METHOD FOR PROVIDING MICRO BILLING FOR GENERIC INTERNET SERVICE IN AN ACCESS NETWORK
First Claim
1. A method for online billing comprising the steps of:
- providing billing information for a user to a micro-billing agent at a an access point, said micro-billing agent containing billing information that remains exclusively contained within the micro-billing agent for online transactions; and
detecting a presence of a micro-billing transaction identifier at the access point, by using a micro-billing filter where the micro billing agent uses the micro-billing transaction identifier externally of said access point to conduct a transaction without transmitting said billing information externally of said access point.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The method for providing micro-billing for internet services includes establishing a micro-billing agent (MBA) within a user'"'"'s access point (i.e., Internet Service Provider—ISP). The MBA contains the user'"'"'s billing information and keeps that information exclusive to the MBA. By retaining the user'"'"'s information with their access point, the user can conduct more secure online transactions, particularly for low cost transactions, without the inconvenience of inputting or transferring personal purchasing information to the online store. According to one aspect, the purchase page may be previously encoded with a micro-billing option which would enable the MBA to obtain user authorizations in online transactions in a more streamlined and secure manner.
16 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for online billing comprising the steps of:
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providing billing information for a user to a micro-billing agent at a an access point, said micro-billing agent containing billing information that remains exclusively contained within the micro-billing agent for online transactions; and detecting a presence of a micro-billing transaction identifier at the access point, by using a micro-billing filter where the micro billing agent uses the micro-billing transaction identifier externally of said access point to conduct a transaction without transmitting said billing information externally of said access point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for conducting online billing transactions comprising the steps of:
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establishing a micro-billing agent; receiving a user selected purchase page at the micro-billing agent, containing a selectable micro-billing option; sending a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) embedded with a micro-billing label from the micro-billing agent to a web server corresponding to an online store associated with the selected purchase page; and receiving an invoice and signature confirmation at the micro-billing agent from a micro billing server corresponding to the online store. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 16)
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11. A program storage device having an application program for use in a computer tangibly embodied thereon, including instructions for performing at least the following:
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establishing a micro-billing agent at an access point, said micro-billing agent containing billing information corresponding to a user, wherein said billing information remains exclusively contained within the micro-billing agent for online transactions; and establishing a micro-billing filter at the access point, said micro-billing filter for detecting the presence of a micro-billing transaction identification for the micro-billing agent. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15)
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14. The program storage device of 12, wherein the application program further includes instructions for performing at least the following:
- confirming micro-billing transaction with the user selecting the purchase page after detection of the micro-billing label.
Specification