Validation query based on a supervisory signal
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for authorizing placement of a telephone call, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a request to place a telephone call to a requested telephone;
delaying a query to a fraud database until the called party authorizes the call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A telephone system and method is provided for delaying authorization validation queries until after a called party accepts a telephone call. Queries are avoided not only in cases where the called phone line is busy or not answering, but also in cases where the called party declines to accept the charges. Because authorization validation queries typically take less than half a second, parties are not significantly affected by the delay.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for authorizing placement of a telephone call, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request to place a telephone call to a requested telephone;
delaying a query to a fraud database until the called party authorizes the call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14)
recording information from said query; and
storing said information in a database for later retrieval.
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4. The method as recited in claim 1, subsequent to receiving said call placing request, further comprising the step of:
receiving a billing request to bill the telephone call according to a first billing scheme.
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5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising the steps of:
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recording information provided during said request to bill the telephone call according to a first billing scheme; and
storing said information in a billing database for billing a party to the call.
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6. The method as recited in claim 4, subsequent to receiving said call placing request, further comprising the steps of:
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detecting an off-hook condition;
determining if a called party agrees to accept the telephone call; and
terminating the call, if the called party does not accept the call.
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14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said telephone call is a collect telephone call requested from a collect-call-only telephone.
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7. A method for authorizing a call, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request to place a telephone call to a requested telephone; and
after a called party authorized the call, performing the steps of;
querying the fraud database a first time;
determining if the fraud database authorizes the call; and
querying a pay-to-use database a first time, if the fraud database authorizes the call. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
connecting the called and calling parties.
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9. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising, if the fraud database does not authorize the call, the steps of:
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prompting a first party to select a second billing scheme;
receiving a second billing scheme selection from the first party;
querying the fraud database a second time;
querying the pay-to-use database, if the fraud database authorizes the call; and
connecting the called and calling parties, if the pay-to-use database authorizes the call.
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10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising, if the fraud database does not authorize the call for a second time, the step of:
terminating the call.
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11. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising, if the pay-to-use database does not authorize the call, the step of:
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prompting a first party to select a second billing scheme;
receiving a second billing scheme selection from the first party;
querying the pay-to-use database a second time; and
connecting the called and calling parties, if the pay-to-use database authorizes the call.
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12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising, if the pay-to-use database does not authorize the call for a second time, the step of:
terminating the call.
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13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising, if the pay-to-use database does not authorize the call for a second time, the steps of:
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prompting a second party to select a third billing scheme;
receiving a third billing scheme selection from the second party;
querying the pay-to-use database a third time; and
connecting the called and calling parties, if the pay-to-use database authorizes the call.
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15. A system for authorizing placement of a telephone call, comprising:
- means for receiving a request to place a telephone call to a requested telephone;
means for delaying a query to a fraud database until the called party authorizes the call. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28)
- means for receiving a request to place a telephone call to a requested telephone;
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21. A system for authorizing a call, comprising:
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means for receiving a request to place a telephone call to a requested telephone; and
means for, after a called party authorized the call, querying the fraud database a first time, determining if the fraud database authorizes the call, and querying a pay-to-use database a first time, if the fraud database authorizes the call. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
means for connecting the called and calling parties.
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23. The system as recited in claim 21, further comprising:
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means for prompting a first party to select a second billing scheme;
means for receiving a second billing scheme selection from the first party;
means for querying the fraud database a second time;
means for querying the pay-to-use database, if the fraud database authorizes the call; and
means for connecting the called and calling parties, if the pay-to-use database authorizes the call.
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24. The system as recited in claim 23, further comprising:
means for terminating the call.
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25. The system as recited in claim 21, further comprising:
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means for prompting a first party to select a second billing scheme;
means for receiving a second billing scheme selection from the first party;
means for querying the pay-to-use database a second time; and
means for connecting the called and calling parties, if the pay-to-use database authorizes the call.
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26. The system as recited in claim 25, further comprising:
means for terminating the call.
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27. The system as recited in claim 25, further comprising:
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means for prompting a second party to select a third billing scheme;
means for receiving a third billing scheme selection from the second party;
means for querying the pay-to-use database a third time; and
means for connecting the called and calling parties, if the pay-to-use database authorizes the call.
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29. A method for authorizing placement of a telephone call, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request from a caller to place a telephone call to a requested telephone; and
querying a fraud database after a called party accepts collect charges for billing to an account associated with the request telephone.
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30. A system for authorizing a call, comprising:
means for receiving a request to place a telephone call to a requested telephone; and
means for querying a fraud database after a called party accepts collect call charges for billing to an account associated with the requested telephone.
Specification