CN101490699A

CN101490699A - Method and apparatus for authorizing a calling card telephone call

Info

Publication number: CN101490699A
Application number: CNA200780024819XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 丹尼尔·T·斯密里斯; 唐纳德·韦伯
Original assignee: Vonage Network LLC
Current assignee: Vonage America LLC
Priority date: 2006-06-30
Filing date: 2007-06-29
Publication date: 2009-07-22

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for authorizing a calling card telephone call are described. In one example, a telephone calling card includes a planar body having a memory system, an input circuit, a controller, and a display. The memory system is configured to store key code information. The input circuit is configured to receive a personal identification number (PIN). The controller is configured to derive a key code from the key code information using the PIN. The display is configured to present the key code. The user may then use the key code for purposes of authorizing a call made using a calling card. The key code may change from time-to-time as the user uses the calling card. Since the user's PIN is not entered into a telephone by the user, the calling card is less susceptible to unauthorized and/or fraudulent use by third parties.

Description

The method and apparatus of authorized call card call

The application requires the right of priority of the U.S. Provisional Application 60/817,407 of submission on June 30th, 2006, and this application here all is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical field

The present invention relates generally to telephone system, relates in particular to the method and apparatus of a kind of authorized call card call.

Background technology

The purposes of telephone calling card is well-known.For example, client might receive that a permission charges into telephone call charges the phonecard of clients account.Usually, the user need dial with call card and handle the number that service is associated, and will be prompted to dial in certain number of the account and personal identification number (PIN), so that carry out authentication vs. authorization.Authorize and checking in case finished, then can point out calling party to dial called number, and calling charge will be credited to clients account.If revealed number of the account and PIN to unauthorized user, this class call card is easy to meet with fraud so.A kind of well-known swindle technology is that the people who uses call card to call out is monitored.By monitoring and write down the number of dialling in phone that someone can determine to enter the required number of dialing of account, can use the account to carry out unwarranted call thus.

In the technology that is used for resisting this type of fraud, wherein a kind of Technology Need uses the special phone with magnetic card reading.Account and PIN information are built in the magnetic stripe on the call card.When the card holder wishes to use call card, described card will be inserted into magnetic card reading, at this moment then can read account and PIN information.This method that reads account and PIN information has automatically been eliminated the user and has been used numeric keypad to dial the necessity of information.Thus, account and PIN information can not revealed to monitoring user because of carelessness and be made telephonic the 3rd people.But, there is a significant deficiency in this technology, that is exactly that this call card can only be used with those phones of having the ability to read magnetic stripe, concerning the local call snooping equipment, it can write down number of the account and PIN in the Dual Tone Multifrequency tone that phone becomes to send with the magnetic card reading information translation on telephone wire.

Correspondingly, need a kind of method and apparatus that is used to the calling card telephone call mandate in the art, wherein said method and apparatus has stoped fraud, and does not need to use special telephone plant.

Summary of the invention

One aspect of the present invention relates to a kind of call card apparatus.Planar body comprises: accumulator system, input circuit, controller and display.Accumulator system is configured to store key code information.Input circuit is configured to receive personal identification number (PIN).Controller is configured to use PIN to come to draw secret key code from key information.Display is configured to show secret key code.Then, the user can use secret key code to come using the call authorization of call card.When the user used call card, secret key code can change in time.Because the user is with user PIN input phone, thus this call card meet with not too easily by the third party implement without permission and/or rogue use.

What another aspect of the present invention related to is that call is handled.Call request is to use call card and user account to receive.The secret key code that call card produces will be received.This secret key code is to obtain the cipher key code information on being kept at call card by using the PIN be associated with user account.Call authorization is examined by verifying this secret key code.Will ask a telephone number here.Then, calling will be routed according to this telephone number.In certain embodiments, calling be with first and second end points that PSTN (PSTN) is connected between initiate.This calling is routed on packet network.So, non-subscriber can handle with voip technology to the calling between internet protocol voice (VoIP) technology.

Description of drawings

By reference example, the more detailed description of the present invention that can as above be summarized, understood in detail above-mentioned feature of the present invention thus, wherein some embodiment is in the accompanying drawings by illustration.Yet should be noted that, accompanying drawing only illustration exemplary embodiments of the present invention, should not be considered to thus its scope is limited, for purposes of the invention, it allows to have same effectively other embodiment.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of describing the illustrative embodiments of the communication system of one or more aspects according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of describing the illustrative embodiments of the safety call card of one or more aspects according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 describes the process flow diagram of illustrative embodiments that the method for call is handled in according to the present invention one or more aspects; And

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of describing another illustrative embodiments of the communication system of one or more aspects according to the present invention.

Embodiment

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of describing the illustrative embodiments of the communication system 100 of one or more aspects according to the present invention.This communication system 100 comprises end points 102 (being also referred to as first end points), one or more communication networks 104, call processing device 106 and end points 107 (being also referred to as second end points).Communication network 104 can comprise various types of circuit switching and/or packet network, and these networks can comprise PSTN (PSTN), internet protocol voice (VoIP) network, the Internet or the like.More detailed example about communication network 104 is described with reference to Figure 4 hereinafter.

End points

102 and 107 can comprise the various device that can receive call via communication network 104, comprises Time Division Multiplexing phone (routine call just), Internet Protocol (IP) phone, computing machine or the like.

Call processing device 106 comprises various device and the system that is used to implement the call treatment center.This call processing device 106 is configured to carry out one or more functions, comprising the call of using telephone calling card to initiate is handled.Call processing device 106 can communicate with database 112, and this database has then kept the data that are associated with the call card account.The telephone calling card of being handled by call processing device 106 can be conventional call card, and wherein the user uses described card to come telephone calling, and then, described call will be credited to the bill of proper account.Other illustrative telephone calling cards comprise " pre-payment " call card.The prepaid call card is associated with an account, and wherein the account is to come pre-loaded with minute piece that will use (a block ofminutes).Purchase of customer has the prepaid call card of particular charge.What in fact, the user bought is minute piece that telephone calling will be used.When user's telephone calling, at this moment can call out the spent time and difference charged to the prepaid call card that is associated with regard to each.After account emptied, some prepaid call cards can be processed falls.Other prepaid call cards then can come " supplementing with money " by buying additional minute.

In certain embodiments, call out and to be to use secure phone calls card (" safety call card 114 ") and to initiate to end points 107 from end points 102.This safety call card 114 has been got rid of the needs that user 116 dialed or otherwise imported the safe private data of personal identification number (PIN) and so on.On the contrary, the user imports safety call card 114 with PIN, and wherein this safety call card is transferred secret key code of output.Then, this secret key code will be replaced PIN and is used to verify the user that call card 114 safe in utilization makes a call.Secret key code can change in time, so that the previous secret key code that produces can not be used for authenticating security call card 114.So, safety call card 114 has greatly reduced the third party illegally obtains private data (for example PIN) when user 116 uses described card risk.The illustrative embodiments of safety call card 114 will be described hereinafter.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of describing the illustrative embodiments of the safety call card 114 of one or more aspects according to the present invention.Safety call card 114 comprises the main body 202 that is generally the plane.This main body 202 can be made with the material of plastics, metal, similar type or the combination of this type of material.Main body 202 comprises input digit keyboard 204, controller 206, display 208 and accumulator system 210.What accumulator system 210 was stored is can be for the cipher key code information of derivation secret key code.In one embodiment, cipher key code information comprises a plurality of secret key code that are associated with user PIN.As an alternative, cipher key code information can be the mechanism that allows to produce in response to user PIN secret key code.For example, cipher key code information can be that a kind of PIN of acceptance is as the algorithm of importing and export effective secret key code.This algorithm can be carried out by controller 206.In certain embodiments, accumulator system 210 comprises nonvolatile memory system, for example programmable read-only memory (prom), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically-erasable PROM (EEPROM), FLASH storer or the like.In certain embodiments, accumulator system 210 can comprise detachable member, for example detachable FLASH storage card.

Controller 206 can comprise the processing element or the steering logic of any kind as known in the art.This controller is connected to the input of reception from input digit keyboard 204, and provides output to display 208.Input digit keyboard 204 can comprise and the corresponding a plurality of buttons of corresponding a plurality of alphanumeric character (for example numeral between 1～6).The user then uses numeric keypad 204 to import PIN, and then, this PIN receives controlled device 206.Display 208 can comprise any display that can show the alphanumeric character sequence as known in the art, comprises digital read-out display, for example LCD (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) display or the like.If provided input PIN, controller 206 will obtain related with it secret key code so, and described secret key code is offered display 208, so that it is shown to the user.

Controller 206 by reference-to storage system 210 with and the cipher key code information of stored obtain secret key code.For example in certain embodiments, in accumulator system 210, stored a group key code, and this secret key code is associated with specific PIN.If the input PIN from input digit keyboard 204 is complementary with the PIN that is associated with this set of cipher key codes, controller 206 can obtain a secret key code in this group so.In other embodiments, under situation about having provided from the input PIN of input digit keyboard 204, controller 206 is carried out the algorithm that is kept in the accumulator system 210, so that obtain secret key code.For instance, this algorithm can comprise and is used to obtain PIN and produces password encryption function as the alphanumeric output code of the regular length of secret key code or the like.In other words, this PIN will be used as one " seed " and produce secret key code.Other inputs (seed) that combine with PIN when this algorithm can also be taken into account such as day are so that produce secret key code.Make like this and will guarantee that secret key code changes in time.Usually, this algorithm must allow the call treatment center can recover user PIN from secret key code, can confirm otherwise that perhaps the secret key code of being imported is associated with user PIN.For example, the call treatment center can use secret key code (if used other data to produce secret key code, so also can be other data) to carry out the inverse process of cipher key code algorithm as parameter input.

In certain embodiments, main body 202 also comprises communication interface (I/F) 212.Communication interface 212 is connected with accumulator system 210.This communication interface 212 can be used for depositing cipher key code information in accumulator system 210.Communication interface 212 can comprise any telecommunication circuit as known in the art, comprising any wireline interface (for example USB (universal serial bus) (USB)), wave point or the like.

Safety call card 114 can with traditional account or prepaid account be associated.Accumulator system 210 can be upgraded with time dependent new key code information.210 of accumulator systems can use communication interface 212 to upgrade.For example, communication interface 212 can be connected with the computing machine 250 that is connected to the network 252 such as the Internet.So, cipher key code information new or the process renewal can download to safety call card 114 by computing machine 250 from network 252, so that be kept in the accumulator system 210.If accumulator system 210 comprises detachable components, for example detachable FLASH memory chip can come more new key code information by new detachable components is inserted accumulator system 210 so.As an alternative, detachable components can remove, upgrade and insert again accumulator system 210.The possible mechanism that it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the cipher key code information that is used for updated stored device system 210 is a lot.

In certain embodiments, the user can be connected to a database via computing machine 250 and network 252 with safety call card 114, for example data presented storehouse 112 in the communication system 100 of Fig. 1.Database 112 can comprise a large amount of secret key code, these secret key code be associated corresponding among a plurality of PIN of corresponding a plurality of users each.The user can set up PIN by accessing database 112, and then, this PIN will be associated with a plurality of secret key code.Then, the secret key code that is used to specify PIN can be downloaded to the accumulator system 210 of secure access card 114 with corresponding PIN.In this embodiment, numerous different users can use the individual access card.Each user can set up a PIN, and then, this PIN will be associated with a plurality of secret key code.This secret key code and PIN are downloaded to accumulator system 210.Each user will produce unique secret key code according to user PIN.

In other embodiments, the user can adopt aforesaid mode to set up PIN, but can not produce set of cipher key codes.On the contrary, will use a kind of algorithm here and in user's call card 114 safe in utilization " dynamically (on the fly) " produce secret key code.This algorithm can be via computing machine 250 and network 252 and is downloaded to the accumulator system 210 of secure access card 114.In this embodiment, as long as employed algorithm is identical in call card, so any client can use other any clients' safety call card.

For the sake of clarity, as illustration, it is independent functional part that input digit keyboard 204, controller 206, display 208, accumulator system 210 and communication interface 212 all are shown as.It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more in these parts can be used as individual equipment, for example integrated circuit (IC) makes up and implement.Under any circumstance, the electronic component on the safety call card 114 all is connected to the power supply 214 in the main body 202.Power supply 214 can comprise the power supply of any kind as known in the art, comprises battery, solar cell or the like.

Fig. 3 describes the process flow diagram of illustrative embodiments that the method 300 of call is handled in according to the present invention one or more aspects.Method 300 can be understood with reference to the communication system 100 of figure 1.This method starts from step 302, and wherein user's 116 call card 114 safe in utilization are come request call.For example, the telephone number (for example free code) that user 116 can place calls processor 106.Then, user 116 can import its number of the account or to the indication of the other types of call processing device 106 identifying users 116.

In step 304, call processing device 106 is to user's 116 prompting secret key code.In step 306, user's 116 call card 114 safe in utilization and the PIN that is associated with user or user account produce secret key code.As mentioned above, user 116 can produce secret key code by PIN being imported safety call card 114.Then, derive secret key code the cipher key code information that safety call card 113 uses PIN (and might use additional information) to preserve in it.Afterwards, safety call card 114 is shown to user 116 with secret key code, and the user can be sent to secret key code call processing device 106 thus.

In step 308, the secret key code that call processing device 306 receives from user 116.In step 310, call processing device 306 is examined call authorization by the authentication secret code.For instance, if secret key code is to obtain from a plurality of secret key code that are associated with PIN, call processing device 306 can recover the PIN that is associated with secret key code so.If secret key code obtains from cipher key code algorithm, call processing device 306 can be applied to secret key code the inverse process of cipher key code algorithm so, so that recover PIN.Any situation no matter, call processing device 306 can examine all that the PIN that is recovered is actual to be associated with user account.

In step 312, will determine whether that wherein permitting user 116 makes a call.If do not allow, method 300 proceeds to step 314 so, and this calling will be rejected there.Otherwise method 300 proceeds to step 316, and call processing device 106 can prompting user 116 input telephone numbers there.In step 318, call processing device 106 receiving dialed numbers, and come route to call out according to this telephone number., for example, call processing device 06 impels end points 107 indication incoming calls.If replied incoming call on end points 107, call processing device 106 will assist to finish being connected via communication network 104 between end points 102 and the end points 107 so.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of describing another illustrative embodiments of the communication system 400 of one or more aspects according to the present invention.What communication system 400 showed is the more specific embodiment of Fig. 1 communication system 100.This communication system 400 comprises circuit-switched network 402, one or more packet network 404 and circuit-switched network 406.Circuit-switched

network

402 and 406 can be the part of consolidated network, and is commonly called PSTN.As well known in the art, PSTN comprises local call operator (LEC) and interexchange carrier (IXC).Packet network 404 can comprise by the Internet Protocol of the various interconnection of various physical operation (IP) network.At least a portion of this packet network 404 can be called as the Internet usually.

In this example, phone 408 is connected with circuit-switched network 402, and phone 410 is connected with circuit-switched network 406.Phone 408 and 410 comprises the black phone that is connected with PSTN, and can be called as pstn telephone.Packet network 404 also is used to transmit call, and these services are commonly called internet protocol voice (VoIP).Give an example, voip technology allows the user to come telephone calling by the Internet rather than use PSTN.In this example, phone is connected with a terminal adapter (ta) 414, and this adapter transfers to be connected with packet network 404.One of function of TA 414 is to convert voice signal to digital data packets, so that transmit on packet network 404, some phone has built-in terminal adapter, and is commonly called IP phone.

In addition, in this example, personal computer (PC) 416 is connected with gateway/router 419,419 of this gateway/router then be connected to packet network 404.Because PC comprised microphone and loudspeaker usually, therefore, PC 416 can also be used as phone, and can work in the mode similar to phone 412 and TA 414.PC416 carries out the function of TA, so that convert voice signal to digital data signal, thereby transmits on packet network 404.Though shown phone and PC here for example, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the equipment of other types also can be used for implementing voip phone, for example notebook, PDA(Personal Digital Assistant) or the like.

