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United States Patent [w]

Kamel

US006009150A [ii] Patent Number: [45] Date of Patent:

6,009,150 Dec. 28,1999

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Primary Examiner—Scott Weaver

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—-Jones Volentine, LLP

[57] ABSTRACT

An interactive voice response and call process application and system for delivering promotional messages allows a user to select a desired number of promotional messages which are played before a connection is established. The user may also request additional promotional messages at any time during the connection in order to extend a free or subsidized connection period provided by the system. The system monitors the connection and provides a warning tone to the user prior to the end of the free or subsidized calling period. The user may then request an additional promotional message, to extend the time period, or terminate the connection in an orderly fashion.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets

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