What is claimed is:
1. A method for providing prepaid 800 or 900-type calling services, comprising:
receiving an 800 or 900-type call request from a caller using a prepaid account;
determining if the caller’s prepaid account is authorized for the call request;
authorizing the desired communication or other services in connection with the call request;
determining charges associated with the communication or other services provided in connection with the call request; and
adjusting a credit value of the caller’s prepaid account in accordance with the determined charges.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving an 800 or 900-type call request comprises:
receiving a signal representing an 800 or 900 telephone number; and
receiving a signal representing the caller’s prepaid account.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining if the caller’s prepaid account is authorized comprises:
accessing stored information corresponding to the prepaid account; and
determining if the prepaid account properly corresponds to the call request.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of authorizing communication or other services comprises:
authorizing telecommunication services for an 800 or 900 telephone call.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of authorizing communication or other services comprises:
providing an 800 or 900 service subscriber corresponding to the call request with information including at least one of a prepaid account expiration date, a product identifier, a call category, caller identification information, a product purchase date, caller service history, and a current prepaid account credit value.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining charges associated with the communication or other services provided comprises:
determining a length of time of the 800 or 900-type call.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining charges associated with the communication or other services provided comprises:
receiving information from the 800 or 900 service subscriber regarding services provided to the caller.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining charges associated with communication or other services provided comprises:
receiving information from the 800 or 900 service subscriber representing an adjustment amount of a credit value for the caller’s prepaid account.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining charges associated with the communication or other services provided comprises:
determining an amount to charge the 800 or 900 service subscriber for services provided in connection with the 800 or 900-type call request.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining charges associated with the communication or other services provided comprises:
determining an amount to charge an entity other than the caller and the 800 or 900 service subscriber.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting a credit value for the caller’s prepaid account comprises:
adjusting a credit value amount representing at least one of a total currency amount, a total length of time, a type of call, a number of calls, a number of calls or call time for a time segment that is part of a larger authorization period, and an expiration date.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting a credit value for the caller’s prepaid account comprises:
adjusting information maintained by a telecommunications service provider.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting a credit value for the caller’s prepaid account comprises:
adjusting information stored on a hand-held storage device storing information regarding the caller’s prepaid account.
14. An 800900 prepaid service device associated with a telecommunications switching network that receives an 800 or 900-type call request from a caller representing a call to be made to a called party using a caller’s prepaid account, the 800900 prepaid service device comprising:
a call detector that detects that the call request represents an 800 or 900-type call associated with prepaid call services;
a prepaid account manager that determines if the caller’s prepaid account is authorized for the call request, determines charges associated with communication or other services provided if the caller’s prepaid account is authorized, and adjusts a credit value of the caller’s prepaid account in accordance with the determined charges; and
a memory that stores information associated with the caller’s prepaid account.
15. The 800900 prepaid service device of claim 14, wherein the call detector detects a signal representing an 800 or 900 telephone number.
16. The 800900 prepaid service device of claim 14, wherein the prepaid account manager accesses information stored in the memory corresponding to the caller’s prepaid account and determines if the prepaid account properly corresponds to an 800 or 900 telephone number detected by the call detector.
17. The 800900 prepaid service device of claim 14, wherein the prepaid account manager authorizes a telecommunications switching network to provide telecommunication services for the 800 or 900 telephone call.
18. The 800900 prepaid service device of claim 14, wherein the prepaid account manager provides the called party with information including at least one of a prepaid account expiration date, a product identifier, a call category, caller identification information, a product purchase date, caller service history, and a current prepaid account credit value.
19. The 800900 prepaid service device of claim 14, wherein the prepaid account manager receives information from the called party regarding services provided to the caller and uses the information to determine charges for the call.
20. The 800900 prepaid service device of claim 14, wherein the prepaid account manager adjusts a credit value amount of the caller’s prepaid account representing at least one of a total currency amount, a total length of time, a type of call, a number of calls, a number of calls or call time for a time segment that is part of a larger authorization period, and an expiration date.
21. The 800900 prepaid service device of claim 14, wherein the memory comprises:
a first memory device that stores information regarding 800 and 900 telephone numbers associated with caller prepaid accounts; and
a second hand-held memory device storing information regarding the caller’s prepaid account.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for exploration or treatment of a vessel or organ, the apparatus comprising:
a flexible elongated body having a proximal end and a distal extremity, the distal extremity including an ablation end effector having irrigation ports;
at least one irrigation channel disposed within the flexible elongated body, the at least one irrigation channel being in fluid communication with the irrigation ports;
a flexible force measurement structure affixed to the distal extremity of the flexible elongate body, the flexible force measurement structure including a proximal ring and a distal ring arranged concentrically about a longitudinal axis, the flexible force measurement structure being operatively coupled with an emitter and a plurality of receivers, the plurality of receivers adapted to receive signals emitted from the emitter and, in response, the plurality of receivers adapted to output signals that vary in response to a displacement of the distal ring relative to the proximal ring due to a contact force on an exterior of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate body; and
a controller including a microprocessor operatively coupled with the plurality of receivers and adapted to receive and process the signals output therefrom, the microprocessor being configured to compute a contact force vector from the signals, the contact force vector being multi-dimensional and corresponding to the contact force on the exterior of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate body.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ablation end effector is a radiofrequency ablation electrode.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of receivers are fiber optics.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the emitter is a light source operatively coupled to the fiber optics.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the ablation end effector based on the signals output from the plurality of receivers.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the controller is configured to operate the ablation end effector when a magnitude of the multi-dimensional force is within a predetermined range of values.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a direction of the multi-dimensional force vector ranges from a purely axial force to a purely radial force.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the emitter and at least one of the plurality of receivers are optically coupled to a single optical fiber disposed in the flexible elongate body.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of columnar members extending longitudinally between the proximal ring and the distal ring, each of the columnar members defined by a pair of laterally-oriented members coupled to a pair of longitudinally oriented members.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the pair of laterally-oriented members is coupled to the pair of longitudinally-oriented members to form a parallelogram-shaped structure, and wherein one of the longitudinal members is coupled to the proximal ring and the other longitudinal member is coupled to the distal ring.
11. An apparatus for exploration or treatment of a vessel or organ, the apparatus comprising:
a flexible elongated body having a proximal end and a distal extremity, the distal extremity including an ablation end effector having irrigation ports;
at least one irrigation channel disposed within the flexible elongated body, the at least one irrigation channel being in fluid communication with the irrigation ports;
a force measurement structure affixed to the distal extremity of the flexible elongate body, the force measurement structure including a proximal ring and a distal ring separated by a flexible structure, the proximal and distal rings being arranged concentrically about a longitudinal axis, the force measurement structure being operatively coupled with an emitter and a plurality of receivers, the plurality of receivers adapted to receive signals emitted from the emitter and, in response, the plurality of receivers adapted to output signals that vary in response to a displacement of the distal ring relative to the proximal ring due to a contact force on an exterior of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate body; and
a controller including a microprocessor operatively coupled with the plurality of receivers and adapted to receive and process the signals output therefrom, the microprocessor being configured to compute a contact force vector from the signals, the contact force vector being multi-dimensional and corresponding to the contact force on the exterior of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate body.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the ablation end effector based on the signals output from the plurality of receivers.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the controller is configured to operate the ablation end effector when a magnitude of the multi-dimensional force is within a predetermined range of values.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the proximal ring is continuous and the distal ring is continuous.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the proximal ring, the distal ring and the flexible structure are integrally formed.