Granted Patent B2

US 8,117,124 · App. 12/413,468 · Granted Feb 14, 2012

Assignee: Vidicom Limited

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. An apparatus to electronically transfer funds from a customer to a supplier, the customer having a mobile cellular telephone with a telephone number, a mobile cellular operator providing mobile cellular services to the mobile cellular telephone, a customer browser component connected to a network, a supplier browser component connected to the network, the apparatus comprising:

a server component connected to the network; and

a database component coupled to the server component, wherein the server component is configured to:

transmit a message to the mobile cellular telephone to request a confirmation after the customer has placed an order with the supplier;

in response to the confirmation, calculate an amount of the order;

populate the database component with an identification of the telephone number of the customer;

transmit a message to the mobile cellular telephone for the customer to select whether a discount is required;

receive a message from the mobile cellular telephone with a selection of whether the discount is required or not required;

if the discount is required, register the customer by prompting the customer to supply additional personal data, and populating the database component with the additional personal data against the telephone number in response to the additional personal data, and applying the discount to the amount: and

transmitting a plurality of premium rate mobile terminating text messages to the mobile cellular telephone to effect a payment from the customer for the amount as modified by the discount if the customer has been registered.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server component is configured to transmit the plurality of premium rate mobile terminating text messages spread over a number of days.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the customer is prompted to supply further information about the customer via the customer browser component.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server component is configured to provide to the supplier browser information derived from the additional data received from the customer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server component is configured to use the database component to store the additional data received from the customer.

6. A method to transfer funds electronically, the method comprising:

transmitting, from a server computer, a message to a mobile cellular telephone at a telephone number of a customer to request a confirmation after the customer has placed an order with a supplier;

in response to the confirmation, calculating an amount of the order;

populating a database at the server computer with an identification of the telephone number;

transmitting a message to the mobile cellular telephone for the customer to select whether a discount is required;

receiving a message from the mobile cellular telephone with a selection of whether the discount is required or not required;

if the discount is required, registering the customer by prompting the customer to supply additional personal data, and populating the database component with the additional personal data against the telephone number in response to the additional personal data, and applying the discount to the amount; and

transmitting a plurality of premium rate mobile terminating text messages to the mobile cellular telephone to effect a payment from the customer for the amount as modified by the discount if the customer has been registered.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising scheduling transmission of the premium rate mobile terminating text messages to avoid exceeding a pre-established maximum daily limit.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising prompting the customer to supply further information about the customer via the browser.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising supplying to the supplier information derived from the additional personal data received from the customer.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising storing the additional personal data within the database.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions, the instructions causing a computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

transmitting, from the computer, a message to a mobile cellular telephone at a telephone number of a customer to request a confirmation after the customer has placed an order with a supplier;

in response to the confirmation, calculating an amount of the order;

populating a database at the server computer with an identification of the telephone number;

transmitting a message to the mobile cellular telephone for the customer to select whether a discount is required;

receiving a message from the mobile cellular telephone with a selection of whether the discount is required or not required;

if the discount is required, registering the customer by prompting the customer to supply additional personal data, and populating the database component with the additional personal data against the telephone number in response to the additional personal data, and applying the discount to the amount; and

transmitting a plurality of premium rate mobile terminating text messages to the mobile cellular telephone to effect a payment from the customer for the amount as modified by the discount if the customer has been registered.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises scheduling transmission of the premium rate mobile terminating text messages to avoid exceeding a pre-established maximum daily limit.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises prompting the customer to supply further information about the customer via the browser.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises providing to the supplier information derived from the additional personal data received from the customer.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises storing the additional personal data within the database.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (1)