Telephony system for smart card usage

• US 6,296,183 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1997
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clark, Theresa A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US08/997,361
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/381, 235/492, 235/375, 379/91.01, 379/93.06, 379/93.02, 379/93.12, 379/93.07, 379/93.23, 379/453
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

An improved public telephone system for providing telephony service access. In particular, the improved public telephone provides for telephony service access responsive to the use of any of a plurality of types of smart cards, each of the plurality of types of smart cards corresponding with a different one of a plurality of financial institutions. Such enhanced access is provided through the utilization of a plurality of security access modules, each of the plurality of security access modules corresponding with a different one of the financial institutions.

Claims

1. A public telephone for providing telephony service access responsive to the use of any of a plurality of types of smart cards, each of said plurality of types of smart cards corresponding with a different one of a plurality of financial institutions and having a corresponding, data-containing microchip embedded therein, comprising:

a plurality of security access modules for enabling access to data in said microchips in each of said plurality of types of smart cards;

and

a transceiver for interfacing with said microchips embedded in each of said plurality of types of smart cards, wherein said tranceiver sequentially interconnects with a number of the plurality of security access modules until a corresponding security module is identified which provides for accessing a particular one of said plurality of types of smart cards.

2. A public telephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a first communications switch for interface communications with a transaction services network to obtain authorization of a given smart card purchase transaction request from a corresponding one of said plurality of different financial institutions.

3. A public telephone as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a second communications switch, responsive to a given authorized smart card purchase transaction request, for interface communications with a smart card service control point in a telephony service network.

4. A public telephone as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a processor for controlling said interface communications, wherein pursuant to said interface with said smart card service control point, said processor is operable to cause said transceiver to add telephony service credit units into a microchip of a smart card in an amount corresponding with said given authorized smart card purchase transaction request.

5. A public telephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface for prompting a user to select one of a plurality of functions, including;

placement of a telephony call utilizing smart card credit units stored in a smart card microchip to cover charges; and

purchase of additional smart card calling units.

6. A public telephone as claimed in claim 5, said user interface comprising:

a visual display for displaying information to a user.

7. A public telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of security access modules are provided in one-to-one relation with each of said plurality of financial institutions.

8. A public telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said security access modules comprises proprietary code information for accessing data in a corresponding one of said plurality of types of smart cards.

9. A public telephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a first communications switch for interface communications with a transaction services network to obtain authorization of a given smart card purchase transaction request from a corresponding one of said plurality of different financial institutions;

a second communications switch, responsive to a given authorized smart card purchase transaction request, for interface communications with a smart card service control point in a telephony service network; and

a processor for controlling said interface communications.

10. A public telephone as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a user interface for prompting and allowing a user to select one of a plurality of functions, including;

placement of a telephony call utilizing smart card credit units stored in a smart card microchip to cover charges; and

purchase of additional smart card calling units.

11. A public telephone as claimed in claim 10, wherein said user interface is also for prompting and allowing a user to input a personal identification number.

12. A method for providing telephony service access at a public telephone responsive to the use of any of a plurality of types of smart cards, each of said plurality of types of smart cards corresponding with a different one of a plurality of financial institutions and having a corresponding, data-containing microchip embedded therein comprising:

providing said public telephone with a plurality of security access modules for accessing data in microchips embedded in a corresponding plurality of types of smart cards;

scanning the data-containing microchip through use of a transceiver device;

sequentially establishing a connection with a number of the plurality of security access modules until a corresponding security access module is identified; and

utilizing said corresponding security access module to access data in a microchip embedded in a given smart card.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

identifying another of said plurality of security access modules to access data in a microchip embedded in another given smart card.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

employing said accessed data to complete a telephony call.

15. A public telephone as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

modifying said accessed data in connection with said telephony call to unload smart card units from the microchip of said given smart card.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

employing said accessed data to complete a purchase authorization request for transmission to one of said plurality of financial institutions, said one financial institution having authorized said given smart card;

obtaining authorization for loading smart card units from a telephony service provider; and

modifying said accessed data to load additional smart card units onto the microchip of said given smart card.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

prompting a caller to input personal identification information; and

comparing said input personal identification information with personal identification information comprising said accessed data.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting said purchase authorization request using a first communications switch at said public telephone to said one of said plurality of financial institutions via a transaction services network;

receiving a transaction authorization message at said public telephone corresponding with said purchase authorization request;

automatically initiating a telephony call using a second communications switch comprising said public telephone, said telephony call being directed to a predetermined central office switch comprising a telephony network, wherein said predetermined central office switch corresponds with said smart card telephony service provider.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, said obtaining step comprising:

transmitting a smart card authorization message to said public telephone from a smart card service control module comprising said telephony network and corresponding with said predetermined central office switch.

20. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least two of said plurality of types of smart cards correspond with different smart card telephony service providers, and further comprising:

initiating a telephony call at said public telephone to one of at least two predetermined central office switches comprising a telephony network, said two predetermined central office switches corresponding with two different smart card telephony service providers, and wherein predetermined telephone numbers corresponding with each of said two central office switches are stored in a memory device at said public telephone; and

obtaining authorization for loading smart card units into said microchip of said given smart card pursuant to receipt of said telephony call at said one predetermined central office switch.