Method and system for generating a reward from a selected telephone carrier

• US 20030190029A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: InfoSpace, Inc. (Blucora Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: InfoSpace, Inc. (Blucora Incorporated)
• Inventors: Marcus, Kevin R.
• Application Number:
  US10/115,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20030190029A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/54 for revenue sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7457 Biding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network

Abstract

Described is a system and method that integrates a user'"'"'s browsing experience with the placement of telephone calls, and to generating a revenue stream for third party service providers that direct the calls to selected telephone carriers. An autodialer runs on a computing device and routes user'"'"'s calls to selected carrier'"'"'s networks based on optional embodiments for carrier selection. The telephone carrier can be pre-selected by an autodialer or be user selected from an ordered list. Predetermined selections may be based on the carrier bidding the least cost, or optionally, the carrier bidding the highest reward. The rank ordering of telephone carriers can be based on a figure of merit. The telephone carriers can be rank ordered based on the carrier most often selected by the users; or optionally based on the highest reward offered to the third party service provider by the carrier.

Claims

1. A method for directing a telephone call to a telephone carrier and generating a reward therefrom, comprising:

(a) providing a telephone number to be called;

(b) selecting a telephone carrier to complete a telephone call to the provided telephone number, wherein the selection of the telephone carrier is enabled by a third party service provider; and

(c) when the telephone carrier completes the telephone call to the telephone number, enabling the third party service provider to receive a reward from the telephone carrier for providing an opportunity to complete the call to the telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone number is selected in a display provided by a browser.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein telephone number is manually provided.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the telephone carrier to be a predetermined selection in exchange for a reward paid to the third party service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the telephone carrier to be a predetermined selection in exchange for providing the lowest cost to complete the telephone call for a user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the telephone carrier as a default selection to complete the telephone call to the telephone number, the telephone carrier providing another reward to the third party service provider to be the default selection.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the telephone carrier to be selected from a list, wherein each telephone carrier in the list is positioned by rank.

8. A method for directing a telephone call to a telephone carrier and generating a reward therefrom, comprising:

(a) providing a telephone number to be called;

(b) selecting a telephone carrier to complete the telephone call to the provided telephone number, wherein the telephone carrier is selected from a ranked position in a list;

(c) when the telephone carrier completes the telephone call to the telephone number, enabling the third party service provider to receive a reward from the selected telephone carrier for completing the telephone call to the telephone number.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising ranking the position of each telephone carrier on the list based on a cost to complete the telephone call.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising ranking the position of each telephone carrier on the list based on a frequency that each telephone carrier has been selected.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising ranking the position of each telephone carrier on the list based on a value of the reward provided to the third party service provider.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising ranking the position of each telephone carrier on the list based on a value of a reward provided to a user.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising ranking the position of each telephone carrier on the list based on a figure of merit, including quality of service.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising ranking the position of each telephone carrier on the list based on a predicted length for the call.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising ranking the position of each telephone carrier on the list based on a promotion, the promotion including one of coupon, referral reward and reduced cost with purchase.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the promotion is storable for later use.

17. A system for completing a telephone call with a telephone carrier and generating a reward therefrom, comprising:

(a) a client that enables a telephone number to be provided and the telephone carrier to be selected for completing the telephone call to the provided telephone number; and

(b) a server that enables a third party service provider to receive a reward from the selected telephone carrier for completing the call to the telephone number.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the telephone carrier carries the telephone call on a public shared telephone network (PSTN).

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising employing a wireless telephonic device to complete the telephone call to the telephone number.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising employing a wired telephonic device to complete the telephone call to the telephone number.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the client enables an interface for providing the telephone number in a web page that is provided over a network, including manually entering the telephone number and selecting the telephone number in the web page.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the telephone carrier provides a reward to the third party service provider for each client distributed to a user.

23. A system for directing a telephone call to a telephone carrier and generating a reward therefrom, including a server that performs actions, comprising:

(a) determining when a telephone number is provided in an interface;

(b) enabling the selection of the telephone carrier to complete a call to the telephone number; and

(c) when the telephone carrier completes the call to the telephone number, enabling the third party service provider to receive a reward from the selected telephone carrier that completes the call to the telephone number.

24. A system for directing a telephone call to a telephone carrier and generating a reward therefrom, including a client that performs actions, comprising:

(a) determining when a telephone number is provided in an interface;

(b) enabling the telephone carrier to be selected to complete a call to the telephone number, wherein the telephone carrier is selected in the interface; and

(c) enabling the third party service provider to receive a reward from the selected telephone carrier that completes the call to the telephone number.

25. A method for directing a telephone call to a telephone carrier and generating a reward therefrom, comprising:

(a) means for determining when a telephone number is provided;

(b) means for selecting a telephone carrier to complete a call to the provided telephone number, wherein the selection of the telephone carrier is enabled by the third party service provider; and

(c) means for enabling the third party service provider to receive a reward from the telephone carrier for providing an opportunity to complete the call to the telephone number.

26. A method for electronically generating a reward from a telephone carrier that completes a telephone call, comprising:

(a) enabling a third party service provider to determine when a telephone number is provided;

(b) selecting a telephone carrier to complete a call to the provided telephone number; and

(c) enabling the third party service provider to receive a reward from the selected telephone carrier that completes the call to the telephone number.