System and method for securing communication service
First Claim
1. A method for supplying stored value comprising the steps of:
- distributing indicia of an identifier to a merchant for distribution to a customer having a pre-existing pre-paid customer account with a specific provider other than the merchant, the identifier having an associated stored value wherein the identifier is a predetermined identifier stored in a database prior to activating the identifier over a private network, the associated stored value redeemable with a plurality of providers including the specific provider, the indicia of the identifier having an indication of the providers with which the associated stored value may be redeemed disposed visibly thereon;
activating at a central processor the identifier upon a distribution of the indicia to the customer, wherein the central processor is in selective communication with the merchant over a private network, the customer, and the plurality of providers;
receiving at the central processor a request from the customer to add the associated stored value to the pre-existing pre-paid customer account;
determining the specific provider and the pre-existing pre-paid account based on the request and the identifier;
verifying by the customer that the correct specific provider and pre-existing pre-paid account has been determined; and
adding at the central processor the associated stored value to the pre-existing pre-paid customer account based on the verification step.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for supplying communication service value is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes distributing indicia of an identifier to a merchant for distribution to a customer having a customer account. The identifier has an associated service value that is redeemable with a plurality of carriers. The method further includes activating the identifier upon distribution of the indicia to the customer, receiving a request from the customer to add the associated service value to the customer account, and adding the associated service value to the customer account is disclosed. In a further embodiment, the request includes identifier input and customer account input, and receiving a request from the customer to add the associated service value of the identifier to the customer account further includes verifying the identifier input and verifying the customer account input.
138 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for supplying stored value comprising the steps of:
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distributing indicia of an identifier to a merchant for distribution to a customer having a pre-existing pre-paid customer account with a specific provider other than the merchant, the identifier having an associated stored value wherein the identifier is a predetermined identifier stored in a database prior to activating the identifier over a private network, the associated stored value redeemable with a plurality of providers including the specific provider, the indicia of the identifier having an indication of the providers with which the associated stored value may be redeemed disposed visibly thereon; activating at a central processor the identifier upon a distribution of the indicia to the customer, wherein the central processor is in selective communication with the merchant over a private network, the customer, and the plurality of providers; receiving at the central processor a request from the customer to add the associated stored value to the pre-existing pre-paid customer account; determining the specific provider and the pre-existing pre-paid account based on the request and the identifier; verifying by the customer that the correct specific provider and pre-existing pre-paid account has been determined; and adding at the central processor the associated stored value to the pre-existing pre-paid customer account based on the verification step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification