Method for providing customer on-line support via prepaid internet access
First Claim
1. A method of providing a sponsor paid Internet connect time allotment to a customer of the sponsor'"'"'s products for on-line help relating to those products, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. distributing sponsor provided Internet access software to the user along with the product;
b. providing a PIN number to the customer which PIN number entitles the customer to log on to an Internet Entry Server via said Internet access software;
c. hot-linking the customer directly into an Internet domain of the sponsor upon log on to the Internet Entry Server by the customer via said Internet access software;
d. allowing the customer to access help on-line in the Internet domain of the sponsor by inputting help queries and receiving help answers, or, alternatively,e. allowing the customer to choose to utilize the sponsor paid Internet connect time allotment to access other Internet sites via the Internet Entry Server and said Internet access software.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for a sponsor/vendor to provide customer on-line help support for consumer products such as software includes providing a prepaid Internet access account which is supplied with the consumer product. Upon accessing the Internet the customer is "hot-linked" to the domain of the sponsor/vendor where help queries can be input and help answers received, either in real time or in a time delayed fashion via E-mail. The sponsor/vendor can mandate a tour of the domain for marketing purposes prior to allowing access to on-line help services. Finally, registration of the customer is promoted since registration can be made an integral part of the log on procedure.
274 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of providing a sponsor paid Internet connect time allotment to a customer of the sponsor'"'"'s products for on-line help relating to those products, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. distributing sponsor provided Internet access software to the user along with the product; b. providing a PIN number to the customer which PIN number entitles the customer to log on to an Internet Entry Server via said Internet access software; c. hot-linking the customer directly into an Internet domain of the sponsor upon log on to the Internet Entry Server by the customer via said Internet access software; d. allowing the customer to access help on-line in the Internet domain of the sponsor by inputting help queries and receiving help answers, or, alternatively, e. allowing the customer to choose to utilize the sponsor paid Internet connect time allotment to access other Internet sites via the Internet Entry Server and said Internet access software. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of providing a sponsor paid Internet connect time allotment to a customer of the sponsor'"'"'s products for on-line help relating to those products, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. distributing sponsor provided Internet access software to the user along with the product; b. providing a PIN number to the customer which PIN number entitles the customer to log on to an Internet Entry Server via said Internet access software; c. hot-linking the customer directly into an Internet domain of the sponsor upon log on to the Internet Entry Server by the customer; d. conducting said customer through a guided tour of the sponsor'"'"'s Internet domain; and e. allowing the customer to access help on-line in the Internet domain of the sponsor by inputting help queries and receiving help answers, or, alternatively, f. allowing the customer to choose to utilize the sponsor paid Internet connect time allotment to access other Internet sites via the Internet Entry Server and said Internet access software. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of providing a sponsor paid Internet connect time allotment to a customer of the sponsor'"'"'s software products for on-line help relating to those products, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. distributing sponsor provided Internet access software to the user along with the software product; b. providing a PIN number to the customer which PIN number entitles the customer to log on to an Internet Entry Server via said sponsor Provided Internet access software; c. hot-linking the customer directly into an Internet domain of the sponsor upon log on to the Internet Entry Server by the customer; d. prompting the customer to answer a series of queries to register the product; e. conducting said customer through a guided tour of the sponsor'"'"'s Internet domain; and f. allowing the customer to access help on-line in the Internet domain of the sponsor by inputting help queries and receiving help answers, or, alternatively, g. allowing the customer to choose to utilize the sponsor paid Internet connect time allotment to access other Internet sites via the Internet Entry Server and said Internet access software. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification