Method and apparatus for providing telephone calling card validation over a computer network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of validating calling cards comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a calling card request message in a telephone system from a computer system, the request message being in a first computer protocol and specifying calling card information;
(b) converting the request message to a telephone protocol;
(c) transmitting the request message in the telephone protocol to a telephone data base server;
(d) searching a telephone data base for a validating match with the information in the request message;
(e) Charging customer'"'"'s telephone account based on information from the request message;
(f) generating a response message in response to the search in the telephone protocol;
(g) converting the response message to the first computer protocol; and
(h) transmitting the response message to the computer system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A calling card validation method and system for automatically issuing calling cards and placing charges on customer'"'"'s telephone bill. The calling card validation is requested in a computer protocol and converted to a telephone protocol, then a response is generated and the billing information is added to a telephone data base, after validation occurred successfully.
109 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of validating calling cards comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a calling card request message in a telephone system from a computer system, the request message being in a first computer protocol and specifying calling card information; (b) converting the request message to a telephone protocol; (c) transmitting the request message in the telephone protocol to a telephone data base server; (d) searching a telephone data base for a validating match with the information in the request message; (e) Charging customer'"'"'s telephone account based on information from the request message; (f) generating a response message in response to the search in the telephone protocol; (g) converting the response message to the first computer protocol; and (h) transmitting the response message to the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of validating calling cards comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a calling card request message in a telephone system from a computer system, the request message being in a first computer protocol and specifying customer information; (b) converting the request message to a telephone protocol; (c) transmitting the request message in the telephone protocol to a telephone data base server; (d) searching a telephone data base for a validating match with the calling card information in the request message; (e) generating a response message in the telephone protocol including validation data or error message; (f) converting the response message to the first computer protocol; (g) transmitting the response message to the computer system; (h) evaluating the response message in the computer system; (i) transmitting a charge request message from the computer system to the telephone system (j) converting the charge request message to the telephone protocol; and (k) Charging customer'"'"'s telephone account based on information in the charge request message. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A calling card validation system comprising:
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(a) a computer system; (b) a protocol converter connected to the computer system, the protocol converter converting messages between a first computer protocol and a telephone communication protocol; (c) a telephone communication network connected to the protocol converter; (d) a data base server connected to the telephone communication network, the data base server comprising telephone billing information from a telephone data base for charging calling card charges to telephone accounts; (e) a network server connected to the protocol converter for converting messages between the first computer protocol and a second computer protocol; (f) a computer network utilizing a second computer protocol, the computer network being connected to the network server; (g) a first computer terminal for entering calling card information and displaying response messages, the first computer terminal being connected to the computer network; and (h) a second computer terminal for processing messages including generating calling card request messages, charge request messages, and response messages, the second computer terminal being connected to the first computer terminal through the computer network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification