System and method for providing prepaid telecommunication services

• US 7,295,658 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Locus Telecommunications Incorporated (Telrite Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Locus Telecommunications Incorporated (Telrite Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moon, Eric E., Park, Jae Heung, Lee, Johng Phil, Cho, Han Kwang, Shin, Jong Phil, Kim, Taesoon
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/082,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20050163294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 37911415- 16, 379/114.2, 379/127.01, 37912703-12704, 379/114.01, 379/115.02, 379/118, 379/120, 379/121.03, 379/114.05, 379/144.01, 379/144.05
• US Class Current: 379/114.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• 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 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0156 Secure and trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements, encryption, digital signature, codes or double check mechanisms to secure billing calculation and information
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing prepaid telecommunication services. More particularly, prepaid telephone calls can be made by users without entering any access code, if such calls are made from telephone numbers previously registered in the telecommunication system in connection with valid access codes. Prepaid telephone calls can also be made from non-registered telephone numbers after providing the telecommunication system with a valid access code.

Claims

1. A method for providing a prepaid telephone calling card service using a call processor including an account database which has account records corresponding to a plurality of prepaid accounts, said account records including a plurality of access codes, each of which is associated with one of said accounts, each of said accounts including a balance associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of storing a plurality of registered telephone numbers in said database, each of said registered telephone numbers being associated with one of said accounts;

connecting to said call processor a telephone call originated from a first telephone number;

determining whether said first telephone number corresponds to one of said registered telephone numbers;

if said first telephone number corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers, connecting said call to a second telephone number provided during said call; and

transferring said balance of a first one of said accounts to said balance of a second one of said accounts, wherein said transferring step includes the steps of receiving an entry of an access code, checking whether said received access code corresponds to one of said access codes and, if said received access code corresponds to said access code of said first one of said accounts, adding said balance of said first one of said accounts to said balance of said second one of said accounts and setting said balance of said first one of said accounts to zero.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step includes the step of capturing an identifying code associated with said first telephone number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining step includes the step of determining whether said identifying code corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of connecting said call to said second telephone number is performed if said identifying code corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving an entry of a second access code, if said first telephone number does not correspond to said one of said registered telephone numbers;

and connecting said call to said second telephone number, if the second access code corresponds to one of said access codes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing step includes the step of registering a desired origination telephone number in said database as said one of said registered telephone numbers.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising the step of distributing said access codes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said registering step includes the steps of connecting a registration telephone call to said call processor;

receiving an entry of a second access code and if the second access code corresponds to one of said access codes, registering said desired origination telephone number in said database in connection with a corresponding one of said accounts.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said one of said registered telephone numbers includes first and second registered telephone numbers, said step of connecting said call to said second telephone number being performed if said first telephone number corresponds to one of said first and second registered telephone numbers.

10. A prepaid calling card system comprising a call processor;

an account database stored in said call processor and having account records corresponding to a plurality of prepaid accounts, said account records including a plurality of access codes, each of which is associated with one of said accounts, each of said accounts including a balance associated therewith; and

a plurality of registered telephone numbers contained in said database, each of said registered telephone numbers being associated with one of said accounts, said call processor being operative to receive a telephone call originated from a first telephone number, to determine whether said first telephone number corresponds to one of said registered telephone numbers and to connect said call to a second telephone number provided during said call, if said first telephone number corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers, wherein said call processor being operative to transfer said balance of a first one of said accounts to said balance of a second one of said accounts by receiving an entry of an access code, checking whether said received access code corresponds to one of said access codes and, if said received access code corresponds to said access code of said first one of said accounts, adding said balance of said first one of said accounts to said balance of said second one of said accounts and setting said balance of said first one of said accounts to zero.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said call processor includes capturing means for capturing an identifying code associated with said first telephone number, said call processor being operative to determine whether said identifying code corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers and to connect said call to said second telephone number if said identifying code corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said call processor is operative to receive an entry of a second access code if said first telephone number does not correspond to said one of said registered telephone numbers, and to connect said call to said second telephone number if the second access code corresponds to one of said access codes.

13. The system of claim 10, said call processor is operative to receive a second telephone call originating from a third telephone number, to receive an entry of a second access code during said second call, and to connect said second call to a fourth telephone number provided during said second call if the second access code corresponds to one of said access codes.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said database includes a conversion table having a first field, which contains a first set of said access codes, and a second field, which contains a second set of said access codes and said registered telephone numbers, each of said second set of said access codes and said registered telephone numbers being associated with one of said first set of said access codes.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said call processor is operative to receive a registration telephone call from a third telephone number, to receive an entry of a second access code and, if the second access code corresponds to one of said access codes, to register a desired origination telephone number in said database as said one of said registered telephone numbers.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said call processor is operative to capture an identifying code of said third telephone number during said registration call and to register said identifying code of said third telephone number in said database as said one of said registered telephone numbers if said identifying code is captured during said registration call.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said call processor is operative to receive an entry of an origination telephone number if said identifying code of said third telephone number is not captured during said registration call, and to register the received origination telephone number in said database as said one of said registered telephone numbers.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein said call processor is operative to change said one of said registered telephone numbers to a different registered telephone number.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said call processor is operable to receive a second telephone call, to receive an entry of said different telephone number, and to update said database so as to change said one of said registered telephone numbers to said different telephone number.

20. A prepaid calling card system comprising a call processor having an access telephone number associated therewith;

an account database stored in said call processor and having account records corresponding to a plurality of prepaid accounts, said account records including a plurality of access codes, each of which is associated with one of said accounts, each of said accounts including a balance associated therewith; and

a plurality of registered telephone numbers contained in said database, each of said registered telephone numbers being associated with one of said accounts, said call processor being operative to receive a telephone call originated by a caller from a first telephone number and directed by said caller to said access telephone number, to determine whether said first telephone number corresponds to one of said registered telephone numbers, and to connect said call to a second telephone number provided during said call, if said first telephone number corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers, said call processor being operative to transfer said balance of a first one of said accounts to said balance of a second one of said accounts by receiving an entry of an access code, determining whether the received access code corresponds to one of said access codes and, if said received access code corresponds to said access code of said first one of said accounts, adding said balance of said first one of said accounts to said balance of said second one of said accounts and setting said balance of said first one of said accounts to zero.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said database includes a conversion table having a first field and a second field, said call processor being operative to add said access code of said first one of said accounts and said access code of said second one of said accounts to said first and second fields, respectively, thereby associating said access code of said first one of said accounts with said access code of said second one of said accounts such that prepaid telephone calls can be made with the use of said access code of said first one of said accounts even if said balance of said first one of said account is set to zero.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said call processor is operative to append said one of said registered telephone numbers to said first field of said conversion table such that said one of said registered telephone numbers is associated with said access code of said second one of said accounts.

23. A prepaid calling card system for providing a prepaid telephone calling card service using a call processor having an access telephone number associated therewith and an account database having account records corresponding to a plurality of prepaid accounts, said account records including a plurality of access codes, each of which is associated with one of said accounts, each of said accounts including a balance associated therewith, said prepaid calling card system comprising a computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for causing the performance of the following steps:

providing a plurality of registered telephone numbers stored in the database and each associated with at least one of said accounts;

receiving at said call processor a telephone call originated from a first telephone number by a caller and directed by said caller to said access telephone number;

receiving at said call processor a caller-provided telephone number;

determining if the first telephone number corresponds to one of the plurality of registered telephone numbers;

if the first telephone number corresponds to one of the plurality of registered telephone numbers, connecting said telephone call to the caller-provided telephone number; and

transferring said balance of a first one of said accounts to said balance of a second one of said accounts.

wherein said transferring step is performed by receiving an access code, determining whether said received access code corresponds to one of said access codes and, if said received access code corresponds to said access code of said first one of said accounts, adding said balance of said first one of said accounts to said balance of said second one of said accounts and setting said balance of said first one of said accounts to zero.

24. A method for providing a prepaid telephone calling card service using a call processor including an account database which has account records corresponding to a plurality of prepaid accounts, said account records including a plurality of access codes, each of which is associated with one of said accounts, each of said accounts including a balance associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of storing a plurality of registered telephone numbers in said database, each of said registered telephone numbers being associated with one of said accounts;

connecting to said call processor a first telephone call originated from a first telephone;

determining whether said first telephone number corresponds to one of said registered telephone numbers;

if said first telephone number corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers, connecting said first call to a second telephone number provided during said call; and

transferring said balance of a first one of said accounts to said balance of a second one of said accounts, said transferring step including the step of associating said access code of said first one of said accounts with said access code of said second one of said accounts such that a second telephone call can be made after the performance of said transferring step by providing said access code of said first one of said accounts to said call processor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein a charge relating to said second call is deducted from said balance of said second one of said accounts.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said database includes a conversion table having a first field and a second field;

and wherein said access code of said first one of said accounts and said access code of said second one of said accounts are added to said first and second fields, respectively, during the performance of said transferring step so as to associate said access code of said first one of said accounts with said access code of said second one of said accounts.

27. A prepaid calling card system comprising a call processor;

an account database stored in said call processor and having account records corresponding to a plurality of prepaid accounts, said account records including a plurality of access codes, each of which is associated with one of said accounts, each of said accounts includes a balance associated therewith; and

a plurality of registered telephone numbers contained in said database, each of said registered telephone numbers being associated with one of said accounts, said call processor being operative to receive a first telephone call originated from a first telephone number, to determine whether said first telephone number corresponds to one of said registered telephone numbers and to connect said first call to a second telephone number provided during said call, if said first telephone number corresponds to said one of said registered telephone numbers, wherein said call processor being operative to transfer said balance of a first one of said accounts to said balance of a second one of said accounts and to associate said access code of said first one of said accounts with said access code of said second one of said accounts such that a second telephone call can be made after the transfer of said balance of said first one of said accounts to said balance of said second one of said accounts by providing said access code of said first one of said accounts to said call processor.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein a charge relating to said second call is deducted from said balance of said second one of said accounts.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said database includes a conversion table having a first field and a second field;

and wherein said access code of said first one of said accounts and said access code of said second one of said accounts are added to said first and second fields, respectively, so as to associate said access code of said first one of said accounts with said access code of said second one of said accounts.