WO2002019186A2

WO2002019186A2 - Method of doing business

Info

Publication number: WO2002019186A2
Application number: PCT/IL2001/000810
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gadi Gonen; Moti Suess
Original assignee: Fastbeat.Com Limited
Priority date: 2000-08-29
Filing date: 2001-08-29
Publication date: 2002-03-07
Also published as: WO2002019186A3; AU2001284371A1; IL138141A0

Abstract

A system and method for prepayment of goods or services obtainable from among one or more vendors. An agent maintains a processor configured to store data in a database relating to a plurality of accounts where the data identifies a consumer, a vendor, and an amount of funds. A consumer deposits an amount of funds with the agent to be used to pay for future purchases by the consumer from a vendor. The agent transfers the funds to the vendor. Purchases from the vendor made by the consumer are paid for from the funds.

Description

METHOD OF DOING BUSINESS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to methods for purchasing goods or services and more particularly, to methods for effecting prepayment of goods or services.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vendors of goods and services often offer consumers prepaid accounts to pay for goods and services to be purchased from the vendor in the future. The consumer is provided by the vendor with a unique authorization or account number and with instructions for debiting the prepaid account for the purchased goods or services. For example, a consumer may deposit funds into a prepaid account maintained by a telephone company to cover the costs of future telephone calls that he will make. Typically, funds are deposited to the account by the consumer providing a credit card number and authorizing the credit card host system to withdraw funds from the credit card and deposit the funds into the prepaid account. The consumer is provided with a prepaid telephone calling card that includes a toll-free number for accessing the telephone company's host computer that manages his prepaid account. To place a long distance call, the consumer dials the toll-free number and then enters a long distance telephone number. The system then connects the consumer with the desired calling destination. The long distance telephone charges attributed to the telephone call are deducted from the prepaid account balance. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and system for maintaining prepaid accounts for use by consumers to cover future purchases of goods or services from vendors, where the prepaid accounts are maintained by an agent. The invention includes a host computer maintained by the agent, comprising a database of vendors. For each vendor, the host computer stores data relative to a plurality of prepaid accounts, each of which is associated with a consumer. Consumers communicate with the agent's host system over a communication network. The network may be a computer network such as a local area network, a wide area network, or the Internet, in which case the consumer communicates with the host computer using a computer terminal. Alternatively, the network may be a public switched telephone network (PSTN) in which case the consumer communicates with the agent's host system by speaking into a telephone, pressing numbers on a telephone keypad or by using any other telephone input device such as a modem or facsimile machine.

A prepaid account is established with the agent by a consumer providing personal details, indicating the vendor with which he wishes to establish a prepaid account, and transferring to the agent funds to cover future purchases of goods or services from the vendor. The funds are preferably transferred to the agent by the consumer from a transaction instrument such as a credit card. The agent's host computer notifies the vendor's host computer of the amount deposited in the consumer's prepaid account. After each purchase from the vendor by the consumer, the vendor updates the account balance in its host computer by deducting the amount of the purchase from the account balance. The information relating to the transaction instrument may be stored in the agent's host system database so that the consumer can conveniently regenerate the prepaid account as necessary. In this case, funds are deducted from the transaction instrument and added to the prepaid account in the agent's host computer without requiring the consumer to enter any information relating to the transaction instrument at the time of regeneration. After each regeneration, the host system notifies the vendor's host computer of the new balance in the prepaid account.

The invention thus provides a system for prepayment of goods or services obtainable from a vendor from among one or more vendors, the system comprising: (a) A processor configured to store in a database data relating to a plurality of accounts, the data relating to an account identifying a consumer, a vendor, and an amount of funds;

(b) A first means of communication between one or more consumers and the processor allowing a consumer to input data to the processor relating to an account for prepayment of goods or services from a vendor; and

(c) A second means of communication between the processor and at least one vendor allowing the processor to transfer data to a vendor relating to an account for prepaying of goods or services from the vendor by a consumer.

The invention further provides a method for prepayment of goods or services from a vendor from among one or more vendors comprising:

(a) depositing an amount of funds with an agent;

(b) transferring the funds from the agent to the vendor; and (c) paying for goods or services acquired from the vendor with the funds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a system for establishing and maintaining a prepaid account over a computer network in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a flow chart diagram of a method of establishing a prepaid account; Fig. 3 shows a system for debiting a prepaid account to pay for a telephone call;

Fig. 4 is a flow-chart diagram of a method for debiting a prepaid account to pay for telephone calls; Fig. 5 is a flow chart diagram of a method for recharging a prepaid account; and

Fig. 6 shows a system for establishing and maintaining a prepaid account over a public switched telephone network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While the present invention is described in relation to prepayment of telephone calls, it is to be understood that the invention may be used for prepayment of goods or services of any type.

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of the invention in which a consumer 116 communicates over a computer network such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), or an Intranet indicated by the cloud 130 with a host computer 150 of a collecting agent for establishing a prepaid account. The consumer inputs information to the agent's host computer 150 by means of any known computer input device such as a computer mouse 115 or a keyboard 112.

The agent's host computer 150 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 116, and a memory unit 109, such as a read only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM). The agent's host computer 150 also includes a database 110 containing a plurality of account data records 120a to 120n. The memory 109 and database 110 may suitably comprise a compact disk-recordable (CD-R), a tape drive, other recordable media, or combinations thereof suitably accessible by the processor 116.

The data records 120a to 120n in the agent's host computer store information relating to a prepaid account. Each of the data records 120a to 120c comprises a plurality of fields 106, 108, 109, 112, 114, and 118 corresponding to various parameters associated with each account. For example, a first field 106 may correspond to the authorization number of the account 120. A second field 109 may indicate the name address and telephone number of the consumer associated with the account. A third field 118 may indicate the vendor purchases from whom are to be charged to the account. A field 112 indicates a transaction instrument 125 to be used for depositing funds into the account. A field 114 suitably corresponds to the authorization or identification number of transaction instrument 125. A field 117 includes the expiration date of transaction card 125 or other information necessary for transferring funds from instrument 125 to prepaid account 105.

Each of the vendors maintain a host computer such as host computer 160 and possibly others (not shown), that includes a central processing unit (CPU) 166, and a memory unit 169, such as a read only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM). Each vendor's host computer such as host computer 160 also includes a database 170 containing a plurality of account data records, 170a to 170n. The memory 169 and database 170 may suitably comprise a compact disk-recordable (CD-R), a tape drive, other recordable media, or combinations thereof suitably accessible by the processor 166.

The data records 170a to 170n in a vendor's host computer 160 store information relating to a prepaid account. Each of the data records 170a to 170c comprises a plurality of fields 176, 178, and 180 corresponding to various parameters associated with each account. For example, a first field 176 may indicate the name address and telephone number of the consumer associated with the account. A second field 178 may indicate the current balance of the account. A vendor's host computer 160 preferably does not contain data fields relating to the transaction instrument 125 Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention. The embodiment of

Fig. 6 has several components in common with the embodiment of Fig. 1, and similar components are identified by the same numeral in both figures. In the embodiment of Fig. 6, the consumer 116, the agent's host computer 150, vendor host computers such as computer 170 and possibly others (not shown) and the transaction instrument 125 communicate over a PSTN indicated by the cloud 630. The consumer inputs information to the agent's host computer 150 by means of any known telephone device such as depressing numbers on telephone keypad 615, or by using a facsimile machine or a modem. The consumer may also input information to the agent's host computer 150 by speaking into a telephone 610 using voice recognition circuit in the agent's host computer 150 that recognizes and interprets verbal commands.

Fig. 2 shows a flow-chart diagram of the method for establishing a prepaid account with the agent's host computer 150. In step 200, the consumer 116 accesses the agent's host computer 150 over the computer network 130 or the PSTN 630 in order to establish a prepaid account. The host computer 150 in step 210 prompts the consumer for the required information to be stored in the fields 106 to 118. The information includes personal information, the name of the vendor with which he wishes to establish a prepaid account, as well as details relating to the transaction instrument 125 from which funds will be drawn and deposited in the prepaid account. In step 220, the consumer provides the requested information. In step 230, the consumer 116 is provided with instructions to access his account. The instructions include a toll-free telephone number for accessing the indicated vendor's host computer and an authorization code that is preferably unique to the consumer. In step 240, the consumer indicates an amount of funds to be transferred from the transaction instrument 125 to his prepaid account 120a. The amount is then transferred from the consumer's account associated with the transaction instrument 125 to the consumer's prepaid account 120a. In step 260, the agent's host computer 150 notifies the indicated vendor's host computer for example the computer 170 of the new prepaid account and transfers the funds to a prepaid account of the consumer 116 in the vendor's host computer, for example, the account 170a.

Fig. 3 shows use of a prepaid account, for example, the prepaid account 170a in the vendor's host computer 170 to pay for telephone calls. A telephone 306 communicates over a PSTN represented by the cloud 320. The vendor's host computer 170 communicates with the PSTN by a computer-telephony interface CT/I 325. Fig. 4 is a flow-chart diagram of the process of charging a phone call made through a particular vendor to a prepaid account. In step 400 the consumer 116 accesses the vendor's host computer 170 by pressing on the keypad of his telephone the toll-free number provided when establishing the prepaid account. In step 405, the consumer is prompted by the vendor's host computer 170 to provide his authorization code. The consumer then inputs his authorization code by depressing the appropriated keys the keypad 325 of his telephone 325.

In step 415, the vendor's host computer 170 determines whether the input authorization code is valid. If no, then in step 420, the vendor's host computer 170 determines whether the number of attempts by the consumer 116 to input an authorization code equals a preset limit. If yes, then in step 425, the connection between the consumer and the vendor's host computer is terminated. If the preset limit has not been reached, then the process returns to step 405 with the consumer 116 being prompted again for his authorization code.

If, in step 315, the vendor's host computer determines that the input authorization code is valid, the consumer 116 inputs the telephone number of a destination telephone 312 (step 430). The call connection is then completed in step 435. The progress of the call is monitored by the vendor's host computerl70 (step 440). As the phone call progresses, the balance in entry 178 of the consumer's prepaid account data record 170a is decreased (step 445) until the call is terminated.

The prepaid account can be recharged by several methods. For example, funds may be transferred automatically, without requiring the consumer to authorize each withdrawal, from the transaction instrument 125 to his prepaid account 120a in the agent's host computer 150 as appropriate, for example, whenever the account balance falls below a predetermined level. In another embodiment, the agent's host computer 150 informs the consumer 116 over the computer network 130 or the PSTN 630 whenever his prepaid account balance falls below a predetermined level. Fig. 5 shows a flow chart diagram for the method of regenerating a prepaid account by the consumer 116 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In step 502, the consumer 116 accesses the agent's host computer 150 over the computer network 130 or the PSTN 230. The agent's host computer 150 then prompts the consumer 116 for his authorization code (step 504). At step 506, the agent's host computer 150 determines whether the authorization code is valid. If the authorization code is not valid, the agent's host computer 150 determines in step 507 if the number of incorrect authorization code entries attempted for that call has reached a preset limit. The agent's host computer 150 terminates the connection with consumer 116 if the limit has been reached (step 508). If the preset limit has not been reached, the process returns to step 502 with the agent's host computer prompting the consumer to enter a valid authorization code.

Upon entry of a valid authorization number, the agent's host computer 150 prompts the consumer 116 for an amount to be regenerated. The agent's host computer finds the data record corresponding to the particular account code by searching a predetermined field (e.g., field 106) of the data record 120a of the consumer's prepaid account. Once the appropriate data record is found, the agent's host computer 150 retrieves the necessary information from fields 112 to 117 relating to the transaction instrument 125 and transfers the selected amount of funds to the consumer's prepaid accountl20a (step 520). Subsequently, account balance 118 is updated to reflect the fund transfer (step 525). After the balance is updated, the agent's host computer regenerates the consumer's prepaid account 170a in the vendor's host computer 170 with the proper amount of funds.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A system for prepayment of goods or services obtainable from a vendor from among one or more vendors, the system comprising:

(a) A processor configured to store in a database data relating to a plurality of accounts, the data relating to an account identifying a consumer, a vendor, and an amount of funds;

(b) A first means of communication between one or more consumers and the processor allowing a consumer to input data to the processor relating to an account for prepayment of goods or services from a vendor; and (c) A second means of communication between the processor and at least one vendor allowing the processor to transfer data to a vendor relating to an account for prepaying of goods or services from the vendor by a consumer.

2. The system according to Claim 1, wherein the first means of communication is a computer network.

3. The system according to Claim 2, wherein the computer network is the Internet, a local area network or an Intranet.

4. The system according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the second means of communication is a computer network.

5. The system according to Claim 4, wherein the second means of communication is the Internet, a local area network, or an Intranet.

6. The system according to Claim 1, wherein the first means of communication is a public switched telephone network.

7. The system according to Claim 1, wherein the second means of communication is a public switched telephone network.

8. The system according to Claim 1, further comprising a third means of communication between a consumer and a transaction instrument allowing the customer to instruct the transaction instrument to deposit funds with the agent.

9. The system according to Claim 8, further comprising a fourth means of communication between the transaction instrument and the agent allowing the transaction instrument to deposit funds with the agent.

10. The system according to Claim 8, wherein the third means of communication is a computer network.

11. The system according to Claim 10, wherein the computer network is the Internet, a local area network (LAN) or an Intranet.

12. The system according to Claim 8, wherein the third means of communication is a public switched telephone network.

13. The system according to Claim 9, wherein the fourth means of communication is a computer network.

14. The system according to Claim 13, wherein the fourth means of communication is the Internet, a local area network (LAN) or an Intranet.

15. The system according to Claim 9, wherein the fourth means of communication is a public switched telephone network.

16. The system according to any one of the previous claims for use in prepayment of telephone calls.

17. The system according to any one of the previous claims wherein a service provided by one or more vendors is a telephone connection.

18. A method for prepayment of goods or services from a vendor from among one or more vendors comprising:

(a) depositing an amount of funds with an agent;

(b) transferring the funds from the agent to the vendor; and

(c) paying for goods or services acquired from the vendor with the funds.

19. The method according to Claim 18 wherein the step of depositing an amount of funds with an agent comprises steps of:

(a) accessing a host computer of the agent;

(b) inputting into the agent's computer data relating to a consumer, a vendor; and a transaction instrument; and (c) transferring an amount of funds from an account of the consumer associated with the transaction instrument to an account in the agent's computer associated with the vendor.

20. The method according to Claim 18 or 19 wherein a service provided by one or more vendors is a telephone connection.

21. The method according to Claim 20 further comprising steps of:

(a) providing the consumer with means for accessing a computer of the vendor;

(b) accessing a computer of the vendor; (c) inputting to the vendor's computer a telephone number of a destination telephone;

(d) making a call connection between a telephone of the consumer and the destination telephone; and

(e) monitoring the telephone connection.

22. The method according to Claim 21 wherein the step of providing the consumer with means for accessing a computer of the vendor comprises providing the consumer with a telephone number for connecting with the vendor's computer over a telephone network and further providing the consumer with an authorization code for accessing the vendor's computer.

23. The method according to Claim 22 wherein the step of accessing the vendor's computer comprises connecting to the vendor's computer over the telephone network by inputting to the network the telephone number, and inputting to the vendor's computer the authorization code.