Patent US5319701A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5319701A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call
Assignee: T-NETIX Inc
•
Filing: 1993-03-04
•
Granted: 1994-06-07
•
Expires: 2013-03-04
Abstract
Abstract A telephone system and method of operation are disclosed which use a microprocessor control-system (10), a speech generator (34) and speech memory (46) to automatically place collect calls without the need of a live operator. The telephone uses the microprocessor control system (10) and a speech record/playback-generator (44) to receive a destination number and a recorded name from a user. The telephone uses the speech generator (34) to play audio messages to prompt the user throughout the process. The phone informs a called party of the identity of the user and receives responses from the called party through a DTMF receiver (52). A communication path is established through a telephone line interface (38) if the phone receives a response indicating the called party accepts the charges for the collect call. The microprocessor control system (10) generates a billing record for the call which is stored in a call record memory (11). The billing record can later be retrieved to facilitate billing the call.
Inventors
- 👤 John A. Hird
- 👤 Lindsey D. Owen
- 👤 Michael R. Rice
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 13:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04M; H04M15/00; H04M15/08; H04M17/00; H04M17/02; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/527; H04M3/53; H04M3/533
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
351 words
A pay telephone station operable to be used by a patron placing a collect telephone call through a telecommunications network, the pay telephone station comprising: keypad circuitry operable to receive a sequence of digits input by the patron, the sequence of numbers comprising an initial access format, an area code and a destination telephone number, the initial access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account not associated with the pay telephone station; call conversion circuitry operable to change the initial access format to an altered access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account associated with the pay telephone station; circuitry for prompting the patron to state the patron's name when signalled; circuitry for recording the patron's spoken name; call completion circuitry for placing the call through the telecommunications network using said altered access format, said area code and said destination telephone number; circuitry for detecting answer of the call by the called party; circuitry for playing back the patron's recorded spoken name for the called party and for inquiring of the called party whether the called party will accept charges for the call from the patron; circuitry for prompting the called party as to how to affirmatively and negatively respond to said inquiry; circuitry for detecting the called party's response; circuitry for detecting the termination of the telephone call; circuitry for determining the duration of the telephone call; circuitry for storing the duration of the telephone call; circuitry for storing the area code and destination telephone number associated with the telephone call; circuitry for receiving a request for data stored in the pay telephone station through the telecommunications network; circuitry for uploading a billing record associated with the telephone call upon receipt of a request for said billing record received through the telecommunications network, said billing record comprising the area code and destination number of the call, the duration of the call, and information indicating when the call occurred; and each of said circuitries resident within a single payphone housing enclosing the pay telephone station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
351 words
A pay telephone station operable to be used by a patron placing a collect telephone call through a telecommunications network, the pay telephone station comprising: keypad circuitry operable to receive a sequence of digits input by the patron, the sequence of numbers comprising an initial access format, an area code and a destination telephone number, the initial access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account not associated with the pay telephone station; call conversion circuitry operable to change the initial access format to an altered access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account associated with the pay telephone station; circuitry for prompting the patron to state the patron's name when signalled; circuitry for recording the patron's spoken name; call completion circuitry for placing the call through the telecommunications network using said altered access format, said area code and said destination telephone number; circuitry for detecting answer of the call by the called party; circuitry for playing back the patron's recorded spoken name for the called party and for inquiring of the called party whether the called party will accept charges for the call from the patron; circuitry for prompting the called party as to how to affirmatively and negatively respond to said inquiry; circuitry for detecting the called party's response; circuitry for detecting the termination of the telephone call; circuitry for determining the duration of the telephone call; circuitry for storing the duration of the telephone call; circuitry for storing the area code and destination telephone number associated with the telephone call; circuitry for receiving a request for data stored in the pay telephone station through the telecommunications network; circuitry for uploading a billing record associated with the telephone call upon receipt of a request for said billing record received through the telecommunications network, said billing record comprising the area code and destination number of the call, the duration of the call, and information indicating when the call occurred; and each of said circuitries resident within a single payphone housing enclosing the pay telephone station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The pay telephone of claim 1 and further comprising: circuitry for determining whether the destination telephone number is one to which charges for the call may be billed; and circuitry for informing the patron to enter a new destination telephone number responsive to said circuitry for determining.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The pay telephone of claim 1 and further comprising: circuitry for attenuating audible call progress signals received from the telecommunications network such that prompts may be played for the patron simultaneously with said audible call progress signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
415 words
A pay telephone station operable to be used by a patron placing a collect telephone call through a telecommunications network, the pay telephone station comprising: keypad circuitry operable to receive a sequence of digits input by the patron, the sequence of numbers comprising an initial access format, an area code and a destination telephone number, the initial access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account not associated with the pay telephone station; call conversion circuitry operable to change the initial access format to an altered access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account associated with the pay telephone station; circuitry for determining whether the destination telephone number is one to which charges for the call may be billed; circuitry for informing the patron to enter a new destination telephone number responsive to said circuitry for determining. circuitry for prompting the patron to state the patron's name when signalled; circuitry for recording the patron's spoken name; call completion circuitry for placing the call through the telecommunications network using said altered access format, said area code and said destination telephone number; circuitry for detecting answer of the call by the called party; circuitry for playing back the patron's recorded spoken name for the called party and for inquiring of the called party whether the called party will accept charges for the call from the patron; circuitry for prompting the called party as to how to affirmatively and negatively respond to said inquiry; circuitry for detecting the called party's response; circuitry for detecting the termination of the telephone call and for determining the duration of the telephone call; circuitry for storing the duration of the telephone call; circuitry for storing the area code and destination telephone number associated with the telephone call; circuitry for receiving a request for data stored in the pay telephone station through the telecommunications network; circuitry for uploading a billing record associated with the telephone call upon receipt of a request for said billing record received through the telecommunications network, said billing record comprising the area code and destination number of the call, the duration of the call, and information indicating when the call occurred; and circuitry for attenuating audible call progress signals received from the telecommunications network such that prompts may be played for the patron simultaneously with said audible call progress signals; and each of said circuitries-resident within a single payphone housing enclosing the pay-telephone station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
415 words
A pay telephone station operable to be used by a patron placing a collect telephone call through a telecommunications network, the pay telephone station comprising: keypad circuitry operable to receive a sequence of digits input by the patron, the sequence of numbers comprising an initial access format, an area code and a destination telephone number, the initial access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account not associated with the pay telephone station; call conversion circuitry operable to change the initial access format to an altered access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account associated with the pay telephone station; circuitry for determining whether the destination telephone number is one to which charges for the call may be billed; circuitry for informing the patron to enter a new destination telephone number responsive to said circuitry for determining. circuitry for prompting the patron to state the patron's name when signalled; circuitry for recording the patron's spoken name; call completion circuitry for placing the call through the telecommunications network using said altered access format, said area code and said destination telephone number; circuitry for detecting answer of the call by the called party; circuitry for playing back the patron's recorded spoken name for the called party and for inquiring of the called party whether the called party will accept charges for the call from the patron; circuitry for prompting the called party as to how to affirmatively and negatively respond to said inquiry; circuitry for detecting the called party's response; circuitry for detecting the termination of the telephone call and for determining the duration of the telephone call; circuitry for storing the duration of the telephone call; circuitry for storing the area code and destination telephone number associated with the telephone call; circuitry for receiving a request for data stored in the pay telephone station through the telecommunications network; circuitry for uploading a billing record associated with the telephone call upon receipt of a request for said billing record received through the telecommunications network, said billing record comprising the area code and destination number of the call, the duration of the call, and information indicating when the call occurred; and circuitry for attenuating audible call progress signals received from the telecommunications network such that prompts may be played for the patron simultaneously with said audible call progress signals; and each of said circuitries-resident within a single payphone housing enclosing the pay-telephone station.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
316 words
A method of processing a collect telephone call placed by a patron of a pay telephone station coupled to a telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a sequence of digits input by the patron using keypad circuitry, the sequence of numbers comprising an initial access format, an area code and a destination telephone number, the initial access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account not associated with the pay telephone station; changing the initial access format to an altered access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account associated with the pay telephone station; placing the call through the telecommunications network using the altered access format, the area code and the destination telephone number; prompting the patron to state the patron's name when signalled; recording the patron's spoken name; playing back the patron's recorded spoken name for the called party and for inquiring of the called party whether the called party will accept charges for the call from the patron; prompting the called party as to how to affirmatively and negatively respond to the inquiry; detecting the called party's response; detecting the termination of the telephone call and for determining the duration of the telephone call; storing the duration of the telephone call; storing the area code and destination telephone number associated with the telephone call; receiving a request for data stored in the pay telephone station through the telecommunications network; uploading a billing record associated with the telephone call upon receipt of a request for the billing record received through the telecommunications network, the billing record comprising the area code and destination number of the call, the duration of the call, and information indicating when the call occurred; and accomplishing each of said steps using circuitries resident within a single payphone housing enclosing the pay telephone station.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
316 words
A method of processing a collect telephone call placed by a patron of a pay telephone station coupled to a telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a sequence of digits input by the patron using keypad circuitry, the sequence of numbers comprising an initial access format, an area code and a destination telephone number, the initial access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account not associated with the pay telephone station; changing the initial access format to an altered access format indicating to the telecommunications network a telephone call to be billed to an account associated with the pay telephone station; placing the call through the telecommunications network using the altered access format, the area code and the destination telephone number; prompting the patron to state the patron's name when signalled; recording the patron's spoken name; playing back the patron's recorded spoken name for the called party and for inquiring of the called party whether the called party will accept charges for the call from the patron; prompting the called party as to how to affirmatively and negatively respond to the inquiry; detecting the called party's response; detecting the termination of the telephone call and for determining the duration of the telephone call; storing the duration of the telephone call; storing the area code and destination telephone number associated with the telephone call; receiving a request for data stored in the pay telephone station through the telecommunications network; uploading a billing record associated with the telephone call upon receipt of a request for the billing record received through the telecommunications network, the billing record comprising the area code and destination number of the call, the duration of the call, and information indicating when the call occurred; and accomplishing each of said steps using circuitries resident within a single payphone housing enclosing the pay telephone station.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 5 and further comprising the steps of: determining whether the destination telephone number is one to which charges for the call may be billed; and informing the patron to enter a new destination telephone number responsive to the circuitry for determining.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 5 and further comprising the steps of: attenuating audible call progress signals received from the telecommunications network such that prompts may be played for the patron simultaneously with the audible call progress signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3829617A
Cited
US3813495A
Cited
US4054756A
Cited
US4122308A
Cited
US4326123A
Cited
GB2134749A
Cited
US4585904A
Cited
US4439636A
Cited
US4595983A
Cited
US4538030A
Cited
US4736405A
Cited
US4763350A
Cited
US4593157A
Cited
US4712230A
Cited
EP0185365A1
Cited
US4768223A
Cited
US4791640A
Cited
US4746786A
Cited
US4731818A
Cited
US4797910A
Cited
FR2600850A1
Cited
US4777647A
Cited
US4766604A
Cited
US4769834A
Cited
JPS63303059A
Cited
US4935956A
Cited
US4825460A
Cited
US5093858A
Cited
US5153907A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-06-06 | 1997-12-06 | 1998-06-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-06-06 | 2001-12-06 | 2002-06-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-06-06 | 2005-12-06 | 2006-06-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |