Abstract: System and a method for recording a personal greeting associated with a pre-paid telephone calling card. The system and method include and involve a data storage system for storing data corresponding to a pre-paid telephone calling card and a personal greeting. Also included and involved is a pre-paid telephone calling card processing system that is coupled to the data storage system and which is configured to receive a request to record the personal greeting during a setup call over a telephone network and to cause the personal greeting to be recorded for subsequent playback. The pre-paid telephone calling card processing system is also configured to receive a request to make an outbound telephone call in relation to the pre-paid telephone calling card during an access call over the telephone network and to cause the personal greeting to be played back automatically during the access call.

Abstract: System and a method for recording a personal greeting associated with a pre-paid telephone calling card. The system and method include and involve a data storage system for storing data corresponding to a pre-paid telephone calling card and a personal greeting. Also included and involved is a pre-paid telephone calling card processing system that is coupled to the data storage system and which is configured to receive a request to record the personal greeting during a setup call over a telephone network and to cause the personal greeting to be recorded for subsequent playback. The pre-paid telephone calling card processing system is also configured to receive a request to make an outbound telephone call in relation to the pre-paid telephone calling card during an access call over the telephone network and to cause the personal greeting to be played back automatically during the access call.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating the use of a pre-paid card linked to a stored value card account (e.g., a debit type card associated with an available, remaining money value, etc.). The system and method include and involve a data storage system for storing data related to a pre-paid card and a stored value card account. The stored value card account is maintained and managed by a stored value card processing system. The stored value card processing system stores a money value applicable to purchases and telephone calls. The system and method also include and involve a pre-paid telephone calling card processing system that is coupled to the data storage system and is configured to receive a request to initiate a telephone call in relation to the prepaid telephone calling card and to instruct the stored value card processing system to adjust the money value in relation to the telephone call.

Abstract: System and a method for facilitating the use of a preferred, discount rate pre-paid telephone calling card. The system and method include and involved a data storage system for storing data corresponding to a pre-paid telephone calling card and at least one location identifier related to the pre-paid telephone calling card. The location identifier(s) corresponding to at least one telephone call service rate. The system and method also include and involve a pre-paid telephone calling card processing system that is coupled to the data storage system and which is configured to receive the location identifier(s) during a setup call over a telephone network and to cause the location identifier(s) to be stored in the data storage system during the setup call.

Abstract: A programmable gateway for processing protocol conversion for a virtual bearer channel platform. The platform includes a plurality of transaction processing units (TPUs). Each TPU processes service requests transmitted by a caller or transmits service requests to a destination called party. The platform has a distribution network that interfaces with the TPUs and acts as a shared bus between the TPUs. The platform receives and transmits communications with a communications network over bearer channels of a high bandwidth pipe. A cross-connecting controller multiplexes the signals coming into the platform over the bearer channels onto the distribution network, and also demultiplexes signals going out over the bearer channels from the distribution network. A resource manager provides a centralized control for the allocation of bandwidth to the transaction processing units.

Abstract: A resource manager for managing the resources of a virtual bearer channel platform. The platform includes a plurality of transaction processing units (TPUs). Each TPU processes service requests transmitted by a caller or transmits service requests to a destination called party. The platform has a distribution network that interfaces with the TPUs and acts as a shared bus between the TPUs. The platform receives and transmits communications with a communications network over bearer channels of a high bandwidth pipe. A cross-connecting controller multiplexes the signals coming into the platform over the bearer channels onto the distribution network, and also demultiplexes signals going out over the bearer channels from the distribution network. The resource manager provides a centralized control for the allocation of bandwidth to the transaction processing units.

Abstract: A virtual bearer channel platform includes a plurality of transaction processing units. Each transaction processing unit processes one or more service requests received as a call on a bearer channel. The call data is distributed to individual transaction processing units using a high-speed shared network such as a SONET-type network. In one embodiment, the standard SONET format is modified to eliminate fields which contain data of no significance to the present environment. In another embodiment, the standard SONET format, itself, is used. The platform includes a resource manager for allocating the newly received calls to individual transaction processing units. The resource manager sets up outbound calls when requested by a transaction processing unit. A gateway interfaces with the resource manager and the external communication network for assisting in call setup in both inbound and outbound directions.