Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork
First Claim
1. An apparatus for ordering a product via an internetwork, the internetwork formed by a plurality of computers and servers, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a consumer'"'"'s computer including a network interface for connecting to the internetwork, a processing unit coupled to the network interface, and a storage medium coupled to the processing unit, the storage medium containing program code executed by the processing unit for placing an order for the product by;
(i) establishing a connection to a billing server via an internetwork communication link;
(ii) transferring the order to the billing server via the internetwork communication link;
(iii) terminating the connection to the billing server via the internetwork communication link after a transaction identifier that identifies the order placed by the consumer'"'"'s computer has been received from the billing server;
(iv) establishing a connection to the billing server via a premium-rate telephone communication link; and
(v) transferring the transaction identifier back to the billing server via the premium-rate telephone communication link; and
(b) a billing server including a network interface for connecting to the internetwork, a processing unit coupled to the network interface, and a storage medium coupled to the processing unit, the storage medium containing program code executed by the processing unit for processing the order for the product placed by the consumer'"'"'s computer by transferring the transaction identifier, which identifies the order placed by the consumer'"'"'s computer, to the consumer'"'"'s computer via the internetwork communication link.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A billing system that allows a consumer to order products from computers connected to the Internet, wherein the consumer is automatically billed for the ordered good or service by its telephone service provider. When a consumer orders a product over the Internet, a plug-in component of the consumer'"'"'s computer establishes an Internet connection to a billing server. A billing server component transfers an encrypted version of the product to the plug-in component. The plug-in component then disconnects from the Internet and establishes a point-to-point (PPP) connection with the billing server. During the PPP connection, the billing server component transfers an access key assigned to the order to the plug-in component so that the plug-in component may decrypt the product. The consumer is charged a unit rate or “drop-charge” for the product by the telephone service provider when the PPP connection is established using a premium telephone number assigned and administered by the telephone service provider.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for ordering a product via an internetwork, the internetwork formed by a plurality of computers and servers, the apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a consumer'"'"'s computer including a network interface for connecting to the internetwork, a processing unit coupled to the network interface, and a storage medium coupled to the processing unit, the storage medium containing program code executed by the processing unit for placing an order for the product by; (i) establishing a connection to a billing server via an internetwork communication link; (ii) transferring the order to the billing server via the internetwork communication link; (iii) terminating the connection to the billing server via the internetwork communication link after a transaction identifier that identifies the order placed by the consumer'"'"'s computer has been received from the billing server; (iv) establishing a connection to the billing server via a premium-rate telephone communication link; and (v) transferring the transaction identifier back to the billing server via the premium-rate telephone communication link; and (b) a billing server including a network interface for connecting to the internetwork, a processing unit coupled to the network interface, and a storage medium coupled to the processing unit, the storage medium containing program code executed by the processing unit for processing the order for the product placed by the consumer'"'"'s computer by transferring the transaction identifier, which identifies the order placed by the consumer'"'"'s computer, to the consumer'"'"'s computer via the internetwork communication link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification