System and method for transmitting illusory identification characteristics

• US 8,224,907 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cohen, Alexander J., Jung, Edward K. Y., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Mangione-Smith, William H., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Dung B
• Application Number:
  US12/287,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20100040214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/846 optical, e.g. icon
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8137 Message, e.g. alphanumeric text, SMS, MMS, EMS or www-based messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8141 Optical, e.g. flashing indication of a lamp, icon, soft-key or symbol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met

Abstract

Methods and systems for associating one or more fees with transmissions of one or more illusory identification characteristics are provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating, by a server system, one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users;

charging, by the server system, the one or more fees to one or more user accounts; and

transmitting, by the server system, one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, wherein said transmitting, by the server system, one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users further comprises;

transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users, wherein said transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users further comprises;

transmitting one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to be included in the one or more billing statements in place of all non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users in the one or more billing statements resulting in the one or more billing statements having no non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to be included in the one or more billing statements in place of all non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users in the one or more billing statements resulting in the one or more billing statements having no non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users comprises:

transmitting the one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to the one or more second users.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the server system, one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users, wherein the transmitting, by the server system, one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users comprises;

transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users in one or more context dependent manners.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users in one or more context dependent manners further comprising:

transmitting the one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users, the transmitting of the one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users being dependent on location of the second user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users in one or more context dependent manners further comprising:

transmitting the one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users the transmitting of the one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users being dependent on proximity of a third party to the second user.

6. A system comprising:

means for associating one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users;

means for charging the one or more fees to one or more user accounts; and

means for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, wherein said means for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users further comprises;

means for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users, wherein said means for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users further comprises;

means for transmitting one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to be included in the one or more billing statements in place of all non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users in the one or more billing statements resulting in the one or more billing statements having no non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for associating one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users comprises:

means for associating one or more fees with one or more transmissions of one or more illusory user names associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for associating one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users comprises:

means for associating one or more fees with one or more transmissions of one or more illusory user identification numbers associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for associating one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users comprises:

means for associating one or more fees with one or more transmissions of one or more illusory telephone numbers associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for associating one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users comprises:

means for associating one or more fees with one or more transmissions of one or more illusory area codes associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for associating one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users comprises:

means for associating one or more fees with one or more transmissions of one or more illusory voice signatures associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for charging the one or more fees to one or more user accounts further comprises:

means for charging the one or more fees to one or more prepaid accounts.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for charging the one or more fees to one or more user accounts further comprises:

means for charging the one or more fees to one or more banking accounts.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for charging the one or more fees to one or more user accounts further comprises:

means for charging the one or more fees to one or more credit accounts.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for charging the one or more fees to one or more user accounts further comprises:

means for charging the one or more fees to one or more subscription accounts.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for charging the one or more fees to one or more user accounts comprises:

means for charging the one or more fees to one or more financial accounts at one or more rate structures.

17. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for transmitting one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to be included in the one or more billing statements in place of all non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users in the one or more billing statements resulting in the one or more billing statements having no non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users comprises:

means for transmitting the one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to the one or more second users.

18. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users further comprises:

means for transmitting one or more billing statements including one or more non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users in response to identification authentication.

19. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for receiving one or more requests from the one or more first users to associate one or more illusory user identification characteristics with the one or more first users.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for receiving one or more requests from the one or more first users to associate one or more illusory user identification characteristics with the one or more first users comprises:

means for receiving one or more requests from one or more first users having one or more known identities to associate one or more illusory identification characteristics with the one or more first users.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for receiving one or more requests from the one or more first users to associate one or more illusory user identification characteristics with the one or more first users comprises:

means for receiving one or more requests from the one or more first users to associate one or more illusory user names with the one or more first users.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for receiving one or more requests from the one or more first users to associate one or more illusory user identification characteristics with the one or more first users comprises:

means for receiving one or more requests from the one or more first users to associate one or more illusory telephone numbers with the one or more first users.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for receiving one or more requests from the one or more first users to associate one or more illusory user identification characteristics with the one or more first users further comprises:

means for receiving one or more requests from one or more first users having one or more known identities to substitute one or more communications data associated with the one or more first users having one or more known identities with one or more illusory communications data.

24. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users comprises:

means for transmitting one or more signals including one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users comprises:

means for transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users in one or more context dependent manners.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users in one or more context dependent manners further comprises:

means for transmitting the one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users, the transmitting of the one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users being dependent on location of the second user.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users in one or more context dependent manners further comprises:

means for transmitting the one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users, the transmitting of the one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users being dependent on proximity of a third party to the second user.

29. A system comprising:

circuitry for associating one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users;

circuitry for charging the one or more fees to one or more user accounts; and

circuitry for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users further comprises;

circuitry for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users further comprises;

circuitry for transmitting one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to be included in the one or more billing statements in place of all non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users in the one or more billing statements resulting in the one or more billing statements having no non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

circuitry for posting one or more billing statements to one or more electronic addresses.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users.

32. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

circuitry for receiving one or more requests from the one or more first users to associate one or more illusory user identification characteristics with the one or more first users.

33. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to the one or more second users.

34. An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more non-transitory storage mediums bearing;

one or more instructions for associating one or more fees with a transmission of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users;

one or more instructions for charging the one or more fees to one or more user accounts; and

one or more instructions for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, wherein said one or more instructions for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users further comprises;

one or more instructions for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users, wherein said one or more instructions for transmitting one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users further comprises;

one or more instructions for transmitting one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to be included in the one or more billing statements in place of all non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users in the one or more billing statements resulting in the one or more billing statements having no non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 34, wherein the one or more non-transitory storage mediums include one or more computer-readable mediums.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 34, wherein one or more non-transitory storage mediums include one or more recordable mediums.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 34, wherein the one or more non-transitory storage mediums include one or more communications mediums.

38. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices; and

one or more instructions that when executed on the one or more computing devices cause the one or more computing devices to

associate one or more fees with one or more transmissions of one or more illusory identification characteristics associated with one or more first users to one or more second users;

charge the one or more fees to one or more user accounts; and

transmit one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, wherein said transmitting of the one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users further comprises;

transmit one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users, wherein said transmitting of the one or more billing statements to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users according to the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users further comprises;

transmit one or more billing statements including the one or more illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users to at least one of the one or more first users and the one or more second users, the one or more illusory user identification characteristics to be included in the one or more billing statements in place of all non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users in the one or more billing statements resulting in the one or more billing statements having no non-illusory user identification characteristics associated with the one or more first users.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the one or more computing devices comprise:

one or more of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal entertainment device, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a tablet personal computer, a networked computer, a computing system comprised of a cluster of processors, a computing system comprised of a cluster of servers, a workstation computer, or a desktop computer.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the one or more computing devices comprise:

one or more heterogeneous computing networks.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the one or more heterogeneous computing networks comprise:

two or more of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal entertainment device, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a tablet personal computer, a networked computer, a computing system comprised of a cluster of processors, a computing system comprised of a cluster of servers, a workstation computer, or a desktop computer.