System for accessing amenities through a public telephone network

A method for accessing one of a plurality of amenities from one of a plurality of telephones each having associated therewith unique identification information, comprising:

• providing at each of the telephones an input device for inputting amenity selection and billing information and having a plurality of user selectable functions, each associated with one of the plurality of amenities;
• inputting through the input device of a select one of the telephones billing information and storing at the select one of the telephones the input user billing information;
• inputting through the input device of the select one of the telephones amenity selection information to select amenity identification information stored in the select one of the telephones, which select one of the user selectable function;
• assembling a calling string in response to the input of amenity selection information, the calling string containing routing information for a remote billing station and unique telephone identification associated with the select one of the telephones, in addition to the selected user selectable function input billing information;
• routing the calling string through the select one of the telephones to a remote billing station such that the selected user selectable function and input billing information is routed to the remote billing station;
• receiving at the remote billing station the transmitted user billing information, selected user selectable function and identification information associated with the select one of the telephones;
• validating the billing information received at the remote billing station;
• storing amenity routing information at the remote billing station in association with the telephone identification information and each of the user selectable functions of each of the telephones and each of the plurality of amenities defining how to route each of the telephones to each of the plurality of amenities;
• retrieving the stored amenity routing information associated with the received selected user selectable function and telephone identification information;
• and
• connecting the telephone to the desired one of the plurality of amenities that is associated with the received selected amenity identification information and in accordance with the retrieved routing information after validation of the received billing information.

A method for accessing one of a plurality of amenities from one of a plurality of telephones each having associated therewith unique identification information, comprising:

• providing at each of the telephones an input device for inputting amenity selection and billing information;
• storing in each of the telephones amenity identification information unique to the associated one of the telephones;
• inputting through the input device of a select one of the telephones billing information and storing at the select one of the telephones the input user billing information;
• inputting through the input device of the select one of the telephones amenity selection information to select amenity identification information stored in the select one of the telephones, which select amenity identification information is associated with a desired one of the plurality of amenities;
• assembling a calling string in response to the input of amenity selection information, the calling string containing routing information for a remote billing station and identification information associated with the select one of the telephones, in addition to the select amenity identification information and input billing information;
• routing the calling string through the select one of the telephones to a remote billing station such that the select amenity identification information and input billing information is routed to the remote billing station;
• receiving at the remote billing station the transmitted user billing information, selected amenity identification information and identification information associated with the select one of the telephones;
• validating the billing information received at the remote billing station;
• storing amenity routing information at the remote billing station in association with the identification information of each of the telephones and each of the plurality of amenities defining how to route each of the telephones to each of the plurality of amenities;
• retrieving the stored amenity routing information associated with the received selected amenity identification information and telephone identification information;
• and
• connecting the telephone to the desired one of the plurality of amenities that is associated with the received selected amenity identification information and in accordance with the retrieved routing information after validation of the received billing information.

An access system for accessing one of a plurality of amenities through a communication system, comprising:

• a telephone for being connected to a central office;
• an amenity storage device for storing in said telephone amenity identification information, said amenity identification information unique to said telephone and defining the ones of the plurality of amenities accessible by said telephone;
• a billing input device for inputting and storing at said telephone user billing information;
• an amenity selection device for inputting amenity selection information for a desired one of the plurality of amenities accessible by said telephone to select said amenity identification information stored in said storage device and associated with the desired amenity;
• a communication link for connecting said telephone with a remote billing station;
• control means for connecting said telephone with said remote billing station through said communication link in response to input of said input user billing information and said selected amenity selection information and for transmitting said billing information and said selected amenity identification information to said remote billing location;
• a store-and-forward switch disposed at said remote billing location for receiving said transmitted billing information and selected amenity identification information;
• said store-and-forward switch including a memory for storing amenity routing information at said remote billing station defining how to route said telephone to each of the plurality of amenities, said store-and-forward switch operable to retrieve said stored amenity routing information associated with said received selected amenity identification information;
• said store-and-forward switch including a validation device for validating said user billing information to determine if it is valid;
• and
• said store-and-forward switch operable to connect said telephone with an amenity corresponding to said selected amenity identification information in accordance with said associated retrieved amenity routing information and in response to validation of said billing information.

An access system for accessing one of a plurality of amenities through a communication system, comprising:

• a telephone connected to a central office;
• an amenity storage device for storing user selectable functions and having a unique identification number associated with the ones of the plurality of amenities accessible by said telephone;
• a billing input device for inputting and storing at said telephone user billing information;
• an amenity selection device for inputting amenity selection information for a desired one of the plurality of amenities accessible by said telephone to select said associated user selectable function stored in said storage device;
• a communication link for connecting said telephone with a remote billing station;
• control means for connecting said telephone with said remote billing station through said communication link in response to input of said input user billing information and said selected user selectable function and for transmitting said billing information, said unique identification number and said selected user selectable function to said remote billing location;
• a store-and-forward switch disposed at said remote billing location for receiving said transmitted billing information, unique identification number and selected user selectable function;
• said store-and-forward switch including a memory for storing amenity routing information at said remote billing station in association with said unique identification number and said user selectable function defining how to route said telephone to each of the plurality of amenities, said store-and-forward switch operable to retrieve said stored amenity routing information associated with said received selected user selectable function and unique identification number;
• said store-and-forward switch including a validation device for validating said user billing information to determine if it is valid;
• and
• said store-and-forward switch operable to connect said telephone with an amenity corresponding to said selected user selectable function in accordance with said associated retrieved amenity routing information and in response to validation of said billing information.

A method for accessing one of a plurality of amenities from a telephone, comprising:

• providing a telephone having an input device to define user selectable functions, select ones of the user selectable functions associated with ones of the amenities;
• inputting and storing at the telephone user billing information;
• inputting amenity selection information for a desired one of the plurality of amenities to select the associated user selectable function;
• connecting the telephone with a remote billing station in response to input of both the amenity selection information and the user billing information;
• transmitting to the remote billing station the user billing information, the selected user selectable function and a unique identifier for the telephone;
• receiving at the remote billing station the transmitted user billing information and selected user selectable function;
• validating the billing information received at the remote billing station;
• storing amenity routing information at the remote billing station defining how to route the telephone to each of a plurality of amenities;
• storing at the billing station amenity association information defining which of the amenities is defined by the user selectable functions associated with the unique identification number of the telephone;
• retrieving the stored amenity routing information associated with the received selected user selectable function in association with the received unique identification number;
• connecting the telephone to the desired one of the plurality of amenities that is associated with the received selected user selectable function and the received identification number, and in accordance with the retrieved routing information after validation of the received billing information.