MERCHANT SERVER PROGRAMMED FOR USER ACQUISITION WITHIN A REPEAT PAYMENT COMPUTER SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A computer-based method of processing repeat payments, comprising:
- receiving, with a merchant server, a phone number of a user mobile phone;
transmitting, with the merchant server, the phone number to a mobile billing operator server for the mobile billing operator server to execute at least one default payment cycle that includes receiving a payment from the mobile billing operator server at the merchant server;
receiving, at the merchant server following the default billing cycle, credit card details from the user mobile phone at the merchant server;
registering, with the merchant server, the credit card details with a merchant scheduling assistant of the merchant server; and
executing, with the merchant scheduling assistant, at least one modified billing cycle that includes causing a charge to be entered against a credit card number in an account database of a credit card institution server other than the carrier server.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A repeat payment computer system includes a merchant server and mobile billing operator server that are programmed for user acquisition through carrier billing and subsequent conversion to credit card billing. An advantage of the process is that the user does not have to enter credit card information for the default billing cycles to occur. The user only enters a phone number and password. Fewer barriers are provided for the user to become a regular repeat customer of the merchant server. The fees associated with mobile billing according to the default billing cycles have to be paid by the merchant server and may be too high in the long run. The merchant server can avoid the high fees associated with carrier billing by switching the user to billing according to the credit card information provided. The user is typically switched after the user has already become a regular customer.
12 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A computer-based method of processing repeat payments, comprising:
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receiving, with a merchant server, a phone number of a user mobile phone; transmitting, with the merchant server, the phone number to a mobile billing operator server for the mobile billing operator server to execute at least one default payment cycle that includes receiving a payment from the mobile billing operator server at the merchant server; receiving, at the merchant server following the default billing cycle, credit card details from the user mobile phone at the merchant server; registering, with the merchant server, the credit card details with a merchant scheduling assistant of the merchant server; and executing, with the merchant scheduling assistant, at least one modified billing cycle that includes causing a charge to be entered against a credit card number in an account database of a credit card institution server other than the carrier server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A repeat payment computer system comprising:
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a processor; a computer-readable medium connected to the processor; and a set of instructions on the computer-readable medium, the set of instructions being executable by the processor and including a merchant server having; an account database; a mobile website; and a merchant scheduling assistant, wherein the website receives a phone number of a user mobile phone, transmits the phone number to a mobile billing operator server for the mobile billing operator server to execute at least one default payment cycle that includes receiving payment from the mobile billing operator server and recording the payment in the account database, the website further receiving, following the default payment cycle, credit card details from the user mobile phone and registering the credit card details with the merchant scheduling assistant, the merchant scheduling assistant executing at least one modified billing cycle that includes causing a charge to be entered against a credit card number in an account database of a credit card institution server other than the carrier server. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computer, carries out a method comprising:
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receiving, with the merchant server, a phone number of a user mobile phone; transmitting, with the merchant server, the phone number to a mobile billing operator server for the mobile billing operator server to execute at least one default payment cycle that includes receiving a payment from the mobile billing operator server at the merchant server; receiving, at the merchant server following the default billing cycle, credit card details from the user mobile phone at the merchant server; registering, with the merchant server, the credit card details with a merchant scheduling assistant of the merchant server; and executing, with the merchant scheduling assistant, at least one modified billing cycle that includes causing a charge to be entered against a credit card number in an account database of a credit card institution server other than the carrier server.
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Specification