Originating a billed transaction for an origin telephony device

• US 7,099,652 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Winters, Scott Lee, Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Weaver, James Mark, McIntyre, Joseph Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/023,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20030114139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-408, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/415, 455/563, 379/114.19, 379/114.21, 379/114.2, 379/126, 379/127.01, 379/93.12, 379/114.23, 379/114.22, 379/121.02, 379/114.26, 705/64, 705/67, 705/400
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• 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 2215/0156 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 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• 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 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/68 Billing calls completely to the calling party, except POTS, e.g. charge on caller's choice service

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and program for originating a billed transaction at an origin telephony device are provided. A request to originate a billed transaction is received from an origin device. The identity of a callee answering a call originated by the origin device is authenticated. Responsive to receiving an acceptance of the call by the callee, an account accessed by the authenticated identity of said callee is billed to complete said billed transaction, such that the origin device is enabled to initiate the billed transaction charged to the callee. In particular, a service associated with the billed transaction may only available for a particular callee or selection of callees. In addition, the callee may elect which account to charge for the billed transaction. Further, the identity of the caller originating the call at the origin device is forwarded to the callee.

Claims

1. A method for billing for services provided by a caller originating a call, said method comprising:

receiving a request to originate a billed transaction for a service provided by a caller from an origin device;

authenticating an identity of a callee answering a call originated by said origin device; and

responsive to receiving an acceptance of said call by said callee from a destination device, billing an account accessed by said authenticated identity of said callee for a cost of said service and crediting said cost to a caller account to complete said billed transaction when said service provided by said caller is complete, such that said origin device is enabled to initiate said billed transaction charged to said callee for said service provided by said caller to said callee during said call.

2. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, further comprising:

only prompting said caller to provide said service if said callee is one of a plurality of callees authorized to accept said billed transaction for said service.

3. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving said request to originate said billed transaction at a switch within a trusted telephone network providing a telephone service connection for said call, establishing a secure communication channel between a billing service provider outside said trusted telephone network and said trusted telephone network, wherein said billing service provider controls authenticating said identity of said callee answering said call, prompting said callee to accept said call with said service, accessing said account by said authenticated identity of said callee, and controlling billing said account accessed by said authenticated identity of said callee for said cost of said service and crediting said cost to said caller account to complete said billed transaction.

4. The method for billing for telephone according to claim 1, further comprising:

prompting said callee to accept said call and incur a charge for said cost indicated in said billed transaction; and

only completing said billed transaction if said callee accepts said call.

5. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, wherein receiving a request to originate a billed transaction for a service provided by a caller from an origin device further comprises:

receiving said request in which said caller specifies said cost for said service and a type of said service.

6. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating an identity of said caller utilizing said origin device; and

providing said callee with said identity of said caller.

7. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, wherein authenticating an identity of said callee further comprises:

authenticating said identity of said callee according to a voice utterance by said callee.

8. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, wherein receiving a request further comprises:

receiving a dialed digit request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

9. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, wherein receiving a request further comprises:

receiving a voice directed request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

10. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, wherein receiving a request further comprises:

receiving a destination line number that is specified to originate said billed transaction for said caller.

11. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, wherein receiving a request further comprises:

accessing a profile for said caller; and

receiving a profile specified request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

12. The method for billing for services according to claim 1, further comprising:

prompting said caller at said origin device to select said caller account for crediting a cost of said billed transaction.

13. A system for billing for services provided by a caller originating a call, said system comprising:

a billing controller communicatively connected to a telephone network;

means for receiving a request to originate a billed transaction for a service provided by a caller at said billing controller from an origin device;

means for authenticating an identity of a callee answering a call originated by said origin device; and

means responsive to receiving an acceptance of said call by said callee from a destination device, for billing an account accessed by said authenticated identity of said callee for a cost of said service and crediting said cost to a caller account to complete said billed transaction initiated by said origin device when said service provided by said caller is complete.

14. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for only prompting said caller to provide said service if said callee is one of a plurality of callees authorized to accept said billed transaction for said service.

15. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, further comprising:

means, responsive to receiving said request to originate said billed transaction at a switch within a trusted telephone network providing a telephone service connection for said call, for establishing a secure communication channel between a billing service provider outside said trusted telephone network and said trusted telephone network, wherein said billing service provider controls authenticating said identity of said callee answering said call, prompting said callee to accept said call with said service, accessing said account by said authenticated identity of said callee, and controlling billing said account accessed by said authenticated identity of said callee for said cost of said service and crediting said cost to said caller account to complete said billed transaction.

16. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for prompting said callee to accept said call and incur a charge for said cost indicated in said billed transaction; and

means for only completing said billed transaction if said callee accepts said call.

17. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, said means for receiving a request to originate a billed transaction for a service provided by a caller from an origin device further comprises:

means for receiving said request in which said caller specifies said cost for said service and a type of said service.

18. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for authenticating an identity of said caller utilizing said origin device; and

means for providing said callee with said identity of said caller.

19. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, wherein said means for authenticating an identity of said callee further comprises:

means for authenticating said identity of said callee according to a voice utterance by said callee.

20. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, wherein said means for receiving a request further comprises:

means for receiving a dialed digit request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

21. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, wherein said means for receiving a request further comprises:

means for receiving a voice directed request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

22. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, wherein said means for receiving a request further comprises:

means for receiving a destination line number that is specified to originate said billed transaction for said caller.

23. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, wherein said means for receiving a request further comprises:

means for accessing a profile for said caller; and

means for receiving a profile specified request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

24. The system for billing for services according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for prompting said caller at said origin device to select said caller account for crediting a cost of said billed transaction.

25. A computer program product for billing for services provided by a caller originating a call, said computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for enabling receipt of a request to originate a billed transaction for a service provided by a caller from an origin device;

means, recorded on said recording medium, for authenticating an identity of a callee answering a call originated by said origin device; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for billing an account accessed by said authenticated identity of said callee for a cost of said service and crediting said cost to a caller account to complete said billed transaction initiated by said origin device when said service provided by said caller is complete.

26. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for only prompting said caller to provide said service if said callee is one of a plurality of callees authorized to accept said billed transaction for said service.

27. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, responsive to receiving said request to originate said billed transaction at a switch within a trusted telephone network providing a telephone service connection for said call, for establishing a secure communication channel between a billing service provider outside said trusted telephone network and said trusted telephone network, wherein said billing service provider controls authenticating said identity of said callee answering said call, prompting said callee to accept said call with said service, accessing said account by said authenticated identity of said callee, and controlling billing said account accessed by said authenticated identity of said callee for said cost of said service and crediting said cost to said caller account to complete said billed transaction.

28. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for prompting said callee to accept said call and incur a charge for said cost indicated in said billed transaction; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for only completing said billed transaction if said callee accepts said call.

29. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving said request in which said caller specifies said cost for said service and a type of said service.

30. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for authenticating an identity of said caller utilizing said origin device; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for providing said callee with said identity of said caller.

31. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, wherein said means, recorded on said recording medium, for authenticating an identity of said callee further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for authenticating said identity of said callee according to a voice utterance by said callee.

32. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, wherein said means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a request further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a dialed digit request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

33. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, wherein said means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a request further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a voice directed request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

34. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, wherein said means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a request further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a destination line number that is specified to originate said billed transaction for said caller.

35. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, wherein said means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a request further comprises:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for accessing a profile for said caller; and

means, recorded on said recording medium, for receiving a profile specified request to originate said billed transaction for said caller at said origin device.

36. The computer program product for billing for services according to claim 25, further comprising:

means, recorded on said recording medium, for prompting said caller at said origin device to select said caller account for crediting a cost of said billed transaction.

37. A method for controlling a billed transaction, comprising:

transferring a call to a destination device with a billed transaction request initiated by a caller placing said call to said destination device, wherein said billed transaction request is for a callee answering said call at said destination device to pay said caller for a service provided by said caller during said call;

authenticating an identity of said callee answering said call at said destination device; and

executing said billed transaction according to a billing plan for said authenticated callee identity.

38. The method for controlling a billed transaction according to claim 37, further comprising:

only executing said billed transaction responsive to an authorization by said callee.

39. A method for controlling callee billing, comprising:

receiving a call at a destination device with a billed transaction request initiated by a caller placing said call, wherein said billed transaction request is for a callee answering said call at said destination device to pay said caller for a service provided by said caller during said call; and

responsive to an acceptance of said billed transaction request by a callee answering said call at said destination device, transferring an authorization to charge a billing plan accessed according to an authenticated identity of said callee.