Method to verify designation of pay telephone with an interexchange carrier

• US 7,567,658 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellicall, Inc.
• Inventors: Hotchkin, Donn C., Hall, Larry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/157,813
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 379/143, 379/144.02, 379/144.05, 379/144.07, 379/154, 379/155, 379/114.01, 379/114.05, 379/115.01, 379/118, 37912701-12703, 379/201.03
• US Class Current: 379/143
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• 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 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection

Abstract

The method to verify designation of pay telephone with an exchange carrier determines receipt of private pay telephone designation for a private pay telephone (PPT) by an interexchange carrier (IXC). The PPT is programmed with at least one telephone number to an IXC in its storage memory. Using that stored number, the PPT calls on its connected telephone line to the IXC. The PPT determines, without manual intervention, whether a response from the IXC is indicative of a status of receipt of PPT designation for the PPT to receive Dial-Around Compensation by the IXC. The PPT then generates a record and stores the record of the response from the IXC in the storage memory of the PPT. Finally, the PPT communicates the stored record of the response from the IXC to the private pay telephone provider.

Claims

1. A method for determining receipt of private pay telephone designation for a private pay telephone by an interexchange carrier, the private pay telephone having a processor with a programmable memory, a storage memory, and a communication device connected to a telephone line, the method comprising the steps of:

programming at least one telephone number to an interexchange carrier into the storage memory of the private pay telephone;

placing a call from the private pay telephone to the interexchange carrier over the telephone line using the at least one telephone number;

receiving a response to the call from the interexchange carrier, the response indicating whether the interexchange carrier received the call from a private pay telephone having a status designated to receive dial-around compensation;

determining at said private pay telephone, without manual intervention, the status designated by the interexchange carrier in the response;

generating a record of the response from said determining step;

storing the record of the response from said interexchange carrier in the storage memory of the private pay telephone; and

communicating the stored record of the response to a corresponding private pay telephone provider.

2. The method for determining receipt of claim 1, wherein said communication device comprises a modem for receiving and transmitting data.

3. The method for determining receipt of claim 1, wherein said step of programming further comprises the steps of:

receiving from a remote location the at least one telephone number via the communication device of said private pay telephone; and

storing the at least one telephone number in said storage memory of said private pay telephone.

4. The method for determining receipt of claim 3, wherein said remote location is the private pay telephone provider.

5. The method for determining receipt of claim 1, wherein said step of placing a call from the private pay telephone to the interexchange carrier further comprises a calling step selected from the group consisting of calling the interexchange carrier at a predetermined time and calling the interexchange carrier at preprogrammed intervals of time.

6. The method for determining receipt of claim 1, wherein said determining step further comprises the steps of:

initiating a call timer on the private pay telephone for a predetermined period of time; and

determining whether a call termination signal is received from the interexchange carrier within said predetermined period of time.

7. The method for determining receipt of claim 1, wherein said determining step further comprises the steps of:

initiating a recording of communication from the interexchange carrier upon connection to said interexchange carrier;

terminating said recording of communication from the interexchange carrier upon receipt of a call termination signal from the interexchange carrier; and

analyzing said recorded communication from the interexchange carrier to determine whether the interexchange carrier recognizes the call of said placing step as being received from a private pay telephone having a status designated for receiving dial-around compensation.

8. The method for determining receipt of claim 7, wherein said step of analyzing comprises the steps of:

processing said recorded communication from the interexchange carrier by the processor of the private pay telephone to identify spoken language content from said recorded communication;

comparing said identified spoken language content from said recorded communication to stored patterns in said storage memory of said private pay telephone; and

determining the status of receipt of private pay telephone designation for said private pay telephone by the interexchange carrier based upon said step of comparing.

9. The method for determining receipt of claim 1, wherein said communicating step further comprises the steps of:

receiving a query for said stored record from a remote location;

responding to said query for said stored record; and

communicating said stored record of said response to said remote location based upon said step of responding to said query for said stored record of said response.

10. The method for determining receipt claim 9, wherein said remote location is the private pay telephone provider.

11. A method for determining receipt of private pay telephone designation for a private pay telephone by an interexchange carrier via an operator service provider, the private pay telephone having a storage memory and a communication device connected to a telephone line, the operator service provider having a processor with a programmable memory, a storage memory, and a communication device connected to a telephone line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) programming at least one telephone number to an operator service provider into the storage memory of the private pay telephone;

(b) programming at least one telephone number to an interexchange carrier into the operator service provider;

(c) placing a call from the private pay telephone to the operator service provider using the stored operator service provider telephone number;

(d) placing a call from the operator service provider to the interexchange carrier using the stored interexchange carrier telephone number in response to step (c);

(e) receiving a response at the operator service provider from the interexchange carrier to the call placed in step (d), the response indicating whether the interexchange carrier received the call from a private pay telephone having a status designated to receive dial-around compensation;

(f) determining at the operator service provider, without manual intervention, the status designated by the interexchange carrier in the response;

(g) generating a record of the status as determined in step (f);

(h) storing the record generated in step (g) in the storage memory of the private pay telephone; and

(i) communicating the record stored in step (h) to a corresponding private pay telephone provider.

12. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein the communication device of the private pay telephone and the communication device of the operator service provider each comprise a modem for receiving and transmitting data.

13. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein step (a) further comprises:

receiving from a remote location the at least one telephone number to the operator service provider; and

storing the at least one telephone number to the operator service provider in the storage memory of the private pay telephone.

14. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein step (b) further comprises:

receiving from a remote location the at least one telephone number to the interexchange carrier; and

storing the at least one telephone number to the interexchange carrier in the storage memory of the operator service provider.

15. The method for determining receipt of claim 14, wherein said remote location is a private pay telephone provider.

16. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein step (c) further comprises a calling step selected from the group consisting of calling at a predetermined time and calling at preprogrammed intervals of time.

17. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein step (d) further comprises a calling step selected from the group consisting of calling at a predetermined time and calling at preprogrammed intervals of time.

18. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein step (f) further comprises the steps of:

initiating a call timer on the private pay telephone for a predetermined period of time; and

determining whether a call termination signal is received from the interexchange carrier within said predetermined period of time.

19. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein step (f) further comprises the steps of:

initiating a recording of communication from the interexchange carrier upon connection to said interexchange carrier;

terminating said recording of communication from the interexchange carrier upon receipt of a call termination signal from the interexchange carrier; and

analyzing said recorded communication from the interexchange carrier to determine whether the interexchange carrier recognizes the call of said placing step as being received from a private pay telephone having a status designated for receiving dial-around compensation.

20. The method for determining receipt of claim 19, wherein said step of analyzing comprises the steps of:

processing said recorded communication from the interexchange carrier by the processor of the private pay telephone to identify spoken language content from said recorded communication;

comparing said identified spoken language content from said recorded communication to stored patterns in said storage memory of said private pay telephone; and

determining the status of receipt of private pay telephone designation for said private pay telephone by the interexchange carrier based upon said step of comparing.

21. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein step (h) further comprises the steps of:

communicating the record of the response from the interexchange carrier from the operator service provider to the private pay telephone; and

storing the record on the private pay telephone.

22. The method for determining receipt of claim 11, wherein step (i) further comprises the steps of:

receiving a query for said stored record of said response from a remote location;

responding to said query for said stored record of said response; and

communicating said stored record of said response to said remote location based upon said step of responding to said query for said stored record of said response.

23. The method for determining receipt of claim 22, wherein said remote location is the private pay telephone provider.

24. A method for determining receipt of private pay telephone designation for a private pay telephone by an interexchange carrier via an operator service provider, the private pay telephone having a storage memory and a communication device connected to a telephone line, the operator service provider having a processor with a programmable memory, a storage memory, and a communication device connected to a telephone line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) programming at least one telephone number to an operator service provider in the storage memory of the private pay telephone;

(b) programming at least one telephone number to an interexchange carrier into the operator service provider;

(c) placing a call from the private pay telephone to the operator service provider;

(d) placing a call from the operator service provider to the interexchange carrier in response to receiving the call placed in step (c);

(e) receiving a response at the operator service provider from the interexchange carrier to the call placed in step (d), the response indicating whether the interexchange carrier received the call from a private pay telephone having a status designated to receive dial-around compensation;

(f) determining at the operator service provider, without manual intervention, the status designated by the interexchange carrier in the response;

(g) generating a record of the status as determined in step (f);

(h) storing the record generated in step (g) in the storage memory of the operator service provider; and

(i) communicating the record stored in step (h) to a corresponding private pay telephone provider.

25. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein the communication device of the private pay telephone and the communication device of the operator service provider each comprise a modem for receiving and transmitting data.

26. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein step (a) further comprises:

receiving from a remote location the at least one telephone number to the operator service provider; and

storing the at least one telephone number to the operator service provider in the storage memory of the private pay telephone.

27. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein step (b) further comprises:

receiving from a remote location the at least one telephone number to the interexchange carrier; and

storing the at least one telephone number to the interexchange carrier in the storage memory of the operator service provider.

28. The method for determining receipt of claim 27, wherein said remote location is a private pay telephone provider.

29. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein step (c) further comprises a calling step selected from the group consisting of calling at a predetermined time and calling at preprogrammed intervals of time.

30. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein step (d) further comprises a calling step selected from the group consisting of calling at a predetermined time and calling at preprogrammed intervals of time.

31. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein step (f) further comprises the steps of:

initiating a call timer on the private pay telephone for a predetermined period of time; and

determining whether a call termination signal is received from the interexchange carrier within said predetermined period of time.

32. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein step (f) further comprises the steps of:

initiating a recording of communication from the interexchange carrier upon connection to said interexchange carrier;

terminating said recording of communication from the interexchange carrier upon receipt of a call termination signal from the interexchange carrier; and

analyzing said recorded communication from the interexchange carrier to determine whether the interexchange carrier recognizes the call of said placing step as being received from a private pay telephone having a status designated for receiving dial-around compensation.

33. The method for determining receipt of claim 32, wherein said step of analyzing comprises the steps of:

processing said recorded communication from the interexchange carrier by the processor of the private pay telephone to identify spoken language content from said recorded communication;

comparing said identified spoken language content from said recorded communication to stored patterns in said storage memory of said private pay telephone; and

determining the status of receipt of private pay telephone designation for said private pay telephone by the interexchange carrier based upon said step of comparing.

34. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein step (h) further comprises the steps of:

communicating the record of the response from the interexchange carrier from the operator service provider to the private pay telephone; and

storing the record on the private pay telephone.

35. The method for determining receipt of claim 24, wherein step (i) further comprises the steps of:

receiving a query for said stored record of said response from a remote location;

responding to said query for said stored record of said response; and

communicating said stored record of said response to said remote location based upon said step of responding to said query for said stored record of said response.

36. The method for determining receipt of claim 35, wherein said remote location is the private pay telephone provider.

37. A management system for determining receipt of private pay telephone designation by an interexchange carrier, the system comprising:

a private pay telephone provider having a processor, main memory, and a communication device adapted for connection to a telephone network;

at least one private pay telephone having a processor, programmable memory, storage memory, and a communication device connected to the telephone network, the pay telephone having software stored therein and executable by the processor, the software including;

means for initiating a telephone call to an interexchange carrier;

means for receiving a response from the interchange carrier to the telephone call, the response designating the status of the caller regarding designation to receive dial-around compensation;

means for evaluating the response to determine the status without manual intervention; and

means for communicating the status to the private pay telephone provider.

38. A management system for determining receipt of private pay telephone designation by an interexchange carrier comprising:

a private pay telephone provider having a processor, main memory, and a communication device adapted for connection to a telephone network

a private pay telephone having a processor, a storage memory and a communication device adapted for connection to a telephone network;

an operator service provider having a processor, programmable memory, storage memory, and a communication device adapted for connection to a telephone line, the operation service provider having software stored thereon and executable on the operator service provider, the software including;

means for initiating a telephone call to an interexchange carrier upon receiving a telephone call from the private pay telephone;

means for receiving a response from the interchange carrier to the telephone call, the response designating the status of the caller regarding designation to receive dial-around compensation;

means for evaluating the response to determine the status without manual intervention; and

means for communicating the status to the private pay telephone provider.