(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. N0.: US 2003/0086546 A1
`(43) Pub. Date:
`May 8, 2003
`Falcone et al.
`
`US 20030086546A1
`
`(54) SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OFFERING
`A SERVICE TO A PARTY ASSOCIATED
`WITH A BLOCKED CALL
`
`(76) Inventors: Richard Falcone, Addison, TX (US);
`Keith S. Kelson, Dallas, TX (US);
`Jeremy W. Duke, Fort Worth, TX
`(US); Lee R. Johnson, Plano, TX (US);
`Robert E. Sullivan, Plano, TX (US);
`Randy Ho?'man, Plano, TX (US)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`DALLAS OFFICE OF FULBRIGHT &
`JAWORSKI L.L.P.
`2200 ROSS AVENUE
`SUITE 2800
`DALLAS, TX 75201-2784 (US)
`
`(21) Appl, No,:
`
`10/190,315
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Jul. 3, 2002
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/135,883,
`?led on Apr. 29, 2002.
`
`Publication Classi?cation
`
`(51) Int. CI.7 ........................ .. H04M 11/00; H04M 1/64;
`H04M 15/00; H04M 3/42
`(52) us. Cl. .................. .. 379/114.21; 455/406; 455/405;
`455/414; 379/8801; 379/21002
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a
`method of offering a service to a user. The method comprises
`receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect
`telephone call from an origination source; processing the
`dialed number to determine Whether payment may be
`received for the collect telephone call, Wherein the process
`ing blocks the collect call and stores the dialed number When
`the processing determines that payment may not be received
`for the collect telephone call; and establishing a telephone
`connection With the dialed number to communicate an offer
`for the service to a user associated With the dialed number.
`
`FIG- 1
`
`\l
`104
`100
`
`L
`1
`'
`/, i053 INTELLIGENT
`10
`cgcsggmgR
`
`...BILLING...CUSTOMER DATABASE
`105
`BLOCKED CALLS / _ iROlVl INTELLIGENT REVENUE I101
`'
`OPPORTUNITY MODULE
`LEO UNBILLABLE
`
`102
`/
`1 ‘IDBS INTELLIGENT
`DIRECT BILLING
`
`106
`
`|
`
`(I
`
`i058 INTELLIGENT
`
`CALL AND
`BILLING
`MANAGEMENT
`SOLUTION
`I,
`iHVCs INTELLIGENT Hl
`VALUE CUSTOMERS \T 03
`
`GTL 1013
`IPR of U.S. Patent No. 8,626,118
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
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`
`Patent Application Publication May 8, 2003 Sheet 2 0f 6
`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`FIG. 3
`
`300\ RECEIvE PHONE NUMBER AND
`TRANSACTION REOUEST
`
`CHECK
`LOCAL DATABASE FOR
`vALIDATION
`
`NOT
`vALID
`
`302
`TRANSFETRO liIIIRIBONFIKMATION /
`
`IS PHONE
`NUMBER IN THE LOCAL
`DATABASE? I
`
`NO
`
`I‘ _ - _ — _ _ _ _ ' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ' _ _ _ — - _ — _ _ _ _ — - _ _ _ _ _ _ " _ 1
`
`CHECK LOCAL DATABASE
`I 310
`:
`\ FOR EXISTINS REFINED
`I
`CUSTOMER SCORE
`:
`‘
`I
`
`I
`
`‘T BRA'N
`
`l
`I
`:
`I
`II
`CHECK LOCAL DATABASE FOR / 304 I
`INITIAL CUSTOMER SCORE
`:
`
`l
`
`: 305/
`I
`l
`i
`l
`I
`l
`:
`l
`l
`
`1
`I
`
`DETERMINE TRANSACTION
`
`PROFITABILITY
`
`If‘
`
`__________________ _ _ _,
`
`V
`
`|_ _ .1
`I
`l
`} 318
`|
`\ i
`:
`ACCESS
`l
`EXTERNAL
`I DATABASES
`l
`l
`L- _ ‘1
`
`CUSTOMER INTERACTION
`31/1
`312
`/
`GATHER ADDITIONAL
`CUSTOMER-SPECIFIC
`INFORMATION
`L S
`I7
`
`314
`i /
`CUSTOMER
`PAYMENT
`EXPERIENCE
`A
`
`{
`l
`
`REFINE CUSTOMER SCORE WITH
`ADDITIONAL INFORMATION \ 315
`
`AUTHOREE
`TRA/NSACTION
`
`I
`:
`_____ __ _|
`
`STORE REFINED CUSTOMER
`SCORE IN LOCAL DATABASE \315
`
`309
`
`E Y A
`307/ D N TR :ISACTION
`TRANSFER
`398/ INFORMATION TO IROM
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication May 8, 2003 Sheet 3 0f 6
`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`400\
`
`FIG. 4
`RECEIvINC A
`BLOCKED/UNPA'D ACCOUNT
`F'" ------- ‘I """" "T
`I 401
`RETRIEvE CUSTOMER SCORE
`I
`: \ (INITIAL OR REEINED) ASSOCIATED :
`:
`W'TH BLOCKED/[iNPA'D ACCOUNT :
`l
`I
`I
`COMPARE CUSTOMER SCORE AND I
`i 402
`TRANSACTIONAL PROEITABILITY
`:
`I
`\ POTENTIAL WITH OPPORTUNITY
`I
`I
`RISK LEvELS AND BILLING AND
`I
`:
`PAYMENT PRODUCTS
`:
`I
`I
`{ BRA'N
`:
`I
`I
`I
`I
`l
`l
`:
`:
`1
`:
`|
`I
`:
`:
`I_
`_I
`' '; """"""""" ' -
`
`A DIRECT
`BILLING PRODUCT
`SUGGESTED
`405
`.
`\ YES
`SELECT A BILLINC AND
`PAYMENT PRODUCT FOR
`A CUSTOMER FROM IDBS
`
`IMPLEMENT SELECTED PRODUCT / 411
`I
`IS
`SEND BILL TO CUSTOMER /
`I
`BEGIN MONITORING BILL STATUS /413
`~'
`
`414
`
`HAS
`CUSTOMER PAID
`BILL WITHIN ALLOTTED
`TIME?
`
`YES
`
`BLOCK/DENY CUSTOMER
`REQUESTS FOR TRANSACTION
`I
`SEND CUSTOMER PAST
`DUE/DELINOUENT BILL NOTICE
`:16
`
`HAvE
`NUMBER OF
`NOTICES ExCEEDED
`PREDETERMINED
`
`MAXIMUM?
`
`417
`
`GO TO LEG
`BILLINO
`SYSTEM
`/
`404
`
`SELECTED
`PRODUCT A PREPAID
`PRODUCT?
`
`406
`
`N0
`
`SUBMIT ACCOUNT TO
`BILL COLLECTION \418
`
`v
`‘
`A BI
`E
`ASD‘IDEiSYTMENFEIILICCISLE CHANGE CUSTOMER
`
`407/
`
`PLACE OUTBOUND
`CALL TO CUSTOMER
`i
`COMMUNICATE B'LLING
`409/ PRODUCTS TO CUSTOMER
`
`II
`RETRIEvE ADDITIONAL vALIDATION
`410/ INFORMATION FROM CUSTOMER
`FOR INTERNAL DATABASE
`
`\
`403
`
`TO "PAID"
`
`420
`DOES
`CUSTOMER PAYMENT
`HISTORY MERIT CHANGE
`IN CUSTOMER
`SCORE?
`
`NO
`ACTION
`\
`421
`
`ADJUST CUSTOMER
`SCORE ACCORDING TO \ 422
`PAYMENT HISTORY
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication May 8, 2003 Sheet 4 0f 6
`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`FIG. 5
`
`5CD \ RECEIVE CALL FOR ASSISTANCE
`FROM CUSTOMER
`I
`RETRIEvE CUSTOMER SCORE
`501
`\ ASSOCIATED WITH THE
`CUSTOMER
`I
`COMPARE CUSTOMER SCORE
`502 / WITH PRESET SERVICE LEVELS
`I
`SELECT LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR
`503/ CUSTOMER ACCORDING TO
`COMPARED CUSTOMER SCORE
`
`FIG. 6
`
`622\ PRISON
`PHONE SYSTEM
`APPLICATION
`
`PBX
`
`\621
`
`SYSTEM
`
`600
`
`614
`?rm; < M612
`“:7
`NETWORK
`
`601
`\
`CPU
`602 _/ I
`
`603
`\
`RAM
`JI
`
`604
`\
`ROM
`II
`608\
`
`605
`
`l/O
`AOAPTER
`II
`
`611
`COMMUNICATIONS
`ADAPTER /
`J
`
`II
`INTLIJERIEZCE
`
`'
`
`AOAPTER
`
`610
`
`II
`DISPLAY
`
`ADAPTER
`\
`
`-
`
`7)
`
`COO
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication May 8, 2003 Sheet 5 0f 6
`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`701
`\ RECEIVE PHONE NUMBER
`FROM CALLING PARTY
`
`700
`/
`
`F] G. 7
`
`702
`
`DETERMINE
`WHETHER PAYMENT
`MAY BE RECEIVED FOR
`CALL TO PHONE
`NUMBER?
`
`YES
`
`COMPLETE / 703
`CALL
`
`704
`\
`
`BLOCK CALL
`I
`705 \ RECORD PHONE NUMBER
`IN LIST, FILE, DATABASE,
`AND/OR THE LIKE
`I
`706 \ GENERATE CALL TO
`PARTY ASSOCIATED WITH
`PHONE NUMBER
`I
`OFFER PARTY SERVICE
`
`707\
`
`SERVICE
`ACCEPTED?
`
`708
`
`COMMUNICATE PAYMENT
`OPTIONs AND/OR
`COMPLETE PAYMENT USING
`709 / RECEIYEO ACCOUNT
`NUMBER (IF APPROPRIATE)
`I
`AUTHORIZE SUBSEQUENT
`ESTABLISHMENT OF
`CALL(S) BETWEEN PARTY
`ASSOCIATED WITH
`710 / PHONE NUMBER AND
`CALLINB PARTY
`
`4
`
`T
`
`711/ENED
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication May 8, 2003 Sheet 6 0f 6
`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`FIG. 8
`
`800
`
`CALL PROCESSING PLATFORM
`
`1 &
`
`VALIDATION
`APPLICATION
`
`f807
`
`806
`
`AUTOMATED CALL
`808
`81 1
`APPLICATION
`/
`809
`/ E
`CALL
`TRANSACTION
`DATABASE
`
`CALL PROCESSING
`APPLICATION
`
`\ 810
`
`

`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`May 8, 2003
`
`SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OFFERING A
`SERVICE TO A PARTY ASSOCIATED WITH A
`BLOCKED CALL
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`[0001] The present invention is continuation-in-part of
`US. patent application Ser. No. 10/135,883 entitled “OPTI
`MIZING PROFITABILITY IN BUSINESS TRANSAC
`TIONS”; the present application is also related to co
`pending and commonly assigned United States patent
`application Attorney Docket Number 1967 P 023 entitled
`“SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REVERSE BILLING OF
`A TELEPHONE CALL,” and to copending and commonly
`assigned US. patent application Ser. No. 10/135,878
`entitled “INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
`AND METHOD,” concurrently ?led hereWith, the disclo
`sures of each of Which are hereby incorporated by reference
`in their entirety.
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`[0002] The present invention relates generally to offering
`a service to a party associated With a dialed number, and
`more particularly, to a system and method for authoriZing
`collect calls to a party associated With a dialed number.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0003] The generation of revenue and pro?tability is the
`driving force behind most business models. To supplement
`the cash purchasing methods in today’s credit-based society,
`most businesses depend on some form of credit or entitle
`ment authoriZation mechanism alloWing for customers to
`purchase products, services, or other such items Without the
`immediate physical eXchange of cash. Inherent in such
`business models is the reality that a percentage of parties
`Who purchase on credit or entitlement authoriZations may
`eventually not pay, thus, diminishing the business’ overall
`pro?tability.
`[0004] In order to balance the risk of such losses against
`the bene?ts of maintaining credit entitlement systems, busi
`nesses go to great lengths to pre-screen credit applicants
`With lengthy applications requiring a Wealth of personal
`information. This process is often-times sloW and many
`consumers may decide to take their business to a competitor
`rather than Wait for the completion of the credit application
`process. Such veri?cation methods maXimiZe risk preven
`tion, but are incompatible With situations that require more
`immediate determinations.
`
`[0005] One eXample of a business that requires more
`immediate credit/authoriZation determinations is the tele
`communication provider industry, and, more particularly,
`businesses that provide telecommunication services to con
`trolled-environment facilities, such as prisons. Prisoners are
`generally given some form of access to telephones, but the
`calls must be paid for. Prisons typically do not alloW inmates
`to receive calls, thus, most incoming calls that are not
`directed to prison administration numbers are blocked.
`Moreover, prisoners, in general, do not have ready access to
`cash; therefore, calls are typically made collect.
`
`[0006] As With other credit/authoriZation systems, some of
`the collect calls may never be paid for by the called parties.
`
`In such circumstances, the telecommunication service pro
`vider fails to recover the costs of providing the call, Which,
`in turn, causes a loss of pro?tability. Bad debt losses may
`sometimes reach into the tens of millions of dollars for each
`telecommunication service provider With the industry total
`Well over $1 Billion. To address the risk of loss on some of
`the attempted correctional facility calls, telecommunication
`service providers sometimes obtain information on the
`called parties in order to establish a customer database for
`providing call veri?cation/authoriZation. When an inmate
`attempts to make a collect call, the call or transaction request
`goes through a validation process. The telecommunication
`service provider accesses its customer databases and may be
`able to determine (1) can this call be billed (i.e., is there a
`billing arrangement With the local eXchange carrier (LEC) or
`the called party), (2) if the destination number is already in
`the service provider’s ?les, has the allotted credit limit been
`reached, and (3) has there been any information received
`from the LEC indicating that the called party has not been
`paying its bills. Depending on the eXtensiveness of the
`service provider’s internal resources, the service provider
`may not be able to determine all three of these validation
`criteria. If favorable information is retrieved for each of the
`available validation criteria, the call is completed.
`
`[0007] Conversely, if the inmate attempts to call a desti
`nation number that is not already on the customer database,
`or negative information is retrieved from the validation
`process, the service provider typically blocks the call from
`being completed. While these blocked calls save the tele
`communication provider from losses for unpaid calls, some
`of those dropped calls represent lost potential revenue and
`pro?t that the provider Would have generated.
`
`[0008] Additional considerations that effect the revenue
`stream of telecommunication providers for prisons arise in
`the billing and collection (B&C) process. In providing
`collect calls, the service provider typically sends the collect
`call bill to the LEC that services the called number. LECs,
`such as SouthWestern Bell, VeriZon, BellSouth, Ameritech,
`and the like generally maintain accurate billing, name, and
`address (BNA) information, and may be authoriZed to bill
`third-party-provided telecommunication services if billing
`arrangements eXists. It should be noted that for purposes of
`this disclosure, LEC is intended to include not only local
`eXchange carriers, but also competitive LECs (CLECs),
`inter-exchange carriers (IXCs), and the like. LECs typically
`bill on a thirty-day billing cycle (i.e., provide a post-pay
`system that bills each customer for the telephone activity
`that occurred over the last thirty days). As With every other
`credit transaction, some LEC customers may fail to pay their
`bills. When this happens, the LECs recover any costs for
`providing the prisoner’s call directly from the prison tele
`communication service provider. Thus, the service provider
`carry all of the losses, Which generally effects pro?t real
`iZation.
`
`[0009] Moreover, because of the LECs’ typical thirty-day
`billing cycle, the prison telecommunication provider may
`not become aWare that the bill has become delinquent for a
`minimum of 120 days after the bill Was originally sent to the
`LEC (LECs may not declare a particular bill uncollectable
`for 120 days or more in many circumstances). Thus, the
`service provider Would not knoW to block further calls to
`that destination number for anyWhere from four months to
`over a year. If calls continue to the delinquent destination
`
`

`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`May 8, 2003
`
`number during that period, a substantial amount of revenue
`and pro?ts Would simply be lost.
`[0010] A separate billing-related issue arises With LECs
`that do not have billing arrangements With the prison tele
`communication service providers. If no billing arrangement
`exists With the LEC, the service provider must resort to
`billing the called party directly. In many circumstances, the
`service provider Will not have accurate BNA information on
`the called party. The service provider may have to purchase
`this information from the LEC. Additional costs may then be
`expended generating the direct bill. Therefore, the costs of
`this “random” direct billing may exceed the actual value
`recovered in some cases, Which decreases pro?ts even
`further. In response, many of the current systems simply
`choose to block all calls to destination numbers serviced by
`non-contracting LECs in order to alleviate this problem.
`Thus, as With the calls blocked due to a failure to achieve
`immediate positive validation, the calls blocked due to
`nonexistent billing arrangements With certain LECs may
`save some lost revenue and pro?ts, but still represent poten
`tial lost pro?ts at the point of demand for good paying
`customers.
`
`[0011] Therefore, even though the business model of the
`prison telecommunications provider is centered on generat
`ing pro?ts and recovering revenue, the service provider must
`account for the potential pro?t losses from (1) calls to
`destination numbers that are not blocked but Which are
`ultimately not paid for; (2) continued calls to the same
`destination number that are alloWed before the service
`provider becomes aWare of delinquencies; (3) calls to des
`tination numbers that may represent good credit risks and
`pro?t margins but Which do not pass the initial validation
`process; (4) calls to destination numbers that represent good
`credit risks and pro?t margins that are nonetheless blocked
`because the destination number is serviced by LECs Without
`billing agreements With the service provider. In addition to
`these different means for the service provider to lose revenue
`and eventually pro?ts, service providers often contract With
`the prison or other such control-environment facility to pay
`the prison a commission on the value of each call provided
`for the privilege of providing the service to the prison.
`Because the commission typically is taken from the value of
`the call rather than the amount collected for the call, the
`commission Will generally have to be paid regardless of
`Whether the service provider actually ever collects the cost
`of the call. Many other different opportunities for revenue
`loss, such as governmental regulations, contractual commit
`ments, and the like, also must be accounted for by these
`prison telecommunications providers.
`
`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0012] The present invention is directed to a system and
`method for optimiZing pro?tability in business transactions.
`In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a
`method of offering a service to a user. The method comprises
`receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect
`telephone call from an origination source; processing the
`dialed number to determine Whether payment may be
`received for the collect telephone call, Wherein the process
`ing blocks the collect call and stores the dialed number When
`the processing determines that payment may not be received
`for the collect telephone call; and establishing a telephone
`connection With the dialed number to communicate an offer
`
`for the service to a user associated With the dialed number.
`In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to
`a call processing platform. The call processing platform
`comprises an interface for receiving a dialed number from a
`request to initiate a collect telephone call from an origination
`source; a validation application for processing the dialed
`number to determine Whether payment may be received for
`the collect telephone call, Wherein the validation application
`is operable to block the collect call and to store the dialed
`number When the validation application determines that
`payment may not be received for the collect telephone call;
`and an automated call application that is operable to retrieve
`the stored dialed number to generate a telephone connection
`With the dialed number, Wherein the automated call appli
`cation communicates an offer for a service to a user asso
`ciated With the dialed number.
`
`[0013] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the fea
`tures and technical advantages of the present invention in
`order that the detailed description of the invention that
`folloWs may be better understood. Additional features and
`advantages of the invention Will be described hereinafter
`Which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It
`should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
`conception and speci?c embodiment disclosed may be
`readily utiliZed as a basis for modifying or designing other
`structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present
`invention. It should also be realiZed by those skilled in the
`art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the
`spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended
`claims. The novel features Which are believed to be char
`acteristic of the invention, both as to its organiZation and
`method of operation, together With further objects and
`advantages Will be better understood from the folloWing
`description When considered in connection With the accom
`panying ?gures. It is to be expressly understood, hoWever,
`that each of the ?gures is provided for the purpose of
`illustration and description only and is not intended as a
`de?nition of the limits of the present invention.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0014] For a more complete understanding of the present
`invention, reference is noW made to the folloWing descrip
`tions taken in conjunction With the accompanying draWing,
`in Which:
`[0015] FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram illustrating
`the main elements of one embodiment of the present inven
`tion;
`[0016] FIG. 2 is a high-level block diagram illustrating a
`more detailed vieW of the main elements of the embodiment
`shoWn in FIG. 1;
`
`[0017] FIG. 3 is a ?oWchart illustrating steps that may be
`used to implement the intelligent customer scoring system
`used in the embodiment of the present invention shoWn in
`FIGS. 1 and 2;
`
`[0018] FIG. 4 is a How chart that represents the steps of
`functional interaction betWeen the iROM and the iDBS, as
`shoWn in FIGS. 1 and 2;
`
`[0019] FIG. 5 is a ?oWchart illustrating steps that may be
`used to implement the intelligent high-value customer sys
`tem used in the embodiment of the present invention shoWn
`in FIGS. 1 and 2;
`
`

`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`May 8, 2003
`
`[0020] FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram of a computer
`system Which is adapted to use the present invention;
`[0021] FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary ?owchart for offering
`a service to a user associated With a phone number of a
`previously blocked collect call according to embodiments of
`the present invention; and
`[0022] FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary call processing plat
`form according to embodiments of the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`[0023] Turning noW to the draWing, FIG. 7 depicts ?oW
`chart 700 for offering a service to a user associated With a
`phone number of a previously blocked collect call according
`to embodiments of the present invention. In step 701, a
`phone number of a party to be called may be received from
`a calling party or an origination source.
`
`[0024] In step 702, a logical comparison is made to
`determine Whether payment may be received for the call to
`the received phone number. The determination Whether
`payment may be received may be based on any one or a
`number of factors. The determination may include deter
`mining Whether the phone number is serviced by a telephone
`service provider (e.g., a local exchange carrier (LEC)) that
`permits billing to the party associated With the phone
`number by the party completing the collect call via the
`account associated With the phone number. The determina
`tion may involve determining the credit Worthiness of the
`party associated With the phone number. If it is determined
`that the payment Will most likely be received, the process
`How proceeds to step 703 Where the call is completed.
`
`[0025] If it is determined that payment may not be
`received, the process How proceeds to step 704 Where the
`call is blocked. In step 705, the received phone number is
`recorded for future processing. In embodiments of the
`present invention, the received phone number may be stored
`in association With creation of a call record. The received
`phone number may be stored in a suitable database, ?le,
`and/or the like. In step 706, the database, ?le, or the like may
`be accessed to retrieve the phone number and a call is
`generated to a party associated With the phone number. The
`generation of the phone call may occur in a manual or
`autonomous manner. For example, an automated call dis
`tributor (ACD) may be utiliZed to generate a call to the
`phone number and to connect a customer service represen
`tative to the ansWering party. Alternatively, an automated
`call application may be utiliZed to generate a call the phone
`number and an interactive voice response (IVR) application
`may be utiliZed to communicate With the ansWering party.
`[0026] In step 707, the respective service (e.g., enabling
`the ansWering party to receive a subsequent collect call from
`the calling party) is offered to the user. In step 708, a logical
`comparison is made to determine Whether the service Was
`accepted. If the service is not accepted, the process How
`proceeds to step 711 Where the process How ends. If the
`service is accepted, the process How proceeds to step 709.
`[0027] In step 709, payment options may be communi
`cated to the ansWering party. The service may include a
`direct billing arrangement to permit the ansWering party to
`receive a subsequent collect phone call or calls at the
`received phone number from the calling party. Alternatively,
`
`the service may include a prepayment plan to permit the
`ansWering party to receive the subsequent call or calls. In
`embodiments of the present invention, the user may com
`municate an account number to facilitate payment pursuant
`to a prepaid service. The payment for the prepaid service
`may be completed by initiating an electronic transfer of
`funds (e.g., from a bank account) or by debiting a credit
`account (e.g., a credit card account). In other embodiments,
`the completion of the payment may occur at a later time. The
`party may be alloWed to make a payment through a third
`party ?nancial intermediary or the party may dial a suitable
`“1-800” number or the like to complete payment for the
`service.
`
`[0028] In step 710, subsequent collect calls from the
`calling party to the phone number are authoriZed. The
`subsequent collect call or calls may be permitted by estab
`lishing an appropriate telephony prepaid account. The
`account may be managed by a suitable call processing
`platform. In step 711, the process How ends.
`
`[0029] FIG. 8 depicts exemplary system 800 that may be
`utiliZed to offer services according to embodiments of the
`present invention. System 800 comprises call processing
`platform 801. Call processing platform 801 may be imple
`mented, for example, as a service control point (SCP) to
`process collect calls from subscriber device 803 associated
`With public sWitched telephone netWork (PSTN) 805. Call
`processing platform 801 may receive suitable messaging via
`SS7 signals to process the collect call. Alternatively, call
`processing platform 801 may receive a call connection from
`subscriber device 803 (e.g., at a 1-800 number) to process
`the collect call. In embodiments of the present invention,
`call processing platform 801 may be implemented as a
`telephony system at a controlled facility such as a correc
`tional institution. Subscriber device 802 may be communi
`catively coupled to call processing platform 801 at the
`controlled facility.
`
`[0030] Call processing application 810 may receive the
`phone number of the called party (in this example, sub
`scriber device 804) via interface 806 utiliZing a suitable
`communication protocol. Call processing application 810
`may communicate the phone number to validation applica
`tion 807. Validation application 807 determines Whether
`payment may be received. Validation application 807 com
`municates the determination to call processing application
`810. Depending on the determination, call processing appli
`cation 810 may connect subscriber device 803 or 804 to
`subscriber device 804 or block the call. Call processing
`application 810 may create a call record in call transaction
`database 811. The call record may include identi?cation of
`the origination source, the called phone number, Whether the
`call Was connected or blocked, the length of the phone call
`(if applicable), and/or the like.
`
`[0031] Automated call application 808 may examine call
`records stored in call transaction database 811. Automated
`call application 808 may determine that a collect call to
`subscriber device 804 Was blocked. Automated call appli
`cation 808 may generate a call to subscriber device 804. If
`a party associated With subscriber device 804 ansWers,
`automated call application 808 may execute a call script
`utiliZing IVR 808. IVR 808 may be utiliZed to communicate
`the nature of the offered service (e.g., a prepaid or direct
`billing plan for subsequent collect calls). The user may
`
`

`
`US 2003/0086546 A1
`
`May 8, 2003
`
`accept or reject the communicated service. In embodiments
`of the present invention, the user may communicate an
`account number to facilitate payment for the prepaid option.
`IVR 808 may complete payment utilizing user input during
`the call connection or at a later time. IVR 808 may then
`communicate that the subsequent collect call(s) Will be
`connected. IVR 808 may create a suitable prepaid account to
`permit the connection of the collect call(s). Call processing
`application 810 may then connect subsequent collect calls to
`subscriber device 804.
`[0032] Moreover, the present disclosure relates to systems
`and methods for optimizing pro?tability in business trans
`actions including transactions related to call processing. It is
`understood, hoWever, that the folloWing disclosure provides
`many different embodiments, or eXamples, for implement
`ing different features of the invention. Speci?c eXamples of
`components and arrangements are described beloW to sim
`plify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely
`eXamples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the
`present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or
`letters in the various eXamples. This repetition is for the
`purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate
`a relationship betWeen the various embodiments and/or
`con?gurations discussed.
`[0033] Turning noW to FIG. 1, intelligent call and billing
`management solution (iCBS) 10 comprises a multi-applica
`tion system for optimiZing and maXimiZing pro?tability of
`business transactions. ICBS 10 includes intelligent customer
`scoring system (iCSS) 100 for establishing a customer score,
`and intelligent revenue opportunity module (iROM) 101 for
`processing the customer score received from iCSS 100 to
`produce a recommended revenue opportunity application.
`The purpose behind the calculation of a customer score may
`vary from application to application. In some embodiments
`of the present invention, a customer score may represent a
`predicted risk management score used to authoriZe or deny
`requested transactions. In other embodiments, a customer
`score may represent a pro?tability value of that customer.
`ICBS 10 also includes intelligent direct billing system
`(iDBS) 102, associated With iROM 101, for selecting any
`one of a number of direct billing products for a customer
`responsive to customer score-based determinations made
`Within iROM 101. In order to facilitate the calculations and
`predictive risk assessments made by iCSS 100, iCBS 10 also
`includes billing and customer database (BCD) 104. BCD
`104 is generated as iCBS 10 continues interactions and
`completing transactions for customers of the business mod
`els. As more information is gathered With regard to the
`customer, it is stored in BCD 104 for future use and
`evaluation of the customer scores. BCD 104 is “local” to the
`prison telecommunication service provider, but may be
`physically located at the same facilities, different facilities,
`in a local area netWork (LAN), a Wide area netWork (WAN),
`or other such netWork under the control or in?uence of the
`service provider.
`[0034] It should be noted that in additional embodiments
`of the present invention, iCBS 10 may also incorporate
`intelligent high value customer service (iHVC) 103 for
`providing a variable and selective customer service options
`in Which the selection of the level of service offered to a
`customer is made responsive to the customer score.
`
`[0035] While the inventive elements of iCBS 10 are
`intended to be applicable to a Wide variety of business
`
`models and business situations, the detailed description
`presented beloW of one embodiment of iCBS 10 Will be
`speci?cally tailored to the eXample of a prison telecommu
`nications service provider. Considering the speci?c
`eXample, as prisoners attempt to make out-going calls from
`the prison, the called phone number is received at iCBS 10
`and processed by iCSS 100 for calculation of the customer
`score. The called number may be obtained in many different
`knoWn Ways, such as via dual tone, multiple frequency
`(DTMF) readers, via an Internet protocol (IP) netWork, via
`the signaling system 7 (SS7) netWork, or via dialed number
`identi?cation service (DNIS) signals provided by the net
`Work.
`[0036] If a particular called number is not already in the
`service provider’s customer database, the customer score
`that is preferably calculated by iCSS 100 Will be an initial
`score based on the immediately available local information
`associated With the requested call and the called number.
`The telecommunication service provider compares the ini
`tial customer score against a preset risk threshold to deter
`mine Which calls Will be alloWed and Which calls Will be
`blocked. If a call is blocked, a message may preferably be
`played to the inmate informing him or her of the reason Why
`the call Was blocked, or sWitching the inmate to an operator
`or interactive