Pre-paid card system and method

A system for distributing and managing prepaid calling card accounts used to access a telephone network using a telephone, the prepaid calling card accounts being activated at a point-of-sale location, the system comprising:

• a database of pre-paid calling card accounts located a location remote from the point-of-sale location;
• a data terminal located at the point-of-sale location, the data terminal being used to transfer activation information associated with a particular pre-paid calling card account from the point-of-sale location to the remote location, the activation information being used to identify the particular pre-paid calling card's account, the particular pre-paid calling card account being associated with a distributor of the particular pre-paid calling card account;
• a processing unit coupled to the database of prepaid calling card accounts, the processing unit activating the particular pre-paid calling card account in the database of prepaid calling card accounts in response to receipt of the activation information by associating an active call authorization amount with the particular pre-paid calling card account;
• and
• a call processor coupled to the database of pre-paid calling card accounts and to the telephone network, the call processor receiving, from a telephone, access information used to identify the particular pre-paid calling card account and to establish a telephone call from the telephone to a desired number using the telephone network, the call processor further reducing the active call authorization amount associated with the particular pre-paid calling card account in correspondence with usage of the telephone network.

A method to enable customers to obtain pre-paid calling card accounts from a plurality of point-of-sale locations and to use the pre-paid calling card accounts to access a telephone network using a telephone, the method comprising:

• transferring activation information associated with one or more pre-paid calling card accounts from a data terminal located at a particular one of the point-of-sale locations to a remote location having a database of pre-paid calling card accounts, the activation information being used to identify the one or more pre-paid calling card accounts, the one or more pre-paid calling card accounts being associated with a distributor of the one or more pre-paid calling card accounts;
• activating the one or more pre-paid calling card accounts in the database of prepaid calling card accounts in response to receipt of the activation information from the particular point-of-sale location by associating active call authorization amounts with the one or more pre-paid calling card accounts;
• receiving access information transferred from a telephone to a call processor having access to the database of pre-paid calling card accounts, the call processor using the access information to establish a particular one of the one or more pre-paid calling card accounts and to establish a telephone call from the telephone to a desired number using the telephone network;
• reducing the active call authorization amount associated with the particular one of the one or more pre-paid calling card accounts in correspondence with usage of the telephone network.

A system for enabling customers to obtain pre-paid calling card accounts from a plurality of point-of-sale locations and to use the pre-paid calling card accounts to access a telephone network using a telephone, the method comprising:

• a database of pre-paid calling card accounts located at a location remote from the point-of-sale locations;
• means for transferring activation information associated with a particular pre-paid calling card account to the remote location, the activation information being used to identify the particular pre-paid calling card account, the particular pre-paid calling card account being associated with a distributor of the particular pre-paid calling card account;
• means for activating the particular pre-paid calling card account in the database of prepaid calling card accounts in response to receipt of the activation information by associating an active call authorization amount with the particular pre-paid calling card account;
• means for receiving access information transferred from a telephone and for identifying the particular pre-paid calling card account using the access information;
• means for establishing a telephone call from the telephone to a desired number using the telephone network;
• and
• means for reducing the active call authorization amount associated with the particular pre-paid calling card account in correspondence with usage of the telephone network, and for terminating access to the telephone network when the active call authorization amount is exhausted.

A method for distributing pre-paid calling cards, used to access a telephone network using a standard telephone, from a plurality of point-of-sale locations, the pre-paid calling cards being activated at the point-of-sale locations, the method comprising:

• transferring activation information uniquely associated with a particular pre-paid calling card from a particular point-of-sale location to a remote location having a database of pre-paid calling card accounts associated with the pre-paid calling cards, the activation information being used to identify the particular pre-paid calling card and to indicate a particular distributor of the pre-paid calling card;
• activating a particular pre-paid calling card account associated with the particular pre-paid calling card in the database of prepaid calling card accounts in response to the activation information by associating an active call authorization amount with the particular pre-paid calling card account;
• receiving access information associated with the particular pre-paid calling card from a standard telephone at a call processor having access to the database of pre-paid calling card accounts;
• identifying, with the call processor, the particular pre-paid calling card account using the access information;
• establishing a telephone call from the standard telephone to a desired telephone number using the telephone network;
• reducing the active call authorization amount associated with the particular pre-paid calling card in correspondence with usage of the telephone network;
• and
• terminating access to the telephone network when the active call authorization amount is exhausted.

A computerized system used to activate pre-paid calling cards and to track usage of the pre-paid calling cards, the computerized system comprising:

• a database storing information associated with a plurality of prepaid calling cards;
• a host computer coupled to the database and having a port connected to a telephone network, the host computer receiving activation information associated with a particular pre-paid calling card from a remote point-of-sale location via the telephone network, the activation information being used to identify the particular pre-paid calling card, the particular pre-paid calling card being associated with a distributor of the particular pre-paid calling card, the host computer activating the particular pre-paid calling card in the database in response to receipt of the activation information by associating an active call authorization amount with the particular pre-paid calling card;
• and
• a call processor coupled to the database and to the telephone network to receive access information transferred from a telephone, the access information being used by the call processor to identify the particular pre-paid calling card and to establish a telephone call from the telephone to a desired telephone number using the telephone network, the call processor reducing the active call authorization amount associated with the particular pre-paid calling card in correspondence with usage of the telephone network and halting communication with the desired telephone number when the active call authorization amount is exhausted.