Intelligent-networked telephone system having advertisement with bonus free phone call service
First Claim
1. A telecommunications system for processing telephone calls comprising:
- a plurality of input telephonic devices operatively coupled to an origination telephone line for initiating telephone calls;
an automated intelligent network (IN) coupled to origination telephone lines adapted to process telephone calls, said IN comprising a service control point (SCP), and said SCP comprising an SCP control unit and an SCP database coupled to said SCP control unit, said IN being adapted to authorize the routing of telephone calls;
at least one switch operatively coupled to said origination telephone line and to said SCP, said switch adapted to route calls authorized by said SCP to a destination number specified by said customer; and
an intelligent peripheral (IP) adapted to store a pre-recorded product/service menu and advertisements allowing a customer to designate a product or service advertisement to which the customer can listen;
wherein said SCP is adapted is route a customer bonus call to a destination number specified by the customer after the customer listens to a product/service advertisement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligent-networked telecommunications system allows a customer to make a free telephone call after listening to a product or service advertisement. The customer reaches a product/service menu after dialing a telephone number with a special prefix reserved for Advertisement With Bonus Call (AWBC) service. The customer then chooses the advertisement of interest. After listening to the advertisement, the system allows the customer to enter a destination number for a free bonus telephone call. In the preferred embodiment, the bonus call is limited to a predefined duration monitored by a timer reset at the beginning of the bonus call. When the time limit is near, the system broadcasts this fact to both the calling party and the called party. At the expiration of the time limit, the call is automatically disconnected, and the customer can be returned to the AWBC product/service main menu. Charging the bonus call to the sponsor of the product/service advertisement to which the customer has listened completes the transaction.
98 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A telecommunications system for processing telephone calls comprising:
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a plurality of input telephonic devices operatively coupled to an origination telephone line for initiating telephone calls;
an automated intelligent network (IN) coupled to origination telephone lines adapted to process telephone calls, said IN comprising a service control point (SCP), and said SCP comprising an SCP control unit and an SCP database coupled to said SCP control unit, said IN being adapted to authorize the routing of telephone calls;
at least one switch operatively coupled to said origination telephone line and to said SCP, said switch adapted to route calls authorized by said SCP to a destination number specified by said customer; and
an intelligent peripheral (IP) adapted to store a pre-recorded product/service menu and advertisements allowing a customer to designate a product or service advertisement to which the customer can listen;
wherein said SCP is adapted is route a customer bonus call to a destination number specified by the customer after the customer listens to a product/service advertisement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a telecommunications system, a method for processing telephone calls comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of input telephonic devices operatively coupled to an origination telephone line for initiating telephone calls;
providing an automated intelligent network (IN) coupled to origination telephone lines adapted to process telephone calls, said IN comprising a service control point (SCP), and said SCP comprising an SCP control unit and an SCP database coupled to said SCP control unit, said IN authorizing the routing of telephone calls;
providing at least one switch operatively coupled to said origination telephone line and to said SCP, said switch routing calls authorized by said SCP to a destination number specified by said customer;
via an intelligent peripheral (IP), storing a pre-recorded product/service menu and advertisements allowing a customer to designate a product or service advertisement to which the customer can listen; and
via said SCP, routing a customer bonus call to a destination number specified by the customer after the customer listens to a product/service advertisement. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification