Patent ID: RE39376

Claim:
Apparatus for processing billing information through a switched network telephone system for offering pay per view amenities to a user at an amenity device within a facility, the apparatus comprising: a telephone at said facility and connected to said switched network telephone system by a telephone line, said telephone for transmitting and receiving information on said line; a line powered card reader connected to said telephone for reading credit cards and extracting billing information therefrom; a power supply connected to said line and said card reader for converting power of said line to a power supply voltage with sufficient current to power said card reader; a processor connected to said card reader and said telephone for controlling said card reader to extract said billing information from said credit card and for transmitting said extracted billing information on said line; a billing computer connected to said telephone system for receiving and validating said transmitted billing information; and a central distribution computer box located at said facility and connected without said switched network telephone system directly to said amenity device for facilitating the offer of a pay per view offering responsive to said billing computer validation.