Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/44—Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
  • G06Q20/04—Payment circuits
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
  • G06Q20/08—Payment architectures
  • G06Q20/12—Payment architectures specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
  • G06Q20/127—Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
  • G06Q20/38—Payment protocols; Details thereof
  • G06Q20/42—Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
  • G06Q20/425—Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
  • G07F17/0014—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/49—Connection to several service providers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/51—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP for resellers, retailers or service providers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/68—Payment of value-added services
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
  • H04M15/75—Account location specifications
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
  • H04M15/765—Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
  • H04M15/765—Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
  • H04M15/7655—Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices shared by technologies
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
  • H04M15/77—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges involving multiple accounts per user
  • H04M15/772—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges involving multiple accounts per user per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
  • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
  • H04M15/77—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges involving multiple accounts per user
  • H04M15/773—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges involving multiple accounts per user per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/01—Details of billing arrangements
  • H04M2215/0104—Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/01—Details of billing arrangements
  • H04M2215/0196—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
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/46—Connection to several service providers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/54—Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/72—Account specifications
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/72—Account specifications
  • H04M2215/724—Linked accounts
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/72—Account specifications
  • H04M2215/724—Linked accounts
  • H04M2215/725—Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/72—Account specifications
  • H04M2215/724—Linked accounts
  • H04M2215/7254—Multiple accounts per user
  • H04M2215/7263—Multiple accounts per user per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/72—Account specifications
  • H04M2215/724—Linked accounts
  • H04M2215/7254—Multiple accounts per user
  • H04M2215/7268—Multiple accounts per user per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method to manage transactions between a user and one or more participants via a network, where the participants offer some kind of service to the user.
• the present invention also relates to two different computer program products by which a method according to the invention can be executed/applied, and a by computer readable medium on which computer program code according to any of the computer program products is stored.
• An explicit payment is made in connection with purchase of an article or service, such as a book, or wash of a car. Information about the price of the article or the service is available and the buyer can on basis of this information easily take in the cost of the purchase.
• An implicit payment is made in connection with purchase of a service or article which is sold in portions or per time unit. Often small sums are paid per occasion as the service is used. Such payments are usually called micropayments . For instance electrical power is usually paid with a small amount per consumed energy unit, such as kWh.
• Patent publication US 5 680 390 shows a telecommunication network where different functions and services which are offered from the telecommunication operator can be managed.
• the system includes functions for administration, maintenance and debiting.
• Patent publication GB 2 307 130 shows a telecommunication system where the user can be allocated different bandwidths according to need and accessibility.
• the system includes functions for calculation of costs for use of different bandwidths .
• the solution With the intention to offer a solution for one or more of the above presented problems the present invention is based on a method to manage transactions between a user and one or more participants via a network, where the participants offer some kind of service to the user.
• the concept transaction is in this description referred to exchange of information in connection with utilization of and payment for a service
• the concept service is in this description referred to both articles and services.
• the present invention indicates especially that the offered services can be independent of the network, and that services which are offered from different participants can be quite different from each other.
• independence of the network is meant that the service in itself is not depending on the communication network which is used for the transactions. It, however, should be understood that the service can be network dependent.
• the present invention indicates that the user's utilization of respective service is compiled by a reporting unit.
• the reporting unit reports to both the user and respective participant the extent/degree of utilization or consumption/use of a service. In this way the user will have a control of how high the consumption/use of the service is, and the participant can charge the user according to this report.
• the invention indicates that the payment for a service can be made via a third party, to whom the reporting unit reports the utilization of the service. This gives the possibility for the user to get a common bill/invoice for a plurality of different services from the third party.
• the user can indicate a wanted limit for highest consumption of a service, and the controlling unit then can approve further delivery of a service with regard to previous utilization of the service and the limit for use/consumption of the service.
• the controlling unit also can warn the user when the limit for use/consumption is drawing near, or has been reached, and the user can if he/she so wants change the limit if required/necessary.
• the present invention is especially well adapted to its purpose in connection with transactions over the global network Internet.
• participant are offered an aid at compilation of basic data for billing, and in certain embodiments also with billing.
• FIG 1 shows schematically and very simplified an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 1 thus is illustrated a method to manage transactions between a user 1 and one or more participants 21, 22, 23, 2n via a network 3 where the participants 21, 22, 23, 2n offer some kind of service to the user 1.
• the present invention indicates especially that the offered services can be independent of the network 3, and that services which are offered from different participants 21, 22, 23, 2n can be quite different from each other.
• Services which can be offered according to the present invention are, for instance, telephone subscriptions, subscription to electrical power, listening to or purchase of music, the use of games, pay-TV, or others that can be derived from different participants to the user 1 via a network 3.
• Music can, for instance, be delivered via a network as well as via post in form of a CD.
• the present invention indicates that the user' s 1 utilization of respective service is compiled/put together by a reporting unit 11.
• the utilization of the service can be measured by one to the service related measuring unit 41.
• the reporting unit 11 can collect and compile the utilization of the service from the measuring unit 41 belonging to respective service.
• the reporting unit 11 reports to both the user 1 and respective participant 21, 22, 23, 2n the degree of utilization or the consumption of a service. In this way the user 1 will have a control of how high the consumption of the service is, and the participant 21, 22, 23, 2n can charge the user 1 according to this report.
• the present invention also possible to let the payment for a service be made via a third party 5, to which the reporting unit 11 reports the utilization of the service.
• This provides the user 1 with the possibility to get a common bill/invoice for a plurality of different services from the third party 5.
• This third party can, for instance, be a payment institution, a bank, a network operator which offer the used network, or a participant who himself/herself offers services according to the present invention.
• the third party 5 is a party who both the user and the participants trust in connection with the management of these transactions .
• the user 1 has a possibility to, in agreement with respective participant 21, 22, 23, 2n, choose if payment shall be made directly to a participant or if it shall be made via a third party 5.
• the present invention can be used at transactions regarding different kinds of services. The invention, however, is of specific advantage in connection with services which are paid implicitly, but it should be realized that also explicit payments can be made according to the present invention.
• the present invention indicates that the reporting can be made running during the utilization of a service. By running is meant a report with, for instance, a time interval which is relevant to respective service. It also can relate to a report according to predetermined interval of consumption.
• the reporting can be made according to specified time interval, such as once a second. If the service instead consist of the delivery of electrical power, 4, reporting can be made per used amount of power, such as for each kWh.
• a controlling unit 12 can approve whether a participant 21, 22, 23, 2n can provide a service and get payment for it or not.
• the user 1 can indicate a wanted limit for highest consumption of a service, and the controlling unit 12 then can approve delivery of a service with regard to earlier utilization of the service and the limit for use/consumption of the service.
• the participant can not provide more of a service to a user than the user wants .
• the controlling unit 12 also can warn the user 1 when the limit of consumption is drawing near or has been reached.
• the user 1 can, if that is wanted, change the limit when necessary, and for instance continue watching a film even if an earlier set limit for pay-TV has been reached.
• the present invention is especially suited to its purpose in connection with transactions over the global network Internet.
• 11 and controlling 12 units are located at the user's 1 place of consumption/use 13, such as in the home or at the working room/office, and that the reporting and controlling units constitute a part of the interface 14 between the consumption place 13 and the network 3.
• the present invention also relates to a first and a second computer program product, where the first computer program product Al includes a first computer program code which, when it is executed by a computer unit 15, will make this computer unit execute the functions of a reporting unit 11 according to the method according to the invention, and where the second computer program product A2 includes a second computer program code which, when it is executed by a computer unit 15, will make this computer unit execute the functions of a controlling unit 12 according to the method according to the invention.
• the present invention includes a by computer readable medium, on which the computer program code according to the first and/or second computer program product Al,A2 is stored.
• the invention is of course not limited to the above as example shown embodiments but may be subject to modifications within the frame of the idea of invention illustrated in the following patent claims.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Strategic Management (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Finance (AREA)
• General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Development Economics (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
• Game Theory and Decision Science (AREA)
• Economics (AREA)
• Marketing (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
• Stored Programmes (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20282259

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Citations (6)

• 2000
  • 2000-12-15 SE SE0004664A patent/SE520570C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2001
  • 2001-12-10 EE EEP200300291A patent/EE04978B1/et not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-12-10 EP EP01271005A patent/EP1344391A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2001-12-10 WO PCT/SE2001/002723 patent/WO2002049338A1/en active Application Filing
• 2003
  • 2003-06-10 NO NO20032603A patent/NO20032603L/no not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (6)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events