System and method for providing wireless services

• US 20030046091A1
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Corvari, Lawrence J., Clark, John, Arneson, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US09/852,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046091A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/10 Metering calls from calling party , i.e. A-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A system which allows wireless airtime units to be used as a medium of exchange. For example, with the novel wireless server system, wireless airtime units may be used as a form of currency by a user in exchange for other types of products or services. In addition, the novel system can be used to provide new types of incentives that reward users with airtime wireless units. Thus, wireless airtime units can be awarded to users that view electronic advertisements, visit desired web pages or purchase particular products. Users can in turn, use these wireless airtime units to obtain airtime for their wireless communications devices, or alternatively, to exchange the wireless airtime units for other goods and services.

Claims

1. A method of purchasing goods or services, comprising:

directing payment for goods or services with wireless airtime units.

2. The method of purchasing goods or services according to claim 1, wherein:

said directing payment is for payment of goods.

3. The method of purchasing goods or services according to claim 1, wherein:

said payment is for loan of said goods.

4. The method of purchasing goods or services according to claim 1, wherein:

said payment is for lease of said goods.

5. The method of purchasing goods or services according to claim 1, wherein:

said directing payment is for payment of a service.

6. The method of purchasing goods or services according to claim 1, wherein:

said directing payment transfers wireless airtime units from a buyer'"'"'s account to a seller'"'"'s account.

7. The method of purchasing goods or services according to claim 6, wherein:

said wireless airtime units can be used in a metered wireless communications system.

8. The method of purchasing goods or services according to claim 6, wherein:

said wireless airtime units can be used in post-paid wireless communications system.

9. A method of providing e-commerce incentives, comprising:

offering wireless airtime units to a user in response to said user performing an action on a web site.

10. The method of providing e-commerce incentives according to claim 9, wherein said action on said web site comprises:

selection of an electronic advertisement.

11. The method of providing e-commerce incentives according to claim 9, wherein said action on said web site comprises:

returning to said web site.

12. The method of providing e-commerce incentives according to claim 9, wherein said action on said web site comprises:

obtaining electronic services.

13. The method of providing e-commerce incentives according to claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring said web site to determine if said user performs said action on said web site.

14. The method of providing e-commerce incentives according to claim 13, further comprising:

creating a wireless service account for said user in response to said user performing said action on said web site.

15. The method of providing e-commerce incentives according to claim 14, further comprising:

crediting said wireless service account with said wireless airtime units.

16. The method of providing e-commerce incentives according to claim 14, further comprising:

crediting said wireless service account when said user purchases wireless airtime units.

17. The method of providing e-commerce incentives according to claim 15, further comprising:

reducing a count of wireless airtime units in said wireless service account when said user uses a wireless communications device based on said wireless service account.

18. A method of conducting e-commerce, comprising:

offering wireless airtime units to a user in exchange for said user accessing particular electronic information; and

crediting a wireless device account associated with said user with a given number of wireless airtime units when said user accesses said electronic information.

19. The method of conducting e-commerce according to claim 18, further comprising:

creating a wireless service account for said user in response to said user accessing said electronic information.

20. The method of conducting e-commerce according to claim 18, wherein:

said wireless account is a metered wireless service account.

21. A method of paying for an offering, comprising:

maintaining a count of wireless airtime units in a wireless service account associated with an entity; and

reducing said maintained count of wireless airtime units in said wireless service account when said entity exchanges wireless airtime units for a particular offering.

22. The method of paying for an offering according to claim 21, further comprising:

selling a product through a web site wherein said product can be purchased in exchange for a predefined number of said wireless airtime units in a wireless service account associated with a purchaser of said product.

23. The method of paying for an offering according to claim 21, further comprising:

accepting a predefined number of said wireless airtime units in exchange for said offering.

24. The method of paying for an offering according to claim 21, wherein:

said wireless airtime units are earned by performing an action on a web site.

25. The method of paying for an offering according to claim 21, wherein:

said wireless airtime units are earned by visiting a web site.

26. The method of paying for an offering according to claim 21, wherein:

said wireless airtime units represent metered wireless services.

27. The method of paying for an offering according to claim 21, further comprising:

crediting at least one wireless airtime unit to said wireless service account in response to behavior by said entity.

28. The method of paying for an offering according to claim 21, further comprising:

crediting one or more wireless airtime units to said wireless service account in response to said entity visiting a web site.

29. A method of exchanging wireless airtime units, comprising:

maintaining a first count of wireless airtime units in a first wireless account associated with a first entity;

maintaining a second count of wireless airtime units in a second wireless account associated with a second entity;

receiving an electronic message that said first entity desires to exchange wireless airtime units with said second entity; and

transferring at least one wireless airtime unit from said first wireless account to said second wireless account.

30. The method of exchanging wireless airtime units according to claim 29, further comprising:

maintaining said first wireless account on behalf of a website.

31. The method of exchanging wireless airtime units according to claim 29, wherein:

said transfer of wireless airtime units is in response to detection of a particular electronic commerce transaction.

32. The method of exchanging wireless airtime units according to claim 29, further comprising:

reducing said count of wireless airtime units in said first wireless account when said first entity uses a wireless communications device associated with said first wireless account.

33. The method of exchanging wireless airtime units according to claim 29, further comprising:

increasing said maintained count of wireless airtime units in said first wireless account when said first entity performs a desired action on a website.

34. A wireless device replenishment apparatus, comprising:

a first wireless account configured for a first wireless device to store at least one wireless airtime unit;

a second wireless account configured for a second wireless device to store at least one wireless airtime unit; and

an exchange component executable in a processor to transfer, in exchange for an offering associated with said second wireless device, said at least one wireless air unit from said first wireless account to said second wireless account.

35. The wireless device replenishment apparatus according to claim 34, wherein:

said offering is a good.

36. The wireless device replenishment apparatus according to claim 34, wherein:

said offering is a service.

37. The wireless device replenishment apparatus according to claim 34, wherein:

said first wireless account is associated with post-paid wireless services.

38. An incentive offering system, comprising:

a wireless service account associated with an entity, said wireless service account maintaining a count of wireless airtime units; and

a processor in communication with both an e-tailer website and said wireless service account, said processor being configured to increase said count of wireless airtime units when said entity performs a desired action on said e-tailer web site.

39. The incentive offering system according to claim 38, wherein:

said e-tailer'"'"'s web site is configured to monitor activity of said entity to determine if said entity has earned offered wireless airtime units; and

said e-tailer'"'"'s web site is configured to communicate with said processor to update said wireless service account with said earned wireless airtime units.

40. The incentive offering system according to claim 38, wherein:

said wireless service account is updateable with additionally purchased wireless airtime units from said e-tailer.

41. The incentive offering system according to claim 38, wherein:

said wireless service account is updateable with additionally purchased wireless airtime units from said wireless service account.