Payment monitoring system
First Claim
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1. A method of encouraging payments associated with a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing to the computer system current customer information from a database, the current customer information including a shutoff value;
comparing the shutoff value and a current value of the computer system; and
enabling use of the computer system if the current value of the computer system is less than the shutoff value.
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Abstract
A method of encouraging timely payments that are associated with a computer system. The method includes enabling use of the computer system based upon a comparison of a current value of the computer system and a shutoff value retrieved through a communication link from a monitoring system. The method may further include disabling use of the computer system based upon the comparison of the current value and the is greater the shutoff value.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of encouraging payments associated with a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing to the computer system current customer information from a database, the current customer information including a shutoff value;
comparing the shutoff value and a current value of the computer system; and
enabling use of the computer system if the current value of the computer system is less than the shutoff value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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13. A computer readable medium for encouraging payments associated with a computer system, the computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions which when executed by the computer system cause the computer system to:
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compare a retrieved shutoff value and a current value of the computer system, the shutoff value being based upon a credit associated with the computer system and the current value being based upon a system clock of the computer system; and
enable use of the computer system based upon determining that the retrieved shutoff value is greater than the current value.
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17. A method of establishing a usage period associated with a computer system for a user, comprising the steps of:
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notifying the user that a payment associated with the computer system is due by a first shutoff value;
receiving a second shutoff value;
providing the second shutoff value to the computer system through a communication link; and
enabling use of the computer system if a current value of the computer system is less than the second shutoff value.
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25. A method of encouraging payments associated with a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing to the computer system current customer information from a database, the current customer information including a shutoff value, which is based upon at least one credit associated with the computer system;
comparing the shutoff value to a current value of the computer system; and
enabling use of the computer system based upon the comparison of the current value and the shutoff value.
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Specification