System and method to provide real time transaction validation and billing via a communications network

• US 20040068473A1
• Filed: 10/20/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appcarouseldirect Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wmode Inc. (AppDirect, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zeeb, Kevin G., Woronuk, Dennis, Woodward, Robert S., Cooper, Dave M.L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for providing real-time validation to a content provider of a customer'"'"'s request transmitted via a communications system for delivery of content by the content provider to the customer via a communications system. A request for validation of the customer from the content provider, the request including data identifying the customer, is dealt with by determining from the identifying data whether the customer is a subscriber and then immediately requesting acknowledgement by the customer of the customer'"'"'s request for the delivery of the content. Upon receipt of an acknowledgement from the customer a validation of the customer'"'"'s request is sent to the content provider.

Claims

1. A computer method for providing real-time validation to a content provider of a customer'"'"'s request transmitted via a first communication method for delivery of content by the content provider to the customer, the method comprising:

maintaining a subscriber database containing data identifying subscribers;

receiving from the content provider a request for validation of the customer'"'"'s request, the content provider'"'"'s request including data identifying the customer;

querying the subscriber database to determine whether the data identifying the customer matches that corresponding data for a subscriber;

if the data identifying the customer matches that corresponding data for a subscriber, then requesting via a second communication method acknowledgment from the subscriber of the request for the delivery of the content; and

upon receipt of an acknowledgment from the subscriber, sending to the content provider a validation of the customer'"'"'s request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second communication methods use a common communication system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the common communication system is a wireless system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for validation includes data identifying at least one characteristic of the content requested by the customer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identifying characteristic is a charge to be paid by the customer if the customer'"'"'s request is acknowledged and validated to the content provider.

6. The method of claim 5, additionally comprising billing the charge to the subscriber, if the customer'"'"'s request is acknowledged and validation is sent to the content provider.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the charge, if acknowledged and validated to the content provider, is aggregated with charges corresponding to other content that has in a similar manner been requested by the customer, acknowledged by the subscriber, and the transaction validated to the relevant content providers; and

the aggregated charges are periodically billed to the subscriber.

8. A computer system for providing real-time validation to a content provider of a customer'"'"'s request transmitted via a first communication method for delivery of content by the content provider to the customer, the system comprising:

a subscriber database server containing data identifying subscribers;

a first communication interface for sending data to and receiving data from the content provider via a second communication method;

a second communication interface for sending data to and receiving data from the subscribers via a third communication method; and

a processor for

processing data received by the first communication interface requesting validation of the customer'"'"'s request, the request received including identification data,

querying the subscriber database to determine whether the identification data matches corresponding data for a subscriber,

if the identification data matches corresponding data for a subscriber, causing the second communication interface to send data requesting acknowledgment from the subscriber of the request for the delivery of the content, and

upon receipt of an acknowledgment by the second communication interface from the subscriber, causing the first communication interface to send to the content provider a validation of the customer'"'"'s request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the request for validation includes data identifying at least one characteristic of the content requested by the customer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the identifying characteristic is a charge to be paid by the subscriber if the customer'"'"'s request is acknowledged and validated to the content provider.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor bills the charge to the subscriber if the customer'"'"'s request is acknowledged and validation is sent to the content provider.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the charge, if acknowledged and validated to the content provider, is aggregated with charges corresponding to other content that has in a similar manner been requested by the customer, acknowledged by the subscriber, and the transaction validated to the relevant content providers; and

the aggregated charges are periodically billed to the subscriber.