Inserting value into customer account at point of sale using a customer account identifier

• US 8,244,612 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2009
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Inventors: Chakiris, Philip M., Smith, Merrill Brooks, Graves, Phillip Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Chencinski, Siegfried E
• Application Number:
  US12/607,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705 16- 18, 705/80, 379/144, 235/375, 235/380, 455/405
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• 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 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/25 using a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2506 code input or reading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2512 from communication terminal display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2518 from material card, using a magnetic stripe card
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2537 : code reader
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2556 : code type
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2562 : alphanumeric
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2593 : code management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0156 : Secure and trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements, encryption, digital signature, codes or double check mechanisms to secure billing calculation and information
• 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
• 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 2215/46 : Connection to several service providers

Abstract

A method of adding a value to a customer account is provided. A request to add a value to a customer account of a customer is received from a point of sale terminal. The request may comprise value identification data associated with the value and account identification data associated with the customer account. The customer account identification data may be entered at the point of sale. The request may be associated with a purchase of the value. The value may be caused to be added to the customer account. During subsequent value purchase transactions, additional value may be added to the account.

Claims

1. A method of adding a value redeemable with one or more providers including a specific provider having a customer account identified by a specific customer account number, the method utilizing a central processor in selective communication with a point of sale device and the one or more providers, the method comprising:

receiving at the central processor from a point of sale terminal, a request to add value to the pre-existing customer account, the request comprising;

value identification data of the amount of value to be added to the customer account;

account identification data associated with the pre-existing customer account;

the value identification data and account identification data being received by the point of sale device;

determining by the central processor, the specific provider associated with the customer account;

communicating by the central processor, with a processor of the specific provider; and

providing by the central processor to the processor of the specific provider, the value identification data and the account identification data, wherein the value is added to the pre-existing customer account by the specific provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the value identification data and the account identification data is entered at the point of sale terminal using a keycard.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the account identification data is a phone number.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a confirmation code associated with the purchase of the value to the point of sale terminal after receiving the request to add the value to the pre-existing customer account.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information about the request to add value to the customer account in a database;

after the storing action, receiving a second request to add a second value to the customer account;

processing the second request and the stored information about the request to identify the account provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the value is associated with a card, and wherein the value identification data comprises card identification information entered at the point-of-sale.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the value identification data to the specific provider comprises the central processor sending to the specific provider a file conforming to an application programming interface (API) of the specific provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer account is used for at least one of:

wireless telephone service;

paging service;

internet-enabled communication service;

utility service;

bundled utility service;

cable television service;

satellite television service;

land-line telephone service;

internet access;

credit services;

wireless web access;

emergency road service;

transportation service;

online dating service;

internet access;

film processing;

gift certificate(s);

prepaid gas;

prepaid grocery;

prepaid entertainment;

prepaid movie;

downloadable ring tones;

downloadable games;

downloadable movie;

downloadable music encoded using at least one of MP3, MP4, Windows Media Video (WMV) and Windows Wave (WAV) music formats;

customer rewards;

bridge toll;

road toll;

long distance telephone communication; and

wireless communication.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the specific customer account number based on the account identification data.

10. A method of adding a value redeemable with one or more providers including a specific provider having a customer account identified by a specific customer account number, the method utilizing a central processor in selective communication with a point of sale device and the one or more providers, the method comprising:

receiving at the central processor from a point of sale terminal, a request to add value to the pre-existing customer account, the request comprising;

identification of the amount of value to be added to the customer account;

account identification data associated with the customer account;

determining by the central processor, the specific provider based on the account identification data;

communicating by the central processor, with a processor of the specific provider; and

providing by the central processor to the processor of the specific provider, the identification of the amount of value to be added to the customer account and the account identification data, wherein the value is added to the customer account by the specific provider.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the account identification data is a phone number.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the value is associated with a card, and wherein the value identification data comprises card identification information entered at the point-of-sale.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing the identification of the amount of value to be added to the customer account and the account identification data to the specific provider comprises the central processor sending to the specific provider a file conforming to an application programming interface (API) of the specific provider.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the customer account is used for at least one of:

wireless telephone service;

paging service;

internet-enabled communication service;

utility service;

bundled utility service;

cable television service;

satellite television service;

land-line telephone service;

internet access;

credit services;

wireless web access;

emergency road service;

transportation service;

online dating service;

internet access;

film processing;

gift certificate(s);

prepaid gas;

prepaid grocery;

prepaid entertainment;

prepaid movie;

downloadable ring tones;

downloadable games;

downloadable movie;

downloadable music encoded using at least one of MP3, MP4, Windows Media Video (WMV) and Windows Wave (WAV) music formats;

customer rewards;

bridge toll;

road toll;

long distance telephone communication; and

wireless communication.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the specific customer account number based on the account identification data.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of financial settlement between the point of sale device, the central processor, and the specific provider.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification of the amount of value to be added to the customer account does not include any applicable fees, taxes, or service charges.

18. A system of adding a value redeemable with one or more providers including a specific provider having a customer account identified by a specific customer account number, the system comprising:

an input device in selective communication with at least one point of sale terminal for receiving from the point of sale terminal a request to add the value to the customer account, the request comprising value identification data associated with the value and account identification data associated with the customer account;

a processor for determining the specific provider and the specific customer account number based on the account identification data; and

an output device for communicating, by the central processor, with a processor of the specific provider and providing to the central processor of the specific provider the value identification data and the account identification data, wherein the value is added to the pre-existing customer account by the specific provider.