At+t Corp.

AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP

At&t Bell Laboratories

American Telephone & Telegraph Co., At&t Bell Laboratories

Other

American Telephone and Telegraph, Co.

Thomas Michael Bauer

Christopher P Gilboy

Thomas A Dunn

Robert Sayko

Charles David Caldwell

Blake Lane Wattenbarger

Walter H Hawkins

John W Hopkins

Christina M Gurke

Richard D Nafziger

Gary A Munson

Stephen Shinners

Richard W Hemmeter

Robert Petrelli

Richard J Piereth

Duane Oliver Bowker

Chun P Tam

Ross M Richardson

Cory Gimourginas

Cyrenus M Rubald

Walter C Taylor

Elroy P Cartwright

Methods and systems of providing toll-free services access from a telecommunications network to a mobile device supported by toll-free telecommunications networks entail placing a called telephone number on a service provider's telecommunications network by identifying the called telephone number as a toll-free call, querying a database for called telephone number information for routing to a destination number, and routing the called telephone number using the called telephone number information through the service provider's telecommunications network to a wireless telecommunications network. The called telephone number is routed through the wireless telecommunications network by mapping the called telephone number and information to a mobile service identification number that identifies a mobile device hosted by a mobile switching center. A connection between the mobile switching center and the mobile device using the mobile service identification number is established to connect the toll-free call to the mobile device.

Method and system for providing toll-free telematic and mobile services applications

A method and system allows multiple and simultaneous use of a pre-paid calling card. A call management system allows for the completion of multiple calls under one pre-paid calling card account number. Depending on the number of concurrent users, a billing system assigns a portion of the total number of available service units to individualized user accounts. The individualized accounts are debited according to the rate charges for each of the calls and are initially assigned an account balance that allows all concurrent users with the same amount of talk time.

Method and system for allowing simultaneous usage of prepaid services

System for providing a custom message to a calling card account for a user to receive the custom message upon usage of the calling card account include at least two data databases on data storage devices, wherein the databases are in communication with a processor and an interface. One database includes calling card accounts. The other database includes custom messages. The interface allows the user to query the custom message database for custom messages and displaying the results. A custom message can be selected and associated with one or more calling card accounts.

User-controlled personalized announcements for account-based services

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 telephone line are automatically charged to the pre-paid card account when a destination telephone number is dialed. The card-holder is therefore freed from having to dial an access number or a card number for each call. The call accounting is carried out in a database with which network switches communicate via SS7 or any other desired data messaging protocol.

Method and apparatus for implementing a pre-paid card service

The invention provides an automated caller interaction system that interacts with an operator service system via both a telephone network and a data network. When a call is received, the service provider device interacts with the caller to receive information until the service provider determines that operator assistance is required. When an operator is required, the service provider device generates an operator request and sends the request to an operator service system through the telephone network. The operator service system identifies an available operator and the available operator is connected via a voice connection to the calling party through a bridge provided by the service provider device. The operator interacts with the caller, obtains any needed information, and provides such information to the service provider device via the data network. The operator disengages with the caller when the operator assistance is no longer needed and the service provider device resumes control of the interaction with the caller and completes the call.

Method and apparatus for an automated caller interaction system

When one party ( ) to a call or connection request invokes a telecommunications service, a platform ( ) monitors that request and determines whether the other parties ( ) also subscribe to that service. If any party to the call does not subscribe, then the platform makes an offer of that service to each non-subscribed service. In this way, non-subscribed parties may obtain telecommunications services in a &ldquo;point-of-sale&rdquo; manner.

Real-time usage-based spontaneous subscription service

A telephone subscriber placing a telephone call through a telecommunications network (,) to a telephone line carrying an existing call may interrupt that call by entering an interrupt code to the network. Upon receipt of the code, the network verifies whether the interrupt code is valid by consulting a data base (,) that cross-references interrupt codes to corresponding lines. If the code is valid for the line carrying the existing call, the network then interrupts the existing call.

