DE10046285A1 - Method for paying for power consumption or service access especially for small quantities by automatic fund transfer - Google Patents

Abstract

The payment method for power consumption or use of services over a telecommunication network enables money to be paid by transfer through a network provider by calling up predetermined telephone numbers. A cashier computer (2) connected to a telephone number automatically investigates an incoming connection. The computer receives a reference number from the connection and stores this. When the connection is broken off, a database is formed with the time the connection lasted and the reference number. The database is made accessible or transmitted to other systems e.g. of financial institutions as an indication that a corresponding amount is to be transferred.

Description

The invention relates to a system for automatic Payment of preferably smaller amounts.

A payment system for services is known about Telecommunications networks. When using the 0190.. , Numbers of Deutsche Telekom AG particularly high connection time charges, of which the DTAG a large part to the provider / operator of the Forwards the number. This way the service performance paid by the operator.

According to the state of the art, the system is exclusive used to pay for services that go through the Telecommunications network are provided. Are exemplary here fax server with information or hotlines for technical Information.

According to the invention, the system 0190.. , to pay any Services are used, preferably payment transactions with a high frequency but a small amount. A main application is the download of files from the Internet. It is also possible by advertising a product to point out that by a telephone connection of certain duration will be paid. The identification of the customer is here for example through the "calling party" transmitted by the network number "possible".

The object is achieved by those listed in claim 1 Features solved. Advantageous further developments or Ausge Events of the invention are given in the subclaims.

The object of the invention is explained using examples. Here, FIG. 1 shows the individual components of the invention as well as their interconnection.

A user 9 would like to use his PC 7 to download an MP3 file from the server 1 via the Internet. The file should cost about 5 DM. The user 9 has an Internet connection to the server 1 and selected the desired file. The user 9 is now requested by the server 1 to pay DM 5. The user 9 uses the payment system according to the invention and signals this to the server 1 .

A reference number RN is required for the payment process. The following variants are possible.

• 1. The user 9 enters any character / number sequence as RN.
• 2. The user 9 enters his phone number as an RN. This has the particular advantage that the RN will be transferred as the "calling party number" in the later payment connection. The "calling party number" is, for example, included in the "setup frame" for Euro ISDN. The use of the "calling party number" from the communication network is only possible if the payment connection is also established from this connection. Solutions are also conceivable in which the cashier computer 2 checks on the incoming payment connection whether a "calling party number" has been transmitted. If it is not available, it is possible to reject the connection or not to query it, or to prompt User 9 for manual entry using an announcement machine.
• 3. The RN is specified by server 1 and transmitted to user 9 .
• 4. A special software module S for the system according to the invention determines the RN and transmits it automatically to the server 1 and also in the checkout connection to the checkout computer 2 .
• 5. The IP address (Internet address) is used as RN, a temporary IP address can also be used.

Variant 3 is to be used in this example. The server 1 generates an RN and transmits it to the user 9 / PC 7 . It should consist of the numbers "224466". Furthermore, the number X of the cashier computer ( 2 ) 0190.. , and the time Z, for which the payment connection must exist, are transmitted to user 9 / PC 7 .

The user 9 dials the cashier computer 2 with the telephone 8 . The cashier computer 2 queries the connection and prompts the user to enter the reference number RN via an automatic announcement. The payment time Z began with the query. The user enters the RN "224466" on the phone. The transmission takes place here with the common DTMF system.

A cyclical automatic announcement of the time for which the connection still has to be maintained in order to pay for the desired performance is advantageous here. The end of the payment time Z should also be announced. The user can now initiate the connection. Automatic triggering by the cashier computer 2 is also conceivable.

For better information to user 9 , the course of the payment connection (start, remaining time, end) via connection 6 and server 1 can also be displayed in a window on PC 7 . The server 1 can assign the connection based on the RN.

In certain applications, such as. B. database applications, certain paid content can be released during the period of existence of the payment connection. For this it is necessary that the data record D is created at the start of the payment connection or that the server 1 has corresponding access to the required data (reference number RN). The server 1 then sends chargeable information to the IP address of the user 9 as long as the payment connection exists, wherein the IP address of the user 9 can be used directly as a reference number RN or is assigned to it.

