Card pay telephone with speed dialing
AssigneeVerizon Laboratories Inc.
InventorDavid N. Campbell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pay telephone includes a keypad, a card reader, and a processor. The keypad receives input signals from a caller. The card reader reads identification data and speed dial numbers from a card received from the caller. The processor receives the input signals from the keypad and the identification data and speed dial numbers from the card reader, and concurrently validates the card using the identification data and initiates a telephone call using the input signals or the speed dial numbers.
Claims41
A pay telephone comprising:
- a keypad that generates input signals;
- a card reader that reads identification data and speed dial numbers from a card;
- and
- a processor that receives the input signals from the keypad and the identification data and speed dial numbers from the card reader, and that concurrently validates the card using the identification data and initiates a telephone call based on at least one of the input signals and the speed dial numbers.
A method for initiating a telephone call from a pay telephone, comprising:
- receiving input signals;
- reading identification data and speed dial numbers from a card;
- and
- concurrently validating the card using the identification data and initiating a telephone call based on at least one of the input signals and the speed dial numbers.
A pay telephone comprising:
- means for receiving input signals;
- means for reading identification data and speed dial numbers from a card;
- and
- means for concurrently validating the card using the identification data and initiating a telephone call based on at least one of the input signals and the speed dial numbers.
A telephone system comprising:
- a billing unit that generates bills for telephone calls based on call information;
- and
- a plurality of public telephones, each of the public telephones including
- a keypad that receives input signals,
- a card reader that reads identification data and speed dial numbers from a card, and
- a processing unit that receives the input signals from the keypad and the identification data and speed dial numbers from the card reader, that concurrently validates the card using the identification data and initiates a telephone call based on at least one of the input signals and the speed dial numbers, and that transmits the call information to the billing unit.
A public telephone comprising:
- an input unit that receives input signals;
- a card reader that reads speed dial numbers from a credit or debit card;
- a card writer that writes speed dial numbers onto a credit or debit card;
- and
- a processing unit that identifies the input signals from the input unit, that instructs the card writer to write at least one of the speed dial numbers onto the credit or debit card when at least one of the input signals is identified as a first predetermined input signal, and that initiates a telephone call using at least one of the speed dial numbers from the card reader when at least one of the input signals is identified as a second predetermined input signal.
In a system having a control unit that generates validity data for a card, a billing unit that generates bills for telephone calls based on call information, and a plurality of pay telephones, each of the pay telephones comprising:
- a keypad that receives input signals;
- a card reader that reads identification data and speed dial numbers from a card;
- and
- a processing unit that receives the input signals from the keypad and the identification data and speed dial numbers from the card reader, that sends the identification data to the control unit, that concurrently validates the card using the validity data from the control unit and initiates a telephone call based on at least one of the input signals and the speed dial numbers, and that transmits the call information to the billing unit.
An article of manufacture used in a public telephone system, comprising:
- computer usable code representing a type of card;
- computer usable code representing a card identifier;
- computer usable code representing an expiration date of the card;
- and
- computer usable code representing speed dial telephone numbers.
An article of manufacture for use in a pay telephone system, comprising:
- encrypted computer usable code including
- a card identifier that identifies a type of card,
- a card number that uniquely identifies the card,
- an expiration date that identifies a date upon which the card expires;
- and
- unencrypted computer usable code including
- a plurality of speed dial numbers, each of the speed dial numbers having an identifier and a corresponding telephone number.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.