Payment system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for facilitating payments via a telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a purchase request from a user;
sending a vouch for request associated with said purchase request to a network provider associated with said telecommunications network;
determining if said network provider vouches for said user;
if said network provider vouches for said user, releasing an item or service associated with said purchase request; and
said network provider requesting payment from said user for said released item or service associated with said purchase request.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A payment system and method are disclosed, whereby a user can order content or services via the Internet using a mobile radiotelephone. The mobile phone can be coupled to the content or service provider via the Internet (e.g., using the Wireless Application Protocol). The user can be billed for the purchased content or service(s) in the bill for the mobile phone.
49 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating payments via a telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a purchase request from a user;
sending a vouch for request associated with said purchase request to a network provider associated with said telecommunications network;
determining if said network provider vouches for said user;
if said network provider vouches for said user, releasing an item or service associated with said purchase request; and
said network provider requesting payment from said user for said released item or service associated with said purchase request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for facilitating payments via a telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:
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sending a purchase request f or an item or service via a wireless communications unit and said telecommunications network;
determining if said user is associated with a network provider for said telecommunications network;
if said user is not associated with a network provider for said telecommunications network, requesting identification information associated with said wireless communications unit from said user;
if said user responds to said request for identification information, allocating a transaction phone number associated with said user and said purchase request;
if a phone call for said transaction phone number is received, releasing an item or service associated with said purchase request; and
requesting payment from said user for said released item or service associated with said purchase request. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for facilitating payments via a telecommunications network, comprising:
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a first processing unit associated with a network provider;
a second processing unit coupled to said first processing unit, said second processing unit associated with a content or service provider; and
a payment processor unit, said first and second processing units coupled to said payment processor unit, wherein said first and second processing units and said payment processor unit are operable, in combination, to;
receive a purchase request from a user;
send a vouch for request associated with said purchase request to a network provider associated with said telecommunications network;
determine if said network provider vouches for said user;
release an item or service associated with said purchase request if said network provider vouches for said user; and
request payment from said user for said released item or service associated with said purchase request. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for facilitating payments via a telecommunications network, comprising:
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a wireless telecommunications network coupled to said telecommunications network;
a first processing unit associated with said wireless telecommunications network;
a second processing unit coupled to said first processing unit, said second processing unit associated with a content or service provider; and
a payment processor unit, said second processing unit coupled to said payment processor unit, wherein said first and second processing units and said payment processor unit are operable, in combination, to;
send a purchase request for an item or service via said first processing unit and said telecommunications network;
determine if said user is associated with a network provider for said telecommunications network;
request identification information associated with said wireless communications unit from said user if said user is not associated with a network provider for said telecommunications network;
allocate a transaction phone number associated with said user and said purchase request if said user responds to said request for identification information;
release an item or service associated with said purchase request if a phone call for said transaction phone number is received; and
request payment from said user for said released item or service associated with said purchase request. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. Software for facilitating payments via a telecommunications network, the software embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:
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receive a purchase request from a user;
send a vouch for request associated with said purchase request to a network provider associated with said telecommunications network;
determine if said network provider vouches for said user;
release an item or service associated with said purchase request if said network provider vouches for said user; and
request payment from said user for said released item or service associated with said purchase request.
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32. Software for facilitating payments via a telecommunications network, the software embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:
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send a purchase request for an item or service via a wireless communications unit and said telecommunications network;
determine if said user is associated with a network provider for said telecommunications network;
request identification information associated with said wireless communications unit from said user if said user is not associated with a network provider for said telecommunications network;
allocate a transaction phone number associated with said user and said purchase request if said user responds to said request for identification information;
release an item or service associated with said purchase request if a phone call for said transaction phone number is received; and
request payment from said user for said released item or service associated with said purchase request.
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Specification