CA2076433C - Monitoring of charges debited to an account having an assigned limit - Google Patents
Monitoring of charges debited to an account having an assigned limitInfo
- Publication number
- CA2076433C CA2076433C CA002076433A CA2076433A CA2076433C CA 2076433 C CA2076433 C CA 2076433C CA 002076433 A CA002076433 A CA 002076433A CA 2076433 A CA2076433 A CA 2076433A CA 2076433 C CA2076433 C CA 2076433C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- card
- balance
- call
- purchase
- database
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F7/00—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
- G07F7/08—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
- G06Q20/38—Payment protocols; Details thereof
- G06Q20/40—Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
- G06Q20/403—Solvency checks
- G06Q20/4037—Remote solvency checks
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/0014—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
- H04L67/2866—Architectures; Arrangements
- H04L67/30—Profiles
- H04L67/306—User profiles
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
- H04M15/88—Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M17/00—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M17/00—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems
- H04M17/02—Coin-freed or check-freed systems, e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
- H04M2215/01—Details of billing arrangements
- H04M2215/0116—Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
Abstract
Charges and balances assignable to a credit card account are controlled and monitored by assigning a purchase limit to the card. More specifically, when a card is used to pay for a telephone call on a telecommunication network, the validity of the card is verified in, for example, a network database and the card record is examined for the presence of a purchase limit. If the card has a purchase limit, the network database determines the type of purchase limit whichapplies and if the balance is positive. If the balance is not positive and the purchase limit applicable does not authorize the extension of credit, a denial response is sent from the network database to an appropriate local operator system which provides a denial indication to the caller. If the available balance is positive, the network database forwards the balance to the operator system. Based upon the balance returned in the reply from the database, the operator system sends a request to a rating processor to determine the length of time the callermay talk. If the rating database cannot ascertain the amount of time a caller can speak, for whatever reason, the call is denied. Thus, the balance is used to determine how long the caller can speak. At various predetermined intervals during the call and immediately after the call has been completed, the actual charges are calculated and forwarded to the network database. If during a call, the maximum duration is exhausted, the operator system will terminate the call, calculate the actual charges, and forward the charges to the network database.
The network database decrements the balance with each intermediate update from the operator system. At the termination of a call, the network database adjusts the card holders balance a final time to maintain the purchase balance accuracy.
The network database decrements the balance with each intermediate update from the operator system. At the termination of a call, the network database adjusts the card holders balance a final time to maintain the purchase balance accuracy.
Description
2076~33 MONITORING OF CHARGES DEBITED
TO AN ACCOUNT HAVING AN ASSIGNED LIMIT
Technical Field This invention relates gto.ner~lly to a method of mo~ o~ h~ billing S charges ~csign~ to an account such as a credit card account.
D~3~ lion of the Prior Art The use of credit cards to purchase items and services has increased s~lbst~nti~lly in recent years. Normally, when a credit card is used to make a purchase, a record of the transaction is made and thé card holder is subsequently 10 billed. ~lt~ tivcly~ the card holder deposits money into an account~ and thisaccount is used to provide payment for the item or service billed. The credit card used in this second case is nr,rm~lly ~fe..~d to as al"debit card".
The tele~omlll~ r~tion industry permits telephnne users to use credit cards or debit cards to pay for various telecollllll~ r~l;nns services. In some 15 sitll~tionc~ for eY~mrle, where a call nrigin~tes from a pay telephone, the use of a credit card or a debit card can be the p~efe..~,d method of paying for the call.Buciness c~ O. . .~ . ~ have found it desirable to provide employees with cards for charging telephone calls made during b~lc;n~cs trips or when they are otherwise away from their of fices. However, bnciness c~ o...- -~ are interested in 20 not only controlling teleFhone use of a card, but they would also like to restrict the ollnt of charges their employees accrue, when making telepho~-e calls.
esid~nti~l c~ ~cl".. ~ have the same need, i.e., that of being able to limit and/or .-.oni~or the amount of charges that are being incurred on their calling cards.
~senll~, a certain amount of control of the use of credit is obt~ine~
25 with a debit card. N~rm~l1y~ debit cards have a ~ cçi~e~l amolln~ of "credit"aCsoci~te~ with each card, and this credit is em~ld~d within the technology that is both spe~fic to the card and the tcle~hol-e. When a debit card is used, the telephone must be e~ui~d with a special teçhnology carable of reading the balance amount ~csoci~t~A with the credit card and of decreasing this amoun~, on the card itself, 30 when the custom~r completes the lele~hone call. When the balance for the card is reduced to zero, the card is discarded. If ~ddi~ion~l calls are to be made, a new card having a new acsigned value must be obtained.
20'76433 Although the debit type of credit card allows customers to exercise some control over telecommunications charges, this control can only be obtained through the use of special equipment. Clearly, a method of providing both business and residential customers with a more flexible and economical way of 5 controlling and monitoring their credit card costs is needed.
