Platform for prepaid calling card calls
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for providing a prepaid telephone communications service, comprising the steps of:
- receiving at a first switch a request to place a prepaid call and a card number;
sending from the first switch to a service management computer an out-of-band message containing the card number;
receiving at the first switch an out-of-band message from the service management computer containing a card validation;
receiving at the first switch a destination station number;
connecting the prepaid call to the destination number, and sending from the first switch to a service management computer an out-of-band message to start a call timer associated with the prepaid call;
receiving from the service management computer an out-of-band message that a balance of the card is below a predetermined threshold, and stopping the call timer;
playing a low balance announcement to the calling party including an offer to replenish the card balance or make a connection for supplemental payment authorization from a different card center; and
upon confirming with out-of-band messages such replenished card balance or such supplemental payment authorization, restarting the call timer.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing prepaid card service to customers for placing telephone calls without relying on a post-service billing model. A service management computer having access to a card database is connected to the network only by out-of-band connections. A voice response unit or a tone receiver and announcement player in the network are the voice interface with the customer and are provided at the originating switch in the network to eliminate multiple switches from the call path.
35 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for providing a prepaid telephone communications service, comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a first switch a request to place a prepaid call and a card number;
sending from the first switch to a service management computer an out-of-band message containing the card number;
receiving at the first switch an out-of-band message from the service management computer containing a card validation;
receiving at the first switch a destination station number;
connecting the prepaid call to the destination number, and sending from the first switch to a service management computer an out-of-band message to start a call timer associated with the prepaid call;
receiving from the service management computer an out-of-band message that a balance of the card is below a predetermined threshold, and stopping the call timer;
playing a low balance announcement to the calling party including an offer to replenish the card balance or make a connection for supplemental payment authorization from a different card center; and
upon confirming with out-of-band messages such replenished card balance or such supplemental payment authorization, restarting the call timer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A telephonic switch of a public switched telephone network, for placement of a prepaid telephone call originated at the switch by an originating station to a destination station, the switch comprising:
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at least one interface for connections with the originating station and the destination station;
an interface for an out-of-band signaling connection with a prepaid card service management computer;
memory containing executable code for requesting and receiving from the service management computer account status information for an identified prepaid card, and for transmitting to the service management computer call timer start and stop commands said call timer stop command including stopping the timer to allow the originating station to replenish the card balance or make a connection for supplemental payment authorization from a different card center, said call timer start command including starting the timer upon confirming with out-of-band messages such replenished card balance or such supplemental payment authorization; and
an interface for a voice band connection with a tone receiving and announcement playing apparatus, the interface being for sending DTMF tones received from the originating station and for receiving at least one voice instruction for transmission to the originating station regarding the placement of the prepaid telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification