U.S. patent application number 09/884047 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-18 for pay phone call completion method and apparatus.
Invention is credited to Bruno, Richard Frank, Markowitz, Robert Edward, Shapiro, Bernard.
Application Number | 20020044636 09/884047 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23860724 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020044636 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bruno, Richard Frank ; et
al. |
April 18, 2002 |
PAY PHONE CALL COMPLETION METHOD AND APPARATUS
Abstract
A method for permitting multiple calls in a toll
telecommunications network from a pay telephone comprising the
steps of 1) receiving a first call in said toll telecommunications
network from said pay telephone, 2) determining the identity of a
single carrier of said telecommunications network associated with
the first toll-free call, 3) completing the first call to a called
party, 4) during processing of the first call and prior to a caller
actuating the switchhook of the pay telephone, providing dial tone
for a second call by the single carrier associated with the first
call, 5) receiving a second telephone number in said
telecommunications network from said caller at said pay telephone,
6) determining the identity of the single carrier associated with
the second call, and 7) responsive to the identity of the single
carrier being the same single toll carrier for the first and second
calls, completing the second call without additional fee to a
called party of the second call by the single carrier. Associated
network apparatus for performing this method comprises an
application server and a database, the server most conveniently
incorporating either speech recognition or tone signal receivers
and a voice querying or response system.
Inventors: |
Bruno, Richard Frank;
(Morristown, NJ) ; Markowitz, Robert Edward; (Glen
Rock, NJ) ; Shapiro, Bernard; (Hillsborough,
NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BANNER & WITCOFF LTD.,
ATTORNEYS FOR AT & T CORP
1001 G STREET , N.W.
ELEVENTH STREET
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-4597
US
|
Family ID: |
23860724 |
Appl. No.: |
09/884047 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09884047 |
Jun 20, 2001 |
|
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|
09468662 |
Dec 21, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
379/143 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 17/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
379/143 |
International
Class: |
H04M 017/00 |
Claims
What we claim is:
1. A method for permitting multiple calls in a toll
telecommunications network from a pay telephone comprising the
steps of: receiving a first call in said toll telecommunications
network from said pay telephone; determining the identity of a
single carrier of said telecommunications network associated with
the first toll-free call; completing the first call to a called
party; during processing of the first call and prior to receiving
an indication of a desired termination of a network connection to
the pay telephone, providing dial tone for a second call by the
single carrier associated with the first call; receiving a second
telephone number in said telecommunications network from said
caller at said pay telephone; determining the identity of a single
carrier associated with the second call; responsive to the identity
of the single carrier being the same single carrier for the first
and second calls, completing the second call by the single
carrier.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
responsive to the identity of the single carrier for the second
call being a different single carrier from the single toll carrier
for the first call, completing the call via the different single
carrier.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
responsive to the identity of the single carrier for the second
call being different from said single toll carrier for the first
call, converting the call to an internet protocol telephony call
and completing the call via the internet.
4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein said internet protocol
telephony call is sequenced in relation to calls via said single
carrier and said different carrier according to user selection.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
detecting the conclusion of the first call and, prior to receiving
an indication of a desired termination of the network connection to
the pay telephone, querying the caller if they would like to place
another toll-free call via a voice query unit.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:
receiving a list of toll-free telephone numbers from said caller
comprising first and second toll-free number prior to completing a
first toll-free call to the called party.
7. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising the steps of:
receiving a list of toll-free telephone numbers comprising at least
a third toll free number wherein said list comprises two toll-free
numbers associated with said single carrier of the first call and
completing calls to said two toll-free numbers first.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of
detecting the conclusion of the first toll-free call by detecting
the actuation of a switchhook by said called party.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second
calls comprise toll-free calls.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of
offering toll-free directory assistance services.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said second call
completion is provided without additional fee to a called party of
the second call.
12. Network apparatus for permitting multiple calls in a toll
telecommunications network from a pay telephone, the apparatus
comprising: a network switch for receiving a first call in said
toll telecommunications network from said pay telephone; an
applications server for determining the identity of a single
carrier of said telecommunications network associated with the
first toll-free call from a database; said switch completing the
first call to a called party; the applications server during
processing of the first call and prior to receiving an indication
of a desired termination of a network connection to the pay
telephone, providing dial tone for a second call by the single
carrier associated with the first call; the network switch
receiving a second telephone number in said telecommunications
network from said caller at said pay telephone; the applications
server determining the identity of a single carrier associated with
the second call; responsive to the identity of the single carrier
being the same single carrier for the first and second calls, the
network switch completing the second by the single carrier.
13. Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein: responsive to the
identity of the single carrier for the second call being a
different single carrier from said single carrier for the first
call, the network switch completing the call via the different
single carrier.
14. Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein: responsive to the
identity of the single carrier for the second call being a
different single carrier from said single carrier for the first
call, said application server converting the call to an internet
protocol telephony call and completing the call via the
internet.
15. Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein: upon detecting the
conclusion of the first call and, prior to the caller actuating the
switchhook of the pay telephone, the application server querying
the caller if the caller would like to place another toll-free call
via a voice query unit.
16. Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein: said network switch
receives a list of toll-free telephone numbers from said caller
comprising first and second toll-free number prior to completing a
first toll-free call to the called party.
17. Apparatus as recited in claim 16 further comprising the steps
of: said network switch receives a list of toll-free telephone
numbers comprising at least a third toll free number wherein said
list comprises two toll-free numbers associated with said single
carrier for the first call and completing calls to said toll-free
numbers first.
18. Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said applications
server detecting the conclusion of the first toll-free call
receives an indication of the termination of a network connection
from said called party.
19. Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said first and second
calls comprise toll-free calls.
20. Apparatus as recited in claim 12 further comprising a processor
for completing the second call without additional fee to said
called party by the single carrier.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] This invention relates to the field of pay telephone call
completion and, in particular, to a pay telephone call completion
method and apparatus permitting a user to make multiple toll-free
calls from a pay telephone through a long distance telephone
network associated with the toll-free calls for no extra fee due to
the owner of the pay telephone from the caller, the called party or
long distance service provider.
[0003] 2. Description of the Relevant Art
[0004] The party associated with a toll-free number, just as every
long distance telephone customer in the United States, must select
a single preferred carrier to carry the traffic, typically, a long
distance toll service provider. For example, a hotel chain owner
that wishes to provide toll-free services to its potential guests
must select a single preferred long distance carrier that is
associated with the toll-free telephone number in memory of a
database. Referring to FIG. 1A, a typical toll-free telephone
number may be 800-55H-OTEL that is associated with HOTEL and their
single selected carrier, for example, XYZ long distance carrier, in
memory database 25 of a local telephone service provider (which may
also provide toll services) not selected by HOTEL. According to the
prior art, a potential hotel guest may go to a payphone 30, for
example, in an airline terminal and make a toll-free call to
1-800-55H-OTEL. A local switch LS 20-1, for example, a No. 5 ESS
system available from Lucent Technologies, Inc., among other
suitable local switching systems, receives the dialed number of the
called party (1-800-55H-OTEL) and refers to carrier database 25 to
determine the identity of the long distance network 10 of the
single selected long distance telephone service provider associated
with the dialed toll-free telephone number. The local telephone
service provider, typically, a regional telephone company, then
refers the call for processing to the associated long distance
service provider.
[0005] The associated toll carrier and owner of network 10 receives
the toll-free telephone number at atoll switch point of ingress to
network 10 at ingress switch (IS) 15-1, translates the dialed
number to a routing number and determines egress switch (ES) 15-2
from the area code and telephone number of the called party. A
tandem switch 15-3 may be required to permit a linking connection
for the duration of a call from office 15-1 to office 15-2. The
network 10 terminates the call from egress switch 15-2 via the same
or another local telephone company service provider and their local
switch LS 20-2 to the called party terminal 40.
[0006] The owner of the pay telephone 30 from which the call was
placed may be any of the local telephone company, a long distance
service provider, the airport or yet other entities. The payphone
owner is entitled to receive a fee, for example, less than one US
dollar, (typically, thirty cents) for the use of the pay telephone
30, even though the caller pays nothing for the call. Some carriers
pass the cost to the called party. Thus, the called party, in this
example, the hotel operator HOTEL, may be held responsible for at
least a portion of the fee that is due and owing to the payphone
owner 30 by the associated long distance carrier and owner of
network 10.
[0007] When the caller has completed their call to a first called
hotel operator, for example, to try to obtain a hotel room
reservation and wants to make another call because the first hotel
operator has no rooms available, the caller typically hangs up,
obtains renewed dial tone from the local telephone company service
provider for payphone 30 and places a second call. The above
process of looking up the associated carrier and charging that
carrier a fee for the use of the pay phone is repeated.
Consequently, the associated long distance carrier, be it the same
carrier or a different carrier, will be responsible for a second
fee, the same less than one dollar fee, that would eventually be
chargeable at least in part to the second hotel operator.
[0008] Thus, with present methods and procedures, whenever multiple
calls must be placed via the same associated long distance network,
the caller is inconvenienced by the present pay phone call
completion process because the caller must hang up, obtain renewed
dial tone from the local service provider and make a new call each
time the caller wants to dial a new hotel chain operator. The local
telephone company service provider is inconvenienced because they
have to provide renewed dial tone and perform repeated look-ups in
database 25 for long distance carriers associated with each number
dialed and repeatedly refer new calls for handling to an associated
long distance carrier. And the long distance service provider for
the first call via network 10 is inconvenienced because they must
repeatedly respond to the local telephone company requests for
service and be responsible for multiples of the fee owed to the
owner of the pay telephone 30 used to make the first, second and
further calls, so long as they are the associated long distance
telephone carrier.
[0009] Thus, there exists an opportunity in the art for an improved
pay phone call completion method and apparatus that eliminates the
inconveniences inherent in making many toll-free telephone calls
from a pay telephone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVETION
[0010] According to the principles of the present invention, a
caller may enter a list of toll-free telephone numbers in a caller
preferred sequence: for example, hotel operator A, hotel operator B
and hotel operator C. The network operator associated with the call
to hotel operator A provides an application server 50 with a
database 55, the server being programmed according to the present
invention. Once the first call to hotel operator A is referred to
network 10, the network 10 can route all the calls from the same
pay phone 30 in the preferred sequence so long as network 10 is the
single, selected long distance service provider. Thus, at the
conclusion of a first call to hotel operator A which may result in
not obtaining a room reservation, the network 10 may be signaled,
for example, by a special dialed command or voice command
indicating the completion of the first call without the caller's
having to hang up and to dial the next telephone number and so on
until a room reservation is successfully made.
[0011] A toll communications network, according to the present
invention, may refer to a local telephone company network, a long
distance/toll network 10 or a different long distance/toll network
11. Consequently, a method for permitting multiple toll-free calls
in a toll telecommunications network from a pay telephone comprises
the steps of: 1) receiving a first toll-free call in the toll
telecommunications network from the pay telephone, 2) determining
the identity of a single carrier of the toll telecommunications
network associated with the first toll-free call, 3) completing the
first toll-free call to a called party, 4) during processing of the
first toll-free call and prior to receiving a signal indicating the
termination of a network connection to the pay telephone, for
example, the caller actuating the switchhook of the pay telephone,
receiving a second toll-free call by the single selected carrier
associated with the first toll-free call from the pay telephone, 5)
determining the identity of the single carrier associated with the
second toll-free call, and 6) responsive to the identity of the
single carrier being the same single carrier, completing the second
toll-free call without additional fee by the single carrier.
[0012] The caller may signal their desire to have the second call
routed by using a prearranged dialed tone sequence--such as *N (for
next call). Alternatively, the caller may speak a command that is
interpreted by a speech recognition unit. The caller may signal the
new call by signaling termination of the first, receiving dial tone
from the network 10 and dialing the next toll-free telephone number
without alerting local switch 20-1. Similarly, in this embodiment,
the caller may speak commands that may begin the next call.
[0013] If the next call in sequence is associated with another long
distance service provider, the network 10 may suggest the caller
permit the network to place the next call to a number associated
with a customer of the network 10 instead. The process may continue
until all the telephone numbers of the dialed sequence of telephone
numbers associated with the same long distance service provider has
been completed, and then the caller may be routed to the next long
distance telephone service subscriber associated with the next
telephone number in sequence that is not associated with the first
telephone number dialed. Typically, this can only be performed with
the agreement of the second carrier. If the caller wants to proceed
anyway with the call, the call may be routed (with the agreement of
the other long distance service provider) directly to that service
provider. At any time, the caller may disconnect but typically
after the caller has placed as many toll-free calls associated with
the same carrier as they want.
[0014] Alternative embodiments and features of the present
invention in addition to those briefly described above will become
clarified from a reading of the detailed specification in view of
the accompanying drawings and the claims which follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1A is a functional system block diagram showing an
overview of the network 10 in which an application server 50 and
database 55 providing the pay phone call completion method
according to the present invention may be operated. FIG. 1B
provides an alternative or enhanced embodiment to the overview of
FIG. 1A providing for call completion via an Internet service
provider.
