Internet billing

• US 20050203835A1
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Net-Express Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Net-Express Ltd.
• Inventors: Refuah, Aviv, Fenster, Maier, Nhaissi, Eli, Refuah, Zeev
• Application Number:
  US09/744,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203835A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments

Abstract

A method of pre-paid Internet access, comprising: accessing an Internet using a prepaid account, which access deducts from a balance of said account; and performing one or more activities while connected to said Internet, which activities modify said balance additionally to said accessing. These activities may increase or decrease the balance.

Claims

1-87. -87. (canceled)

88. A method of pre-paid Internet access, comprising:

accessing an Internet using an anonymous prepaid account, which access deducts from a balance of said account; and

performing one or more activities not directly related to an issuer of said account and at most indirectly related, while connected to said Internet, which activities incidentally modify said balance additionally to said accessing, which activities are other than a requesting by an accessor of said account to transfer funds to said account from another account.

89. A method according to claim 88, wherein said one or more activities increase said balance.

90. A method according to claim 89, wherein said one or more activities comprise accessing a particular site.

91. A method according to claim 89, wherein said one or more activities comprise replying to a questionnaire.

92. A method according to claim 89, wherein said one or more activities comprise providing personal identifying information.

93. A method according to claim 89, wherein said one or more activities comprise requesting a service and wherein said balance is increased responsive to said service not being performed in a satisfactory manner.

94. A method according to claim 93, wherein comprising automatically determining, using a computer, if said service is performed satisfactory.

95. A method according to claim 94, wherein said service comprises a search and wherein satisfactory service comprises receiving suitable search results.

96. A method according to claim 89, wherein said one or more activities comprise viewing an advertisement.

97. A method according to claim 88, wherein said one or more activities decrease said balance.

98. A method according to claim 97, wherein said one or more activities comprise purchasing a physical item on the Internet.

99. A method according to claim 97, wherein said one or more activities comprise purchasing a service on the Internet.

100. A method according to claim 97, wherein said one or more activities comprise downloading software.

101. A method according to claim 97, wherein said one or more activities comprise posting an advertisement.

102. A method according to claim 97, wherein said one or more activities comprise retrieving information from an information providing service.

103. A method according to claim 97, wherein an accsessor of said Internet using said account is queried for conformation before at least one of said activities cause a charge deduction.

104. A method according to claim 97, wherein said Internet connection is mediated by a pre-paid server and wherein said pre-paid server transfers funds to pay for at least one of said one or more activities.

105. A method according to claim 88, wherein said one or more activities include activities which increase said balance and activities which decrease said balance and wherein said increasing activities and said decreasing activities cancel each other out, at least in part.

106. A method according to claim 88, wherein said balance is constrained to remain positive.

107. A method according to claim 88, wherein said balance is allowed to become negative.

108. A method according to claim 88, wherein a deduction responsive to said access is dependent on a quality of service of said connection.

109. A method according to claim 108, wherein said quality of service comprises a bandwidth.

110. A method according to claim 108, wherein said quality of service comprises a response time.

111. A method according to claim 108, wherein said quality of service comprises an image quality.

112. A method according to claim 108, wherein said quality of service comprises a measure of advertising included in said Internet access.

113. A method according to claim 108, wherein said quality of service is a predefined quality of service.

114. A method according to claim 108, wherein said quality of service is an actual quality of service.

115. A method according to claim 88, wherein said access to said Internet is anonymous.

116. A method according to claim 88, wherein a user name is associated with said account after said account is used for a first time.

117. A method according to claim 88, wherein an e-mail address is associated with said account.

118. A method according to claim 88, comprising presenting a balance of said account to said user, while said user performs said one or more activities.

119. A method according to claim 88, comprising limiting access to said Internet responsive to limitation information associated with said account.

120. A method according to claim 119, wherein said information is associated with said account after said account is first used.

121. A method according to claim 88, wherein said account has a virtual personality associated therewith.

122. A method according to claim 121, wherein said accessing is modified responsive to said virtual personality.

123. Apparatus comprising:

a computer; and

a storage media having software stored thereon, wherein said software supports said accessing and said modifying said account according to claim 88.

176. A method according to claim 88, wherein deductions from said account are in small denominations.

177. A method according to claim 88, wherein deductions from said account are in denominations selected from a small set of denomination values.

124. A method of maintaining pre-paid account, comprising:

providing a first pre-paid Internet access account associated with personalized information;

providing a second pre-paid card; and

transferring at least a part of a balance between the account and the card.

125. A method of Internet access, comprising:

detecting a connection request, by a connection server;

automatically selecting, by the connection server, an ISP (Internet Service Provider), from a plurality of available providers, for the connection; and

automatically performing the connection using the automatically selected ISP.

126. A method according to claim 125, wherein said connection server is implemented on a computer used to connect to the Internet.

127. A method according to claim 125, wherein said connection server is implemented on a computer other than one used to connect to the Internet.

178. A method according to claim 125, comprising pre-purchasing a plurality of connections for providing said available ISPs.

179. A method according to claim 125, comprising deducting for said connection from a pre-paid account, said account being independent of said selected ISP.

128. A method of Internet connection, comprising:

dialing up an Internet access number, to start a session;

selecting an ISP (Internet Service Provider) after said dialing;

indicating said selected ISP during said session;

connecting to the Internet after said indicating, using said selected ISP; and

deducting for said connection from a pre-paid account, said account being independent of said selected ISP.

129. A method according to claim 128, comprising automatically presenting, by a connection server, to a user a selection of suitable ISPs, for said selecting.

130. A method according to claim 128, wherein said session is not an Internet session.

131. A method of Internet billing, comprising:

connecting to an Internet via a cost server;

accessing a plurality of Internet sites via said cost server, using an Internet interaction protocol, which access does not require additional actions beyond selecting a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) by a user; and

generating a debit, which debit accumulates charges at a different rate for each accessed site.

132. A method according to claim 131, wherein said Internet is accessed using a pre-paid Internet account, which account is debited using said debit.

133. A method according to claim 131, comprising presenting an indication responsive to said debit to said user during said access.

134. A method according to claim 131, wherein said cost-server is connected to via the Internet.

135. A method of pre-paid access, comprising:

providing a pre-paid account;

connecting to an Internet, debiting said account for said connection at a debit rate; and

modifying said rate responsive to a quality of service for said connection.

136. A method according to claim 135, wherein said quality of service is requested by a user of said account.

137. A method according to claim 135, wherein said quality of service is determined based on parameters of the actual connection.

138. A method of configuring a computer, comprising:

connecting to an Internet, using an arbitrary computer;

downloading from the Internet a virtual personality; and

automatically updating the arbitrary computer using the virtual personality, to be configured as indicated by said personality.

139. A method according to claim 138, wherein automatically updating comprises automatically updating a source e-mail address in an e-mail program on the arbitrary computer.

140. A method according to claim 138, wherein automatically updating comprises configuring production software program on said computer responsive to said download.

141. A method according to claim 140, wherein said production software comprises a word processor.

142. A method of placing an advertisement using a pre-paid advertising account, comprising:

slotting advertisements in available advertising slots in an Internet;

charging said slotting to said pre-paid account; and

controlling, by a user, an actual presentation of said advertising responsive to a real-time status of said account.

143. A method according to claim 142, wherein said user chooses said slots.

144. A method according to claim 142, wherein said controlling comprises modifying a targeting of said advertisements.

145. A method according to claim 142, wherein said controlling comprises modifying an exposure rate of said advertisements.

146. Software for WWW site construction, comprising:

a user input unit for receiving requests from a user;

a personality receiving unit for receiving a virtual personality associated with said user;

a selection display unit for selecting options to said user, which selections are displayed responsive to said received virtual personality, and which user input is used to select from said selections; and

a site constructor which generates a portion of said site responsive to selections by a user.

147. A method of WWW site maintenance, comprising:

determining a current virtual personality of a user associated with a particular WWW site; and

modifying a presentation of said site responsive to said determined virtual personality.

148. A method according to claim 147, wherein said modifying comprises modifying display files.

149. A method according to claim 147, wherein said modifying comprises modifying a behavior of active components associated with said site.

150. A method according to claim 147, wherein said modifying comprises replacing display files.

151. A method of commanding a computer to perform an action, comprising:

providing an Internet browser comprising at least an address entering portion and a page display portion;

entering at least an indication of a command, which command does not meet standard URL definitions, into said address portion; and

executing said command, which command is other than a command to retrieve or connect to a URL.

152. A method according to claim 151, wherein said indication comprises an explicit command.

153. A method according to claim 151, wherein said indication comprises an implicit command.

154. A method according to claim 152, wherein said command modifies a file on a computer used for said browser.

155. A method according to claim 152, wherein said command modifies a file on a computer remote from the said browser.

156. A method of manipulating a pre-paid card, comprising:

receiving an anonymous pre-paid account;

associating personal information with said account; and

interacting with an Internet using said account, which interaction is modified by said personal information.

157. A method according to claim 156, wherein said personal information comprises a user identification.

158. A method according to claim 156, wherein said personal information comprises at least one limitation on said card.

159. A method according to claim 158, wherein said at least one limitation comprises a limitation on cost expenditure using said account.

160. A method according to claim 158, wherein said at least one limitation comprises a limitation on accessing certain sites.

161. A method according to claim 156, wherein said personal information comprises a virtual personality.

162. A method according to claim 156, wherein said interaction modifies a balance of said account.

163. A method according to claim 156, wherein said personal information comprises a storage location on a computer connected to said Internet.

164. A method according to claim 156, wherein said interaction comprises accessing the Internet.

165. A method according to claim 156, wherein said pre-paid account is limited to purchasing information.

166. A method according to claim 156, wherein said pre-paid account is limited to purchasing advertising.

167. A method of calculating a pre-paid account balance, comprising:

deducting from said account responsive to activities charged to said account, which activities include an interaction with an Internet;

determining a quality of said activity; and

adding to said account responsive to said determined quality, if said quality is deemed unsatisfactory.

168. A method of doing business, comprising:

producing a plurality of pre-paid cards for interacting with the Internet and purchasing over the Internet; and

selling said cards to individual customers.

169. A method according to claim 168, wherein said cards are associated with accounts for accessing the Internet.

170. A method according to claim 168, wherein said cards are associated with accounts for purchasing advertisements.

171. A method according to claim 168, wherein said cards are associated with accounts for purchasing information.

172. A configurable computer, comprising:

a computer having production software stored in association therewith;

software loaded on said computer, which software configures said production software to match a user, responsive to personalization information provided by said user;

usage tracking software for charging for the use of said computer; and

a data port for providing said personalization information by said user.

173. A computer according to claim 172, wherein said data port comprises an Internet connection.

174. A computer according to claim 172, wherein said data port comprises a connection to a portable computer.

175. A method of satisfaction guarantee, comprising:

performing an activity over an Internet using an anonymous prepaid account;

providing an indication that said activity was unsatisfactory; and

receiving a refund to said pre-paid account, responsive to said indication.