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Portable cellular telephone with credit card debit system

  • US 5,850,599 A
  • Filed: 02/09/1996
  • Issued: 12/15/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a cellular telephone system by charging cellular telephone calls to users'"'"' credit cards comprising the steps of:

  • providing a plurality of portable cellular telephones having access to a telecommunications network, said network including a cellular telecommunications component with a particular telecommunications switch associated with a predetermined call placement telephone number, and a credit card verification component;

    providing each cellular telephone with a handset and a transceiver unit coupled together via a communications bus, and a rechargeable battery coupled to said transceiver and said handset for supplying power thereto;

    said communications bus carrying audio transmission signals, audio receive signals, data transmission signals and data receive signals between said handset and said transceiver unit;

    providing an interface interposed between said handset and said transceiver, said interface having a credit card data input device;

    said interface selectively monitoring, blocking, modifying and passing said audio transmission signals, audio receive signals, data transmission signals and data receive signals between said handset and said transceiver unit;

    blocking all said audio transmission signals, audio receive signals, data transmission signals and data receive signals except emergency signals until said user inputs his or her credit card data into said card data input device;

    gathering credit card data via said interface;

    gathering a destination telephone number data via said handset;

    inserting said predetermined call placement telephone number into at least one of said audio transmission signals and data transmission signals along with said credit card data and said destination telephone data;

    sending, to said telecommunications network, said call placement telephone number, which directs the cellular telephone call to said particular telecommunications switch, said credit card data and said destination telephone data;

    in the telecommunications network, verifying said credit card data via said credit card verification component, prior to completing a cellular telephone telecommunications call to said destination telephone;

    completing said cellular telephone telecommunications call to said destination telephone; and

    recording and charging said user'"'"'s credit card after termination of said cellular telephone telecommunications call to said destination telephone.

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