摘要:
A slot card issued by a slot club, or a membership card in another incentive award program, that is also capable of being used as phone calling card is provided. Free calling time is credited to the member's card account in response to the playing of the slot machine or utilizing the respective service. After incentive points are awarded, the member may use the membership card as a prepaid phone calling card, whereby the member's account is debited for the cost of the call.
摘要:
Methods and systems for optimizing bandwidth pricing for a data transmission system electronically connected to a source of bandwidth spot prices, where the data transmission system transmits data as packets to a predetermined destination, are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: determining whether data can be transmitted at a later time to the predetermined destination; providing acceptable price and a maximum acceptable time delay for transmitting the data that can be transmitted at a later time; providing the acceptable price and the maximum acceptable time delay in each packet formed from dividing the data; determining whether a data packet should be stored in a storage device by looking for presence of the acceptable price in the data packet; if the acceptable price is not found in the data packet, sending the data packet to the predetermined destination, and if the acceptable price is found in the data packet, storing the data packet in the storage device; comparing the acceptable price in the data packet with a spot bandwidth price from the source; and transmitting the data packet to the predetermined destination if the spot bandwidth price is at or below the acceptable price or if the maximum acceptable time delay of the packet has been reached.
摘要:
Authorizing a billing by a billing system of a telephone network, to a subscriber, for a service requested over the Internet, using a calling card. A line information database is accessed to obtain the telephone number corresponding to the calling card identifier, and the service is billed to that number. This puts existing telephone billing system and calling card infrastructure to a new use and provides a payment or authorization method that is easy to use and to deploy and bring to market on a large scale.
摘要:
Methods and apparatus for providing pre-paid long distance telephone calls without the requirement for dialing an access number or providing a personal identification number. Customers establish accounts with a service provider and keep the accounts replenished with finds. When the customer dials a long distance telephone number, the call is routed to a service provider's IVR platform, where a check is made for sufficient funds in the individual account. If there are sufficient funds, the call is completed, otherwise the customer is routed to a customer service representative and the customer can then replenish his account. The customer can replenish the account using different payment methods, such as at designated locations, the IVR, through the Internet, or with customer service representatives. Payments can be made by providing credit card or other financing information or by sending checks.
摘要:
A telephonic-interface lottery system D interfaces with a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn of a telephone network facility C to enable lottery players to call and play for at least one additional chance to possibly win by dialing a pay-to-dial telephone number indicated on a nullscratch-offnull or online game lottery ticket for use in the system. At the terminals, callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data, such as their telephone number, age, social security number, and/or drivers license number. In addition, the sequence number of the caller as well as the date and time of the call is recorded for positive association with a caller and is stored for processing. The caller's identification data is confirmed using various techniques and callers may be ranked and accounted for on the basis of entitlement-and sequence. In accordance with one format, an instant winner is selected online by utilizing techniques such as determining a random winning sequence number or a winning lottery number generated by a number generator. As an adjunct or alternative, the identification data is processed at a later time to determine a grand prize drawing winner by using various processing techniques for determining winners.
摘要:
The invention relates to methods and systems for connecting a caller to a content provider who provides a service to the caller over the telephone system. In accordance with the invention, a caller establishes a prepaid account with an intermediary, termed a transaction processor. When the caller wishes to access a content provider, the caller makes a telephone call to the transaction processor providing access to a plurality of content providers via a common access number. The caller identifies his prepaid account and the desired content provider. The transaction processor connects the caller to the content provider, monitors the connection between the caller and the content provider, and debits the caller's prepaid account according to the service provided by the content provider.
摘要:
The present invention is generally directed to a system and associated method for communicating information to a predetermined location. The system includes a transmitter disposed at a first location and configured to transmit a signal containing an instruction code that uniquely identifies an instruction to be carried out. The system further includes a transceiver disposed remotely from the transmitter and configured to receive the transmitted signal. The transceiver circuit includes a line interface circuit configured to interface with a telephone line that is part of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and initiate a phone call over the telephone line. Finally, the system includes a central station remotely located from said transceiver but being in communication with said transceiver via the PSTN The central station further include a decoder configured to decode the instruction code. In accordance with a broader aspect, the invention is directed to a general purpose transceiver having a receiver for receiving an information signal and a transmitter configured to transmit an outgoing signal over a phone line to a central station A portion of the information signal includes an instruction code, which may be decoded by the central station and acted upon accordingly Consistent with the general purpose nature of the transceiver, the phone number of the central station may be transmitted to the transceiver as part of the information signal.