System and method for controlling free phone calls through an institutional phone system
AssigneeDsi-Iti, LLC
InventorJames P. Rokosky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of controlling free phone calls places from within a secured premises through an institutional phone system generally includes assigning a unique access identifier to an individual caller upon entry into the secured premises; receiving a destination number from the individual caller within the secured premises, the destination number being associated with a telephone located outside the secured premises; determining if the destination number is a per se free number, and, if the destination number is not determined to be a per se free number: receiving the unique access identifier from the individual caller; validating the unique access identifier; and, if the unique access identifier is valid, processing a telephone call to the destination number.
Claims24
A computer implemented method for limiting a quantity of free phone calls placed by a pre-processed user through a phone system, comprising:
- assigning a temporary unique access identifier to the pre-processed user to be used until occurrence of a predetermined event;
- determining whether the pre-processed user is qualified to place a free phone call requested by the pre-processed user based on the temporary unique access identifier;
- connecting the free phone call without charging the pre-processed user when the pre-processed user is qualified to place the free phone call;
- and
- denying the requested free phone call when the pre-processed user is not qualified to place the free phone call,
- wherein the pre-processed user has not been processed, and
- wherein the predetermined event occurs during a processing operation of the pre-processed user.
A phone system, comprising:
- a free call control processor configured to:
- assign a temporary unique access identifier to a pre-processed user to be used until occurrence of a predetermined event;
- determine whether the pre-processed user is qualified to place a free phone call requested by the pre-processed user based on the temporary unique access identifier,
- connect the free phone call without charging the pre-processed user when the pre-processed user is qualified to place the free phone call, and
- deny the free phone call when the pre-processed user is not qualified to place the free phone call;
- and
- a pre-processed user database configured to store identification data for the pre-processed user,
- wherein the pre-processed user has not been processed, and
- wherein the predetermined event occurs during a processing operation of the pre-processed user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.