Systems and methods for distributing telecommunication services via a network

• US 7,797,193 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1999
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ebm/Ip, Llc
• Original Assignee: Simplexity LLC d/b/a Wirefly (Simplexity)
• Inventors: Peyser, Charles A., Beyer, Constance, McLaughlin, Michael D., Jones, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US09/425,739
• Time in Patent Office: 3,980 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/80, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system facilitates the purchase of telecommunication services from a variety of sellers. The system stores a set of responses to purchase requests for telecommunication services associated with a plurality of service providers, each response reflecting at least one telecommunication service offering associated with one of the service providers and a related cost for the telecommunication service offering. The system establishes a session for considering the purchase of telecommunication services. A purchase request is input, including information indicating a requested telecommunication service. The system accesses the stored set of responses to purchase requests for at least one response reflecting at least one telecommunication service offering capable of satisfying the requested telecommunication service, and permits a requester to accept the response during the session.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating the purchase of a plurality of telecommunication services, the system comprising:

a server in communication with a plurality of buyer terminals and a plurality of seller terminals,

wherein said server performs a method stored in a storage medium and executed by one or more processors, comprising;

storing in memory information associated with one or more of a plurality of telecommunication service providers, the information being used to determine one or more system generated responses to a request to purchase at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service, each of the one or more system generated responses being associated with at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service providers and each of the one or more system generated responses being further associated with a related cost for the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service and an indication associated with the seller controlled geographic footprint wherein the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service is available;

establishing a session over a network for considering the purchase of the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service;

receiving the request at a computer on the network, wherein the request is received after the information associated with one or more of a plurality of telecommunication service providers is stored;

determining the at least one system generated response in response to the received request based at least upon the indication associated with the seller controlled geographical footprint; and

preventing a requester from accepting the identified system generated response to the received request after the session is terminated.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the session.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

permitting access by telecommunication service providers to the stored information during the session.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

denying access by the telecommunication service providers to the stored information during the session.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

denying access by a telecommunication service provider, during the session, to the stored information, wherein the response to which access is denied is the same as the at least one system generated response.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

permitting each telecommunication service provider to modify the stored information to reflect changes in the at least one telecommunication service provided by the service provider.

7. A system for provisioning a plurality of telecommunication service, comprising:

a database containing a set of responses for determining system generated responses to purchase requests for the plurality of telecommunication services, each response reflecting at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service offering associated with a telecommunication service provider, a related cost for the telecommunication service offering, and an indication associated with the seller controlled geographic footprint wherein the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service is available, each response being determined based at least upon the indication associated with the seller controlled geographical footprint;

a computer in communication with a network and the database comprising a set of instructions, stored in a tangible medium and executed by one or more processors, performs a method comprising the steps of;

(i) receiving a purchase request on behalf of a buyer including information indicating a requested telecommunication service for at least one consumer,

(ii) accessing the stored set of responses for determining system generated responses to purchase requests for at least one system generated response reflecting at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service offering capable of satisfying the requested telecommunication service for the at least one consumer,

(iii) receiving an acceptance to the system generated response during the session; and

(iv) preventing the acceptance to the system generated response after the session is terminated.

8. A system for purchasing a plurality of telecommunication services during a session, the system comprising:

a server in communication with a plurality of buyer terminals and a plurality of seller terminals,

wherein said server performs a method stored in a storage medium and executed by one or more processors, comprising;

storing a set of responses in memory for determining system generated responses to purchase requests for the plurality of telecommunication services, each system generated response reflecting at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service offering associated with a telecommunication service provider, a related cost for the telecommunication service offering, and an indication associated with the seller controlled geographic footprint wherein the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service is available, each system generated response being determined based at least upon the indication associated with the seller controlled geographical footprint;

receiving a purchase request at a computer on a network during the session including information indicating a requested telecommunication service;

accessing the stored set of responses to purchase requests during the session for at least one system generated response reflecting at least one of the plurality of telecommunication service offering capable of satisfying the requested telecommunication service;

permitting a requestor to accept the at least one system generated response during the session;

preventing the requestor from accepting the at least one system generated response after the session is terminated; and

preventing the telecommunication service provider from modifying the set of system generated responses during the session.