System and method for providing commercial services over a wireless communication network

• US 10,332,163 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syniverse ICX LLC
• Original Assignee: Syniverse ICX Corp. (Syniverse Corp.)
• Inventors: Wiesmuller, Andreas, Goodspeed, Ben, Langmeier, Alois, Tschaickner, Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Obeid, Mamon
• Application Number:
  US12/272,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,872 Days
• Field of Search: 705 141, 705 25, 705 26, 705 64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

The inventive system provides real-time commercial services to users of mobile communication devices (MCDs) over a wireless communication network utilizing the short message service protocol (SMS). The inventive system establishes a dialog with a user of an MCD utilizing SMS to present the user with commercial service options and to allow the user to quickly and easily purchase the services by sending minimal SMS responses during the dialog process. Preferably, prior to utilization of the inventive system, the user subscribes with a service provider to pre-arrange payment options for purchased services, to provide information helpful in tailoring offered services and service options to the user, and optionally to receive enhanced services (such as discounted and/or last minute offers, etc.). Utilization of the inventive system occurs in three phases: trigger, purchase and claim. During the trigger phase (user or service provider initiated), the service to be purchased is selected. During the purchase phase, the user selects the grade and quantity of services to be purchased and authorizes payment which is processed by the service provider and thereafter receives a unique service code. During the claim phase, the user presents the service code at the service location, which is then verified using a local terminal, and the service is then delivered to the user. The inventive dialog process can be advantageously and readily configured for a wide variety of commercial services, including, but not limited to entertainment site admissions and travel.

Claims

1. A data processing and communication method for providing commercial services over a wireless communication network to a first user utilizing a mobile communication device (MCD), the method comprising:

(a) receiving, via a service control system, subscription information from the first user, wherein the subscription information comprises an agreement to receive offers via the MCD;

(b) detecting, via the service control system, a location of the MCD;

(c) providing, via the service control system to the MCD, a first message comprising an offer for multiple bundled services corresponding, in part, to detected service locations within a determined geographic area of the detected location of the MCD, each of the multiple bundled services being different from one another and being redeemable at one or more venues, wherein the multiple bundled services offered by a service provider, and the multiple bundled services are automatically presented to a user interface of a display device of the MCD thereby enabling interaction by the first user, via the user interface, with visible indicia associated with the services wherein the first message is provided to the MCD based at least in part on the agreement with the first user, and the first message is provided to the MCD using at least one of a short message service (SMS) protocol or a multimedia message service (MMS) protocol,

(d) receiving, via the service control system from the MCD, a second message comprising an acceptance of the offer, wherein the second message is received using at least one of an SMS protocol or an MMS protocol;

(e) obtaining, via the service control system, payment for the multiple bundled services from the first user in response to the service control system verifying an identity of the first user based on a biometric scan of the first user scanned via a biometric identity verification device of the MCD;

(f) providing, via the service control system to the MCD, a third message comprising a single unique confirmation code confirming purchase of the multiple bundled services, the confirmation code being usable for each service of the multiple bundled services, wherein the third message is provided using at least one of an SMS protocol or an MMS protocol;

(g) analyzing, via the service control system, the confirmation code in response to detection of an indication of payment for the multiple bundled services to enable the first user to claim and utilize the multiple bundled services;

(h) denoting, via the service control system, a first service of the multiple bundled services as claimed and in response preventing additional usage of the confirmation code by a second user in response to detecting that the confirmation code is verified in an instance in which the first service is provided to the first user; and

(i) enabling, via the service control system, the confirmation code for usage by the first user to utilize the confirmation code, in part, to obtain a second service of the multiple bundled services prior to expiration of a predetermined time period subsequent to the first service being provided to the first user based on prior usage of the confirmation code to obtain the first service.

2. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving, via the service control system, the subscription information from the first user further comprises:

receiving, via the service control system, information representative of the first user.

3. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving, via the service control system, the subscription information from the first user further comprises:

receiving, via the service control system, a payment type selected by the first user such that payment for the offer is obtained utilizing the selected payment type.

4. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises selecting at least one default preference, wherein the at least one default preference comprises a specification of whether the control system should request identity verification prior to processing a purchase of the multiple bundled services.

5. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, wherein the third message contains information representative of the multiple bundled services and instructions for claiming the multiple bundled services.

6. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, wherein, the step of verifying the confirmation code utilizes a local communication device in communication with the service control system.

7. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, wherein the multiple bundled services comprise at least one service selected from the following group:

movies, concerts, cultural events, sporting events, zoos, amusement parks, premium speaking engagements, travel tickets, car rentals, hotel rooms, and parking.

8. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the offer for multiple bundled services to the first user, via the service control system, is triggered by receiving, via the control system from the first user, a keyword corresponding to a least one of the multiple bundled services.

9. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, further comprising providing, via the service control system, to the first user, a time until which the confirmation code is valid.

18. The data processing and communication method of claim 1, wherein prior to enabling the confirmation code, the method further comprises:

transmitting, via the service control system, an expiration warning to the MCD at a predefined time period before the expiration of the predetermined time period.

10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with program code to provide commercial services over a wireless communication network to a first user utilizing a mobile communication device (MCD), the program code comprising:

code for receiving, via a service control system, subscription information from the first user, wherein the subscription information comprises an agreement to receive offers via the MCD;

code for detecting, via the service control system, a location of the MCD;

code for providing, via the service control system to the MCD, a first message comprising an offer for multiple bundled services corresponding, in part, to detected service locations within a determined geographic area of the detected location of the MCD, each of the multiple bundled services being different from one another and being redeemable at one or more venues, wherein the multiple bundled services offered by a service provider and the multiple bundled services are automatically presented to a user interface of a display device of the MCD thereby enabling interaction by the first user via the user interface with visible indicia associated with the services, wherein (a) the first message is provided to the MCD based at least in part on the agreement with the first user, and (b) the first message is provided to the MCD using at least one of a short message service (SMS) protocol or a multimedia message service (MMS) protocol;

code for receiving, via the service control system from the MCD, a second message comprising an acceptance of the offer, wherein the second message is received using at least one of an SMS protocol or an MMS protocol;

code for obtaining, via the service control system, payment for the multiple bundled services from the first user in response to verifying an identity of the first user based on a biometric scan captured via a biometric identity verification device of the MCD;

code for providing, via the service control system to the MCD, a third message comprising a unique confirmation code confirming purchase of the multiple bundled services, the confirmation code being usable for each service of the multiple bundled services, wherein the third message is provided using at least one of an SMS protocol or an MMS protocol;

code for analyzing, via the service control system, the confirmation code in response to detection of an indication of payment for the multiple bundled services to enable the first user to claim and utilize the multiple bundled services;

code for denoting, via the service control system, a first service of the multiple bundled services as claimed and in response preventing additional usage of the confirmation code by a second user in response to detecting that the confirmation code is verified in an instance in which the first service is provided to the first user; and

code for enabling, via the service control system, the confirmation code for usage by the first user to utilize the confirmation code, in part, to obtain a second service of the multiple bundled services prior to expiration of a predetermined time period subsequent to the first service is provided to the first user based on prior usage of the confirmation code to obtain the first service.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the program code further comprises:

code for receiving said confirmation code from the first user to a service representative at a service claim location in an instance in which the first user decides to

claim said purchased service code for verifying, by the service representative using a local communication device communicating with said service control system, validity of said confirmation code; and

code providing the purchased service to the first user in an instance in which said confirmation code is valid.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein:

denoting comprises marking, via the service control system, the confirmation code as claimed to prevent future utilization of said confirmation code to claim said purchased service.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the program code further comprises code for transmitting, to the first user, a time until which the selected service is valid.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the program code further comprises:

code for receiving a subscription, by the first user, to a service program offered by said service provider prior to receiving, at a service control system, a selection of a service, wherein the subscription information further comprises at least one default preference, and wherein the at least one default preference comprises a specification of whether or not the control system should request identity verification prior to processing a purchase of the multiple bundled services.

19. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein prior to the code for enabling the confirmation code, the computer program product further comprises:

code for transmitting, via the service control system, an expiration warning to the MCD at a predefined time period before the expiration of the predetermined time period.

15. A data processing and communication method for providing commercial services over a wireless communication network to a first user utilizing a mobile communication device (MCD), the method comprising:

(a) providing, to a service control system, subscription information by the first user, wherein the subscription information comprises an agreement to receive offers via the MCD,

(b) detecting a location of the MCD;

(c) receiving, via the MCD, a first message comprising an offer for multiple bundled services corresponding, in part, to detected service locations within a determined geographic area of the detected location of the MCD, each of the multiple bundled services being different from one another and being redeemable at one or more venues, wherein the multiple bundled services are offered by a service provider and the multiple bundled services are automatically presented to a user interface of a display device of the MCD to enable interaction by the first user, via the user interface, with visible indicia associated with the multiple bundled services, wherein the message is received by the MCD based at least in part on the agreement with the first user, and (b) the first message is received via the MCD using at least one of a short message service (SMS) protocol or a multimedia message service

(MMS) protocol;

(d) providing, via the MCD to the service control system, a second message comprising an acceptance of the offer, wherein the second message is provided using at least one of an SMS protocol or an MMS protocol,

(e) receiving, via the MCD, a third message comprising a unique confirmation code confirming purchase of the multiple bundled services subsequent to the service control system obtaining payment for the multiple bundled services from the first user and in response to verifying an identity of the first user based on a biometric scan captured via a biometric identity verification device of the MCD;

(f) determining, via the MCD, whether the service code is valid in response to detection of an indication of payment for the multiple bundled services to enable the first user to claim and utilize the multiple bundled services; and

(g) denoting a first service of the multiple bundled services as claimed and disabling the confirmation code for the first service to prevent additional usage of the confirmation code by a second user in response to a detection that the confirmation code is verified in an instance in which the first service is provided to the first user, wherein the confirmation code is enabled, via the service control system, for usage by the first user to utilize the confirmation code, in part, to obtain a second service of the multiple bundled services prior to expiration of a predetermined time period subsequent to the first service being provided to the first user based on prior usage of the confirmation code to obtain the first service.

16. The data processing and communication method of claim 15, further comprising selecting, by the first user, at least one service parameter for the multiple bundled services included in the offer.

17. The data processing and communication method of claim 16, wherein said at least one service parameter comprises at least one of:

grade of service, and quantity of service.

20. The data processing and communication method of claim 15, wherein prior to the confirmation code is enabled for usage, the method further comprises:

(j) receiving, via the MCD, an expiration warning, from the service control system, at a predefined time period before the expiration of the predetermined time period.