Notification system for access to and printing of proprietary network services

• US 6,061,669 A
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Knickerbocker, John U., Kelley, Edward E., Dauerer, Norman J., Cartier, Christopher E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US08/978,918
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 705/400, 705/418, 380/4, 380/24, 380/25, 380/23
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A method and system to have network web servers that provide services to pass on the unit costs for each of the services and to have the web client computer track the usage of each service, maintain an up to date summary of each service from each provider and to periodically summarize all of the charges. The computed charge are reconciled with the bills from the providers of service, then the payments are sent after reconciliation. Any discrepancy between computed charges and billed charges may be paid at the computed totals with an explanation attached.

Claims

1. A process for determining access charges to a web client computer for computer services from a web network computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data base at said web client computer for unit time connection costs to a desired computer service accessible from a network;

b) connecting said web client computer to the web network computer service;

c) commencing timing at said web client computer of the connection to said computer service;

d) disconnecting said web client computer from said computer service;

e) determining at said web client computer the time connected to said computer service; and

f) after disconnection, determining at said web client computer from said data base the total cost for the connection to said computer service independently of any cost determination by said computer service.

2. The process of claim 1 further including the step of determining if unit time connection costs for computer services have changed, and if said unit costs for computer services have changed, the step of updating said data base with the changed unit time connection costs for computer services.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said web network computer determines if unit time connection costs for computer services have changed, and wherein said web network computer sends to said web client computer the changed unit time connection costs for computer services to update said data base.

4. The process of claim 3 including the steps of determining at said web client computer if said web network computer has authorization to update said data base, and if said web network computer has authorization, permitting said web network computer to access said data base to change the unit time connection costs for computer services.

5. The process of claim 3 including the step of maintaining at said web network computer a first list of web client computers which permit access to update the web client computer data base and a second list of web client computers which deny access to update the web client computer data base, and updating said list after sending to said web client computer the changed unit time connection costs for computer services.

6. The process of claim 3 including the steps of determining at said web client computer if said web network computer has authorization to update said data base, and if said web network computer does not have authorization, notifying said web network computer that it does not have access to update said data base.

7. The process of claim 6 including the step of sending notification from said web network computer to said web client computer that said web network computer was denied access to update the web client computer data base.

8. The process of claim 6 including the steps of maintaining at said web network computer a first list of web client computers which permit access to update the web client computer data base and a second list of web client computers which deny access to update the web client computer data base, and updating said list after sending to said web client computer the changed unit time connection costs for computer services.

9. The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

i) determining at said web network computer total web client computer connection cost for said desired computer service;

ii) sending the total web client computer connection cost for said desired computer service from said web network computer to said web client computer; and

iii) reconciling at said web client computer the total computer service connection cost determined by said web network computer with the total computer service connection cost determined by said web client computer.

10. The process of claim 9 including the step of authorizing payment at said web client computer of the total computer service connection cost determined by said web network computer.

11. The process of claim 9 wherein said step (i) reconciliation comprises determining at said web client computer any discrepancy in total service connection costs determined by said web network computer and said web client computer, and including the step of printing a report of any such discrepancy.

12. The process of claim 9 further including the step of maintaining at said web client computer a data base containing individual total computer service connection costs determined by said web client computer;

and wherein said web network computer sends to the web client computer individual computer service total connection costs determined by said web network computer; and

wherein said step (i) reconciliation comprises matching individual total service connection costs as determined by said web network computer and said web client computer to determine any discrepancy in total service connection costs, and including the step of printing a report of any such discrepancy.

13. The process of claim 11 including the steps of authorizing payment at said web client computer of the total computer service connection cost determined by said web network computer, and sending with said payment a request for explanation regarding any such discrepancy.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for determining at said web network computer total web client computer connection cost for said desired computer service;

means for sending the total web client computer connection cost for said desired computer service from said web network computer to said web client computer; and

means for reconciling at said web client computer the total computer service connection cost determined by said web network computer with the total computer service connection cost determined by said web client computer.

31. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the process of claim 1.

14. A system for determining access charges to a web client computer for computer services from a web network computer comprising:

a data base at said web client computer of unit time connection costs to a desired computer service accessible from a network;

means for connecting said web client computer to the web network computer service;

means for determining at said web client computer the time connected to said computer service; and

means for determining at said web client computer from said data base, after disconnection, the total cost for the connection to said computer service independently of any cost determination by said computer service.

16. A process for determining printing charges to a web client computer for computer services from a web network computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data base at said web client computer for unit information printing costs from a desired computer service accessible from a network;

b) connecting said web client computer to the web network computer service;

c) commencing printing of information from said computer service;

d) determining from the web client computer data base the printing cost for said information from said computer service;

e) optionally commencing printing of further information from said computer service;

f) determining from the web client computer data base the printing cost for any said further information from said computer service;

g) after printing, determining at said web client computer from said data base the total cost for printing said information from said computer service independently of any cost determination by said computer service; and

h) disconnecting said web client computer from said computer service.

17. The process of claim 16 further including the step of determining if unit information printing costs for computer services have changed, and if said unit costs for computer services have changed, the step of updating said data base with the changed unit information printing costs for computer services.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein said web network computer determines if unit information printing costs for computer services have changed, and wherein said web network computer sends to said web client computer the changed unit information printing costs for computer services to update said data base.

19. The process of claim 18 including the steps of determining at said web client computer if said web network computer has authorization to update said data base, and if said web network computer has authorization, permitting said web network computer to access said data base to change the unit information printing costs for computer services.

20. The process of claim 18 including the step of maintaining at said web network computer a first list of web client computers which permit access to update the web client computer data base and a second list of web client computers which deny access to update the web client computer data base, and updating said list after sending to said web client computer the changed unit information printing costs for computer services.

21. The process of claim 18 including the steps of determining at said web client computer if said web network computer has authorization to update said data base, and if said web network computer does not have authorization, notifying said web network computer that it does not have access to update said data base.

22. The process of claim 21 including the step of sending notification from said web network computer to said web client computer that said web network computer was denied access to update the web client computer data base.

23. The process of claim 21 including the steps of maintaining at said web network computer a first list of web client computers which permit access to update the web client computer data base and a second list of web client computers which deny access to update the web client computer data base, and updating said list after sending to said web client computer the changed unit information printing costs for computer services.

24. The process of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

i) determining at said web network computer total web client information printing cost for said desired computer service;

ii) sending the total web client information printing cost for said desired computer service from said web network computer to said web client computer;

iii) reconciling at said web client computer the total computer service information printing cost determined by said web network computer with the total computer service information printing cost determined by said web client computer.

25. The process of claim 24 including the step of authorizing payment at said web client computer of the total computer service information printing cost determined by said web network computer.

26. The process of claim 24 wherein said step (i) reconciliation comprises determining at said web client computer any discrepancy in total service information printing costs determined by said web network computer and said web client computer, and including the step of printing a report of any such discrepancy.

27. The process of claim 24 further including the step of maintaining at said web client computer a data base containing individual total computer service information printing costs determined by said web client computer;

and wherein said web network computer sends to the web client computer individual computer service total information printing costs determined by said web network computer; and

wherein said step (i) reconciliation comprises matching individual total service information printing costs as determined by said web network computer and said web client computer to determine any discrepancy in total service information printing costs, and including the step of printing a report of any such discrepancy.

28. The process of claim 26 including the steps of authorizing payment at said web client computer of the total computer service information printing cost determined by said web network computer, and sending with said payment a request for explanation regarding any such discrepancy.

32. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the process of claim 16.

29. A system for determining printing charges to a web client computer for computer services from a web network computer comprising:

a data base at said web client computer of unit information printing costs from a desired computer service accessible from a network;

means for determining from the web client computer data base the printing cost for information printed from said computer service; and

means for determining at said web client computer, after printing, the total cost for printing information from said computer service independently of any cost determination by said computer service.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising:

means for determining at said web network computer total web client information printing cost for said desired computer service;

means for sending the total web client information printing cost for said desired computer service from said web network computer to said web client computer; and

means for reconciling at said web client computer the total computer service information printing cost determined by said web network computer with the total computer service information printing cost determined by said web client computer.