This invention includes a voice response unit that communicates rapidly and directly with a system with minimum human intervention and minimizes the number of retransmissions of information due to errors. The rapid communication is achieved by knowing the question or prompt posed by the voice response unit and preparing a response which is speed dialed to the voice response unit. The voice response unit also examines an error correction code, i.e., Reed-Solomon, to determine if there is an error in the information transmitted to the voice response unit. The timing information enabled the voice response unit to determine whether or not one or more tones are missing from the transmitted information or one tone became two tones. The voice response unit determines if the information it received is correct based upon the error correction code. If, the information is incorrect the voice response unit uses the error correction code to determine and correct certain errors.
A method and apparatus for detecting duplicate messages and correcting garbled messages in a wireless communication device are provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, erred messages received by a wireless communication device are corrected. A first message fragment is received by the wireless communication device. The first message fragment is corrected based upon a second message fragment after it has been determined that the first message fragment contains one or more errors. According to another aspect of the present invention, a wireless communication device includes a receiver configured to receive messages transmitted over a forward channel from a messaging system; a transmitter configured to transmit responses over a reverse channel to the messaging system; and a processor. The processor is coupled to the receiver to receive messages from the messaging system. The processor is further coupled to the transmitter to transmit acknowledgments to the messaging system. Additionally, the processor is configured to correct garbled messages by determining whether or not a second message is a duplicate of the garbled message. If the second message is a duplicate of the garbled message, then the garbled message is corrected based upon the second message.
Method and system for refilling mobile terminal prepaid phone cards via electronic distribution of refill codes. Refill codes for prepaid phone cards are distributed to end users via a prepaid phone card distributor, which contracts with mobile phone operators and prepaid phone card retailers to distribute refill codes. End users enter identification and payment information to the refill code distributor, which then records the payment and returns a refill code to the end users. End users can purchase refill codes by mediums including a computer network and refill terminals located at retail shops.
