Integrated mobile application server and communication gateway

• US 20060258397A1
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ShopText Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ShopText Incorporated
• Inventors: Kaplan, Mark Mitchell, Rand, Colin
• Application Number:
  US11/125,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/52 for operator independent billing system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8221 Message based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/28 SMS billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7826 Message based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A system is provided that includes a request module adapted to receive a request from an initiation interface initiated by a user and a user profile module adapted to associate the request with a user profile of the user. The user profile includes at least a payment plan selected by the user and an identification number of the user. The system also includes a payment interface adapted to submit a payment demand to the payment plan and a mobile communication interface adapted to transmit a confirmation to a mobile communication network for transmission to a wireless device associated with the identification number. In the system, the initiation interface may be a wireless device, a magnetic swipe reader, a wireless barcode reading device, an RFID interface, a website, and/or a web banner interface. A method of operating a server is provided. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a processor is provided.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a request module adapted to receive a request from an initiation interface initiated by a user;

a user profile module adapted to associate the request with a user profile of the user, the user profile including at least a payment plan selected by the user and an identification number of the user;

a payment interface adapted to submit a payment demand to the payment plan; and

a mobile communication interface adapted to transmit a confirmation to a mobile communication network for transmission to a wireless device associated with the identification number.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the initiation interface is at least one of:

the wireless device;

a magnetic swipe reader;

a wireless barcode reading device;

an RFID interface;

a website; and

a web banner interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication interface is adapted to submit the request in the form of at least one of:

an SMS message;

an EMS message;

an MMS message;

a wireless web upload;

an email; and

a WAP mini site link.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the payment plan is at least one of a credit card, a debit card, a prepaid card, and an internet-based payment plan.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an order fulfillment module adapted to:

receive the request from the request module; and

send the request to an order fulfillment center.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the request is for at least one of:

a consumer article;

a consumer service;

a credit to a loyalty program; and

a media download.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a data mining module, a reporting module, a handset identification module, and a content management module.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a loyalty system; and

a transaction record database.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the confirmation is at least one of:

adapted to prompt a response from the user to authorize the request and the payment demand;

adapted to communicate to the user the request and the payment demand; and

an IVR interface adapted to obtain at least one datum from the user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one datum is at least one of a size datum, a color datum, and a style datum.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a download module adapted to send data to the wireless communication network for downloading to the wireless device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes at least one of:

a mobile phone;

a mobile phone including a camera;

a personal digital assistant; and

a WIFI-enabled mobile handset.

13. A method of operating a server, comprising:

receiving at the server a selection from a purchase interface by a user;

accessing by the server a user profile including at least a payment plan selected by the user and an identification number of the user; and

requesting by the server an authorization from a wireless device associated with the identification number, the wireless device being operated by the user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising submitting a payment demand to the payment plan.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising, if the authorization is sent by the user to the server, performing at least one of:

downloading data from the server to the wireless device;

submitting a fulfillment request to a fulfillment center for sending a consumer article to the user; and

crediting a loyalty program associated with the user.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the purchase interface is at least one of:

the wireless device;

a magnetic swipe reader;

a wireless barcode reading device;

an RFID interface;

a website; and

a web banner interface.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing an interactive voice response dialogue with the user to determine at least one datum from the user.

18. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a processor, the set of instructions comprising:

receiving at the server a selection from a purchase interface by a user;

accessing by the server a user profile including at least a payment plan selected by the user and an identification number of the user; and

requesting by the server an authorization from a wireless device associated with the identification number, the wireless device being operated by the user.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising, if the authorization is sent by the user to the server, performing at least one of:

downloading data from the server to the wireless device;

submitting a fulfillment request to a fulfillment center for sending a consumer article to the user; and

crediting a loyalty program associated with the user.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising submitting a payment demand to the payment plan.