Summary of th~ Inv~ntion A more flexible and improved method of controlling and monitoring charges and balances assignable to a credit card account is obtained by ~igning a purchase limit to the card.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of monitoring charges debited to an account for the making of a telephonecall comprising the steps of (a) storing in a database an authorization/billing code representative of a debit card account having an assigned purchase limit for a user authorized to make a debit transaction, (b) determining, at the time the telephone 15 call is initiated, the purchase amount limit assigned to said account, said determining step comprising communicating said code via a telephone network to adatabase, and comparing said code to the stored information in said database, and (c) obtaining, at the time the telephone call is initiated, the current existingpurchase balance rçm~ining in the account, said current existing purchase balance 20 comprising said purchase limit minus transactions against said account preceding said credit transaction being initiated, (d) periodically transmitting requests for the actual cost of the immediately preceding period of said telephone call to a rating processor separate from said database, (e) receiving each actual cost from said rating processor for the immediately preceding period in response to said requests, 25 and (f) transmitting said each actual cost to said database for use in developing an updated current existing purchase balance by deducting each of said actual costsfrom said current purchase balance.
More specifically, when a card is used to pay for a call on a telecommunication network, the validity of the card is verified in, for example, a 30 network database and the card record is examined for the presence of a purchase limit. If the card has a purchase limit, the network database determines the type of purchase limit which applies and if the balance is positive. If the balance is not positive and the purchase limit applicable does not authorize the extension of A
207~433 - 2a -credit, a denial response is sent from the network database to an appropriate local operator system which provides a denial indication to the caller. If the available balance is positive, the network database forwards the balance to the operator system.
Based upon the balance returned in the reply from the database, the S operator system sends a request to a rating processor to determine the length of time the caller mav talk. If the rating database cannot ascertain the amount of time a caller can speak, for whatever reason, the call is denied. Thus, when a positivebalance exists the balance is used to determine how long the caller can speak.
At various predetermined intervals during the call and immediately 10 after the call has been completed, the actual charges are calculated and forwarded to the network database. If during a call, the maximum duration is exhausted, the operator system will terminate the call, calculate the actual charges, and forward the charges to the network database. The network database decrements the balance with each intermediate update from the operator system. At the termination of a call, the 15 network database adjusts the card holders balance a final time to maintain the purchase balance accuracy.
Brief Description of the Drawing Fig. 1 illustrates the relationship of Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5; and Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a flow diagram of the operation performed 20 by the telecommunication network elements for controlling and monitoring charges and balances assignable to a credit card in accordance with the principles of the . ~
2076~3 mventlon.
Detailed Description In this invention, a purchase limit is acsignç~l to each credit card. The purchase limit prevents ad~litiQn~l charges from being assigned to a credit card when S the total current charges made against the card exceed the ma~imulll limit specified by the card holder. In some inct~nces~ a card holder may specify that the use of the credit card is not limited by the purchase limit b~l~n~e This is usually lef~ d to as a "non enfol.;cd limit". In this ~inl~tion, a charge int~en~ for that card will not be denied when the ~sig~çd purchase limit is eYcee~e~ However, all other charge 10 pl~csc;ng p~oc~lures acsoc;ated with the "do not enforce limit~' remain concictent with the e, fo~ed pw~l ase limit.
To help insure the ac~;wa~ ~ of the b~l~nre, a cllctomer who has mnlti users of a single card acco!lnt, such as is the ca~ when a credit card is used to pay for telephonç calls, the holders of the card may be restricted to having one call in 15 progress at any given time. In this mode of operation mllltirle users of a single card are unable to use their card concurrently when placing calls over a telephone n~ lwolL However, users of a single card are able to u~ their card con~iull~nlly for those calls which do not affect the purcha~ b~l~n~e, i.e., a non-pu~hase balanceaffecting call. A non-purchase balance ~ffecting call can be defined as any call for 20 which the purchase limit feature is not applied and, ~hc~fole, the l~ul~;hase balance is not altered.
Initially, a credit card holder subscnbes by applying for and being ~si~e~l a purcha~ limit value. This value which is ~ignç~l to the credit card isentered into the nctw~,lL In the çmho~1impnt here ~liccl~se~ the ...~;n.~.. limit a 25 s~lbs~ibçr may have ~cignçcl to a card is set at $9,999.99. It is to be understood, however, that this value is ~bitlaly. The card holder also elects whether the pu~châse limit should be enforced or not enforced. Specifi~ y~ a card holder maysubscribe to any one of three individual purchase limit options. The enforced-with-~liccQnnP~cl option allows the card subscribpr to use a card undl the balance has been 30 depleted. If the balance is depleted during a câll~ the call will be ~icco~n~cte~ and future calls will be denied undl the balance is replenich~1 The enforced-without-ect option allows the card subscriber to use a card as long as the balance issufficient to pay for the call. Unlike enforced-with-~icconnect, once a call is est~bliche~l it will not be tçrmin~te~l However, all future calls will be denied undl 35 the balance is replçniched The non enfolced opdon acts more as a record keeping tool or audidng funcdon that accum~ tes the expense charged against the card.
Thus, calls are never prohibited from being est~bli~eA and are never ~i~co~ ed due to a balance being eYhAnctçd All card holders who elect to suhsrribe to a purchase limit option here rli~close~ are notified when their purchase limit balance has been depleted.
