Fee collection system and method for call completion
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for administering calls on a voice network allow a user to selectively determine which calls will be accepted. The methods and systems may provide unwanted callers with an option to speak with the user for a fee. The methods and systems may provide an initiator of the communication to accept the fee, to confirm acceptance of the fee and to provide payment information for the fee prior to completing the communication. If the initiator does not accept the fee, the communication can be terminated. The methods and systems may verify the payment information and display a verification notice to the user prior to completing the call. The fee to be paid and the method of payment, or payment information may be prescribed by the user.
1. A method for completing a communication, the method comprising:
interfacing a user with the communication at a user terminal;
determining if identification information is available for the communication;
if the identification information for the communication is not available, prompting an initiator of the communication to perform at least one of: provide the identification information, and record a message to be sent to the user; and
obtaining a fee from the initiator for completing the communication with the user at the user terminal if the initiator failed to perform said at least one of: provide the identification information, and record a message to be sent to the user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the fee comprises prompting the initiator of the communication to accept the fee prior to completing the communication.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein prompting the initiator to accept the fee comprises prompting the initiator to confirm acceptance of the fee.
4. The method of claim 2 , comprising terminating the communication if the initiator does not accept the fee.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining the fee comprises prompting the initiator to provide payment information for collecting the fee when the initiator accepts the fee and prior to completing the communication.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein obtaining the fee comprises verifying the payment information provided by the initiator prior to completing the communication.
7. The method of claim 6 , comprising displaying a notice to the user that the payment information is verified.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein obtaining the fee comprises accepting input from the initiator in the form of at least one of dual tone multi-frequency tones, text input and voice input.
9. The method of claim 5 , comprising preselecting, by the user, the payment information to be provided.
10. The method of claim 1 , comprising preselecting, by the user, the fee to be obtained.
11. A method to obtain a fee for completing a communication, comprising:
interfacing a user with the communication at a user terminal;
determining if identification information is available for the communication;
if the identification information for the communication is not available, prompting an initiator of the communication to perform at least one of: provide the identification information, and record a message to be sent to the user;
prompting the initiator of the communication, if the initiator failed to perform said at least one of: provide the identification information, and record a message to be sent to the user, to accept the fee, to confirm acceptance of the fee and to provide payment information for the fee;
verifying the payment information provided by the initiator; and
displaying a notice to the user that the payment information is verified such that the user can complete the communication.
12. A fee collection system for completing a communication, comprising:
a terminal to interface a user with the communication;
an identification module to determine if identification information is available for the communication;
a prompting device to prompt an initiator of the communication, if the identification information for the communication is not available, to perform at least one of: provide the identification information, and record a message to be sent to the user; and
a fee module to obtain a fee from the initiator for completing the communication with the user at the terminal if the initiator failed to perform said at least one of: provide the identification information, and record a message to be sent to the user.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the fee module comprises a media server to prompt the initiator of the communication to accept the fee.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the media server comprises payment prompts to obtain payment information for collecting the fee from the initiator.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the media server comprises at least one of a dual tone multi-frequency tone collector, a text-to-speech converter and a speech recognition module to prompt the initiator and accept input from the initiator.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the media server comprises verifying means to verify the payment information.
17. The system of claim 16 , comprising a terminator to end the communication when the payment information is not verifiable.
18. The system of claim 17 , comprising a display to inform the user that the payment information is verified.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein said prompting device is said media server.
20. A method of completing a communication, the method comprising:
interfacing a user with the communication at a user terminal;
determining if caller identification information is available for the communication, the caller identification information including at least a telephone number from which the communication is initiated;
if the caller identification information for the communication is determined to be unavailable, prompting an initiator of the communication to provide the caller identification information by removing a caller identification block; and
obtaining a fee from the initiator for completing the communication with the user at the user terminal if the initiator fails to remove the caller identification block.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising prompting the initiator of the communication to provide a recorded audio message to be sent to the user prior to completing the communication as an alternative to removing the caller identification block.
22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
prompting the initiator of the communication to accept the fee prior to completing the communication;
prompting the initiator of the communication to confirm acceptance of the fee prior to completing the communication;
prompting the initiator of the communication to provide payment information prior to completing the communication;
verifying the payment information provided by the initiator prior to completing the communication; and
displaying a notice to the user that the payment information is verified prior to completing the communication.