Internet billing method
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a specification of an account for a consumer of Internet access, to which account purchases in addition to Internet access are chargeable by an Internet access provider, the account being maintained by the Internet access provider and the specification of the account being received by network equipment of the Internet access provider;
enabling purchase of an electronically-deliverable product via a connection to the Internet provided via the network equipment of the Internet access provider;
charging a fee for the purchase to the account, the fee being charged in response to a communication from a vendor of the electronically-deliverable product received by the network equipment of the Internet access provider; and
delivering the electronically-deliverable product via the network equipment, wherein data relating to the electronically-deliverable product is transmitted over the Internet via the network equipment;
wherein the vendor is a third party that is not the Internet access provider.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An Internet billing method comprises establishing an agreement between an Internet access provider and a customer, and an agreement between the Internet access provider and a vendor, wherein the Internet access provider agrees with the customer and the vendor to bill the customer and remit to the vendor for products and services purchased over the Internet by the customer from the vendor. The provider creates access to the Internet for the customer. When the customer orders a product or service over the Internet from a vendor, transactional information transmitted between the customer and the vendor is also transmitted to the provider. The provider then bills the transaction amount to the customer and remits a portion of the transaction amount to the vendor, keeping the differential as a fee for providing the service. As a result of this method, there is no need for any customer account numbers or vendor account numbers to be transmitted over the Internet, thereby maintaining the security of that information.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a specification of an account for a consumer of Internet access, to which account purchases in addition to Internet access are chargeable by an Internet access provider, the account being maintained by the Internet access provider and the specification of the account being received by network equipment of the Internet access provider; enabling purchase of an electronically-deliverable product via a connection to the Internet provided via the network equipment of the Internet access provider; charging a fee for the purchase to the account, the fee being charged in response to a communication from a vendor of the electronically-deliverable product received by the network equipment of the Internet access provider; and delivering the electronically-deliverable product via the network equipment, wherein data relating to the electronically-deliverable product is transmitted over the Internet via the network equipment; wherein the vendor is a third party that is not the Internet access provider. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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identifying an account for a consumer of Internet access, to which account purchases are chargeable by an Internet access provider, the identification of the account being based on transactional information received by network equipment of the Internet access provider, the transactional information excluding an account number; enabling purchase of an electronically-deliverable product via a connection to the Internet provided via the network equipment of the Internet access provider; charging a fee for the purchase to the account, the fee being charged in response to a communication from a vendor of the electronically-deliverable product received by the network equipment of the Internet access provider; and delivering the electronically-deliverable product via the network equipment, wherein data relating to the electronically-deliverable product is transmitted over the Internet via the network equipment; wherein the vendor is a third party that is not the Internet access provider.
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14. A method comprising:
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specifying an account for a consumer of Internet access, to which account purchases are chargeable by an Internet access provider, the specification of the account being based on a pre-existing agreement to which the consumer is a party; enabling purchase of an electronically-deliverable product via a connection to the Internet provided via network equipment of the Internet access provider; charging a fee for the purchase to the account, the fee being charged in response to a communication from a vendor of the electronically-deliverable product received by the network equipment of the Internet access provider; and delivering the electronically-deliverable product via the network equipment, wherein data relating to the electronically-deliverable product is transmitted over the Internet via the network equipment; wherein the vendor is a third party that is not the Internet access provider.
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Specification