System and method for providing universal telecommunications service and third party payer services

• US 6,285,749 B1
• Filed: 11/17/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Freetech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Charles L. Manto
• Inventors: Manto, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/193,732
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114, 379/115, 379/118, 379/177, 379/183, 379/120, 379/121, 379/127, 379/201, 379/243, 379/144, 379/111, 379/112
• US Class Current: 379/114.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation

Abstract

A method of operating a telecommunications device wherein the telecommunications device is used to detect an outgoing call from a calling party to a called number. The calling number is used to determine whether or not the calling party is a universal service user. If it is determined that the called number is among a class of numbers exempt from charges, the call is connected. A determination on the sufficiency of funds in a pre-paid account is made. If it is determined that there are insufficient funds in a pre-paid account to cover charges associated with the outgoing call, a message is generated and sent to the calling party or a third party requesting authorization to charge an additional fee for connecting the calling party with the called party. User input is received from the calling party, indicating the calling party'"'"'s authorization of such charge. The connection between the calling party and the called party is made.

Claims

1. A method of operating a telecommunications device, comprising the steps of:

using said telecommunications device to detect an outgoing call from a calling party to a called number;

using a calling number to determine whether said calling party is a universal service user;

determining whether the called number is among a class of numbers exempt from charges and, if so, connecting said call;

determining whether sufficient funds exist in a pre-paid account to cover charges associated with said outgoing call;

if said sufficient funds determining step results in a determination that sufficient funds do not exist, generating and sending a message to said calling party requesting authorization to charge said calling party or a third party an additional fee for connecting said calling party to said called party;

receiving user input from said calling party indicating said calling party'"'"'s authorization of said additional charge; and

,

connecting said calling party to said called party.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether the called number is among a class of numbers exempt from charges comprise the step of determining whether said called number is a 911 emergency assistance number.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether the called number is among a class of numbers except from charges comprise the step of determining whether said called number is a toll-free number.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said data call contains multimedia content.