Telecommunications initiated data fulfillment system

• US 6,990,472 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: StarPound Corporation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: StarPound Corporation Incorporated
• Inventors: Brager, Barry, Rosenhaft, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US10/037,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705 16- 18, 705 26- 27, 705/42, 705 64- 79, 707 9- 10, 707100-104, 709200-203, 709217-219, 455/3, 455403-415
• US Class Current: 705/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• 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

Abstract

A system for providing a wide range of telecommunications initiated data fulfillment services in which a multi-function code, such as “*#” (star, pound), input into an originating telecommunications device, such as a conventional land-line or wireless telephone, triggers the treatment of the input sequence as a multi-function code service request rather than a dialed directory number. The multi-function code is followed by an input data string to complete the multi-function code service request, which the user typically enters into the telecommunications device just like a conventional telephone call, except that the input string begins with the multi-function code. The telecommunications system recognizes the multi-function code as a trigger, and in response takes one or more actions, such as automatically terminating the call to an announcement and routing a data message to a data fulfillment center, which responds to the message by implementing a response action indicated by the multi-function code service request. For example, the data fulfillment center may respond by transmitting a message over a wireless data network or the Internet to implement a service, such as activation of a vending machine, remote control of device, delivery of a message over the Internet or wireless data network, initiation of an interactive Internet session with the originating device, or a wide range of other services. In addition, a charge for this service may be automatically charged to an account associated with the originating telecommunications device, which may be billed separately or incorporated on the user'"'"'s conventional monthly telecommunications invoice.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service comprising the steps of:

at a telecommunications switch that is enabled to recognize a multi-function trigger, receiving a communication from a telecommunications device that has not been preprogrammed to implement the data fulfillment service, the communication comprising an input sequence including a multi-function trigger, and at the telecommunications switch;

recognizing the multi-function trigger;

identifying an identification code associated with the telecommunication device;

looking up a pre-defined data address associated with the input sequence, the identification code, or a combination of the input sequence and the identification code;

assembling a data message associated with the input sequence, the identification code, or a combination of the input sequence and the identification code; and

transmitting the data message to the data address.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

using the identification code to identify an account associated with the telecommunications device; and

charging a cost associated with the data message to the account associated with the telecommunications device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of activating a vending device in response to the data message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of activating the vending device further comprises the steps of:

identifying a product code from a predefined set of digits in the input sequence; and

activating the vending device to deliver a product associated with the product code in response to the data message.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

looking up a pre-defined personal identification number associated with the telecommunications device or the user;

identifying a PIN-sequence from a predefined set of digits in the input sequence; and

comparing the personal identification number to the PIN-sequence.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

delivering an audio or data response to the telecommunications device; and

discontinuing the communication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the input sequence comprises a directory number associated with an Internet site; and

responding to the data message by initiating an Internet session between the telecommunications device and the Internet site.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of forwarding the communication to a platform operated by an Internet service provider.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving location data associated with the telecommunications device; and

customizing an action taken in response to the data message based on the location data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

looking up customer profile data corresponding to the input sequence, the identification code, or a combination of the input sequence and the identification code; and

wherein the pre-defined data address comprises a user-defined portion of the customer profile data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting that the telecommunications device does not correspond to a subscriber of the telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service; and

automatically linking the telecommunications device to a platform configured to register the user of the telecommunications device as a subscriber of the telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the pre-defined data address is retrieved from a home location register associated with a mobile telephone; and

the data message is delivered to the data address through a signaling system message.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the identification code associated with the telecommunication device is extracted from a call detail record created by a telecommunications switch receiving the communication; and

the pre-defined data address is retrieved from a proprietary database maintained by a provider of the telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of responding to the data message by transmitting a control signal to operate a remote device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the input sequence comprises a displayed item code associated with a product or service offered for sale, further comprising the steps of responding to the data message by:

looking up an e-mail address associated with the telecommunications device; and

responding to the data message by transmitting an electronic message including promotional information concerning the product or service offered for sale to the address associated with the telecommunications device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the telecommunications switch transmits the data message to a data fulfillment platform; and

the data fulfillment platform responds to the data message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data message comprises information derived from a call detail record.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the data message comprises information derived from an in-process call detail record.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the telecommunications switch transmits the data message as a signaling system message.

20. A method for implementing a telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service comprising the steps of:

entering an input sequence comprising a multi-function trigger into a telecommunications device that has not been preprogrammed to implement the data fulfillment service, the multi-function trigger comprising at least a portion of a communication with a telecommunications switch that is enabled to recognize the multi-function trigger;

receiving the communication at the telecommunications switch, and at the switch;

recognizing the multi-function trigger,

holding the communication,

looking up an instruction set identified by the input sequence,

delivering an audio or data message to the telecommunications device,

discontinuing the communication,

identifying an identification code associated with the telecommunications device,

assembling a data message comprising the input sequence and the identification code, and

transmitting the data message; and

at a data fulfillment center, receiving the data message and implementing a response action.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the message is a call detail record, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the call detail record from the switch to a mediation device;

extracting the call detail record from the mediation device; and

delivering the call detail record to the data fulfillment center.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the data message comprises information derived from an in-process call detail record, further comprising the steps of:

creating the in-process call detail record at the switch;

extracting information from the call detail record from the switch; and

delivering the information extracted from the call detail record to the data fulfillment center.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the input sequence comprises a directory number associated with an Internet. site; and

the response action comprises initiating an Internet session between the telecommunications device and the Internet site.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the input sequence comprises a displayed item code associated with a product or service offered for sale; and

the response action comprises transmitting an electronic mail message including promotional information concerning the product or service offered for sale.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

using the identification code to identify an account associated with the telecommunications device; and

charging a cost associated with the data message to the account associated with the telecommunications device.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

receiving location data associated with the telecommunications device; and

customizing the response action in response to the data message based on the location data.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

looking up customer profile data corresponding to the identification code associated with the telecommunications device; and

wherein the pre-defined data address comprises a user-defined portion of the customer profile data.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

detecting that the telecommunications device does not correspond to a subscriber of the telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service; and

automatically linking the telecommunications device to a platform configured to register the user of the telecommunications device as a subscriber of the telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the response action comprises the step of transmitting a control signal to operate a remote device.

30. A system for implementing a data fulfillment service comprising a telecommunications switch that is configured to:

receive a communication from a telecommunications device that has not been preprogrammed to implement the data fulfillment service, the communication comprising an input sequence including a multi-function trigger;

recognize the multi-function trigger;

identify an identification code associated with the telecommunication device;

look up a pre-defined data address associated with the input sequence, the identification code, or a combination of the input sequence and the identification code;

assemble a data message associated with the input sequence, the identification code, or a combination of the input sequence and the identification code; and

transmit the data message to the data address.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising a data fulfillment platform configured to implement a response action in response to the data message received from the telecommunications switch.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the data fulfillment platform uses the identification code to identify an account associated with the telecommunications device, and charges a cost associated with the data message to the account associated with the telecommunications device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the data fulfillment activates a vending device in response to the data message.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the data fulfillment platform identifies a product code from a predefined set of digits in the input sequence;

and activates the vending device to deliver a product associated with the product code in response to the data message.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the data fulfillment platform looks up a pre-defined personal identification number associated with the telecommunications device or the user, identifies a PIN-sequence from a predefined set of digits in the input sequence, and compares the personal identification number to the PIN-sequence.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the data fulfillment platform delivers an audio or data response to the telecommunications device, and then discontinues the communication.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the input sequence comprises a directory number associated with an Internet site, and the data fulfillment center responds to the data message by initiating an Internet session between the telecommunications device and the Internet site.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein the data fulfillment platform receives location data associated with the telecommunications device, and customizes an action taken in response to the data message based on the location data.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein the data fulfillment platform looks up customer profile data corresponding to the input sequence, the identification code, or a combination of the input sequence and the identification code;

and the pre-defined data address comprises a user-defined portion of the customer profile data.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein the telecommunications switch or the data fulfillment platform detects that the telecommunications device does not correspond to a subscriber of the telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service and automatically links the telecommunications device to a platform configured to register the user of the telecommunications device as a subscriber of the telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service.

41. The system of claim 31, wherein the identification code associated with the telecommunication device is extracted from a call detail record created by a telecommunications switch receiving the communication, and the pre-defined data address is retrieved from a proprietary database maintained by a provider of the telecommunications initiated data fulfillment service.

42. The system of claim 31, wherein the data fulfillment platform responds to the data message by transmitting a control signal to operate a remote device.

43. The system of claim 31, wherein the input sequence comprises a displayed item code associated with a product or service offered for sale, and the data fulfillment platform looks up an e-mail address associated with the telecommunications device and transmits an electronic message including promotional information concerning the product or service offered for sale to the address associated with the telecommunications device.

44. The system of claim 31, wherein:

the telecommunications switch creates the data message;

the data message includes the input sequence and a directory number associated with the telecommunications device;

the telecommunications switch transmits the data message to a data fulfillment platform; and

the data fulfillment platform responds to the data message.

45. The system of claim 30, wherein the telecommunications switch forwards the communication to a platform operated by an Internet service provider.

46. The system of claim 30, wherein the pre-defined data address is retrieved from a home location register associated with a mobile telephone, and the data message is delivered to the data address through a signaling system message.

47. The system of claim 30, wherein the data message comprises information obtained from a call detail record.

48. The system of claim 30, wherein the data message comprises information obtained from an in-process call detail record.

49. The system of claim 30, wherein the telecommunications switch transmits the data message as a signaling system message.