Method and system to enable, to organize, to facilitate, and to transact communications for a fee or cost born by a sender party (also known as a caller party) utilizing a network such as the internet

• US 20050240432A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Jensen
• Original Assignee: John Jensen
• Inventors: Jensen, John
• Application Number:
  US11/136,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240432A1
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system for enabling, organizing, and facilitating the transmission of communication for a fee or cost born by a Sender Party (also known as a Caller Party) over a network such as the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for using a computer to enable or to facilitate the sending or transmission of email, electronic text, digitized, or digital communication in which the Sender Party or Parties (also known as Caller party or Parties), at, before, or after the time of sending or transmitting the communication, pays a fee, bears a cost, or provides consideration which benefits in part the receiving party, comprising:

i. utilizing a network presence;

ii. establishing and organizing one or more network or Internet-based Merchant Intermediaries, email gateways, message centers, e-commerce sites, or combinations thereof;

iii. enabling one or more Sender or Caller Parties to input terms or information into the website, computer, or other database including by the use of clicks on hypertext links, to search for or to locate a Receiver Party or an address, name, account, location, affiliation, or reference identification associated with a specific party to receive the communication;

iv. enabling one or more Sender or Caller Parties to input into the computer information (including inputting text, graphics, sound, or other information), that creates, formats, forwards, edits, modifies, addresses, or directs a communication or transmission;

v. enabling one or more Sender or Caller Parties to input into the computer a payment identifier, account information, security code, or other information to enable a Sender or Caller_party to pay for, to assume a cost or obligation, to charge or otherwise to bill, to account, to debit, to access benefits, to license, or otherwise to transfer benefits or consideration that in whole or in part benefit a receiver party;

vi. charging or requiring a payment or transfer of benefits from Sender or Caller Party, at, before, or after the time of sending or transmission of the Caller'"'"'s or Sender'"'"'s communication to Receiver Party'"'"'s account;

vii. segregating, transmitting, storing, holding, distributing, or passing through transmissions or communications to an account, address, or location associated with a specific receiver party;

viii. compensating party who receives communications or participates in the method.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the step of establishing and organizing one or more network or Internet-based Merchant Intermediaries, email gateways, message centers, e-commerce sites, or combinations thereof, comprises:

i. establishing one or more network presence(s) on one or more networks, computers, or devices;

ii. establishing one or more internet-based web-sites or network based interactive information providers including those incorporating one or more databases, web-based email providers, email gateways, traditional mail servers, e-commerce sites, or combinations thereof;

iii. organizing one or more internet-based web-sites or network-based interactive information providers including those incorporating one or more databases, web-based email servers, email gateways, traditional mail servers, e-commerce sites, or combinations thereof to allow Receiver Parties to input information;

enable Receiver Parties to provide requested information (including contact, authentication, or financial information relating to Receiver Party) or other information requested by Merchant Intermediary;

establish accounts (including email and payment accounts);

enable one or more Receiver parties to list or publish information about themselves on the network presence or web-site of the Merchant Intermediaries;

bind Receiver Party to agreement with Merchant Intermediary.

iv. further comprising;

establishing one or more email account(s) and address(es) for Receiver Party, including establishing unique addresses, accounts, mailboxes, pass-through means, or other identifiers or repositories for Receiver parties to receive communications or transmissions;

v. establishing and providing one or more network accessible searchable database(s), searchable information display or interface of accounts, names, persons, entities, identifiers, or other references related to Persons or entities that have agreed to or able to receive email or communication for a fee to enable a Caller or Sender party to browse, to search for, to locate, or to find a Receiver Party or an address, account, location, or reference identification associated with a specific Receiver party to receive the communication;

vi. and providing additional information, pages references, links, or other data about or concerning the receiver party or its associations.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the step, or part of the step, of to search for or to locate a Receiver Party or an address, name, account, location, affiliation, or reference identification associated with a specific party to receive the communication, comprises:

i. verifying, checking, or authenticating that the specific Receiver parties to receive the communication are authentically associated with the commonly known party most often or commonly associated in the public'"'"'s mind with the name or association of the name given as a party intending to receive communication;

ii. enabling the Merchant Intermediary, by automated means and other means, to check and verify the information provided by the Receiver Party upon the Receiver Party'"'"'s establishment of an account and for the Merchant Intermediary to verify by use of third party authentication measures, computerized, automated, in person, and otherwise, that the Person or entity requesting to be affiliated with the Name is actually associated with the named Receiver Party;

iii. Providing a means for the Caller or Sender Party to search, find, locate, identify, and access addresses, accounts, locations, or reference identifications associated with a specific party to receive the communication or transmission;

iv. Providing additional information about the receiver party or its associations.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the step of inputting into the computer search terms or information to search for or to locate the address, account, location, or reference identification associated with a specific party to receive the communication, comprises:

i. establishing addresses, accounts, locations, reference identifications, identifiers, channels, codes, e-mail addresses, web site addresses or pages, storage accounts, or other repositories, pass-through accounts, addresses, sites, or means for parties to receive or to store communication or transmission;

ii. organizing the addresses, accounts, locations, reference identifications, identifiers, channels, codes, e-mail addresses, web site addresses or pages, storage accounts, or other repositories, pass-through accounts, addresses, sites or means so that they can be searched and located by the name or association of the parties to receive the communication or transmission;

iii. providing a means to search, find, locate, identify, and access addresses, accounts, locations, or reference identifications associated with an account or address associated with a specific party to receive the communication or transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the step of enabling one or more Caller or Sender Parties to input into the computer information (including inputting text, graphics, sound, or other information), that creates, formats, forwards, edits, modifies, addresses, or directs a communication or transmission, comprises:

i. Providing services or means to enable Sender or Caller parties to input information such as text, audio, or graphics or to create, to format, or to direct communications, e-mail, or transmissions.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the step of enabling one or more Sender or Caller Parties to input into the computer a payment identifier, account information, security code, or other information to enable a Caller or Sender party to pay for, to assume a cost or obligation, to charge or otherwise to bill, to account, to debit, to access benefits, to license, or otherwise to transfer benefits or consideration that in whole or in part benefit a receiver party comprises:

i. Establishing terms, conditions, and legal agreements between the Sender or Caller Party and the Merchant Intermediary_parties;

ii. Inputting or enabling Receiver parties to input into the computer information that forms the basis of a contract and to require or to allow the Sender or Caller Party to accept or to form a legally binding contract or agreement between the Sender (or Caller) and Receiver parties on the Receiver Party'"'"'s terms and conditions;

iii. Enable Merchant Intermediary to authenticate or to verify, by automated, in person, third party or other authentication means, the identity and information provided by a Caller or Sender Party;

iv. providing services or means to enable one or more Sender or Caller parties to pay for, to assume a cost or obligation, to charge or otherwise to bill, to account, to debit, to access benefits, to license, to provide consideration, or otherwise to compensate or benefit one or more other Receiver parties;

v. providing services or means to process payment, to transact financial transfers, to authenticate or authorize transactions, to charge a Sender or Caller party a fee or cost, to receive payment and consideration, to segregate consideration received, to account for consideration received, or otherwise to enable a Sender or Caller party to provide or to transfer consideration.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the step of segregating, transmitting, storing, holding, distributing, or passing through transmissions or communications to an account, address, or location associated with a specific receiver party, comprises:

i. Segregating, storing, holding, or directing transmissions or communications directed to a specific receiver party in or to an web-based mail, traditional email, or other email account, location or address associated with a specific receiver party;

ii. transmitting, passing through, or distributing communication to Receiver parties or to an account or address or location associated with receiver party on or corresponding to a receiver party'"'"'s request or agreement to access or receive communication.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the step of compensating party who receives communications or participates in the method comprises:

i. Receiving, authorizing, and segregating financial and beneficial transfers;

ii. accounting for fees, revenues, costs, and other items;

iii. compensating or paying parties that have received communication or participated for his or her or their reception, participation, or per agreement.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the Sender or Caller party is referred or delivered directly to a page, address, account, or location associated with a receiver party such that the Sender or Caller_party does not have to input or to search for or locate the page, address, account, or location associated with a receiver party.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the Sender or Caller party does not have to input or enter any information or data relating to the address, account, or content of the communication because the Sender or Caller Party'"'"'s communication is pre-existing or automatically directed, forwarded, transmitted, or otherwise addressed or sent to the address or account corresponding to the specific receiver party.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the Sender or Caller party does not have to enter any payment identifier, account information, security code, or other information to enable the Sender or Caller party to access an existing account, to transfer payment, or to provide consideration because the Sender or Caller party'"'"'s computer or other device, for example by use of cookies or other means, automatically provides this or other information.

13. The method of claim 1, where the Caller or Sender Party uses a computer, network device, telephone, VoIP, or internet telephony to transmit information.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver party charges or requests the Merchant Intermediary to charge the Caller Party or Sender Party at some point in time after the information has been transmitted to Receiver Party or to Receiver Party'"'"'s account.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver party may set the terms, price, and conditions of the agreement or communication.

17. The method of claim 1 where the Sender or Caller Party'"'"'s communication includes one of more types or kinds of data or information including for example, text, characters, audio, graphics, compressed video, instant messaging, chat, voice, VoIP, or any other type of information that can be expressed in compressed, encoded, computerized, or digital form.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps or processes are automated or performed automatically, except for the steps iii-v of claim 1 where they require inputting information into the computer.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of the method and steps may be taken in different orders or sequences or performed simultaneously.

9. A method for enabling or facilitating electronic communication in which a Merchant Intermediary enables or facilitates one or more parties to pay a fee, bear a cost, or provide consideration that in whole or in part benefits the party that receives the communication for the right or opportunity to transmit or to direct a communication to the receiver party, comprising:

i. establishing an interface, site, identifier, or network presence on one or more networks or devices;

ii. establishing addresses, accounts, identifiers, channels, codes, e-mail addresses, web site addresses, storage accounts, or other repositories, pass-through accounts, addresses, sites, or means;

iii. establishing one or more unique accounts, or addresses for unique receiver parties in which the Merchant Intermediary may hold, segregate, or pass through information or transmissions directed to a specific Receiver, account, or address;

iv. establishing a means for a Sender or Caller party to locate the address or account of a specific receiver party;

v. providing services or means to allow Sender or Caller parties to create, to format, or to direct communications or transmissions to specified receiver parties;

vi. providing services or means to allow Sender or Caller parties to pay for, to assume a cost or obligation, to charge or otherwise to bill, to account, to access benefits, to debit, to license, or otherwise to compensate or benefit the Merchant Intermediary or the Receiver;

vii. charging or requiring a payment of fee, accounting of pre-existing benefits, or a present transfer of benefits or consideration by Sender or Caller Party, or other party on Sender or Caller Party'"'"'s behalf prior to, at, or after connecting, sending, transmitting, or forwarding Sender or Caller Party'"'"'s communication to Receiver Party'"'"'s account, address, or to a location associated with a specific receiver;

viii. providing services or means to receive fees, to segregate benefits received, to charge Sender or Caller parties a fee or cost or otherwise processes financial transactions or transfers associated with a Sender or Caller party'"'"'s acquiring the right or the opportunity to transmit or to direct communication to an address or account associated with a specific Receiver party;

ix. receiving, authorizing and accounting for fees, revenues, costs, and other items;

x. transmitting, storing, holding, or distributing Sender or Caller Party'"'"'s communication to Receiver parties or to accounts, addresses, or locations associated with Receiver parties;

xi. compensating or paying Receiver parties for his or her or their participation.

16. The method of claim 9 where the Sender or Caller Party'"'"'s communication is stored on the email server, host computer, or other device of the Merchant Intermediary and not transmitted immediately to another computer.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the Sender Party or Caller party accesses the Merchant Intermediary by utilizing a voice network or communicates using voice or audio information.