Lock-and-key consumer billing data protection for telemarketing
First Claim
1. A method for providing a consumer billing data protection capability in a telemarketing system that stores a plurality of consumer records, each of which includes consumer identification information and partial billing information, comprising the steps of:
- enabling a sales agent, utilizing the telemarketing system, to access said consumer identification information stored in said plurality of consumer records;
receiving an input indicative that a consumer corresponding to said consumer identification information, stored in one of said plurality of consumer records, desires to purchase a product or service offered by said sales agent, said input including a key received from said consumer, wherein said key completes said partial billing information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records; and
processing an order for said product or service and billing for said order using the partial billing information stored in said one of the plurality of consumer records, and said key.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A “lock-and-key” consumer billing data protection capability is provided to telemarketing systems which are based upon previously-acquired consumer lists. The lists contain partial billing information for each consumer, which is insufficient to access the consumer'"'"'s account. Thus, at the time a telemarketer employing this capability communicates with a consumer to offer them a product or service, the telemarketer, the telemarketer'"'"'s client providing the offered product or service, and any entity hired to perform billing operations for such consumer purchases all remain “locked” out from accessing the consumer'"'"'s account. When the consumer wishes to authorize the purchase of an offered product or service, the consumer must provide the “key” to the consumer'"'"'s account, which is the missing billing information not acquired from the list provider.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for providing a consumer billing data protection capability in a telemarketing system that stores a plurality of consumer records, each of which includes consumer identification information and partial billing information, comprising the steps of:
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enabling a sales agent, utilizing the telemarketing system, to access said consumer identification information stored in said plurality of consumer records;
receiving an input indicative that a consumer corresponding to said consumer identification information, stored in one of said plurality of consumer records, desires to purchase a product or service offered by said sales agent, said input including a key received from said consumer, wherein said key completes said partial billing information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records; and
processing an order for said product or service and billing for said order using the partial billing information stored in said one of the plurality of consumer records, and said key. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for providing a consumer billing data protection capability in a telemarketing system, comprising the steps of:
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storing a plurality of consumer records, each of which includes consumer identification information and partial billing information;
enabling a sales agent, utilizing the telemarketing system, to access said consumer identification information stored in said plurality of consumer records;
receiving an input indicative that a consumer corresponding to said consumer identification information, stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records, desires to purchase a product or service offered by said sales agent, said input including a key received from said consumer, wherein said key completes said partial billing information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records; and
processing an order for said product or service and billing for said order using said partial billing information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records, and said key. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for providing a consumer billing data protection capability in a telemarketing system that stores a plurality of consumer records, each of which includes consumer identification information and partial billing information, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a key from a consumer, indicative that said consumer, corresponding to the consumer identification information stored in one of the plurality of consumer records, desires to purchase an offered product or service, and wherein said key completes the partial billing information stored in said one of the plurality of consumer records; and
processing an order for said product or service and billing for said order using the partial billing information stored in said one of the plurality of consumer records, and said key. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for providing a consumer billing data protection capability in a telemarketing system that stores a plurality of consumer records, each of which includes consumer identification information and partial billing information, comprising:
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means for initiating a communication to a consumer corresponding to the consumer identification information stored in one of the plurality of consumer records;
means for receiving an input, indicative that a consumer corresponding to said consumer identification information, stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records, desires to purchase a product or service offered in said communication, said input including a key received from said consumer, wherein said key completes said partial billing information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records; and
means for processing an order for said product or service and billing for said order using the partial billing information stored in said one of the plurality of consumer records, and said key. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for providing a consumer billing data protection capability in a telemarketing system, comprising:
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storage means for storing a plurality of consumer records, each of which includes consumer identification information and partial billing information;
means for enabling a telemarketer to access said consumer identification information stored in one of said plurality of consumer records;
means for enabling said telemarketer to initiate a communication to a consumer corresponding to said consumer identification information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records;
means for receiving an input from said sales agent, indicative that a consumer corresponding to said consumer identification information, stored in one of said plurality of consumer records, desires to purchase a product or service offered by said sales agent, said input including a key received from said consumer, wherein said key completes said partial billing information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records; and
means for processing an order reflective of said product or service and billing for said order using said key. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for providing a consumer billing data protection capability in a telemarketing system that stores a plurality of consumer records, each of which includes consumer identification information and partial billing information, comprising:
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means for receiving an input, indicative that a consumer corresponding to said consumer identification information, stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records, desires to purchase a product or service offered in said communication, said input including a key received from said consumer, wherein said key completes said partial billing information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records; and
means for processing an order for said product or service and billing for said order using the partial billing information stored in said one of the plurality of consumer records, and said key. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification