Patent ID: 6246756
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A method for managing a user's usage of a telephone system, wherein the telephone system includes a dialer to dial telephone numbers and a transmitter to transmit an outgoing call upon a telephone line, wherein the outgoing call is initiated by the user, the method comprising:storing a list of one or more registered users;storing telephone usage information for each of the one or more registered users, wherein the telephone usage information is indicative of permissible telephone usage by that registered user, and wherein the telephone usage information is associated with an identification of that registered user, wherein the telephone usage information includes information indicative of a permissible telephone usage time constraint;receiving a first series of dialing signals entered by the user; wherein the first series of dialing signals includes call information which includes an identification of the user and an outgoing number;comparing the call information to the telephone usage information; anddenying use of the telephone system to the user if the comparing is indicative of a denial of usage condition, wherein the denial of usage condition is indicated if the user's usage of the telephone system violates the permissible telephone usage time constraint.