| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 379114150 | Calling card | 27 |
| 20080260124 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING CARD CALL SERVICE - A method and an apparatus for implementing a card call service are disclosed in embodiments of the present invention. The method includes: obtaining card information of a user terminal when determining that a call initiated by the user terminal is a card call; providing a card call service for the user terminal when determining, according to the card information, that the card call is supported. It can be seen that NGN may provide a user terminal with a card call service when the user terminal initiating a card call has the card information which may support a card call, so that the satisfaction of users is remarkably improved. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20120237013 | METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING DATA RELATED TO A CALLING CARD FUNCTION IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, AS WELL AS A SERVER, A COMPUTER PROGRAM AND A COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - The invention concerns a system for transferring data related to a calling card function between a server ( | 09-20-2012 |
| 20140314221 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLACING A TELEPHONE CALL - In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an identity of a caller; receive an assigned incoming telephone number; identify a recipient associated with the assigned incoming telephone number and the identity; and connect the caller and the recipient. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20160127543 | System, method and apparatus for placing a telephone call - In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an identity of a caller; receive an assigned incoming telephone number; identify a recipient associated with the assigned incoming telephone number and the identity; and connect the caller and the recipient. | 05-05-2016 |
| 379114160 | Recharging or replenishing an account or calling card | 1 |
| 20140003591 | CARDING CARD REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM | 01-02-2014 |
| 379114170 | Monitoring account or card usage balance | 3 |
| 20080298569 | PREPAID NEGATIVE BALANCE FEE PROCESSING AND FEE DIVERSION - Systems and methods are provided for a prepaid credit card processing system wherein components or entities such as the acquirer, issuer, or prepaid card processing network can dynamically determine, at the time of the transaction, whether a credit card transaction will be allowed—even where the fee associated with the transaction would cause the balance to fall below zero. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20100104078 | Methods for Providing Overdraft Protection for Post-Paid Communication Service Plans - Methods for adding minutes to a calling plan having a calling plan period. The methods including determining whether a threshold number of minutes have been reached during the calling plan period; and incrementally adding minutes to the calling plan when the threshold number of minutes has been reached. The cost per minute of the added minutes is less than the high-cost per minute rate normally associated with exceeding the threshold number of minutes during the calling plan period. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20130235988 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLACING A TELEPHONE CALL - In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an identity of a caller; receive an assigned incoming telephone number; identify a recipient associated with the assigned incoming telephone number and the identity; and connect the caller and the recipient. | 09-12-2013 |
| 379114200 | Pre-paid calling account or card | 19 |
| 20080240388 | System and Method for Providing Prepaid Language Interpretation Services - A method is provided. The method provides a user with a prepaid account with a predetermined number of units for language interpretation service. Further, the method provides a live language interpretation service, through a telephone call, to the user. In addition, the method deducts one or more units from the predetermined number of units in the prepaid account based on a duration of the telephone call in addition to any units deducted by a telephone service provider for telephone service based on the duration of the telephone call. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080285732 | Prepaid Telephony System and Method of Activating a Prepaid Telephony Account - A prepaid telephony system and a method of activating a prepaid telephony account are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method of activating the prepaid telephony account includes providing a message to a caller including an offer to associate a prepaid account corresponding to a prepaid calling card with an origination address of the caller. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20090034702 | MULTIPLE MAXIMUM DURATIONS DEFINED FOR SESSIONS OVER A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - Communication networks and associated methods and systems are disclosed that provide dynamically-configurable maximum durations for sessions over a communication network. For a session, the communication network determines the traditional static maximum duration and the calculated maximum duration (for prepaid sessions). In addition to these maximum durations, the communication network also determines a dynamic maximum duration for the session based on duration criteria. The communication network then selects one of the maximum durations based on the duration criteria, and monitors the session based on the selected maximum duration. By defining the duration criteria in a particular manner, a new dynamically-configured maximum duration for sessions may be used instead of relying only on the static maximum duration and the calculated maximum duration (for prepaid sessions). | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090034703 | Prepaid Calling Time Processing: A Method and Apparatus for Processing Pre-Paid Calling Time in a Telephone Communication System - Methods and systems are provide for processing prepaid calling time to a subscriber by determining an identity of a subscriber of prepaid calling time upon origination of a call to which a subscriber of prepaid calling time is to be a party; determining an amount of prepaid calling time available to the subscriber; allowing a call to which the subscriber is to be a party to be connected if prepaid calling time is available to the subscriber; and deducting calling time from the available prepaid calling time of the subscriber as the connected call proceeds. The method also provides for purchasing pre-paid calling time by electronically transferring funds from an account of the subscriber to an account of a pre-paid call time provider, the amount of funds transferred equal, to the dollar amount of pre-paid calling time to be credited to the subscriber; and crediting to the subscriber an amount of pre-paid calling time corresponding to the dollar amount of the transferred funds. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090086942 | LEASE MODEL FOR AVOIDING PERMANENT CARD LOCKING - Methods relating to prepaid services include determining an unlocked status of an account configured to track usage of prepaid services. The methods further include locking the account for a length of time after the determining step. The methods further include providing, for a service period, a service to a user associated with the account subsequent to the locking step, and continuously extending the locking for an additional length of time throughout the service period. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090110164 | METHODS FOR PROVIDING PREPAID TELEPHONY SERVICE VIA AN INTERNET PROTOCOL NETWORK SYSTEM - Methods are disclosed for providing prepaid telephony service via an Internet protocol (IP) network system. A first method provides controlling at least one media agent or call routing station/switch of an IP network system for allowing and/or blocking call media streams from traversing through the media agent. A second method provides directing all signaling messages transmitted by a signaling agent or station and all media packets transmitting voice and data communications through at least one common device within the IP network system. The methods further provide for continuously monitoring a subscriber's account balance and terminating the prepaid telephony service if the account balance is less than a predetermined amount | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090154674 | SELECTIVE PRE-AUTHORIZED CREDIT FOR INCOMING CALLS - Establishing a connection from a caller to a user using a pre-authorized credit from the user is described. A processor identifies one or more source identifications (IDs) for receiving pre-authorized credit for the incoming call. One or more destinations are specified to receive the incoming call. The processor defines a rule associated with the one or more destinations and the one or more source IDs. An interface receives the incoming call directed to one of the destinations from the caller. A storage area stores the defined rule. The incoming call and the caller are determined as a function of the one of the destinations, one or more identified source IDs and the defined rule. The pre-authorized credit is issued for the incoming call from the caller if it is determined that the incoming call to the destination satisfies the defined rule. The processor routes the incoming call to the user. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090154675 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF REAL-TIME CALL PROCESSING AND BILLING - The prepay telecommunications system ( | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090202054 | Automated Distribution and Indexing of Prepaid Calling Card Information - In certain embodiments, a system for automated distribution and indexing of prepaid calling card information comprises a central terminal operable to receive a request to purchase prepaid telephone services from an initiating terminal. The request comprises an identifier of a financial account to be used to purchase the prepaid telephone services. The central terminal is operable to electronically seek authorization for the request, initiate electronic debiting of the financial account using the identifier, and log a transaction indicating a purchase of prepaid telephone services in response to receipt of the authorization. The central terminal is operable to initiate electronic transmission, according to purchaser contact information, of calling card information from the central terminal to at least one electronic storage medium for access by a purchaser. The calling card information provides access to the prepaid telephone services instead of using a telephone card or printed receipt to obtain the prepaid telephone services. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090202055 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PREPAID TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES - 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. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090214012 | ADVANCED PAYMENT FOR TELEPHONE SERVICES - A method of providing telephone services includes receiving an advanced payment. The advanced payment corresponds to a fixed time interval of telephone service spanning at least one day. The method also includes activating service to a mobile device for the fixed time interval and collecting a plurality of call data. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20110206194 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS CALLS FROM THE SAME PREPAID ACCOUNT - Prepaid services include associating a plurality of users with a prepaid services account. The account is configured to track a prepaid balance associated with the account as well as to allow at least a subset of the plurality of users associated with the account to draw down the prepaid balance at least generally at the same time. Drawing down the prepaid balance includes allocating a portion of the prepaid balance to each respective user, monitoring a provision of service, and repeating, selectively, the allocating and monitoring. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110211681 | FINANCIAL CARD ACTIVATION METHOD AND SYSTEM - A sponsor purchases a prepaid card that can be transmitted to an intended user with increased security. Using a prepaid card dispenser, the sponsor elects an amount for the prepaid card and is prompted for at least one telephone number at which a server platform should contact the sponsor when the intended user wants to authenticate the card. The sponsor may enter additional phone numbers that will be called if the sponsor does not answer the first number when called by the server platform. When an intended user has received the prepaid card, the intended user calls a telephone number associated with the server platform and is connected to the sponsor via a telephone bridge so that the sponsor may authenticate the intended user. The sponsor may then inform the server platform (e.g., via DTMF tones) that the card has been authenticated. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110235792 | PREPAID AUTOMATIC DIALER - A user device is configured to download an autodialer application that permits a user, of the user device, to purchase a prepaid calling plan and make calls using the prepaid calling plan; receive an instruction to purchase the prepaid calling plan; receive payment to establish a prepaid balance associated with the prepaid calling plan; present confirmation information when the payment is received, the confirmation information including the prepaid balance and access information; receive a request to make a call using the prepaid calling plan, the request including a number corresponding to a destination user device; call the destination user device using the number corresponding to the destination user device and the access information; determine a duration of the call to the destination user device; compute a cost of the call based on the duration of the call; and update the prepaid balance based on the cost of the call. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20120099716 | System and Method for Call Treatment Using a Third Party Database - Systems and methods which detect unauthorized, impermissible, or otherwise undesired call activity through the use of one or more third party databases are shown. For example, a controlled environment facility information management system may access a database external thereto, such as a victim notification database, which is created and maintained by a third party unrelated to the controlled environment facility. Such third party database access may be accomplished at the point of call validation or caller verification for determining the treatment of the call (e.g., allowed, blocked, allowed with limitations, etcetera). Such call treatment determinations may be made with respect a particular prisoner or other resident of the controlled environment facility making the call, may be made with respect to all calls made from a particular controlled environment facility, may he made with respect to a group of controlled environment facilities, etcetera. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20130010941 | Systems and Methods for Personal Identification Number Distribution and Delivery - Systems and methods for obtaining a personal identification number (PIN) from a client terminal are disclosed. A method includes storing, at the client terminal, PINs for plural prepaid services. The method also includes receiving, at the client terminal, a request for a PIN associated with a desired prepaid service corresponding to one of the plural prepaid services. A PIN request is then sent, from the client terminal, to a server when less than a predefined number of PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are stored at the client terminal. In response, one or more PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are received at the client terminal. The method further includes dispensing at least one PIN corresponding to the desired prepaid service from the client terminal. | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130287193 | UNIVERSAL PREPAID COMMUNICATIONS - A communications system includes both cellular and land based telecommunications such as PSTN telephone, as well as cellular telephone. A subscriber may use prepaid cellular phone to make and receive calls via cellular network. A Mobile Switching Center (MSC) routes the subscriber's calls to and/or from wireline network for domestic connections and/or network for international connection. A Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) operates a prepaid vendor service control point (SCP), Prepaid Vendor Service Platform (PSP), and connected databases. A method of providing a universal communications account includes: providing at least one account to a customer, enabling use of the account for a first type of connection and a second type of connection; and debiting the account based at least in part on one of the first type of connection and the second type of connection. | 10-31-2013 |
| 20140016763 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF RE-RATING FOR PREPAID USERS - A method for re-rating a prepaid user is proposed in the present invention. Compared with prior prepaid systems, the present invention introduces new functional entities, i.e. a re-rating management apparatus and an offline charging apparatus, and enhances the existing functional-entity, i.e. the online charging apparatus. The online charging apparatus rates call detail records comprised in an received online charging request to generate rated call detail records, and sends—the rated call detail records to the re-rating management apparatus; periodically backs up account profile, and sends the backed up account profile to the re-rating management apparatus; the re-rating management apparatus triggers re-rating, sends a re-rating request to the offline charging apparatus; the offline charging apparatus generates re-rated call detail records after re-calculating, the call detail records, and sends the re-rated call detail records to the re-rating management apparatus; and the re-rating management apparatus updates account profile in accordance with the re-rated call detail records, and sends the updated account profile to the online charging apparatus. By using the method of the present invention, the re-rating function can be implemented for the prepaid user without affecting the real-time use by the prepaid user, and the problems occurring in the convergence of a prepaid charging system and a postpaid charging system can be solved. | 01-16-2014 |
| 20140146955 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC ASSIGNMENT OF LOCAL PHONE NUMBER TO LONG DISTANCE PREPAID ACCOUNT - A method for assigning an alias telephone number to a long distance telephone number in connection with a pre-paid account, comprising obtaining from a user an account number, a long distance number and an originating call number; comparing said account number and long distance number against an alias number database to confirm that no local alias number has been assigned to said long distance number and account number combination; identifying from a pool of available local alias numbers a local alias number having the same area code, or an area code from the same calling area, as said originating telephone number; associating said available local alias number with said long distance number, said account number, and said originating telephone number; and sending a message to said user advising of the association of said local alias number with said long distance number, said call's originating telephone number, and said account number. | 05-29-2014 |