Method for interrupting a telephone call after receiving a busy signal

A call rerouter routes a call through a data link when a called party is engaged in a data call. The call rerouter evokes a &ldquo;T&rdquo; connection in a switch that is in a connection path of the called party's call and determines whether the called party is engaged in a data call or a non-data call. If engaged in a data call, the rerouter retrieves called party information to determine if the called party is a subscriber to a data network such as an Internet Service Provider (ISP). If so, the call rerouter informs the called party through the data network that a call is waiting to be connected. If the called party desires, the rerouter routes the call through the data network to be connected with the called party. If the called party is not a subscriber to an ISP (or data network) or not engaged in a data call, the call rerouter returns a message to the calling party that the called party is unavailable.

Call rerouter method and apparatus

A method and apparatus for billing a customer for a service that is assessed independent of the calling duration or the per call cost. A service is billed and delivered during a call without the called party being present to receive the call and without operator-assisted verification. A calling party can order a service that is not delivered through the call itself.

Telephone billing system

A system and method to access an information or electronic service uses a single access telephone number. The telephone number is used to access a particular service provider no matter where the subscriber is located, and may be, for example, 950-DATA, 1-800-ATT-DATA, or 1-500-EASY-DATA. The system and method are particularly well suited to internet access through internet service providers (ISPs).

Network based determination of cost effective access

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 number will accept the cost of the telephone call; and completing the telephone call to the destination number. The method may find potential application in a situation where, for example, a child may need to call home from a public telephone, say at a movie theatre or a mall, without using a calling card, credit card, collect charging, an operator, or coins.

Universal call access with reverse billing

This invention relates to the application of an audible logo to a telecommunications call, for identifying the common carrier serving that call. A call is received in an operator assistance system. After applying a calling card prompt tone and prior to connecting the call to an operator position or receiving further digits such as those for a calling card number, the operator assistance system connects an audible logo, identifying a common carrier, to the call. Advantageously, a telephone customer receives the information necessary to identify whether his/her preferred common carrier is going to be used on this call at a sufficiently early time to make it convenient to disconnect and reoriginate. This information is particularly important for calls originated away from home or office, calls that are likely to be operator assistance (0 or 0+ directory number) calls. Subsequently, the operator assistance call is processed as in the prior art. Advantageously, this arrangement identifies the common carrier on the calls where this identification is most needed without adding holding time to all direct dialed station toll calls.

Audible logo for identifying a common carrier

This invention relates to the application of an audible logo to a telecommunications call, for identifying the common carrier serving that call. A call is received in an operator assistance system. After applying a calling card prompt tone and prior to connecting the call to an operator position or receiving further digits such as those for a calling card number, the operator assistance system connects an audible logo, identifying a common carrier, to the call. Advantageously, a telephone customer receives the information necessary to identify whether his/her preferred common carrier is going to be used on this call at a sufficiently early time to make it convenient to disconnect and reoriginate. This information is particularly important for calls originated away from home or office, calls that are likely to be operator assistance 0 or 0+ directory number) calls. Subsequently, the operator assistance call is processed as in the prior art. Advantageously, this arrangement identifies the common carrier on the calls where this identification is most needed without adding holding time to all direct dialed station toll calls.

A method and apparatus for processing operator assistance calls with minimum expenditure of operator work time. For collect and person-to-person calls, a first operator at a first operator position determines the type of call and, optionally, the name(s) of the calling and called parties. These are recorded in the memory of a program controlled processor system for controlling an operator assistance switching system. The first operator then disconnects from the call while the call is being set up and the call party being alerted. When the called party answers, a second operator position and second operator, having a display of the call information previously recorded, are unattached to the call to determine whether a connection between the calling and called parties should be established and, if so, to cause that connection to be so established. Advantageously, no operator position and operator need be attached to the call while the called party is being alterted; even more operator work time is saved if the called party never answers.

Growing community of inventors

Belle Mead, NJ, United States of America

Thomas Michael Bauer