PREPAID CELLULAR PHONE NO-CHARGE TRANSACTION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A no-charge transaction system for use with a prepaid cellular telephone, wherein said prepaid cellular telephone includes a conventional cellular telephone instrument with a voice communications means and a digital input means in the form of an array of alphanumeric keys for providing call data, said call data including transaction request data to identify a transaction, said no-charge transaction system comprising:
- a prepaid cellular telephone service provider for providing cellular telephone service to said prepaid cellular telephone, anda wireless network coupled to said prepaid cellular telephone service provider and for presenting voice and call data developed by said prepaid cellular telephone, said wireless network for receiving call data generated by said prepaid cellular telephone, identifying said prepaid cellular telephone service provider corresponding to said prepaid cellular telephone and transferring said call data to said prepaid cellular telephone service provider,said prepaid cellular telephone service provider including means for receiving said call data, means for identifying said transaction request data and means for validating said call data against a user account corresponding to said prepaid cellular telephone,said prepaid cellular telephone service provider generating message data upon validation of said call data and transmitting said message data to said prepaid cellular telephone to verify identification of said transaction request data and to verify validation of said call data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A no-charge transaction service method and apparatus for prepaid cellular telephones is provided which utilizes a prepaid cellular telephone in conjunction with a wireless intelligent network coupled to a prepaid cellular service provider. The user enters a short code to indicate a top-up request or other transaction request along with payment information into the prepaid cellular telephone using the alphanumeric keypad. The call data is transmitted to the wireless network which identifies the call and transfers the information to the prepaid cellular service provider. The prepaid cellular service provider identifies the transaction type, validates the call data and sends a verification message to the prepaid cellular telephone and other associated equipment, if any, via short message service, push to talk service, or other means without completing the originating call.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A no-charge transaction system for use with a prepaid cellular telephone, wherein said prepaid cellular telephone includes a conventional cellular telephone instrument with a voice communications means and a digital input means in the form of an array of alphanumeric keys for providing call data, said call data including transaction request data to identify a transaction, said no-charge transaction system comprising:
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a prepaid cellular telephone service provider for providing cellular telephone service to said prepaid cellular telephone, and a wireless network coupled to said prepaid cellular telephone service provider and for presenting voice and call data developed by said prepaid cellular telephone, said wireless network for receiving call data generated by said prepaid cellular telephone, identifying said prepaid cellular telephone service provider corresponding to said prepaid cellular telephone and transferring said call data to said prepaid cellular telephone service provider, said prepaid cellular telephone service provider including means for receiving said call data, means for identifying said transaction request data and means for validating said call data against a user account corresponding to said prepaid cellular telephone, said prepaid cellular telephone service provider generating message data upon validation of said call data and transmitting said message data to said prepaid cellular telephone to verify identification of said transaction request data and to verify validation of said call data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In combination with a wireless cellular telephone network, a no-charge transaction system for use with a prepaid cellular telephone comprising:
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a prepaid cellular telephone having an array of alphanumeric keys for providing call data, said call data including service provider data and transaction request data, and a service provider for providing cellular telephone service to said prepaid cellular telephone, said wireless network coupled to said service provider and receiving call data generated by said prepaid cellular telephone, identifying said service provider corresponding to said service provider data and transferring said call data to said service provider, said service provider including means for receiving said call data, means for identifying said transaction request data and means for validating said call data, said service provider generating message data upon validation of said call data and transmitting said message data to said wireless network for delivery to said prepaid cellular telephone to verify identification of said transaction request data and to verify validation of said call data. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. In combination with a wireless cellular telephone network, a method for providing a no-charge transaction system for use with a prepaid cellular telephone including:
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a) entering call data into a prepaid cellular telephone by actuating an array of alphanumeric keys on said prepaid cellular telephone, said call data including service provider data and transaction request data, b) transmitting said call data to a wireless network, c) receiving said call data by said wireless network and identifying a service provider from said service provider data, d) transferring said call data to said service provider, e) receiving said call data by said service provider, identifying said transaction request data, and validating said call data, f) upon validation of said call data, transmitting message data to said wireless network for delivery to said prepaid cellular telephone, g) receiving said message data by said wireless network and transferring said message data to said prepaid cellular telephone, and h) receiving said message data by said prepaid cellular telephone to acknowledge validation of said call data sent by said prepaid cellular telephone. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for a service provider to provide a no-charge transaction for increasing the time credits available on a prepaid cellular telephone having service provider data and user account data programmed therein comprising the steps of:
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a) issuing transaction request data by a service provider to a user of a prepaid cellular telephone, said transaction request data including a processing code and a credit amount code; b) instructing said user to enter and to transmit said transaction request data along with said user account data and said service provider data as call data through the prepaid cellular telephone across a cellular telephone network;
said service provider data selected to cause a server on said cellular telephone network to route said call data to said service provider;c) receiving by said service provider said call data transmitted by said user from said prepaid cellular telephone across the cellular telephone network;
said processing code being recognized by said service provider so that a return code is not sent to said server for purposes of placing a call and thereby causing said server to route said call data to said service provider without charging said service provider for a completed call;d) validating said call data, e) increasing a credit balance stored in an account associated with the user account data by an amount associated with said credit amount code; f) transmitting message data to the prepaid cellular telephone, and g) receiving said message data by said prepaid cellular telephone to acknowledge adding the amount associated with said credit amount code to the credit balance in the account associated with the user account data. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for providing a no-charge top-up transaction for use with a prepaid cellular telephone comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving transaction request data by the prepaid cellular telephone, b) transmitting call data developed by the prepaid cellular telephone including said transaction data and service provider data, c) receiving said call data by a service provider corresponding to said service provider data, d) validating said call data, transmitting message data to the prepaid cellular telephone, and e) receiving said message data by said prepaid cellular telephone to acknowledge validation of said call data sent by said prepaid cellular telephone.
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Specification