Interactive and information data services telephone billing system
First Claim
1. A method of billing for charges for information and/or interactive services provided to a user by a provider on a first point-to-point connection between the user and the provider at least in part over a data network, the user being associated with a telephone number on a switched telephone network separate from the data network, the method comprising the steps of:
- initiating, by the user, a virtual billing telephone call to a provider'"'"'s telephone number on the switched telephone network, the provider'"'"'s telephone number being the type of telephone number in which the charge to a caller for a telephone call to that telephone number is determined by a called party, the virtual telephone call not being an actual telephone call placed to the provider'"'"'s telephone number but an indication to a billing system associated with the switched telephone network to charge and bill the user for the cost of a telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number and to credit an account associated with the provider for receiving the virtual telephone call as if an actual phone call was made on the switched telephone network to the provider'"'"'s telephone number, the charge to the user for the virtual billing telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number representing the cost for the user to obtain the information and/or interactive services provided by the provider on the first connection;
sending a message to the provider that the virtual billing telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number has been made;
associating the message with the first point-to-point connection between the user and the provider; and
billing a telephone account associated with the telephone number associated with the user for the cost of the virtual billing telephone call as if an actual phone call was made to the provider'"'"'s telephone number.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Billing for information and/or interactive services provided to a user over the Internet by an information service provider (ISP) is arranged by the user by placing a virtual billing telephone call to a 900 telephone number associated with the ISP for such billing purposes. The cost to the user for the 900 number billing telephone call, which is determined by the ISP, represents the charge for receiving the information and/or interactive services from the ISP, and is billed to the user'"'"'s telephone number account. The ISP'"'"'s 900 number account is credited by the telephone company for the call and thus for the information and/or interactive services provided.
224 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of billing for charges for information and/or interactive services provided to a user by a provider on a first point-to-point connection between the user and the provider at least in part over a data network, the user being associated with a telephone number on a switched telephone network separate from the data network, the method comprising the steps of:
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initiating, by the user, a virtual billing telephone call to a provider'"'"'s telephone number on the switched telephone network, the provider'"'"'s telephone number being the type of telephone number in which the charge to a caller for a telephone call to that telephone number is determined by a called party, the virtual telephone call not being an actual telephone call placed to the provider'"'"'s telephone number but an indication to a billing system associated with the switched telephone network to charge and bill the user for the cost of a telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number and to credit an account associated with the provider for receiving the virtual telephone call as if an actual phone call was made on the switched telephone network to the provider'"'"'s telephone number, the charge to the user for the virtual billing telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number representing the cost for the user to obtain the information and/or interactive services provided by the provider on the first connection; sending a message to the provider that the virtual billing telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number has been made; associating the message with the first point-to-point connection between the user and the provider; and billing a telephone account associated with the telephone number associated with the user for the cost of the virtual billing telephone call as if an actual phone call was made to the provider'"'"'s telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for billing for charges for information and/or interactive services provided to a user by a provider on a first point-to-point connection between the user and the provider at least in part over a data network, the user being associated with a telephone number on a switched telephone network separate from the data network, the method comprising the steps of:
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means for initiating, by the user, a virtual billing telephone call to a provider'"'"'s telephone number on the switched telephone network, the provider'"'"'s telephone number being the type of telephone number in which the charge to a caller for a telephone call to that telephone number is determined by a called party, the virtual telephone call not being an actual telephone call placed to the provider'"'"'s telephone number but an indication to a billing system associated with the switched telephone network to charge and bill the user for the cost of a telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number and to credit an account associated with the provider for receiving the virtual telephone call as if an actual phone call was made on the switched telephone network to the provider'"'"'s telephone number, the charge to the user for the virtual billing telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number representing the cost for the user to obtain the information and/or interactive services provided by the provider on the first connection; means for sending a message to the provider that the virtual billing telephone call to the provider'"'"'s telephone number has been made; means for associating the message with the first point-to-point connection between the user and the provider; and means for billing a telephone account associated with the telephone number associated with the user for the cost of the virtual billing telephone call as if an actual phone call was made to the provider'"'"'s telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification