EP0765068A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interactive and information data services telephone billing system
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1996-09-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-09-16
Abstract
Abstract Billing for information and/or interactive services provided to a user over the Internet by an information service provider (ISP) is arranged by the user by placing a billing telephone call to a 900 telephone number associated with the ISP for such billing purposes. The cost to the user for the 900 number billing telephone call, which is determined by the ISP, represents the charge for receiving the information and/or interactive services from the ISP, and is billed to the user's telephone number account. The ISP's 900 number account is credited by the telephone company for the call and thus for the information and/or interactive services provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Yzhak Ronen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 01:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/16; G06Q20/12; H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/14; H04L12/1403; H04L12/1432; H04L12/1439; H04L12/1442; H04L12/1446; H04L12/1453; H04L12/1457; H04L12/1464; H04L12/1482; H04L12/28; H04L12/2854; H04L12/2856; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04M; H04M15/00; H04M15/68; H04L63/00; H04L63/12; H04L63/126; H04M2215/00; H04M2215/01; H04M2215/0176; H04M2215/0196
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of billing for charges for information and/or interactive services provided to a user by a provider on a first connection comprising the steps of: initiating a billing telephone call on a separate connection to a provider's telephone number, the provider's telephone number being the type of telephone number in which the charge to a caller for a telephone call to that telephone number is determined by a called party, the charge for the billing telephone call to the provider's telephone number representing the cost for the user to obtain the information and/or interactive services provided by the provider on the first connection; and billing for the cost of the billing telephone call.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of initiating a billing telephone call comprises the step of the user signaling a telephone company to place a billing telephone call to the provider's telephone number and to bill for the cost of the billing telephone call.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of initiating a billing telephone call comprises the step of the user signaling a telephone company to bill for the cost of a billing telephone call to the provider's telephone number without placing an actual telephone call to the provider's telephone number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining that a telephone call received by the provider is the billing telephone call placed by the user to the provider's telephone number.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining that a received supplying the provider on the first connection with a telephone number telephone call is the billing telephone call comprises the steps of: from which the user places the billing telephone call; determining the automatic number identification (ANI) of the received telephone call; and determining that the received telephone call is the billing telephone call placed by the user if the ANI of the received telephone call matches the telephone number supplied to the provider by the user on the first connection.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining that a received telephone call is the billing telephone call comprises the steps of: providing an identification number to the user on the first connection; supplying the identification number provided to the user to the provider on the billing telephone call; and determining that the received telephone call is the billing telephone call placed by the user if an identification number supplied to the provider on the received telephone call matches the identification number provided to the user on the first connection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of providing the telephone company with a phone number to which to bill the billing telephone call.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
117 words
A system for billing for charges for information and/or interactive services provided to a user by a provider on a first connection, the system comprising: means for initiating a billing telephone call on a separate connection to a provider's telephone number, the provider's telephone number being the type of telephone number in which the charge to a caller for a telephone call to that telephone number is determined by a called party, the charge for the billing telephone call to the provider's telephone number representing the cost for the user to obtain the information and/or interactive services provided by the provider on the first connection; and means for billing for the cost of the billing telephone call.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said means for initiating a billing telephone call signals a telephone company to place a billing telephone call to the provider's telephone number and to bill for the cost of the billing telephone call.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said means for initiating a billing telephone call signals a telephone company to bill for the cost of a billing telephone call to the provider's telephone number without placing an actual telephone call to the provider's telephone number.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 8 further comprising means for determining that a telephone call received by the provider is the billing telephone call placed by the user to the provider's telephone number.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
93 words
The system of claim 11 wherein said means for determining that a received telephone call is the billing telephone call comprises: means for supplying the provider on the first connection with a telephone number from which the user places the billing telephone call; means for determining the automatic number identification (ANI) of the received telephone call; and means for determining that the received telephone call is the billing telephone call if the ANI of the received telephone call matches the telephone number supplied to the provider by the user on the first connection.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
91 words
The system of claim 11 wherein said means for determining that a received telephone call is the billing telephone call comprises: means for providing an identification number to the user on the first connection; means for supplying the identification number provided to the user to the provider on the billing telephone call; and means for determining that the received telephone call is the billing telephone call if an identification number supplied to the provider on the received telephone call matches the identification number provided to the user on the first connection.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
A billing method comprising the steps of: a first party billing a second party for a telephone call from the second party an amount related to a service provided by a third party to said second party; and said first party paying said third party an amount to said service.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
A billing method comprising the steps of: a telephone company billing a user for a telephone call from the user an amount related to a service provided by a provider to said user; and said telephone company paying said provider an amount related to said service.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The billing method of claim 15 wherein said telephone call is a call to a telephone number in which the cost to call that telephone number is determined by the called party.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The billing method of claim 16 wherein the service provided by the provider is the provision of information and/or interactive services on the Internet.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for providing information and/or interactive services on the Internet comprising the steps of: a provider receiving a request for said information and/or interactive services from a user; the provider receiving payment for said information and/or interactive services from a telephone company following the user calling a telephone number where a cost is associated with such calling of the telephone number, and that cost is related to the cost to the user for receiving said information and/or interactive services; and the provider providing the information and/or interactive services to the user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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