[0016] FIG. 2A provides a call processing flowchart of one
embodiment for programming the application server 50 and network 10
of FIG. 1 to perform the pay phone call completion method of the
present invention. FIG. 2B provides an enhancement to the flowchart
of FIG. 2A providing for Internet call completion in addition to
circuit switched connection.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an application
server showing various functional characteristics or building
blocks such as tone recognition, speech recognition, called party
supervision for hang-up, voice response unit and other alternative
means for conducting a dialog with a caller.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] FIG. 1A has already been described above in connection with
the placement of a succession of toll-free calls from a pay
telephone according to prior art call completion processes. The
fees owing and payable to a pay telephone owner may be avoided
according to the present invention by the inclusion of an
application server 50 which may be a shared network resource within
or outside the network or a dedicated resource programmed to
perform a pay phone call completion method according to the present
invention. The server 50 has an associated database 55 for number
sorting and checking on carriers in a similar manner to the
database 25 used by a local operating telephone company to check
for the identity of the carrier associated with a locally dialed
number. The server 50 will be further described in connection with
a discussion of FIG. 3.
[0019] FIG. 1A shows a calling pay telephone 30 which a user may
use to place a toll-free call via a toll/long distance network. Pay
phone 30, for example, located in an airline terminal, is linked to
local switch LS 20-1 by wired or wireless connection. Local switch
20-1, for example, may be a No. 5 electronic switching system or
equivalent system that is associated with a carrier database 25.
The local switch 20-1 is adapted to be connected to one of a
plurality of toll/long distance networks 10, 11 and so on.
[0020] The invention will be discussed in the context of a long
distance toll-free call but may be applied to a local telephone
carrier as well. When a caller places a toll-free call, according
to the present invention, a toll carrier such as toll carrier 10
(or a local telephone carrier) has an application server 50 and
associated number sort and carrier check database 55 for providing
the caller with the convenience of placing a number of toll-free
calls to called parties so long as the called parties have selected
network 10 and not another network 11 as their long distance
carrier.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 2A, after a caller places a first
toll-free call at step 200, for example, a 1-800 call, the local
telephone carrier refers the call for processing to the toll-long
distance carrier 10 after consulting its database 25 if the called
party has selected it as the single long distance carrier or refers
the call directly to their own application server 50. Network 10
then refers the call to the platform (application server) 50 at
step 210.
[0022] Application server 50 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3
and may comprise a number of functional block items that are
conventional in the art: voice query system 360, dual tone
multi-frequency receiver 320, speech recognition system 340, voice
response system 350, memory 310 and processor 300 as are well known
in the art for performing the steps in the flowchart of FIG. 2A.
The application server 50 announces itself and asks the caller to
input further toll-free telephone numbers in preferred sequence and
receives the toll-free telephone number input by the caller at step
220.
[0023] The application server 50 then queries its associated
database 55 at step 230 for the identities of the toll/long
distance carriers selected by the called parties through automatic
number identification data forwarded via the SS7 signaling protocol
or as received directly from the payphone 30 (in the case of the
local telephone company).
[0024] At step 240, platform/server 50 associated with the long
distance carrier 10 or the local service provider assembles the
list and sequence, for example, in the order of its customers first
and then asks the calling party if it wants to proceed. The
platform/server 50, via the query system 360, may offer to do so
before or after connecting the caller to the first called party in
the sequence in alternative embodiments.
[0025] A loop then begins at steps 250-280 involving processor 300.
Referring to its associated database 55, the processor 300,
typically within the platform 50, determines at step 250 whether
the called telephone number belongs to the appropriate carrier,
i.e., the single carrier selected by the customer holding the
toll-free number. If yes, then, call processing continues. The call
is processed locally or via ingress and egress switches 15-1 and
15-2 and, if necessary, via tandem switch TS 15-3 toward called
party 40 via local switch 20-2.
[0026] Step 270 represents termination of a call to the first
called party. Termination may be detected by any of a number of
means. One is by detecting hang-up supervisory signals or other
indication of the termination of a network connection to payphone
30 from the called party. Another is by detecting a ring no answer
condition or, after a timeout, or other similar detection thereby
continuing the process to next call step 280. Another is receiving
a signal from the calling party that they have given up on the
call, preferably a fixed sequence of dial pad signals, for example,
*N, for next call or other unique sequence. Other means for the
caller or the network 10 terminating the first call may come to
mind and should be encompassed within the scope of the present
invention.
[0027] At step 280, the next call may be announced via voice query
system 360 and call processing initiated. If the called party is
associated with the same network 10, then call processing reverts
to step 250. If not, the call may be referred to another carrier
such as carrier 11 by pre-arrangement with that carrier for a fee,
or another call also in the list associated with the same selected
network 10 may be processed with the permission of the calling
party. In the simplest embodiment of the present invention, after
the caller places the last call in the list, the caller may be
prompted one last time if they wish to make another toll-free call
and, if not, the caller may terminate the call at disconnect step
290 by hanging up.
[0028] As an enhancement to the system described via FIGS. 1A and
2A, a call may be completed via an Internet service provider (ISP)
70 as per FIGS. 1B and 2B. FIG. 1B shows an ISP 70 coupled between
either LS 20-1 or long distance network 10 which comprise a portion
of or a circuit switched network respectively. FIG. 2B shows
additions to the flowchart of FIG. 2A, both FIGS. 1 and 2 with the
same reference numbers referring to the same elements. In this
other embodiment, if the next call in the calling party's list is
associated with another carrier, for example, carrier 11, at step
250, and the network 10 or LS 20-1 is associated with an internet
service provider or ISP 70, the call may be completed via an
internet telephony connection to the called party via that ISP 70,
the internet connection replacing a standard telecommunications
link.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 2B, an additional step 245 may be added
between steps 240 and 250 to ask the user of the present service if
they want to use an Internet service provider to complete a
connection. Presently, Internet service may not have the same
quality of service in providing a voice telephony call as a
switched circuit connection but may offer a less expensive
connection. Consequently, the flowchart of FIG. 2B anticipates this
decision at step 245. On the other hand, as quality of voice
telephony services over the Internet improve, such a question may
not be appropriate--the answer could be assumed to be yes, that is,
the caller or user would like to use an ISP 70.
[0030] Besides the loop at step 250 for a switched circuit
connection, there is shown in FIG. 2B a loop including steps 255,
265, 268, 270 and 280 for an Internet protocol connection. Step 255
is a decision box directed to whether or not the desired telephone
number of the called party is accessible via the ISP 70. If yes,
then, the address data is forwarded at step 265 from the local
switch or the long distance network to the ISP 70. At step 268, the
IP voice telephony connection is established via ISP 70 bypassing
the long distance network which is not a selected carrier. Steps
270 and 280 are the same steps as is FIG. 2A.
[0031] The calls can be sequenced and resequenced depending on the
caller or user's wishes (not shown) to place internet calls first
or last or in the middle in relation to calls via the selected
switched circuit carrier and a different carrier. The flowchart of
FIG. 2B assumes that calls are placed in the order of selected
carrier 10, ISP 70 and alternate switched circuit carrier 11.
[0032] Following the typical airport scenario, a caller at payphone
30 may be asked by voice query system 360, if they wish to enter a
list of toll-free telephone numbers in preferred sequence.
Processor 300, after receiving the list and especially if it is a
long list, may resequence the list in preference to customers
associated with the network it belongs to with priority over to
those called parties associated with it. The caller can accept or
reject the resequenced list or can terminate the call at any time.
The caller may choose to enter just two telephone numbers and then
be prompted "Do you wish to make another toll-free call" after
completing the short list of two telephone numbers before the
caller disconnects.
[0033] The present system may be offered in addition to a number of
other possible services offered by the same application server 50.
For example, the same server may offer known toll-free directory
assistance services by responding to voiced or keyed inputs by
calling party 30. Of course, the next call command, for example, *N
and other commands associated with the same application server 50
for directory services must be uniquely selected and coordinated.
Moreover, announcement of time of day at called location,
announcement of carrier and other known services can perform
without any additional apparatus or programming by network 10 or
the local carrier.
[0034] Thus, there has been described a method and apparatus for
processing multiple toll-free calls by the carrier associated with
the called toll-free numbers without the calling party's having to
hang up and redial. The method and apparatus may be further
modified or adapted and extended to other third party or collect
calls in alternative embodiments and the claims should not be
deemed to be limited in scope to exclude such modifications and
obvious alternative applications.
* * * * *