In some cases, the pstn telephone user can call out the voip phone user, for example the calling between phone 408 and phone 412 (PSTN-VoIP call-flow).In this case, the user of phone 408 dials the user's who is assigned to phone 412 number.It is the number that is associated with the VoIP service supplier that circuit-switched network 402 is identified as this telephone number, and this calling is sent to inbound point (POP) or the regional data center (RDC) (" inbound POP/RDC 418 ") of existing.This inbound POP/RDC 418 provides an interface between circuit-switched network 402 and packet network 404.Inbound POP/RDC 418 will call out the call treatment center 420 that offers the VoIP service supplier via packet network 404.Call treatment center 420 obtains the IP address of the TA 414 that is associated with phone.Then, call treatment center 420 is announced incoming call to TA 414 with signal.Between inbound PIO/RDC 414 and the call treatment center 420 and the signaling between call treatment center 420 and the TA 414 can use various signaling protocols to carry out, session initiation protocol (SIP) or the like for example.If answering call on phone 412 will be set up a voice flow by packet network 404 so between TA 414 and inbound POP/RDC418, for example real-time transport protocol (rtp) flows or the like.Inbound POP/RDC 418 will be transformed into phone 408 via the voice flow of circuit-switched network 402 transmission.Calling out end, inbound POP/RDC 418 and TA 414 usefulness signals inform that to call treatment center 420 calling finishes.Thus, appropriate charge information can be determined in call treatment center 420.Above-mentioned call flow only is exemplary, for the sake of clarity, has omitted associated various details here.

In other cases, the user of voip phone will call out the user of pstn telephone, for example the calling between phone 412 and the phone 410 (VoIP-PSTN call flow).In this case, the user of phone 412 dials the user's telephone number that is assigned to phone 410.It is the pstn telephone number of a standard that call treatment center 420 is identified as this telephone number, and will call out via packet network 404 and offer departures POP or RDC (" departures POP/RDC 422 ").Departures POP/RDC 412 provide an interface between packet network 404 and circuit-switched network 406.These departures POP/RDC 422 becomes the Time Division Multiplexing form with the IP data-switching, and described form then is switched to circuit-switched network 406.Then, circuit-switched network 406 is announced incoming call to phone 410 with signal in a usual manner.Between departures POP/RDC 422 and the call treatment center 420 and the signaling between call treatment center 420 and the TA 414 can carry out SIP or the like for example with various signaling protocols.If answering call on phone 410 is then set up voice flow, for example a rtp streaming or the like via packet network 404 between TA 414 and departures POP/RDC 422.Calling out end, departures POP/RDC 422 and TA 414 usefulness signals inform that to call treatment center 420 this calling finishes.Thus, appropriate accounting information can be determined in call treatment center 420.Above-mentioned call flow only is exemplary, and for the sake of clarity, has omitted associated various details here.

In above-mentioned call flows, one of them user has subscribed voip technology (for example user of phone 412).Concerning the user who does not subscribe voip technology, this user is not given the option that voip technology is adopted in the calling of initiating to other non-subscribing user in advance.For example, the calling between phone 402 and the phone 410 normally only uses PSTN (circuit-switched network 404 and 406) to facilitate.In certain embodiments of the present invention, even the user is not the subscriber of voip technology and the other technologies subscriber who is calling out non-voip technology (for example calling between the pstn telephone), the pstn telephone user also can use the VOIP technology selectively.This processing can call card 114 safe in utilization be finished.

Especially, pstn telephone (for example phone 402) user obtains the safety call card 113 that the VoIP service supplier provides.Suppose to provide the VoIP service supplier of safety call card 114 also to operate inbound and departures POP/

RDC

418 and 422, and call treatment center 420.Call treatment center 420 is connected with PSTN (for example circuit-switched network 404 and/or circuit-switched network 406).Thus, in certain embodiments, call treatment center 420 provides the function similar with POP/RDC, just docks between packet network 404 and PSTN.Then, the user can use aforesaid safety call card 113 in the method 300 of Fig. 3.Call treatment center 420 is used packet networks 404 and will be called out from phone 402 and be routed to called phone.420 receptions of call treatment center and packetizing are from the voice signal of phone 402, so that transmit via packet network 404.If called phone is voip phone (for example phone 412), call treatment center 420 can will be called out by packet network 404 in the mode of as above describing in the PSTN-VoIP call flow and is routed to TA 414 so.If called phone is pstn telephone (for example phone 410), call treatment center 420 can will be called out by packet network 404 in the mode of as above describing in the VoIP-PSTN call flow and is routed to POP/RDC (POP/RDC 422 for example sets off) so.So, the calling between two pstn telephones can call card 114 safe in utilization and voip technology assist to finish.

Though described different embodiment hereinbefore, should be appreciated that these embodiment only provide as illustration, rather than in order to limit.Thus, the range of preferred embodiment and scope should not be subjected to the restriction of above-mentioned illustrative embodiments, but only define according to follow-up claim and equivalent thereof.

Claims

1. call card apparatus comprises:

Plane card main body, installed on it:

The accumulator system that is configured to store key code information;

Be configured to receive the input circuit of personal identification number (PIN);

The controller that is configured to use PIN and from cipher key code information, draws secret key code; And

Be configured to show the display of secret key code.

2. the equipment of claim 1, wherein accumulator system comprises nonvolatile memory system.

3. the equipment of claim 1, wherein cipher key code information comprises a plurality of secret key code that are associated with PIN, and its middle controller is configured to by selecting one of a plurality of secret key code to draw secret key code.

4. the equipment of claim 1, wherein cipher key code information comprises cipher key code algorithm, and its middle controller be configured to by use PIN as parameter input carry out cipher key code algorithm and draw secret key code.

5. the equipment of claim 4, its middle controller is configured to use the additional data that combines with PIN to carry out cipher key code algorithm as parameter input.

6. the equipment of claim 1, its midplane card main body also comprises:

The communication interface that is connected with accumulator system, it is configured to receive cipher key code information, so that deposit it in accumulator system.

7. the equipment of claim 1, wherein input circuit comprises the input digit keyboard, and wherein display comprises digital read-out display.

8. method of handling call comprises:

Use call card and user account to come the receipt of call request;

The secret key code that the receipt of call card produces, this secret key code are to use the personal identification number (PIN) that is associated with user account and draw from the cipher key code information that call card is stored;

Examine call authorization by the authentication secret code;

Prompting input telephone number; And

Come route to call out according to this telephone number.

9. the method for claim 8, wherein cipher key code information comprises a plurality of secret key code that are associated with PIN, and wherein examines step and comprise:

Database is searched for, and is one of a plurality of secret key code that are associated with PIN so that examine this secret key code.

10. the method for claim 8, wherein cipher key code information comprises cipher key code algorithm, and wherein examines step and comprise:

Recover PIN by the inverse process that uses secret key code to carry out cipher key code algorithm as parameter input.

11. the method for claim 10, wherein PIN is to use the additional data that combines with secret key code to recover as parameter input.

12. the method for claim 8, wherein request and secret key code receive at internet protocol voice (VoIP) service supplier's call treatment center.

13. the method for claim 8, wherein call request receives from first end points, and telephone number is associated with second end points, and wherein each in first and second end points all is connected to PSTN (PSTN), and wherein this calling via the packet network route.

14. a communication system comprises:

Be configured to provide first end points of call request;

Second end points;

Call card, it is configured to produce secret key code, and wherein this secret key code is to use the personal identification number (PIN) that is associated with user account and draws from cipher key code information; And

The call treatment center, it is configured to examine call authorization by the authentication secret code, the telephone number of prompting input second end points, and will call out from first end points and be routed to second end points.

15. the system of claim 14 also comprises:

Packet network;

Wherein this calling of route is come via this packet network in the call treatment center.

16. the system of claim 15, wherein each in first end points and second end points all links to each other with PSTN (PSTN).

17. the system of claim 14, wherein call card comprises:

Plane card main body, installed on it:

The accumulator system that is configured to store key code information;

Be configured to show the display of secret key code.

18. the system of claim 17, wherein cipher key code information comprises a plurality of secret key code that are associated with PIN, and its middle controller is configured to by selecting one of a plurality of secret key code to draw secret key code.

19. the system of claim 17, wherein cipher key code information comprises cipher key code algorithm, and its middle controller is configured to by using PIN to draw secret key code as parameter input execution cipher key code algorithm.

20. the system of claim 17, its midplane card main body also comprises: