Calculating cost discounts for mobile phone internet access

• US 6,941,272 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US09/882,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 379/114.12
• US Class Current: 705/14.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8207 Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7813 Time based data, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method, program and system for calculating a cost discount for mobile telephone Internet access are provided. The invention comprises receiving an access request from a customer using a mobile phone and determining that the phone is using a wireless communication protocol (i.e. WAP). An electronic document (i.e. WML Web page) is sent back to the mobile phone. The session time is tracked, and if a customer purchase order is received, a discount is applied to the purchase price of the order.

Claims

1. A method for calculating a cost discount for mobile telephone Internet access, comprising:

a sever performing the following steps;

receiving an access request from a client machine;

determining that the client machine is using a wireless communication protocol;

sending an electronic document to the client machine;

receiving a customer purchase order; and

applying a discount to a purchase price of the customer purchase order, based on the fact that the client machine was using the wireless communication protocol, wherein the step of applying a discount to the purchase price further comprises;

mapping a customer identifier to a discount scheme table; and

computing a discount based on a discount scheme selected from the discount scheme table, and wherein the discount scheme table includes a plurality of discount schemes and wherein the discount is computed using a discount scheme from the plurality of discount schemes that produces greatest saving for the customer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol is Wireless Application Protocol.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the electronic document sent to the client is a Wireless Markup Language document and contains product information and ordering instructions.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the discount scheme selected is based on a wireless communication plan used by a customer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the discount scheme selected is based on a classification of a customer, and wherein the classification includes regular customers, and wherein a regular customer is determined based on a customer'"'"'s purchase histories.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein a greater discount is applied if the wireless communication plan used by the customer is a high-priced plan.

7. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system, for calculating a cost discount for mobile telephone Internet access, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving an access request from a client machine;

instructions for determining that the client machine is using a wireless communication protocol;

instructions for sending an electronic document to the client machine;

instructions for receiving a customer purchase order; and

instructions for applying a discount to a purchase price of the customer purchase order, based on the fact that the client machine is using the wireless communication protocol, wherein the instructions for applying a discount to the purchase price further comprise;

instructions for mapping a customer identifier to a discount scheme table; and

instructions for computing a discount based on a discount scheme selected from the discount scheme tables and wherein the discount scheme table includes a plurality of discount scheme and wherein the discount is computed using a discount scheme from the plurality of discount schemes that produces greatest savings for the customer.

8. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein wireless communication protocol is Wireless Application Protocol.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the electronic document sent to the client is a Wireless Markup Language document and contains product Information and ordering instructions.

10. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein the discount scheme selected is based on a wireless communication plan used by a customer.

11. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein the discount scheme selected is based on a classification of the customer, and wherein the classification includes regular customers, and wherein a regular customer is determined based on a customer'"'"'s purchase histories.

12. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein a greater discount is applied if the wireless communication plan used by the customer is a high-priced plan.

13. A system for calculating a cost discount for mobile telephone Internet access, comprising:

a first receiving component which receives an access request from a client machine;

a first processing component which determines that the client machine is using a wireless communication protocol;

a communications component which sends an electronic document to the client machine;

a second receiving component which receives a customer purchase order; and

a second processing component which applies a discount to a purchase price of the customer purchase order, based on the fact that the client machine is using the wireless communication protocol, wherein the step of applying a discount to the purchase price further comprises;

a mapping component which maps a customer identifier to a discount scheme table; and

a processing component which computes a discount based on a discount scheme selected from the discount scheme table, and wherein the discount scheme table includes a plurality of discount scheme and wherein the discount is computed using a discount scheme from the plurality of discount schemes that produces greatest savings for the customer.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the wireless communication protocol is Wireless Application Protocol.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the electronic document sent to the client is a Wireless Markup Language document and contains product information and ordering instructions.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the discount scheme selected is based on a wireless communication plan used by a customer.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein the discount scheme selected is based on a classification of the customer, and wherein the classification includes regular customers, and wherein a regular customer is determined based on a customer'"'"'s purchase histories.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein a greater discount is applied if the wireless communication plan used by the customer is a high-priced plan.