Origin device billing according to caller

• US 8,054,957 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A, Weaver, James Mark, McIntyre, Joseph Herbert, Winters, Scott Lee, Brown, Michael Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US12/030,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.15, 379/114.19, 37911421-11424, 379/127.03, 379/127.05, 379/223, 705/26, 705/39, 705/40
• US Class Current: 379/114.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• 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 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7245 Shared by users, e.g. group accounts or one account for different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier

Abstract

A trusted telephone network, including at least one service provider, receives a request for service from an origin device. The origin device is associated with a line number to be billed for according to a line subscriber billing plan. An identity of a caller requesting the service from the origin device is authenticated. Then, a billing plan associated with the authenticated caller identity is accessed and utilized to replace or supplement the line subscriber billing plan, such that billing for service provided at an origin device is specified according to the caller currently utilizing the origin device.

Claims

1. A system for controlling telephone orders, comprising:

a server system enabled for processing a call;

said server operative to receive a billing plan for an authenticated caller identifier of a caller during a call placed to a vendor order center at said server system, wherein at least one account provider is specified in said billing plan;

said server operative to specify an order with a selection of one from among said at least one account provider specified for billing for said order;

said server operative to receive an authorization from said caller for said order;

said server operative to transfer a bill for said order according to said authenticated caller identifier and said authorization for said selection of one from among said at least one account provider.

2. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, wherein said at least one account provider comprises at least one from among a credit account provider, a debit account provider, and a savings account provider.

3. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, wherein said authenticated caller identifier comprises a caller name.

4. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, wherein said at least one account provider is specified for a context of said call.

5. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, wherein said billing plan further comprises at least one shipping address.

6. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, further comprising said server operative to automatically specify said selection of one from among at least one account provider where one account provider is provided.

7. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, further comprising said server operative to specify said selection of one from among at least one account provider according to a selection by said caller.

8. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, further comprising said server operative to select a first account provider for billing for said order;

and means for only adjusting said selection if said caller requests selection options of another account provider.

9. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, further comprising said server operative to receive a keypad authorization entry by said call from an origin device.

10. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, further comprising said server operative to receive a voice authorization entry by said call from an origin device.

11. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, further comprising said server operative to receive a touch selection authorization entry by said call from an origin device.

12. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, further comprising said server operative to transfer said bill to said selection of one from among said at least one account provider.

13. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, further comprising said server operative to transfer said bill to a billing service enabled to negotiate payment from said selection of one from among said at least one account provider to a vendor account provider.

14. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, wherein said vendor ordering center comprises a single terminal.

15. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, wherein said vendor ordering center comprises a call center enabled with an interactive voice recognition unit for facilitating order placement.

16. The system for controlling telephone orders according to claim 1, wherein said vendor ordering center comprises a call center managing a plurality of representatives.

17. A computer program product for controlling telephone orders residing on a computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed on a computer system cause the computer system to:

enable receipt of a billing plan for an authenticated caller identifier of a caller during a call placed to a vendor order center, wherein at least one account provider is specified in said billing plan;

specify an order with a selection of one from among said at least one account provider specified for billing for said order;

receive an authorization from said caller for said order;

control transfer of a bill for said order according to said authenticated caller identifier and said authorization for said selection of one from among said at least one account provider.

18. The computer program product for controlling telephone orders according to claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

automatically specify said selection of one from among at least one account provider where one account provider is provided.

19. The computer program product for controlling telephone orders according to claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

specify said selection of one from among at least one account provider according to a selection by said caller.

20. The computer program product for controlling telephone orders according to claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

select a first account provider for billing for said order; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for only adjusting said selection if said caller requests selection options of another account provider.