Telephone monitoring system to reduce consumer payments of telephone bill

Claim 1

A method of monitoring telephone usage which comprises the steps of: a) displaying a personal access code entry screen which prompts the user to enter an access code, which, upon being entered, allows; b) pressing a first functional pushbutton one or more times to display information pertaining to a previous outgoing telephone call, wherein pressing said first functional pushbutton once displays information pertaining to the most recent outgoing telephone call and each subsequent keypress displays information pertaining to the next previous outgoing telephone call; c) pressing a second functional pushbutton one or more times to display information pertaining to a previous incoming telephone call, wherein pressing said second functional pushbutton once displays information pertaining to the most recent incoming telephone call and each subsequent keypress displays information pertaining to the next previous incoming telephone call; d) pressing a third functional pushbutton to display information pertaining to total telephone usage during a prior time period; e) pressing a fourth functional pushbutton to display information pertaining to total telephone usage during the current time period; f) pressing a fifth functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a telephone number, which, when entered, displays information pertaining to total telephone usage with the entered telephone number; g) pressing a sixth functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a numerical amount to be used as a recommended cost limit, which, when entered, notifies the user when reached; h) pressing a seventh functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a numerical amount to be used as a recommended call limit, which, when entered, notifies the user when reached; i) pressing an eighth functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a beginning and ending date and time defining a specific time period, which, when entered, displays information pertaining to all outgoing calls made within the time period; j) pressing a ninth functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a telephone number or numbers to be either 1) blocked from outgoing access, or 2) excluded from a general outgoing call block; k) pressing a tenth functional pushbutton to enable a warning which is displayed when a telephone call reaches a predetermined cost limit; and l) pressing an eleventh functional pushbutton to display information pertaining to all outgoing telephone calls made outside of the local area code.

Claim 2

A method of monitoring telephone usage which comprises the steps of: a) displaying a personal access code entry screen which prompts the user to enter an access code, which, upon being entered, allows; b) pressing a first functional pushbutton one or more times to display information pertaining to a previous outgoing telephone call, wherein pressing said first functional pushbutton once displays information pertaining to the most recent outgoing telephone call and each subsequent keypress displays information pertaining to the next previous outgoing telephone call; c) pressing a second functional pushbutton one or more times to display information pertaining to a previous incoming telephone call, wherein pressing said second functional pushbutton once displays information pertaining to the most recent incoming telephone call and each subsequent keypress displays information pertaining to the next previous incoming telephone call; d) pressing a third functional pushbutton to display information pertaining to total telephone usage during a prior time period; e) pressing a fourth functional pushbutton to display information pertaining to total telephone usage during the current time period; f) pressing a fifth functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a telephone number, which, when entered, displays information pertaining to total telephone usage with the entered telephone number; g) pressing a sixth functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a numerical amount to be used as a recommended cost limit, which, when entered, notifies the user when reached; h) pressing a seventh functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a numerical amount to be used as a recommended call limit, which, when entered, notifies the user when reached; i) pressing an eighth functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a beginning and ending date and time defining a specific time period, which, when entered, displays information pertaining to all outgoing calls made within the time period; j) pressing a ninth functional pushbutton to display a screen prompting the user to enter a telephone number or numbers to be either 1) blocked from outgoing access, or 2) excluded from a general outgoing call block; k) pressing a tenth functional pushbutton to enable a warning which is displayed when a telephone call reaches a predetermined cost limit; and l) pressing an eleventh functional pushbutton to display information pertaining to all outgoing telephone calls made outside of the local area code.