By the cashier ( 2 ) it is now determined that the user 9 identified by the RN "224466" has a payment connection with the necessary time Z has existed. The information is stored in a data record D and transmitted to the server 1 or made accessible to it.

The server 1 recognizes from the reference number RN that the desired performance of the user 9 has been paid for and releases the download in this case. Of course, the payment connection can also be made before the download. There is then a credit on the server 1 under the reference number RN.

Instead of a download, e.g. B. it is also possible to print an address label to send a magazine to an address entered by user 9 .

With the solution according to the invention it is also possible to automatically order and pay for goods without the Internet. Here, the number X of the cashier computer 2 is operated as an extension number. The desired product is determined by the extension number. The address of the customer can easily be determined by the "calling party number" supplied by the network. Previous assignments of addresses to reference numbers are also conceivable, which then z. B. must be entered via DTMF.

Instead of using the telephone 7 , a more or less automatic selection with the software module S on the PC 7 is also possible. If the PC 7 is equipped with an ISDN card, two simultaneous connections are possible. The software module S is started for payment. It takes over the number X of the cashier computer 2 supplied by the server, possibly the reference number RN and the time for which the payment connection must be maintained. Then the selection of the checkout computer 2 , an automatic transmission of RN and the termination after the end of the payment time, the termination can be done both by the checkout computer 2 and by the software module S. Likewise, the reference number RN can also be generated by the software module S. It is then transmitted to server 1 via the Internet connection and to cashier computer 2 via telephone / ISDN connection.

Another advantage of the invention is automatic invoice printing. An invoice is printed by user 9 through server 1 or with the help of a further software module. It contains information about the service provided, the reference number RN and the start and end of the payment connection. A double of the invoice can be saved on the supplier's computer. With the help of a telephone bill, payment for the service can then be proven.

reference numeral

1

Internet server (for download)

2

Treasurer computer

3

Possible variant with server and cashier computer in one computer

4

Internet

5

public telecommunications network (ISDN)

6

Connection from the server to the checkout computer

7

PC at the user

8th

Telephone at the user

9

User

Claims (10)

1. A method for paying for services via a telecommunications network in which money is paid out to the operators of these telephone numbers X by the network operator when dialing specific telephone numbers X, characterized in that
that a cashier computer ( 2 ) connected to a phone number X automatically queries an incoming connection,
that the cashier computer ( 2 ) receives and stores a reference number RN from the incoming connection,
that when the connection is terminated, a data record D is formed with the time for which the connection existed and the reference number RN and
that the data record D is made available / transmitted to other systems as an indication that a corresponding amount has been transmitted. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the reference number RN over the from the communication network is the mean number of the caller. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in the reference number RN any one sent by the caller Is string that is appropriate to the paid Allocate amount. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data record D additionally by the from the communication network transmitted number X, Xn of the called subscriber is continued and that the number X, Xn is used by a paid amount to assign a service. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cashier computer ( 2 ) automatically sends a text to the paid service that automatically, cyclically the progress of the payment is announced and that the cashier computer ( 2 ) automatically when the service is fully paid the connection is broken. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in
that an Internet server ( 1 ) offers a user ( 9 ) the payment method according to the invention for paying for a service,
that after the consent of the user ( 9 ) a reference number RN is agreed for the payment and exchanged,
that the user calls the cashier computer ( 2 ) under a number X specified by the server ( 1 ) and maintains the connection for the necessary time to pay for the service,
that the cashier computer generates a data record D and makes it accessible to the server ( 1 ) and that the server ( 1 ) then delivers the desired performance. 7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cashier computer ( 2 ) signals to the server ( 1 ) the beginning and end of the cashier connection and that the server releases certain fee-based services only during this time. 8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the server ( 1 ) informs the user ( 9 ) via the Internet connection using direct information from the cashier computer ( 2 ) about the start, course and end of the payment connection. 9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a software module S in the PC ( 7 ) automatically takes the number X to be dialed, the necessary connection time and the reference number RN from the server ( 1 ) and thus automatically controls the payment connection after consent by the user. 10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that tasks of the server ( 1 ) and the cashier computer ( 2 ) are carried out by a computer.