U.S. patents available from 1976 to present.
U.S. patent applications available from 2005 to present.

Icon_funbox Bizarre Patents

Patent No. 6004596

Sealed Crustless Sandwich

A sealed crustless sandwich for providing a convenient sandwich without an outer crust which can be stored for long periods of time without a central filling from leaking outwardly.

Newsletter  PatentStorm News

Make the Most of Our Site

See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.

Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.

Registered users: Manage your profile.

 

Class 379/144.01 - Other than coin


Subclass of Class 379 - Telephonic communications
Definition: Subject matter wherein the telephone pay station accepts
No. of patents: 190
Last issue date: 05/18/2010


1          
NumberTitleIssue Date
7720208Method and apparatus for authorization based phone calls in packet switched networks
A call authorization system moves state maintenance for authorization based phone calls from a central authorization server to different gateways in a packet switched network. A simple authorization session protocol is used between the authorization server and the g...
05/18/2010
7400715Prepaid telephone calling card with distinct PIN numbers
A prepaid long-distance telephone calling card has two or more distinct PIN numbers each obscured by opaque scratch-off material. Each PIN number is associated with prepaid value. A user can scratch off the opaque material for PIN numbers one by one, and the value f...
07/15/2008
7386295Communication billing system
A communication billing system comprising a processing system coupled to an interface system. The processing system is configured to process a plurality of wireless service events from a wireless system together at the event level with a plurality of wireline servic...
06/10/2008
7370805Transaction card comprising two magnetic stripes
An apparatus and method for activating and using a transaction card comprising two storage media is provided. A composite transaction card comprises a transaction portion detachably coupled to an activation portion. The transaction portion comprises a substantially ...
05/13/2008
7370793Universal prepaid telecommunication services card, and methods and systems for using same
In a relationship in which a universal prepaid telecommunication services card issuer is different than a telecommunication services provider, a method and system for implementing a universal prepaid telecommunication services card (prepaid card), which can be used ...
05/13/2008
7370290Contact card
An interface for enabling a user to quickly access contact information and contact-centric tasks is displayed when an appropriate request for a contact card associated with a contact is received. The contact card displays contact information corresponding with the c...
05/06/2008
7356328Pre-paid wireless interactive voice response system with variable announcements
A wireless communication system providing interactive voice response is disclosed. The system uses CSS7 equipment and infrastructure to account and manage pre-paid wireless services and to provide IVR (Interactive Voice Response) services. The system uses an SCP in ...
04/08/2008
7353210Electronic means of payment with individually settable security features for the internet or for mobile networks
Electronic means of payment require specific procedures concerning the use thereof as well as set security features. Disclosed is a means of payment allowing the user to add individual security features, comprising the use of specific devices that are available to t...
04/01/2008
7337650System and method for aligning sensors on a vehicle
A vehicle sensor system consisting of video, radar, ultrasonic or laser sensors, oriented to obtain a 360 degree view around the vehicle for the purpose of developing a situation or scene awareness. The sensors may or may not have overlapping field of views, or supp...
03/04/2008
7340045Method of billing a communication session conducted over a computer network
A method of billing a communication session between a user and a value-added service. A request is received from a user for a communication session, such as a circuit-switched call, a computer-network telephony call or a multimedia session, between the user and a va...
03/04/2008
7334024System for transmission of voice and data over the same communications line
A data transaction processing system in which transaction data is entered by the user in response to prompts in a template which is tailored to each user application. The template and entered data are accumulated into data transactions which are immediately transmit...
02/19/2008
7333955System and method for securing communication service
A system and method for supplying communication service value is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes distributing indicia of an identifier to a merchant for distribution to a customer having a customer account. The identifier has an associated service ...
02/19/2008
7333796Wireless telephone service
A method for providing a wireless telephone service includes providing a wireless handset having an associated telephone number, and a dedicated programmable wireless switch coupled to a public switched telephone network and a billing server. The handset communicate...
02/19/2008
7328190System and method for adding value to a stored-value account
A system and method for adding value into a customer's stored-value account is provided. A stored-value card is distributed to a merchant for distribution to a customer who has an account with a specific provider of goods and/or services. The stored-value card has a...
02/05/2008
7328189Method and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce transactions using electronic tokens
Methods and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce using electronic tokens are described. The electronic tokens are issued and maintained by a vendor, who also provides products and services that can be purchased or rented using the electronic tokens. The elec...
02/05/2008
7316614Method and apparatus for conducting a sweepstakes
A method and apparatus for conducting a sweepstakes in which a consumer purchases a prepaid voucher for valuable goods and services unrelated to the sweepstakes, and in return, as a promotional bonus, is provided a corresponding number of optional entries into the s...
01/08/2008
7311249System and method for conducting a return transaction for a PIN-activated account
A system and method for conducting a PIN-enabled stored value account refund transaction is provided. A refund request is received, wherein the refund request is for a stored value account having an associated value purchased in a previous transaction, and the refun...
12/25/2007
7310414Prepaid phone card service using speech recognition
A method for placing a telephone call from a caller using a prepaid phone card includes the steps of connecting a caller with a caller interface having a speech recognition application, receiving voice input from the caller in the form of phone card information spok...
12/18/2007
7308087Enhanced communication platform and related communication method using the platform
A method of providing pre-authorized communication services and/or transactions via a plurality of networks, including accepting and processing a request from a user to provide at least one of a communication service, a transaction and user account information via a...
12/11/2007
7303121System and method for initializing financial presentation instruments
The present invention provides alternative methods and systems for instantaneous initialization of financial presentation instruments, preferably stored value cards, gift cards, or other pre-paid debit cards. In one aspect of the present invention, a method for init...
12/04/2007
7295659Method and system for prepaid communications credit
A method and system for prepaying credits to a user account for communications services provided. If a system detects a predefined condition associated with a communications connection, the system deducts the cost of the communications connection from the credit in ...
11/13/2007
7295658System 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 register...
11/13/2007
7292998System and method for adding value to a stored-value account
A system and method for adding value into a customer's stored-value account is provided. A stored-value card is distributed to a merchant for distribution to a customer who has an account with an associated account number with a specific provider of goods and/or ser...
11/06/2007
7290364Non-rectangular shaped credit card with case
A non-rectangular or asymmetrically shaped credit card or phone card with an associated case or holder. The card has a configuration that complements the configuration of the case so that the card is easily removed from the holder for access, yet is maintained insid...
11/06/2007
7280645Method of associating multiple prepaid cards with a single account
A set of multiple prepaid calling cards that are associated with a single account is disclosed. A predetermined amount of minutes is associated with the set of cards. Cards within the set can be used simultaneously and extract minutes from the account in predetermin...
10/09/2007
7277532Call monitoring apparatus and method therefor
In a signalling network employing the SS7 signalling protocol, it is known to use masks to mine CDR stores in order to obtain data for analysis in respect of a particular customer of a communications network associated with the signalling network. However, the use o...
10/02/2007
7270263Systems and methods for automatically distributing gifts to recipients on behalf of customers
Systems and methods for providing gifts are described. In one exemplary embodiment, the systems and methods may include receiving financial card distribution information from a consumer, wherein the financial card distribution information identifies at least one rec...
09/18/2007
7260194Method and system for providing long distance service
A system and method of providing long distance service products to users. Post-paid debit calling cards are purchased on-line by a customer or user and the user is billed monthly, along with other service charges. The calling card account, however, is debited as it ...
08/21/2007
7257207Method and system for paying prepaid communications credit
A method and system for prepaying credits to a user account for communications services is provided. A system receives an origination number and a code. The code corresponds to a predefined payment amount for prepaid credit. The system credits an account associated ...
08/14/2007
7257388Pre-paid mobile phone with temporary voice mail
The present invention provides systems and methods for allowing access to a voice mailbox associated with a pre-paid mobile phone subscriber's account after the expiration of the subscriber's credits. A call processing system may be configured to receive a call from...
08/14/2007
7255267Method and system for multiple income-generating business card and referral network
A system and method for using a communications network with a server and a database to provide income-generating business card and referral card network. In one embodiment, a credit card issuer provides a set of personalized business cards to a first customer for hi...
08/14/2007
7254222Method and apparatus for implementing a pre-paid card service
A pre-paid telecommunications card service in which the card-holder can register the card with a service provider in such a way that the card account becomes associated with the customer's home telephone line. Thereafter, toll calls made over that particular telepho...
08/07/2007
7249054System and method for debit account transactions
A system and method for establishing a debit account via a point of sale transaction terminal which is in communication with a secure host server. The transaction terminal includes an operating program for initiating a point of sale transaction to accept funds from ...
07/24/2007
7249099Method and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce transactions using electronic tokens
Methods and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce using electronic tokens are described. The electronic tokens are issued and maintained by a vendor, who also provides products and services that can be purchased or rented using the electronic tokens. The elec...
07/24/2007
7249073Methods and apparatus for a personal financial service provider
Systems are provided for administering employee funds and transactions utilizing a personal financial service provider system which allows comprehensive administration of employee accounts. A system for administering employee funds includes a worksite employer havin...
07/24/2007
7245223Anti terrorist and homeland security public safety warning system
An anti-terrorist and crime fighting system, method and apparatus, of isolating terrorists and criminals by providing a predetermined audio-visual stimulus into controlled public or private environments in order to elicit specific human responses, reactions and judg...
07/17/2007
7242922Toll free calling account recharge system and method
A calling account recharge system, method, and device are provided. The device has an associated stored-value calling account, and typically includes a selector, a communications program configured to communicate with a recharge service via a communication network, ...
07/10/2007
7231028Method and system for the management of subscriber functions
The present invention relates to a method and system for the management of subscriber functions in a digital telephone exchange. According to the invention, the functions for default subscribers are stored in and read from default records common to the subscribers, ...
06/12/2007
7228339Information storage output system and information storage output service
There is provided an information storage output system enhanced in mobility and improved in convenience to use. In the information storage output system for storing predetermined storage data in a storage server on a network, the storage server can be accessed from ...
06/05/2007
7224775System and method for providing prioritized access to a messaging system
A method and system for providing prioritized access to a messaging system includes receiving at an access controller for a messaging system a request for connection by a user to the messaging system. The access controller determines whether the messaging system is ...
05/29/2007
1          
 
Sign InRegister
Username  
Password   
forgot password?