System and method for independently authorizing auxiliary communication services

• US 9,135,623 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Rosenfield, Stuart, Falcone, Richard, Johnson, Michelle
• Primary Examiner(s): RANKINS, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US14/076,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20140172709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 705/38, 3791142- 28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/835 Time or frequency of notifications, e.g. Advice of Charge [AoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/842 Announcement, e.g. IVR dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/858 Request users acknowledgement prior to use
• 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 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/68 : Billing calls completely to the calling party, except POTS, e.g. charge on caller's choice service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 : Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8104 : Time or frequency of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8108 : before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 : Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8133 : Announcement, e.g. IVR dialogue, intelligent peripheral or switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 : Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8154 : Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8158 : Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 : Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8183 : Request users acknowledgement prior to use

Abstract

Systems and methods which determines the likelihood that a calling (or in some cases the called) user will pay for a particular auxiliary service are described. A system of an embodiment considers the user'"'"'s credit risk and his/her propensity to pay, when deciding if the user is eligible for a particular auxiliary service. A methodology used for determining propensity to pay for an auxiliary service according to embodiments is independent from a determination of propensity to pay for a basic calling service. Thus, the criteria used, and the weight given to each criteria, for determining eligibility for auxiliary services can be different from the criteria and criteria weight used for basic communication connections.

Claims

1. A transaction authorization system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory configured to store instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to;

receive, via an authorization interface, one or more transaction requests from a user, the requests pertaining to a Billing Telephone Number (BTN);

assess, via a scoring module, for assessing a profitability score associated with at least one of;

said BTN and said one or more transaction requests; and

provide a transaction service to the user based upon the profitability score associated with the one or more transaction requests.

2. The transaction authorization system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to:

select, by a profit opportunity module, ones of a plurality of profit generation applications based at least in part on said profitability score.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the transaction service is selected from the group consisting of:

leaving a voice mail message, leaving an e-mail message, creating message copies, hand delivery of a message, private messages, retrieving a voicemail message, leaving a reply voicemail message in response to a retrieved voicemail message, and retrieving an e-mail message.

4. A method, comprising:

performing, by one or more computer systems;

receiving one or more transaction requests from a user, the requests pertaining to a Billing Telephone Number (BTN);

assessing a profitability score associated with at least one of;

said BTN and said one or more transaction requests; and

providing a transaction service to the user based upon the profitability score associated with the one or more transaction requests.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising selecting ones of a plurality of profit generation applications based at least in part on said profitability score.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the transaction service is selected from the group consisting of:

leaving a voice mail message, leaving an e-mail message, creating message copies, hand delivery of a message, private messages, retrieving a voicemail message, leaving a reply voicemail message in response to a retrieved voicemail message, and retrieving an e-mail message.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a computer system, cause the computer system to:

receive one or more transaction requests from a user, the requests pertaining to a Billing Telephone Number (BTN);

assess a profitability score associated with at least one of;

said BTN and said one or more transaction requests; and

provide a transaction service to the user based upon the profitability score associated with the one or more transaction requests.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the computer system, further cause the computer system to select ones of a plurality of profit generation applications based at least in part on said profitability score.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the transaction service is selected from the group consisting of:

leaving a voice mail message, leaving an e-mail message, creating message copies, hand delivery of a message, private messages, retrieving a voicemail message, leaving a reply voicemail message in response to a retrieved voicemail message, and retrieving an e-mail message.