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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7545921 | Method and system for use with phone calls originating from a facility A call processor records a message from a facility phone for a destination phone upon a first collect call from the facility phone to the destination phone being terminated when the first collect call is rejected at the destination phone. In response to the message ... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7409051 | Methods and apparatus to manage collect phone calling limits Methods and apparatus to manage collect phone calling limits are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises: determining if collect calls from one or more predetermined locations to a terminating phone number have exceeded a collect calls limit; and determining... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7366922 | Power control for gaming machine When an alternating-current power is supplied to an ATX power supply, sub power is supplied to a PC board from the ATX power supply. When the sub power is supplied to the PC board, a PWOK signal is output to the ATX power supply by processing performed by a CPU acco... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7359494 | System and method for restricted telephone message delivery A system for controlling restricted telephone calls that originate from a facility includes a facility resident telephone for calling a destination telephone number as a collect call, where the collect call is completed when accepted, a call processing platform elec... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7336649 | Hybrid packet-switched and circuit-switched telephony system A hybrid telephony system with packet switching as well as circuit switching optimizes utilization of transport networks, and is accessible from any conventional telephone set. A call originating from a circuit-switched network is passed through a gateway computer t... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7197134 | DTMF generating assistant A DTMF generating device for automatically generating DTMF tones corresponding to a predefined phone number comprises a processor, a memory, and a speaker enveloped in a credit card sized casing. The memory has stored therein DTMF tone samples corresponding to the p... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7164757 | Methods and apparatus to manage collect phone calling limits Methods and apparatus to manage collect phone calling limits are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises: determining if collect calls from one or more predetermined locations to a terminating phone number have exceeded a collect calls limit; and determining... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7158621 | Pre-paid calling and voice messaging services for inmates Inmates place free incoming calls to a call processing system and are prompted to choose between accessing a voice mail system and calling an outside party. If an outside party is to be called, an inmate provides a phone number and an outgoing call is placed to the ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7120237 | Systems and methods for collect call processing A method of processing a collect call. The method includes receiving a request for a collect call from a calling party and transmitting information required pursuant to a detariffing order to a called party. ... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7110512 | Method and apparatus for providing prepaid local telephone services A system and method for providing prepaid dialtone services. The system includes a prepaid dialtone service center having an applications server that maintains a prepaid dialtone subscriber database including subscriber identification and service period information.... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7058163 | System and method for ex post facto preserving a recorded conversation For use with an automated call placement system (ACP) having a switching service unit (SSU), a call monitoring unit capable of monitoring a selected one of lines coupled to the switching service unit and a method of making a recording of a conversation occurring on ... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7013002 | Credit card collect call system and method A method of providing collect call service includes receiving a request for a collect call from a calling party (18). A selected number to call is received. A call is placed to a receiving party (20). Agreeability of the receiving party (20) to ... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6931107 | Systems and methods for per use busy message A calling party calls a called party and leaves a message on a voice messaging system after receiving a busy status if the calling party is willing to pay to leave a message and if the calling party has given permission to send messages. The calling party is connect... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6836540 | Systems and methods for offering a service to a party associated with a blocked call In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of offering a service to a user. The method comprises receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect telephone call from an origination source; processing the dialed number to determine... | 12/28/2004 |
| 6697472 | System and method therefor of preventing fraud on pay phone credit/debit calling card authorization To prevent fraud perpetrators from using a public pay telephone to illicitly collect account numbers, authorization codes or personal identification numbers from an unsuspecting user of the telephone, the instant invention disables the keypad of the telep... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6519332 | Mechanism for rejecting collect calls A mechanism for rejecting specific types of calls in a network including collect calls and telemarketing calls. Calls are tagged to indicate the type of call, this tag being recognizable at the terminating end of the network allowing automatic rejection o... | 02/11/2003 |
| 6430274 | Validation query based on a supervisory signal A telephone system and method is provided for delaying authorization validation queries until after a called party accepts a telephone call. Queries are avoided not only in cases where the called phone line is busy or not answering, but also in cases wher... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6421428 | Flexible ANI In various forms of telephone network signaling, automatic number identification information (ANI) includes a field of two or more `information` (II) digits, typically used to indicate a calling line attribute, such as hospital line, residential line, pay... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6335970 | Automatic coin collection device for a payphone provided with no coin collection signal An automatic coin collection device for a payphone provided with no coin collection signal is disclosed, which has a solenoid to be activated to collect coins so as to start to count time and begin telephone communication. A call tone detector is connecte... | 01/01/2002 |
| 6320950 | Communication control unit having a free dial and collect call function by utilizing caller ID signals In a communication control unit, CPU judges whether a telephone number of a caller is included in caller ID signals and communicating section starts communicating with the caller when the CPU judges that the telephone number of the caller is not included ... | 11/20/2001 |
| 5912956 | System and method for anonymously establishing telephonic connections A system and method for anonymously establishing telephonic connections includes a plurality of identification tags, a master control telephone calling card, a computer-executable program, a voice synthesizer and a telephone switch. The identification tag... | 06/15/1999 |
| 5894511 | Validation query based on a supervisory signal A telephone system and method is provided for delaying authorization validation queries until a dialed phone is answered. This way, authorization validation queries are avoided in cases where a requested phone line is busy or not answered. In a collect ca... | 04/13/1999 |
| 5859900 | Universal call access with reverse billing A method for billing a telephone call to a called party for a telephone call between a calling party and the called party, comprising the steps of receiving a predetermined access number; prompting for a destination number, determining if the destination ... | 01/12/1999 |
| 5859902 | Method for processing collect calls When a collect call is initiated by a calling party, and the call is routed to an operator services position, an automated attendant, or other system in the telephone network. In addition to playing an announcement to the called party to determine if he o... | 01/12/1999 |
| 5748713 | Method for automatically initiating a calling card telephone call A calling card telephone call may be automatically initiated by the aid of an intelligent cared (10) having the capability of generating a first and second sequences of DTMF signals. Upon actuating the card in a first manner, the card generates the first ... | 05/05/1998 |
| 5627887 | Method for processing collect calls When a collect call is initiated by a calling party, and the call is routed to an operator services position, an automated attendant, or other system in the telephone network. In addition to playing an announcement to the called party to determine if he o... | 05/06/1997 |
| 5483581 | Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call 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 microp... | 01/09/1996 |
| 5463677 | Method and apparatus for facilitating the making of collect calls When a caller making a collect call encounters a busy called party or one that does not answer after a prescribed time, the telephone network offers the caller the opportunity to store a voice message in a messaging system at no charge to the caller. Afte... | 10/31/1995 |
| 5319701 | Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call 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 microp... | 06/07/1994 |
| 5153907 | Telephone system gateway interface A method and apparatus for providing enhanced call service and call routing functions from a centralized location on a telephone network line through gateway connections to service providers is disclosed. A multiple function interface located between a pa... | 10/06/1992 |
| 5113433 | Method and apparatus for altering the access format of telephone calls 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 calls without the need of a live operator. The telephone receives a destination ... | 05/12/1992 |
| 5093858 | Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call 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 microp... | 03/03/1992 |
| 5046183 | Semi-automated operator assistance telecommunication calls An operator assistance call handling arrangement is disclosed featuring the use of an intelligent telecommunications station (intelligent phone) for the collection and transmission of call data to an operator assistance system for setting up a call withou... | 09/03/1991 |
| 4943995 | Semi-automated customer information system A vendor information service is offered utilizing the services of attendants for identifying customer requests and for taking orders, utilizing a voice processing unit for announcing prerecorded information to customers and for recognizing voice commands ... | 07/24/1990 |
| 4935956 | Automated public phone control for charge and collect billing The charge and collect-call functions of a public telephone are arranged automatically by a microcomputer system preferably connected on customer premises between the phone terminal instrument and the local loop, wherein control of said instrument, networ... | 06/19/1990 |
| 4933966 | Method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call 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 microp... | 06/12/1990 |
| 4922519 | Automated operator assistance calls with voice processing A method and apparatus for identifying the class of an operator assistance call in order to reduce the operator work time for serving such a call. A customer dials 0 or dials 0 plus a directory number and is connected to a program controlled operator assi... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4920562 | Automatic generation of billing records at a telephone paystation 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 interact with a calling party placing a long distance phone call. The telephone establishes a commun... | 04/24/1990 |
| 4908852 | Method and apparatus for altering the access format of telephone calls 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 calls without the need of a live operator. The telephone receives a destination ... | 03/13/1990 |
