionary for storing and retrieving a plurality of different sets of global operating parameters; an access number dictionary for storing and retrieving a plurality of access numbers, each of said access numbers corresponding to a respective set of global operating parameters; and computing means coupled to the interface means, the access number dictionary and the global dictionary and arranged to collect dialed number identification service (DNIS) data through the interface means with respect to an incoming call and further arranged to retrieve a corresponding set of global operating parameters from the dictionary responsive to the collected DNIS data, whereby the set of global operating parameters are selected in response to the incoming telephone number; and the computing means further including means for processing a call received on the telephone line in accordance with the said of global operating parameters, thereby allowing automatic implementation of a corresponding set of global operating parameters for each and every available incoming line number. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification