Methods, systems, and products for crediting accounts

• US 7,831,473 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2006
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Jerome, Ruckart, John
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/495,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20080043950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,564 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.16, 379/88.22, 379/114.01, 379/114.13, 379/121.01, 379/121.02, 379/121.03, 379/130, 455405-409, 455/414.1, 455/550.1, 705/14.1, 705/14.12, 705/14.13, 705/14.37, 705/14.38, 705/14.4, 705/14.43
• US Class Current: 705/14.64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• 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 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• 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

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for crediting an account. An advertisement is received, and the advertisement includes an account number that uniquely identifies an account associated with the advertisement. The advertisement is presented at the communications device. A request for credit is sent including the account number and a device number that uniquely identifies the communications device. The request seeks credit for presenting the advertisement.

Claims

1. A method for crediting an account, comprising:

receiving an advertisement at a communications device, the advertisement comprising an account number that uniquely identifies an account associated with the advertisement;

presenting the advertisement at the communications device; and

sending a request for credit comprising the account number and a device number that uniquely identifies the communications device,

wherein the request seeks credit for presenting the advertisement.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the advertisement further comprises receiving a credit that will be credited to the device number when the advertisement is presented.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the advertisement further comprises receiving a server destination address that maintains a database storing an account balance associated with the account number and with the device number.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a verification message that a credit has been added to the account number associated with the device number.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of sending another request to redeem credit associated with the account number and with the device number.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of i) audibly presenting the advertisement and ii) visually presenting the advertisement.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending the request for credit comprises sending a wafer lot number and a microprocessor number associated with the communications device, the wafer lot number identifying a wafer lot from which a microprocessor was manufactured, and the microprocessor number uniquely identifying the microprocessor manufactured from the wafer lot and operating in the communications device that sends the request.

8. A system, comprising:

a credit application stored in memory; and

a processor communicating with the memory,

the processor receiving an advertisement at a communications device, the advertisement comprising an account number that uniquely identifies an account associated with the advertisement,

the processor presenting the advertisement at the communications device, and

the processor sending a request for credit comprising the account number and a device number that uniquely identifies the communications device,

wherein the request seeks credit for presenting the advertisement.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor receives a credit that will be credited to the device number when the advertisement is presented.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor receives a server destination address that maintains a database storing an account balance associated with the account number and with the device number.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor receives a verification message that a credit has been added to the account number associated with the device number.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor sends another request to redeem credit associated with the account number and with the device number.

13. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor at least one of i) audibly presents the advertisement and ii) visually presents the advertisement.

14. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor sends a wafer lot number and a processor number associated with the communications device, the wafer lot number identifying a wafer lot from which the processor was manufactured, and the processor number uniquely identifying the processor manufactured from the wafer lot and operating in the communications device that sends the request.

15. A computer program product storing computer code for performing the steps:

receiving an advertisement at a communications device, the advertisement comprising an account number that uniquely identifies an account associated with the advertisement;

presenting the advertisement at the communications device; and

sending a request for credit comprising the account number and a device number that uniquely identifies the communications device,

wherein the request seeks credit for presenting the advertisement.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for receiving a credit that will be credited to the device number when the advertisement is presented.

17. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for receiving a server destination address that maintains a database storing an account balance associated with the account number and with the device number.

18. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for receiving a verification message that a credit has been added to the account number associated with the device number.

19. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for sending another request to redeem credit associated with the account number and with the device number.

20. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for sending a wafer lot number and a microprocessor number associated with the communications device, the wafer lot number identifying a wafer lot from which a microprocessor was manufactured, and the microprocessor number uniquely identifying the microprocessor manufactured from the wafer lot and operating in the communications device that sends the request.