EP0501697A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mediation of transactions by a communications system
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1992-02-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-02-21
Abstract
Abstract Methods and apparatus for employing a communications system with actively connects communicating entities to mediate transactions. Disclosed are general methods and apparatus for mediating transactions, methods and apparatus permitting information from one transaction to be used in other transactions, and methods and apparatus for performing credit card transactions in which the vendee need not disclose his credit to the vendor. An implementation of a system for performing credit card transactions in a stored program-controlled telephone switching network is also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander G. Fraser
- 👤 Carlos Alberto Perea
- 👤 Roy Philip Weber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:19
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/02; G06Q20/04; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/403; G06Q20/4037; H; H04; H04M; H04M15/00; H04M15/53; H04M15/90; H04M17/00; H04M17/02; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/4228; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/0016; H04Q3/0029; H04M2215/00; H04M2215/01; H04M2215/016; H04M2215/0172; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13515; H04Q2213/13566
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of employing a communications system to mediate a credit transaction between a customer, a vendor, and a credit-giving entity, the method being characterized by the steps of: receiving a transaction specifier from the customer in the communications system; and responding to the transaction specifier by performing steps in the communications system including obtaining at least a credit identification number from the customer, obtaining at least a debit amount from the vendor, providing the credit identification number and the debit amount to the credit-giving entity, receiving an indication from the credit-giving entity whether the credit transaction is permissible, and providing the indication to the vendor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that: the step of responding to the transaction specifier includes the step of employing the communications system to connect the customer and the vendor with each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that: the step of employing the communications system to connect the customer and the vendor occurs before the step of obtaining a debit amount from the vendor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that: the method does not include any step in which the credit identification number is disclosed to the vendor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that: the communications system is a telephone system; and the step of receiving a transaction specifier includes the steps of: receiving a special telephone number in the telephone system; and using the special telephone number to derive the transaction specifier.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method set forth in claim 5 further characterized in that: the step of receiving a transaction specifier further includes the step of using the special telephone number to derive a telephone number of the vendor and the step of responding to the transaction specifier includes the step of using the telephone number to obtain transaction information concerning the credit transaction from or provide transaction information to the vendor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method set forth in claim 5 further characterized in that: the telephone system retains the telephone number from which the special telephone number was called; and the step of responding to the transaction specifier includes obtaining the telephone number from which the special telephone number was called from the telephone system as part of the transaction information.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
40 words
The method set forth in any of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 further characterized in that: the steps performed in response to the transaction specifier include entering information concerning the credit transaction in a transaction record.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that: the method further includes the steps of receiving a further transaction specifier in the communications system; and responding to the further transaction specifier by performing a further transaction as specified by the further transaction specifier and the transaction record.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of employing a communications system to mediate a plurality of types of transactions involving a plurality of entities which are accessible via the communications system and which have between them transaction information other than the communications between the entities, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a transaction type specifier specifying one of the types of transactions in the communications system; in the communications system, responding to the transaction type specifier by activating a transaction manager, and in the transaction manager, selecting a transaction algorithm corresponding to the transaction type specified by the transaction type specifier from a set of transaction algorithms; and in the transaction manager, performing as required by the transaction algorithm the steps of employing the communications system to obtain first transaction information from at least one of the entities involved in the transaction and employing the communications system to provide second transaction information to at least one of the entities involved in the transaction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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