When a credit card call is origin~t~A, the o~l~Lor system i.e., the local telephone co~ Any connectçd to the tçlephons which origin~tes the call, sends a query to a n~ lwcul~ tAhA~e to validate the credit card. The nclwol~ d~tAh~e vAli-l~tss the credit card for billing purposes, and also checks the credit card record to see if the card has a purchase limit acsoci~t~d with it. If the card has a purchase 10 limit, the network ~t~h~e will determine if the available balance is posilive. If the available balance is not positive and the card holde~ has requested that all credit card calls be denied under these cilcu~ nces (el~fol~;ed with or without di~cr~nnect)~ a denial response is sent to the ope.ator system. If the available balance is positive, then the network ~AtAhA~e fol~ds the balance to an o~.~tor system. The o~,ator 15 system sends a request to a rating processor to d~ te- .n;ne the n~;....J... duration the purchase limit balance received from the n~,lwol~ t~hA~c can support. The call attempt will be denied if the rating processor cannot provide this inr~ t;nn or the balance is incllMr;çnt to purchase a ~--;ni-------- amount of call duration, typically lcfell~ to as the initial period. Based upon the identifiçd purchase limit option and 20 the duration letu~lled from the rating processor, the Op~.~t~,l system will ~h h,~' n;ne the mar~illlUm length of time the caller may talk, no~ to exceed 48 hours.
If the call attempt is disallowed due to a rating processor rejection or the call results in an ~ ..pleteA attempt, the nelwol~ ~t~h~e is info...~d and the tr~n~ ion for the specific card is closed. Otherwise, at illle~ t5 intervals and25 when the call cornrlçt~s, whichever occurs first, the operator system le~luejls a charge from the rating pl~)cessor and c~lr~ tss the actual charge and fol ~ ls the charge to the nelwol~ ~t~h~ce. If the call reaches the .~ .. duration and the cu~tc~ has chosen the enforced with ~ col~ option, the o~,atol system will le....;n~te the call, c~ic~ te the actual charge, and fol~ the charge to the network 30 ~l~t~h~ce~ Upon receipt of a call charge update from the Op~tOl system, the nelw~ t~b~e then adjusts the Cu'i~Ql~ 'S balance by dc~l~;n~enl;~ g the balance by the charge ~mount supplied by the operator system.
When a card holder subscr bes to a specific type of credit card service, the subs~iber receives an embossed plastic card and insllu~;lions on how to use the 35 card. For teleco.. ni~tion applic~tion~, the card holder ~le-siring a purchase limit option will interact with the telcco.. n~nic~tion carrier which will translate the card - 2 ~ 3 3 s holders request into the necess~.y format ç~uil~d by the network dAt~Abace The value of the purchase limit and the options elected ~y a custorn~r and 'ACC; ne~l to a card are entered and stored in a ~l;A~t~AbPce he~aft~,. more specifically ~Çt.l~d to as the card d~t~Ah~ce. To attempt a call, the purchase limit subsçrih-er will access the 5 tel~cû~ atiQns netwull~ in the same manner as a non-purchase limit card holder. Attempts are differentiAted once a dAtAbace v~Ali-lAtic.n request is received by the card dAt~AbA~e Referring to ~ig. 2, when a telepho~-e is "picked-up" and a 0 +
call is entered via a telephone key pad, the caller reaches a processor, at 320 which can be part of the local telephone col~p~ny which then plu,~ls the caller for the 10 card numb~,r and pe.~onal id~ntifirfltion nuull~r (PIN), at 512. In l~ onse to this request, the caller enters the card number and pcrsollal identification nuul~, at 514.
Upon receipt of this infor...Ation, the Opc.dtul system sends a vAlidstion query signal, at 516 along with the card f,uul~r and PIN to a card dflt bace, at 521 which con~ins the card ncconnt nnmhç~c and other p~te s used to a~lthl)ri7e the transaction.
If, for some reason, the i~ tion ahout the card is not valid, the card dflt~h~ce will transmit a signal 517 which denies use of the credit card. If the card is valid, a signal 518 is ~ne~alO;l inr1i~tin~ that the card account is to be checL ~ for the ~ ,sence of options. If the card is valid, the signal 518 queries the card rl~t~hace to det~ .in~. if the card holder snbscrih~es to a pLu.;hasG limit. If the card holder does 20 not s~lbscrihe to a purchase limit, a signal 520 is generated and the call is pr~ccssed without flccessing the purchase limit feature. If the card holder does subscribe to a pun;llase limit option, signal 519 is generated. Signal 519 queries the card ~t~b~ce to de~e ll~;ne if the card holder subscrihçs to an enfolced-with-~ connect or enforced-without-~ connect option. Signal 524is er ne i1~e~ if the card holder does 25 not subscribe to either type of enfol~ed option, otherwise signal 522is ~nel~led and a positive balance check is pc.rollùed. For a card holder who subscribes to an enf~l.;cd ûption, a dcnial signal 526 will be gene,~ted by the card ~l~t~bqce if the pu-~;h~ limit balance has been depleted, otherwise the card d~q~t~q~hq-ce will gelle.~te a signal 528.
If the card passes these vqlidq~ion checks, as evidenced by signal 524 or 528, the card dq-~qbqce will send a signal 530 to the operator system which irlentifies the specific limit optiûn and the transaction balance for the card holder.
Prior to actually au~ ing to complete the call, the operator system will genc.ale a rating query 790 signal which will interrogate a rating processor to 35 provide the available call duration based upon the trqnsactiûn b~qlqnce 2076~33 If the query times out as in~iic~ted by signal 800, the op~ or system will deny the call and transmit to the caller a card limit denial ~nnou~e~e~t 810.
If the caller hangs-up 820, the oplratof system will initiate an update 830 to the card ~l~tah~ce r~ue~lg that the tr~nc~action for the offered card be 5 closed. If, however, the caller does not hang-up as evidenced by signal 870, the caller is queued for an ope.ator 880. Upon conn~ ;on to an o~c.atol posiliol 890, the caller can either bill the call or termin~te the call. The opol~lor system will initiate an update to the card d~b~ce, at 830 to close the ~,.n~ on if either another billing method is chosen or the call is c~n~eled If the rating query does not time out, indi~ted by signal 840 but the reply indi( ates that the ~ s--r!;nn balance is not s~fficient to pay for the call, signal 850, the o~.alor system will ascertain if the card ho!der subscribes to a non-enfc.l.;ed opdon. If the card holder does not s~bscribe to the non enfol.ied opdon 860, a card limit denial ~nnol~ncem~ont~ indi~?ted by 810 will be played to the caller.
If the card holder does s~lbs~ih~e to the non-enforced option indicated by signal 900, or the radng ~1~t~hace~ indirates the tr~n~ction balance was adequate by signal 910 and the card s~bscribes to the non enfc".;ed, or enfo,ced-without-dicconnect option by signal 930, the operator system will attempt to comptete the call.
If billable timing occur-c~ signal 940, the operator system will start inle, . .~ te timing, at 950 to d~ tl',- . . .;ne when an update should be sent to the card holder ~t~b~ce If billable dming does not occur, signal 960, the op~.ator systemwill determine that no charge ~ppliPs~ signal 970. The Ope~âlO~ system will theninitiate a final update to the card d~t~hace~ at 980.
If, ho~ ~, the caller di~connectc as in~1ic~t~d by signal 990 before the illte~ P~ te dme limit expires, the ope"alor system will dcte~ e the final charge amount and initiates a final update 980 to the card ~l~t~h~ce~
If the caller does not dicconnect~ signal 1000, and the interm~li~te time limit does expire, signal 1010, the o~"dtor system will determine the incre-mf nt~l 30 charge amount to that point, at 1020, and initi~tes an in~e. .~ te update to the card d~t~bace If, however, the i~e~ eAi~te timer has not expired, signal 1030, and the allowed time lc;,. ~ining on the call equals 30 seconds~ signal 1040, the operator system will play a card limit disconnect warning announcem~nt~ ~n~"~lcd at 1050,35 to the caller. Following the playing of the annol~ncement~ the op~ or system will monitor the call to determine if the caller ~iccol-necl~.
If the caller ~icconnccl~, signal 1060, the operalor system will dete ...in~.
the last inf ~..nr.nt~l charge, at 1070, and send a final update to the card ~qtqhqce. If the caller remains off-hook, signal 1065, following the card limit dicco~ rcl qnnf.~llnrem~l~t and the last 30 seconds of the call expire, at 1075, the op.,.ator system S will fli~col~nc~l the callers, mark the q~utomvqtic mf s~age aCco~ t;n~ record, at 1080, with an indirqtion that the call was ~ connecte~ due to a transaction balance expiring and the op~,ator system will initiate a final update, at 1070, to the card hqCe with the last inc~ enl ~1 charge.
If it is not 30 seconds before ~ connect~ signal 1045, the OpC~atOf 10 system will continlle to perform intermf~i~qte dming, at 950.
If the result from the rating ~qt~qh~ce inriicates the balance is s~ffiriçnt, signal 910, and the card limit option is e.lror~ed-with-.3icconn~ct, signal 920, the opeldtor system will attempt to complete the call. If billable dming does not occur, signal 925, the opeldtor system will dete..lline that no charge applies~ signal 970.
15 The ope,alor system will then initiqtes a final update to the card ~l~tq~hq-~e~ at 980.
If billable dming occurs, signal 935, the op..~lor system will begin int~,. ..-~3;~te timing or time for dicconnrrl of the call whichever occurs first, at 955.
If the caller di~o ~ncclc after billable timing, signal 945, the o~,~tor system dct~-- ~n-l-~s the charge and sends a final update message~ at 980, to the card d~t~h~ce.
If the caller does not ~ co~nect~ signal 1005, and the inte.. e~ te dme limit expires, signal 1015, the opela~or system will dete.~nine the h~cl~.n~GI-t;~
charge, at 1025, and update the card d~t~h~e If the inle~ te dme limit does not expire, signal 1035, but there is only 30 seconds of allowed dme ~ ining in the call, signal 1055, the o~J."ator 25 system will play the card limit disconnect anno..nce .,~.nt, at 1050, to the caller. If more than 30 secon-lc rem~in~, signal 1085, the op~ ~ator system will continl~e dming the call, at 955.
When updates are made, the card rl~t~h~ce de~l~,llccls the card b~l~nce~
at 2000, by the i~.,.c n~ l amount in the update m~Sc~ge.
What has been described is merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invendon. Other ~rrangr.~ and methods can be implc~en~ by those skilled in the art without depa~ g from the spirit and scope of the present invendon.
TO AN ACCOUNT HAVING AN ASSIGNED LIMIT
Technical Field This invention relates gto.ner~lly to a method of mo~ o~ h~ billing S charges ~csign~ to an account such as a credit card account.
D~3~ lion of the Prior Art The use of credit cards to purchase items and services has increased s~lbst~nti~lly in recent years. Normally, when a credit card is used to make a purchase, a record of the transaction is made and thé card holder is subsequently 10 billed. ~lt~ tivcly~ the card holder deposits money into an account~ and thisaccount is used to provide payment for the item or service billed. The credit card used in this second case is nr,rm~lly ~fe..~d to as al"debit card".
The tele~omlll~ r~tion industry permits telephnne users to use credit cards or debit cards to pay for various telecollllll~ r~l;nns services. In some 15 sitll~tionc~ for eY~mrle, where a call nrigin~tes from a pay telephone, the use of a credit card or a debit card can be the p~efe..~,d method of paying for the call.Buciness c~ O. . .~ . ~ have found it desirable to provide employees with cards for charging telephone calls made during b~lc;n~cs trips or when they are otherwise away from their of fices. However, bnciness c~ o...- -~ are interested in 20 not only controlling teleFhone use of a card, but they would also like to restrict the ollnt of charges their employees accrue, when making telepho~-e calls.
esid~nti~l c~ ~cl".. ~ have the same need, i.e., that of being able to limit and/or .-.oni~or the amount of charges that are being incurred on their calling cards.
~senll~, a certain amount of control of the use of credit is obt~ine~
25 with a debit card. N~rm~l1y~ debit cards have a ~ cçi~e~l amolln~ of "credit"aCsoci~te~ with each card, and this credit is em~ld~d within the technology that is both spe~fic to the card and the tcle~hol-e. When a debit card is used, the telephone must be e~ui~d with a special teçhnology carable of reading the balance amount ~csoci~t~A with the credit card and of decreasing this amoun~, on the card itself, 30 when the custom~r completes the lele~hone call. When the balance for the card is reduced to zero, the card is discarded. If ~ddi~ion~l calls are to be made, a new card having a new acsigned value must be obtained.
20'76433 Although the debit type of credit card allows customers to exercise some control over telecommunications charges, this control can only be obtained through the use of special equipment. Clearly, a method of providing both business and residential customers with a more flexible and economical way of 5 controlling and monitoring their credit card costs is needed.
Summary of th~ Inv~ntion A more flexible and improved method of controlling and monitoring charges and balances assignable to a credit card account is obtained by ~igning a purchase limit to the card.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of monitoring charges debited to an account for the making of a telephonecall comprising the steps of (a) storing in a database an authorization/billing code representative of a debit card account having an assigned purchase limit for a user authorized to make a debit transaction, (b) determining, at the time the telephone 15 call is initiated, the purchase amount limit assigned to said account, said determining step comprising communicating said code via a telephone network to adatabase, and comparing said code to the stored information in said database, and (c) obtaining, at the time the telephone call is initiated, the current existingpurchase balance rçm~ining in the account, said current existing purchase balance 20 comprising said purchase limit minus transactions against said account preceding said credit transaction being initiated, (d) periodically transmitting requests for the actual cost of the immediately preceding period of said telephone call to a rating processor separate from said database, (e) receiving each actual cost from said rating processor for the immediately preceding period in response to said requests, 25 and (f) transmitting said each actual cost to said database for use in developing an updated current existing purchase balance by deducting each of said actual costsfrom said current purchase balance.
More specifically, when a card is used to pay for a call on a telecommunication network, the validity of the card is verified in, for example, a 30 network database and the card record is examined for the presence of a purchase limit. If the card has a purchase limit, the network database determines the type of purchase limit which applies and if the balance is positive. If the balance is not positive and the purchase limit applicable does not authorize the extension of A
207~433 - 2a -credit, a denial response is sent from the network database to an appropriate local operator system which provides a denial indication to the caller. If the available balance is positive, the network database forwards the balance to the operator system.
Based upon the balance returned in the reply from the database, the S operator system sends a request to a rating processor to determine the length of time the caller mav talk. If the rating database cannot ascertain the amount of time a caller can speak, for whatever reason, the call is denied. Thus, when a positivebalance exists the balance is used to determine how long the caller can speak.
At various predetermined intervals during the call and immediately 10 after the call has been completed, the actual charges are calculated and forwarded to the network database. If during a call, the maximum duration is exhausted, the operator system will terminate the call, calculate the actual charges, and forward the charges to the network database. The network database decrements the balance with each intermediate update from the operator system. At the termination of a call, the 15 network database adjusts the card holders balance a final time to maintain the purchase balance accuracy.
Brief Description of the Drawing Fig. 1 illustrates the relationship of Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5; and Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a flow diagram of the operation performed 20 by the telecommunication network elements for controlling and monitoring charges and balances assignable to a credit card in accordance with the principles of the . ~
2076~3 mventlon.
Detailed Description In this invention, a purchase limit is acsignç~l to each credit card. The purchase limit prevents ad~litiQn~l charges from being assigned to a credit card when S the total current charges made against the card exceed the ma~imulll limit specified by the card holder. In some inct~nces~ a card holder may specify that the use of the credit card is not limited by the purchase limit b~l~n~e This is usually lef~ d to as a "non enfol.;cd limit". In this ~inl~tion, a charge int~en~ for that card will not be denied when the ~sig~çd purchase limit is eYcee~e~ However, all other charge 10 pl~csc;ng p~oc~lures acsoc;ated with the "do not enforce limit~' remain concictent with the e, fo~ed pw~l ase limit.
To help insure the ac~;wa~ ~ of the b~l~nre, a cllctomer who has mnlti users of a single card acco!lnt, such as is the ca~ when a credit card is used to pay for telephonç calls, the holders of the card may be restricted to having one call in 15 progress at any given time. In this mode of operation mllltirle users of a single card are unable to use their card concurrently when placing calls over a telephone n~ lwolL However, users of a single card are able to u~ their card con~iull~nlly for those calls which do not affect the purcha~ b~l~n~e, i.e., a non-pu~hase balanceaffecting call. A non-purchase balance ~ffecting call can be defined as any call for 20 which the purchase limit feature is not applied and, ~hc~fole, the l~ul~;hase balance is not altered.
Initially, a credit card holder subscnbes by applying for and being ~si~e~l a purcha~ limit value. This value which is ~ignç~l to the credit card isentered into the nctw~,lL In the çmho~1impnt here ~liccl~se~ the ...~;n.~.. limit a 25 s~lbs~ibçr may have ~cignçcl to a card is set at $9,999.99. It is to be understood, however, that this value is ~bitlaly. The card holder also elects whether the pu~châse limit should be enforced or not enforced. Specifi~ y~ a card holder maysubscribe to any one of three individual purchase limit options. The enforced-with-~liccQnnP~cl option allows the card subscribpr to use a card undl the balance has been 30 depleted. If the balance is depleted during a câll~ the call will be ~icco~n~cte~ and future calls will be denied undl the balance is replenich~1 The enforced-without-ect option allows the card subscriber to use a card as long as the balance issufficient to pay for the call. Unlike enforced-with-~icconnect, once a call is est~bliche~l it will not be tçrmin~te~l However, all future calls will be denied undl 35 the balance is replçniched The non enfolced opdon acts more as a record keeping tool or audidng funcdon that accum~ tes the expense charged against the card.
Thus, calls are never prohibited from being est~bli~eA and are never ~i~co~ ed due to a balance being eYhAnctçd All card holders who elect to suhsrribe to a purchase limit option here rli~close~ are notified when their purchase limit balance has been depleted.
When a credit card call is origin~t~A, the o~l~Lor system i.e., the local telephone co~ Any connectçd to the tçlephons which origin~tes the call, sends a query to a n~ lwcul~ tAhA~e to validate the credit card. The nclwol~ d~tAh~e vAli-l~tss the credit card for billing purposes, and also checks the credit card record to see if the card has a purchase limit acsoci~t~d with it. If the card has a purchase 10 limit, the network ~t~h~e will determine if the available balance is posilive. If the available balance is not positive and the card holde~ has requested that all credit card calls be denied under these cilcu~ nces (el~fol~;ed with or without di~cr~nnect)~ a denial response is sent to the ope.ator system. If the available balance is positive, then the network ~AtAhA~e fol~ds the balance to an o~.~tor system. The o~,ator 15 system sends a request to a rating processor to d~ te- .n;ne the n~;....J... duration the purchase limit balance received from the n~,lwol~ t~hA~c can support. The call attempt will be denied if the rating processor cannot provide this inr~ t;nn or the balance is incllMr;çnt to purchase a ~--;ni-------- amount of call duration, typically lcfell~ to as the initial period. Based upon the identifiçd purchase limit option and 20 the duration letu~lled from the rating processor, the Op~.~t~,l system will ~h h,~' n;ne the mar~illlUm length of time the caller may talk, no~ to exceed 48 hours.
If the call attempt is disallowed due to a rating processor rejection or the call results in an ~ ..pleteA attempt, the nelwol~ ~t~h~e is info...~d and the tr~n~ ion for the specific card is closed. Otherwise, at illle~ t5 intervals and25 when the call cornrlçt~s, whichever occurs first, the operator system le~luejls a charge from the rating pl~)cessor and c~lr~ tss the actual charge and fol ~ ls the charge to the nelwol~ ~t~h~ce. If the call reaches the .~ .. duration and the cu~tc~ has chosen the enforced with ~ col~ option, the o~,atol system will le....;n~te the call, c~ic~ te the actual charge, and fol~ the charge to the network 30 ~l~t~h~ce~ Upon receipt of a call charge update from the Op~tOl system, the nelw~ t~b~e then adjusts the Cu'i~Ql~ 'S balance by dc~l~;n~enl;~ g the balance by the charge ~mount supplied by the operator system.
When a card holder subscr bes to a specific type of credit card service, the subs~iber receives an embossed plastic card and insllu~;lions on how to use the 35 card. For teleco.. ni~tion applic~tion~, the card holder ~le-siring a purchase limit option will interact with the telcco.. n~nic~tion carrier which will translate the card - 2 ~ 3 3 s holders request into the necess~.y format ç~uil~d by the network dAt~Abace The value of the purchase limit and the options elected ~y a custorn~r and 'ACC; ne~l to a card are entered and stored in a ~l;A~t~AbPce he~aft~,. more specifically ~Çt.l~d to as the card d~t~Ah~ce. To attempt a call, the purchase limit subsçrih-er will access the 5 tel~cû~ atiQns netwull~ in the same manner as a non-purchase limit card holder. Attempts are differentiAted once a dAtAbace v~Ali-lAtic.n request is received by the card dAt~AbA~e Referring to ~ig. 2, when a telepho~-e is "picked-up" and a 0 +
call is entered via a telephone key pad, the caller reaches a processor, at 320 which can be part of the local telephone col~p~ny which then plu,~ls the caller for the 10 card numb~,r and pe.~onal id~ntifirfltion nuull~r (PIN), at 512. In l~ onse to this request, the caller enters the card number and pcrsollal identification nuul~, at 514.
Upon receipt of this infor...Ation, the Opc.dtul system sends a vAlidstion query signal, at 516 along with the card f,uul~r and PIN to a card dflt bace, at 521 which con~ins the card ncconnt nnmhç~c and other p~te s used to a~lthl)ri7e the transaction.
If, for some reason, the i~ tion ahout the card is not valid, the card dflt~h~ce will transmit a signal 517 which denies use of the credit card. If the card is valid, a signal 518 is ~ne~alO;l inr1i~tin~ that the card account is to be checL ~ for the ~ ,sence of options. If the card is valid, the signal 518 queries the card rl~t~hace to det~ .in~. if the card holder snbscrih~es to a pLu.;hasG limit. If the card holder does 20 not s~lbscrihe to a purchase limit, a signal 520 is generated and the call is pr~ccssed without flccessing the purchase limit feature. If the card holder does subscribe to a pun;llase limit option, signal 519 is generated. Signal 519 queries the card ~t~b~ce to de~e ll~;ne if the card holder subscrihçs to an enfolced-with-~ connect or enforced-without-~ connect option. Signal 524is er ne i1~e~ if the card holder does 25 not subscribe to either type of enfol~ed option, otherwise signal 522is ~nel~led and a positive balance check is pc.rollùed. For a card holder who subscribes to an enf~l.;cd ûption, a dcnial signal 526 will be gene,~ted by the card ~l~t~bqce if the pu-~;h~ limit balance has been depleted, otherwise the card d~q~t~q~hq-ce will gelle.~te a signal 528.
If the card passes these vqlidq~ion checks, as evidenced by signal 524 or 528, the card dq-~qbqce will send a signal 530 to the operator system which irlentifies the specific limit optiûn and the transaction balance for the card holder.
Prior to actually au~ ing to complete the call, the operator system will genc.ale a rating query 790 signal which will interrogate a rating processor to 35 provide the available call duration based upon the trqnsactiûn b~qlqnce 2076~33 If the query times out as in~iic~ted by signal 800, the op~ or system will deny the call and transmit to the caller a card limit denial ~nnou~e~e~t 810.
If the caller hangs-up 820, the oplratof system will initiate an update 830 to the card ~l~tah~ce r~ue~lg that the tr~nc~action for the offered card be 5 closed. If, however, the caller does not hang-up as evidenced by signal 870, the caller is queued for an ope.ator 880. Upon conn~ ;on to an o~c.atol posiliol 890, the caller can either bill the call or termin~te the call. The opol~lor system will initiate an update to the card d~b~ce, at 830 to close the ~,.n~ on if either another billing method is chosen or the call is c~n~eled If the rating query does not time out, indi~ted by signal 840 but the reply indi( ates that the ~ s--r!;nn balance is not s~fficient to pay for the call, signal 850, the o~.alor system will ascertain if the card ho!der subscribes to a non-enfc.l.;ed opdon. If the card holder does not s~bscribe to the non enfol.ied opdon 860, a card limit denial ~nnol~ncem~ont~ indi~?ted by 810 will be played to the caller.
If the card holder does s~lbs~ih~e to the non-enforced option indicated by signal 900, or the radng ~1~t~hace~ indirates the tr~n~ction balance was adequate by signal 910 and the card s~bscribes to the non enfc".;ed, or enfo,ced-without-dicconnect option by signal 930, the operator system will attempt to comptete the call.
If billable timing occur-c~ signal 940, the operator system will start inle, . .~ te timing, at 950 to d~ tl',- . . .;ne when an update should be sent to the card holder ~t~b~ce If billable dming does not occur, signal 960, the op~.ator systemwill determine that no charge ~ppliPs~ signal 970. The Ope~âlO~ system will theninitiate a final update to the card d~t~hace~ at 980.
If, ho~ ~, the caller di~connectc as in~1ic~t~d by signal 990 before the illte~ P~ te dme limit expires, the ope"alor system will dcte~ e the final charge amount and initiates a final update 980 to the card ~l~t~h~ce~
If the caller does not dicconnect~ signal 1000, and the interm~li~te time limit does expire, signal 1010, the o~"dtor system will determine the incre-mf nt~l 30 charge amount to that point, at 1020, and initi~tes an in~e. .~ te update to the card d~t~bace If, however, the i~e~ eAi~te timer has not expired, signal 1030, and the allowed time lc;,. ~ining on the call equals 30 seconds~ signal 1040, the operator system will play a card limit disconnect warning announcem~nt~ ~n~"~lcd at 1050,35 to the caller. Following the playing of the annol~ncement~ the op~ or system will monitor the call to determine if the caller ~iccol-necl~.
If the caller ~icconnccl~, signal 1060, the operalor system will dete ...in~.
the last inf ~..nr.nt~l charge, at 1070, and send a final update to the card ~qtqhqce. If the caller remains off-hook, signal 1065, following the card limit dicco~ rcl qnnf.~llnrem~l~t and the last 30 seconds of the call expire, at 1075, the op.,.ator system S will fli~col~nc~l the callers, mark the q~utomvqtic mf s~age aCco~ t;n~ record, at 1080, with an indirqtion that the call was ~ connecte~ due to a transaction balance expiring and the op~,ator system will initiate a final update, at 1070, to the card hqCe with the last inc~ enl ~1 charge.
If it is not 30 seconds before ~ connect~ signal 1045, the OpC~atOf 10 system will continlle to perform intermf~i~qte dming, at 950.
If the result from the rating ~qt~qh~ce inriicates the balance is s~ffiriçnt, signal 910, and the card limit option is e.lror~ed-with-.3icconn~ct, signal 920, the opeldtor system will attempt to complete the call. If billable dming does not occur, signal 925, the opeldtor system will dete..lline that no charge applies~ signal 970.
15 The ope,alor system will then initiqtes a final update to the card ~l~tq~hq-~e~ at 980.
If billable dming occurs, signal 935, the op..~lor system will begin int~,. ..-~3;~te timing or time for dicconnrrl of the call whichever occurs first, at 955.
If the caller di~o ~ncclc after billable timing, signal 945, the o~,~tor system dct~-- ~n-l-~s the charge and sends a final update message~ at 980, to the card d~t~h~ce.
If the caller does not ~ co~nect~ signal 1005, and the inte.. e~ te dme limit expires, signal 1015, the opela~or system will dete.~nine the h~cl~.n~GI-t;~
charge, at 1025, and update the card d~t~h~e If the inle~ te dme limit does not expire, signal 1035, but there is only 30 seconds of allowed dme ~ ining in the call, signal 1055, the o~J."ator 25 system will play the card limit disconnect anno..nce .,~.nt, at 1050, to the caller. If more than 30 secon-lc rem~in~, signal 1085, the op~ ~ator system will continl~e dming the call, at 955.
When updates are made, the card rl~t~h~ce de~l~,llccls the card b~l~nce~
at 2000, by the i~.,.c n~ l amount in the update m~Sc~ge.
What has been described is merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invendon. Other ~rrangr.~ and methods can be implc~en~ by those skilled in the art without depa~ g from the spirit and scope of the present invendon.
Claims (3)
1. A method for monitoring charges assigned to a credit card account for the making of a transaction made using said credit card, the method including the steps of:
(a) storing in a database a billing authorization code representative of said card account having an assigned purchase limit for a userauthorized to make transactions;
(b) determining, at the time the transaction is initiated, the purchase amount limit assigned to said account, said determining step comprising communicating said code to said database, and comparing said code to the stored information in said database;
(c) obtaining, at the time the transaction is initiated, the current existing purchase balance remaining in the account, said current existing purchase balance comprising said purchase limit minus transactions against said account preceding said transaction being initiated; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT
said method is for use with an operator system;
said transaction is a telephone call; and said communicating is via a telephone network;
and in that the method includes the steps of:
(d) at predetermined intervals during said call, and at the termination of said call, transmitting a request, from said operator system to arating processor for a charge;
(e) receiving at said operator system each charge from said rating processor in response to said requests; and (f) periodically transmitting said each charge to said database, via said telephone network, for use in developing an updated current existing purchase balance by deducting each of said charge from said current purchase balance.
(a) storing in a database a billing authorization code representative of said card account having an assigned purchase limit for a userauthorized to make transactions;
(b) determining, at the time the transaction is initiated, the purchase amount limit assigned to said account, said determining step comprising communicating said code to said database, and comparing said code to the stored information in said database;
(c) obtaining, at the time the transaction is initiated, the current existing purchase balance remaining in the account, said current existing purchase balance comprising said purchase limit minus transactions against said account preceding said transaction being initiated; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT
said method is for use with an operator system;
said transaction is a telephone call; and said communicating is via a telephone network;
and in that the method includes the steps of:
(d) at predetermined intervals during said call, and at the termination of said call, transmitting a request, from said operator system to arating processor for a charge;
(e) receiving at said operator system each charge from said rating processor in response to said requests; and (f) periodically transmitting said each charge to said database, via said telephone network, for use in developing an updated current existing purchase balance by deducting each of said charge from said current purchase balance.
2. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of notifying the account user when the telephone call depletes the existingpurchase balance.
3. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of terminating the telephone call when the telephone call depletes the existing purchase balance.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US78619191A | 1991-10-31 | 1991-10-31 | |
| US786,191 | 1991-10-31 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2076433A1 CA2076433A1 (en) | 1993-05-01 |
| CA2076433C true CA2076433C (en) | 1998-08-18 |
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ID=25137852
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002076433A Expired - Fee Related CA2076433C (en) | 1991-10-31 | 1992-08-19 | Monitoring of charges debited to an account having an assigned limit |
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| US (1) | US5450477A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0540234B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP3245834B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2076433C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69224585T2 (en) |
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-
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- 1992-08-19 CA CA002076433A patent/CA2076433C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-10-19 JP JP30450192A patent/JP3245834B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-10-21 EP EP92309611A patent/EP0540234B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-10-21 DE DE69224585T patent/DE69224585T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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1993
- 1993-12-27 US US08/174,167 patent/US5450477A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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|---|---|
| EP0540234A2 (en) | 1993-05-05 |
| CA2076433A1 (en) | 1993-05-01 |
| JPH06290195A (en) | 1994-10-18 |
| US5450477A (en) | 1995-09-12 |
| DE69224585D1 (en) | 1998-04-09 |
| DE69224585T2 (en) | 1998-09-10 |
| EP0540234A3 (en) | 1994-04-13 |
| EP0540234B1 (en) | 1998-03-04 |
| JP3245834B2 (en) | 2002-01-15 |
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| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |