MXPA06003013A - Delivery of value identifiers using short message service (sms) - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for adding value to a customer account are provided. An identifier associated with a value is distributed to a customer. The identifier is usable to add the value to an account. A request to add the value to a customer account is received via short message service (SMS). The request comprises the identifier and account identification information associated with the customer account. In some embodiments, the identifier may be entered into the device using text auto-completion software. The request is received from a user communication device as an SMS message. The value associated with the identifier and the customer account associated with the account identification number are identified based on the request. The value is caused to be added to the customer account. A confirmation that the value was added to the customer account is passed to the user communication device.

Description

DISTRIBUTION OF VALUE IDENTIFIER USING A SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the provision of identifiers such as NIPs from user devices to account providers such as telecommunication service providers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Communication devices and other electronic components, especially mobile phones, are a fairly common consumer product. In many countries, a popular form of payment for services associated with a device (such as a telecommunications service for a mobile phone) is that the user makes payments to credit his accounts in advance to use the mobile phone. This type of payment is commonly known as '"prepaid." The process for making a payment and crediting the user's account is commonly known as a "payment", such term reflects the normal way in which a user frequently pays their bills with relatively small amounts. Many prepaid systems allow the user to make payments in a variety of retail stores, thereby allowing the user to make a payment at a location which is convenient for them.

Ref .: 171168 Conventional value storage accounts such as mobile phone accounts are recharged or "paid" in a two-step process. First, the customer purchases from a retail store a stored value card that has a PIN (for example, up to 16 or more letters and / or digits) associated with a specific value such as $ 20. Second, the customer accesses a central processor, for example, by calling an 800 number located on the back of the card, and requesting to add the value of the card to the customer's account. During the call, the customer typically provides card identification information such as a PIN as well as information sufficient to identify the customer's account, such as a telephone number associated with the account and the name of the account provider. For example, a customer trying to add the value of the card to a wireless phone account can call an 800 number located on the back of the card to access a centralized VRU. In response to several VRU warnings, the customer can enter the PIN of the card, the name of the service provider of the - customer (such as AT &T), and the corresponding telephone number to the wireless account. The central system VRU can then cause the value of the card to be added to the client's wireless account.

Many of these cards are still printed, stored and transported by Mobile Operators under high security conditions by the retailer or distributor because as soon as they are printed they are effectively active (in this case, they can be used and therefore valuable). As the market has expanded, the complexity of the logistics to maintain this process for the large number of transactions and the costs associated with managing the various opportunities for fraud and abuses of the system led Network Operators to look for other alternatives. Frequently, records are not kept when a card is distributed, since the marketing route is often quite complicated. Some small stores buy cash cards and transport them, and few if they have developed a system that can cancel all stolen cards. Complete trucks have been stolen, - store personnel have sold cards and saved the money for themselves. Cards (or other physical forms of PIN or other identifier) are often equivalent to money. Electronic payment systems have been developed to provide credit to a mobile phone account more recently. Some of these systems use magnetic stripe cards in which limited user details are stored within the magnetic stripe. In some recent systems, the cards are distributed in an "inactive state" and activated at the point of sale ("POS"). Despite the intense efforts of mobile operators to promote a more recent electronic system, market acceptance has been slow. The cards have not decreased in popularity, it is simply that the cards are more expensive for mobile operators and their disuse has been promoted, and alternative systems are being promoted and an increase in attractiveness is realized. Other systems allow customers to reload their prepaid mobile phone accounts by sending an SMS message to the centralized system. For example, the North American Application Publication No. 2002/0115424 by Barogen describes such a system. Other relevant systems include those described in the following patents and applications: US Patent No. 6,375,073 by Aebi et al.; US Patent No. 6,070,067 for? Guyen et al .; and US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0187772 by Hyyppa et al. The descriptions of all the references mentioned are incorporated in this description in their entirety as references. There are several cost disadvantages associated with many systems and methods in the prior state of the art: a cost for providing IVR; a cost of Client Services for a high rate for the fall of the IVR (typing a consistent 16-digit number can be difficult and can lead to an error); cost for a secure supply; cost for loss, loss, and theft; and a high cost for the retailer to maintain all denominations of all services provided. Also, it can be difficult for the end user to find the correct denomination for the correct operator in all trades. Also, the process can consume the client's time. Additionally, many people do not like to carry even more plastic cards. Most plastic cards are not transferable. In other words, a first user can not make an extra payment in the account of a second user with the first card of the first user. The cards of many service providers do not have a phone number in them, so they can be confusing. Unregistered cards are often used once and discarded. As they are made of plastic, they are more expensive than the cards that replace them. It is desirable to provide an improved system and method for adding value to a value-stored account. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, several embodiments of the invention are directed to a system and method for adding value to a customer account. A customer is given an identifier associated with a value. The identifier is used to add the value to an account. A request to add the value to a customer account is received through a short message service (SMS). The request comprises the identifier and account identification information associated with the customer account. The request is received from a user communication device such as an SMS message. The value associated with the identifier and the customer account associated with the account identification number are identified based on the request. The value is triggered to be added to the customer account. A confirmation that the value has been added to the client account is transmitted to the user communication device. In accordance with a modality, a customer is given an identifier associated with a value, where the identifier is used to add the value to an account. A request to add value to a customer account is received through a short message service (SMS), where the request includes the identifier and an identification number associated with the customer account. The request is received from a user communication device. The value associated with the identifier is identified. The value is induced to be added to the customer's account.

In accordance with another embodiment, a system is provided to a customer to distribute an identifier associated with a value, wherein the identifier is used to add the value to the account. An input device receives through a short message service (SMS) a request to add the value to a customer account. The request includes the identifier and account identification information associated with the customer account. The request is received from a user communication device as an SMS message. A processor identifies the value associated with the identifier and the customer account associated with the account identification information based on the request. A value insertion system causes the value to be added to the customer account. An output device transmits to the user communication device a confirmation that the value was added to the customer account. In accordance with another method, a customer is provided with a method to add value to a customer account. An identifier associated with a prepaid value is received in a second user communication device associated with a customer account from a first user device. A request to add the value to the client account is transmitted to a central processor. The request to add value includes the identifier and account identification information associated with the customer account. The request to add value is transmitted through an SMS. The central processor is configured to identify the value and the customer account based on the request. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 shows a system for transmitting an identifier that uses a short message service. Figure 2 represents a flow diagram showing a method for transmitting an identifier using a short message service. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Several modalities of the present invention are directed to a system for adding value to a customer account. In some embodiments, a wireless communication device may send a value identifier through a short message service ("SMS") to a centralized release processing system. For example, the user can enter a PIN on a telephone keypad of a mobile phone configured to send SMS messages. The communication may contain enough information to identify a customer account. For example, the wireless communication device may be a telephone associated with the account, wherein the telephone number of the wireless device is encoded in the message and is sufficient to identify the account. The centralized system may then cause the value associated with the identifier to be added to the identified account. In some modalities, the centralized system can identify the account based on the communication. For example, the centralized system can identify the account based on a telephone number in the communication. In some modalities, the account can be managed by the centralized system. In other modalities, the account can be managed by a separate system of account provision. In modalities wherein the account is handled by a separate system, the centralized system may cause the value to be inserted into the user's account, for example, according to some form described in this description or in the patent applications referenced herein. . In some modalities, the centralized system may allow adding a value associated with a PIN to a prepaid account. For example, a customer who has an instant-pay wireless mobile phone service can buy a $ 20 prepaid phone card PIN in order to "complete" or recharge airtime minutes in the account. The prepaid card includes a PIN and a telephone number. In the systems of the prior state of the art, the customer releases the value of the card by calling a telephone number and then providing the PIN and an account number in an IVR solicitor. The centralized system can allow the user to send the PIN in an SMS communication (in this case, a text message) to the telephone number. For mobile phone customers who send a PIN from their respective mobile phones, the account number (in this case the mobile phone number) does not need to be provided in the text of the message because it can be identified through an SMS collector or a mechanism for identifying who is calling. For other accounts, the customer can also include an account number in the text of the message. Once the service provider system identifies the PIN and the account number based on the SMS message, the value of the IP can be identified and added to the designated account using traditional methods. Thus, a customer can add value to an account by sending a simple SMS text message instead of making a two-way phone call. In some embodiments, the centralized system may send a transaction confirmation back to a user communication device (e.g., a mobile phone that initiated a request to add value), for example, via SMS. For example, a confirmation can be sent via SMS to indicate that a request to add value was successfully received. In some modalities, a confirmation can be sent to indicate that the request was transmitted to the own account management system. In some modalities, a confirmation can be sent to the user's communication device to indicate that the value was successfully added to the client's account. In some embodiments, the centralized system may allow the use of a self-spelling telephone dictionary computer program in mobile phones, such as T9 or Zi, to simplify the process of entering text from a PIN on a telephone keypad. For example, when using? IPs based on real words the self-spelling dictionary can auto-complete a word included in the PIN. For example, a PIN based on the word "kitchen", such as "kitchenl23", the phone can auto-complete the word "kitchen" after the user entered the letters "k-i-t-c." Some embodiments of the present invention relate to payment systems and methods that can allow customers to make payments at retail locations, for example, payments for a value that will be added to a customer account. Some modalities refer to the use of technical means to facilitate such transactions. While some modalities specifically refer to payments to credit an account associated with a device such as a mobile phone, these and other modalities may also be applied more generally to pay for other products and services. Various embodiments of the present invention can be used in conjunction with existing systems. For example, you can add value to an account through any modality described here, and you can add value to the same account using conventional systems. In a conventional system, a magnetic stripe card payment system may include the distribution of cards containing a card identifier such as a PIN (up to 19 or more digits). A customer can place a call in an IVR system and enter the PIN in the mobile phone (or other device) for validation of the card and to link this card with the airtime account of the mobile phone. From now on the magnetic stripe can be read when the payment is made by sliding the card through a reader in a point of sale terminal to identify the mobile phone account. Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods wherein users transmit value identifiers (such as a prepaid card PIN) to a central system (or provider system)., such as a system of a telecommunications service provider) by means of a short message service (SMS). The SMS message may include the PIN (or other identifier). In some modalities, the central system can identify the account. For example, the central system can identify the account if an SMS message is sent from a device that automatically communicates the information that identifies the account. For example, the central system can identify a telephone number of a mobile telephone that sends the SMS message, where the telephone number is associated with an account. In some embodiments, such as in circumstances where an account can not otherwise be identified from the SMS communication, the SMS message may also include an account number associated with a product or service. Even though many modalities are described here with reference to mobile phones, mobile phone accounts, -providers of mobile phone service, NIPs, and prepaid cards, it should be appreciated that the systems and methods described herein can apply to any communication device (for example, any communication device equipped to send text messages), any related account with a product or service, any supplier of a product or service, any identifier associated with a value, and any representation of the identifier (for example, physical or electronic).

Figure 1 shows a system for transmitting an identifier employing a short message service. As shown in Figure 1, the system may include one or more user communication devices 10A-10B, a central processor 2, one or more provider systems 8a-8b, and one or more stores 6a-6b. One or more stores 6a-6b may distribute identifiers (eg, cards having identifiers associated with a value) to one or more customers. For example, identifiers can be distributed at a point of sale using a point of sale terminal, for example, by sliding a magnetic stripe from a stored value card that has a printed identifier associated with a value (in which some modalities can be selected at the point of sale). The central processor 2 can comprise any computer, server, database system, or other system. The provider 8 or central processor 2 systems can handle customer accounts. Like the central processor 2, the provider systems can also include any computer, server, database system, or other system. The user communication device 10 may include any device that allows electronic communication (e.g., SMS text messages) between a user and another entity. For example, the user communication device 10 may include a wireless handset or an Internet-access video game player. The user communication device 10 may be equipped with a keyboard or other functionality. A client may send an SMS message from a user communication device 10a to one or more different user communication devices 10b or to a central processor 2. The SMS message may include a request to add the value associated with a customer account. The request may include the identifier as well as account identification information of the customer account (for example, a telephone number corresponding to a telecommunication service account) as well as information identifying the account provider (such as a credit card provider). Telecommunications services) . The user communication devices 10 may also be equipped with a computer program and physical equipment to enable speech recognition and automatic spelling and dictionary functionality with respect to the introduction of the identifier and / or identification of information in the message. For example, a user communication device 10 can store a variety of different user account numbers where each account number can be entered by pressing a single button (or combination of buttons), without entering the entire account number. In these examples, the telephone or other user communication device 10 can store the account numbers so that users do not have to remember them. The embodiments of the present invention may include a system and an alternative payment method that involves the use of technical means that may be similar to, or different from, those described above, for example, in effecting the credit payment of an account. Some modalities are directed to a system to credit an account (such as a mobile phone account) that uses some or all of the following components: (1) A mobile phone that has a radio communication circuit and a board capable of typing numbers and / or letters of the alphabet and the ability to use the Short Message Service text system provided by the Mobile Telecommunications Network Operator (or other centralized system or provider system); (2) A card purchased at a retail store (or by Internet or other telecommunications network) that contains a PIN (or other identifier) that includes alphabetic and / or numeric characters (for example, and a telephone number for the service); (3) A transaction control system (or other central system, such as the central system mentioned above) separated from the mobile telephone (or other device), the mobile telephone and the transaction control system allow communication, using the facility of SMS text messages, the transaction control system that stores PIN database records where each PIN has a stored stored name associated with it. (4) An airtime account control system (or other central system) executed by the Mobile Operator (or other central entity), the airtime account control system and the transaction control system is remote and has the ability to communicate over a communications connection, the airtime account control system stores the database records of mobile phone accounts, each account database record includes a credit amount (or other value) ). Figure 2 depicts a flow chart showing a method for transmitting an identifier using a short message service. In block 210, a user can be assigned a value identifier. For example, the user can buy a prepaid phone card that has an? IP. In some modalities, the user can buy a quantity of value at a point of sale, and the point of sale can distribute a coupon or bond that has a PIN or other code representative of the sale value. In some embodiments, the user may receive the identifier by mail, email, SMS or other communication (for example as a reward for a previous purchase or other activity). Here any of the methods for obtaining an identifier associated with a value is contemplated. As an example, a user can purchase a value storage card that has an associated value of $ 50 with the printed PIN "15243CANDLE." For example, the PIN "15243CANDLE" can be used to add $ 50 of value to an account. In block 220, a portion of the identifier can be entered into a user communication device such as a cordless telephone. The identifier (or portion thereof) can be supplied to a user communication device as part of an SMS message. For example, the user may choose to write an SMS text message and then initiate the entry of an? IP associated with an acquired value. For example, the user can enter the letters "C-A-N-D" on the keyboard of a cordless phone. (It should be appreciated that the keypad of a telephone can be used to enter letters and symbols as well as numbers, for example, pressing the number "3" twice in quick succession can be used to enter the letter "E".) In block 230, the user device can automatically complete the identifier (or a portion thereof). For example, by entering the first or more letters of a PIN or other code (or portion thereof) in a user device, the user device can perform the auto-completion functions. For example, by entering the letters "CA -? - D" (for example, by means of a voice recognition or a keyboard such as a computer board or a telephone keypad), the user device can automatically complete the word " CANDLE "by automatically entering the remaining letters" LE. " The user can erase the auto-completed letters or on the other hand can undo the automatic auto-completion with the use of the "backspace" key, delete function, voice command, or other similar functionality. In some embodiments, the user device may suggest possible self-completion words that may be selected by the user. For example, after entering "C-A -? - D, "the user device may suggest the words" CANDY "," CANDIES ", and" CA? DLE. "The user can then select the intended word (here," CANDLE "). example, on a telephone keypad) can be expedited and simplified It should be appreciated that the IP can be entered in a variety of ways For example, the user device can be a speech recognition computer program (or other similar functionality). ) to recognize and / or identify letters, words, numbers and symbols spoken (such as characters from a PIN) For example, a user can enter a PIN on a user device (for example, a microphone included in the device) speak each of the letters, numbers, and symbols of a PIN or other code.The user device can convert each spoken character into text (for example, a text displayed on a screen of the user device.) For example, if the NIP is "15 243CANDLE ", then the user can speak each character in series, for example," 1 -5 -2 -4-3 -C-A-N-D-L-E ". In some modalities, the computer speech recognition program may also allow the recognition of full spoken words. Thus, for the previous example, the user can speak "1-5-2-4-3 -CANDLE", where the digits are spoken successively while the word "candle" is pronounced as a single word. Here, too, combinations of letters, words, numbers, symbols and other spoken and written characters are contemplated. For example, the user can enter the digits "1-5-2-4-3" on a keyboard and then speak the word "candle" or speak each letter "C-A-N-D-L-E". The user could also speak each of the numbers "1-5-2-4-3" and then enter the letters "C-A -? - D-L-E".

In block 240, account identification information and / or provider information can be entered into the user device. For example, the user may pronounce the name of the company (such as AT & T) that provides a telecommunications service for a user's mobile phone or other user device. This company or another entity can be the provider of the account to which the user may want to add value. The user can also enter an account number or other account identifier, such as the telephone number of the mobile phone account for which the value will be added. Alternatively, another number associated with the account may be provided instead of a telephone number, for example, for accounts that do not involve a telephone and for accounts that have an account number separate from the mobile telephone number. For example, these numbers can be pronounced and entered into the user communication device. In some modalities, account identification information can be entered (or otherwise provided) automatically or with a minimum user input. For example, the telephone number of a user communication device can be automatically transmitted on (or with) any SMS message transmitted from the user communication device, for example. as source information related to the SMS message. Alternatively, the telephone number (or other account identifier) may be stored in the user communication device (or over a communication network to which the user communication is connected), and the stored number (or code) may be inserted automatically with a simple click of a button (or combination of buttons). For example, the user can store a fifteen-digit account number as a speed-dial number in an internal (or networked) database. Instead of manually entering the full account number for each request to add value to the account, the user can simply quickly-dial the number to cause it to be entered in the text message. In some embodiments, the user device may have memory that corrects a "telephone book" (stored locally in the user device or externally in a communications network or other database or storage). Account numbers, PINs and other information can be stored in the "telephone book" (or other storage system) just like any other number or code. This can allow the user to enter these numbers in the SMS message (or join them to the message) directly from the book -phone without having entered manually or verbally the individual characters of the account number or PIN, etc.

Mobile phones and other communication devices can also have m-purse functionality, which can be used in conjunction with the features and functions described here. For example, a user may add credit cards, passwords, and other account identifiers for a database storage in the communication device (or a central processor in communication with the communication device) to be used in transactions. In some embodiments, a customer may enter customer account identification information that is not related to the user's communication device. For example, the customer can enter the number of a bank account, service account, online marketing account, or other account to which the customer wants to add the value in an SMS-enabled wireless telephone (or personal computer). It should be appreciated that the SMS message may include any other information sufficient to identify the account, such as the name, address, or code associated with the account provider (e.g., the name of the bank or service). This information may be necessary for the processor to cause the value associated with the identifier to be added to the customer's own account.

In block 250, the user device can transmit via SMS a request to add the value associated with the identifier to the user account. The SMS message may include a PIN, account identification information, and / or identification information of the account provider. For example, the SMS message may include the input data entered into the user input device as described in blocks 210-240. Continuing with the example described above, the SMS message may include the PIN "15243CANDLE" and may include the telephone number (or other SMS identifier) of the user communication device from which the SMS message originates. For example, the telephone number can be included in the format (for example, the collector) of the message rather than in the body of the message. In some modalities the PIN, account identifier, and account provider can be identified in the message (in this case in the body of the message). For example, the body of the message may include a PIN ("15243CANDLE") followed by a telephone number (eg, 2025551234) followed by an account provider (eg, "AT &T" or a numeric code associated with the provider). ). The message can be formed for predetermined format specifications, such as format instructions provided in a stored value stored card. For example, a single space may separate the PIN from the account identification information in the text message. The request can be transferred to a central processor or another entity. In block 260, the central processor can receive the request. Based on the received SMS message, the central processor can identify the value, account information (e.g., account identification information), and / or provider identification information (e.g., identity of the provider). For example, the central processor can identify the? IP of the body of the text, and the central processor can identify the account identification information (such as a telephone number) of the collector or other information of the SMS message format. The central processor may identify a value associated with the identifier by searching the identifier in a database of identifiers, each associated with a value. For example, in the case of stored value cards with a predetermined value that are distributed to the customers, each identifier of? IP printed on a card can be associated with a predetermined specific value before distributing the cards. In other modalities, the client can assign a selected value to a particular IP. For example a? IP particular or a card number can be assigned to a value selected by the client at the time the customer buys the value. In these modalities, the value can be associated with the specific value at the point of sale and stored in a database operatively connected to the central processor. The central processor can process information according to the database to determine the value that corresponds to the PIN or other identified code. In some embodiments, the central processor may also identify the account identification information, such as a telephone number of the requesting user communication device. In some embodiments, the central processor may process the body or format information to determine the account identification information. Like the PIN and the value information, the account information can be stored in, and retrieved from a database. For example, an account database may associate each plurality of user accounts with account identification information (such as a telephone number of a 'user communication device). In some modalities, the central processing system can handle the customer account for which a value has been requested. In these modes, the central processor may cause the value to be added to the account, for example, by amending a database entry corresponding to the account. In block 270, the central processor can transmit - to a system provider a request to add the value to the customer account. For example, if the client's account is managed by an account provider as a third-party (for example, a telecommunication service carrier or a public service), then the request can be transmitted to this entity so that you can add the value to the account. The request can include any request as described or referenced here. For example, the request may include a request to "insert a value" in the customer's account, as described in one of the applications incorporated as references. It should be understood that the actions described for block 270 may be unnecessary if the central processor handles the customer's account. In block 280, the account provider system can add the value to the customer account. Again, it should be noted that the account provider may be the same or a different entity from the central processor. In block 290, a confirmation message can be transmitted to the originating user communication device. For example, if a user communication device originates the request to add value, then a confirmation can be transmitted to this device, for example, via SMS. Any type of confirmation can be transmitted. For example, a confirmation of any subsequent type may be transmitted to the user device or otherwise be communicated to the user: a confirmation that the request was received; a confirmation of the amount of the requested value; a confirmation that the request was transmitted to the relevant provider; a confirmation that the value was successfully added to the account; an update of the account balance; and other conformation information. It should also be appreciated that the application process may include one or more verification steps. For example, when a request to add value is received, the central processor may send a reply SMS message identifying the account (or name of the requester or other information associated with the request) and request a confirmation to proceed with the transaction (eg example, by pressing "OK" on a telephone keypad, and / or sending a reply SMS message containing the number "1" or other code indicating the confirmation). Various modifications and derivations of the method described herein are also within the scope of the invention. For example, it should be appreciated that the identifier can be distributed to a client but then received from another client. For example, the identifier can be distributed to a client, who will then provide it (for example, transmits it via SMS) to another client. The second client can then request to add the value associated with the identifier to an account of the second client (or third client). The identifier can be transmitted to any number of different users before it is released. It should also be appreciated that the request to add value can be received from a different person to the person holding the destination account. For example, a family member can purchase a value and send an SMS message that asks to add the purchased value to a child's (or a friend's) account. In some embodiments, a request to add value can be processed regardless of the request source as long as the identifier and account identification information correspond to valid customer accounts and value identifiers. Other methods for practicing various embodiments of the invention may include some or all of the following actions: (1) Typing the alphabetical PIN (or other identifier) of a card (or other physical or virtual representation of a value identifier) on the mobile telephone (or other communication device) using the board (or input device) of the mobile telephone (or other device); (2) Send this alphabetical PIN as an SMS text message to the telephone number for the product or service as specified on the card (or other representation of a value identifier), - (3) The data read by the system of transaction control that corresponds to a NIP record in the database and from this record extract the denomination of the purchase card; (4) Communicate the transaction control system with the airtime account control system and request this update the mobile phone account with the name of the card purchased (or another value associated with the identifier); (5) Return an SMS text message to the mobile phone confirming the success or otherwise that it has been completed (or another transaction where the value was added or otherwise credited to an account). Various features of the present invention applied to credit an account for a mobile telephone can be generalized to any of other products or services. For example, instead of maintaining or updating record of account databases, appropriate means are provided to provide the product or service in question. The form of supply will depend on the product in question, but includes generating an order for a supplier to supply a product, communication of data to order a service provider to supply a service, or where a product is intangible and represented by records of bases of data, update that database record in order for a customer to invoke the purchase of products or services other than airtime credit, the alphanumeric code of the product or service may be included in the SMS short message as well as the PIN of the card purchased. In accordance with another aspect of some embodiments of the invention, systems and methods for purchasing general services can be provided. These systems and methods may include some or all of the following characteristics: (1) A mobile phone that has a radio communication circuit, a keyboard with the ability to type numbers and letters of the alphabet and the ability to use the Short Message Service text system supplied by the Mobile Operator's telecommunications networks; (2) A card purchased at a retail store that contains a PIN consisting solely of alphabetic characters and a telephone number for the service; (3) A remote transaction control system of the mobile telephone, the mobile telephone and the transaction control system allow communication using the SMS text messaging facility, the transaction control system that stores the database records of PIN where each PIN has a related denomination stored against it; (4) A service compliance account control system executed by a service compliance company, the service compliance account control system, and the transaction control system are remote and have the ability to communicate over a communication connection, the service compliance control system stores details of products and services in a database or common databases and each product or service has a value registered against it in its database record. Any method can be used, such as those that involve some or all of the following features: (1) Type a service identifier or variable length alphanumeric product and the alphabetical PIN of the card in the mobile phone with the use of the telephone keypad mobile; (2) Send this identifier and alphabetical PIN as an SMS text message to the telephone number for the service as specified on the card; (3) The data read by the transaction control system corresponding to a NIP record in the database and from this record extract the name of the letter; (4) Communicate the service or product identifier from the data read and the value of the PIN and the customer's mobile telephone number to the service compliance account control system; (5) The data read by the service compliance account control system corresponds to a record in the system database of service compliance account counting and this record identifies the product or service that is requested and its value; (6) Start the process to comply with the order identified by the data read to supply the product or service to the customer identified by his mobile phone number; (7) Return a confirmation to the transaction control system that the transaction has been successful; (8) Return a confirmation SMS text message to the mobile phone. When payments have been made for products in general, some embodiments of the present invention can provide the same advantages as those described above with reference to crediting an account for a mobile telephone. The present invention is particularly useful because it provides a mechanism that allows the customer to pay for a product at any of the large number of retail stores, without the store needing to be involved in the supply of the product. For example, instead of supplying a product (or service) at a point of sale (POS), a merchant can simply supply a PIN associated with the product or service (for example, by providing a virtual representation or physical of the PIN, such as a card). For example, the customer can buy a card that includes the PIN. The customer can later contact a central entity in order to release the product or service. The method of payment in the store by the customer for the card containing the PIN may be any accepted means supported by the store. The cards can look like any other product for the store. Each card can have a unique number (for example, a European Article Number, serial number, bar code, number coded on a magnetic stripe). For example, the number can be represented as a bar code exactly like the other sales products. This bar code can be read by the terminal equipment of the warehouse and the correct payment amount can be indicated and requested. In accordance with another aspect of some embodiments of the invention, a mechanism is provided whereby the? IP, for which the credit of a mobile phone service account (eg airtime account) can only have a value specific and can be communicated between clients that use some or all of the following characteristics, for example: (1) A first mobile phone that has a radio communication circuit, a keyboard with the ability to type numbers and letters of the alphabet and the ability to use the Short Message Service text system supplied by the Mobile Operator's telecommunications networks; (2) One. card purchased at a retail store that contains a PIN that contains only alphabetic characters and a telephone number for the service; (3) A second mobile phone that has a radio communication circuit, a keyboard with the ability to type numbers and letters of the alphabet, and the ability to use the Short Message Service text system provided by the telecommunications networks of the • Mobile operator . Any method can be used, such as methods that include some or all of the following features: (1) Type the alphabetical PIN of the card in the first mobile phone using the mobile phone's keypad; (2) Send this alphabetical PIN as an SMS text message to the second mobile phone; (3) Send this same alphabetical PIN from the second mobile phone as an SMS text message to the telephone number for the service as specified on the card; (4) The data read by the transaction control system corresponding to a NIP record in the database and from this record extract the card denomination; (5) The transaction control system communicates with the airtime account control system and requests to update the account of the second mobile telephone with the amount identified by the PIN; (6) Return a confirmation SMS text message to the mobile phone. The different characteristics of the present invention, such as those applied in the third aspect above for accrediting an account for a mobile telephone can be generalized for any other product according to what has been described above. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a mechanism is provided by which the PIN of a card purchased in a store can be used in the purchase of goods and services through the Internet network or through other routes which they may otherwise include the use of credit or debit cards or other payment mechanisms that imply that the customer has a bank account or equivalent. In some embodiments, the first PIN may be converted into a standard transaction card identifier, such as a Visa card number. For example, a customer can access an Internet site (for example, an Internet site identified on the card or an Internet site of the merchant that sold the card) and enter the PIN. The Internet site can receive the PIN, identify the value, buy a stored value card for a corresponding value and then send the card number (and other authorization information) to the customer, for example, through the website or in an email. In another modality, the electronic stores can use special payment functionalities so that the IPs can be used in place of credit cards or other traditional payment methods. Some embodiments of the invention may include some of the following features: (1) A mobile telephone having a radio communication circuit, a keyboard with the ability to type numbers and letters of the alphabet and the ability to use the text system of Short Message Service provided by the mobile operator's telecommunications networks. (2) A card purchased at a retail store that contains an? IP and a telephone number for the service; (3) A remote transaction control system of the mobile telephone, the mobile telephone and the transaction control system allow to communicate using the SMS text messaging facility, the transaction control system that stores the database records of PIN where each NIP record has a denomination stored in it; (4) An airtime account control system executed by the Mobile Operator, the airtime account control system and the transaction control system are remote and have the ability to communicate over a telecommunications connection the system Airtime account control that stores the database records of mobile phone accounts, each account database record includes a credit amount. Some modalities may include any of the following characteristics: (1) Buy a phone card in a warehouse and use the warehouse system to accept payments as well as for other goods; (2) Enter the PIN of this card acquired in the mobile phone using the keypad of the mobile phone; (3) Send this PIN as an SMS text message to the telephone number for the service as specified on the card; (4) The data read by the transaction control system corresponding to a NIP record in the database and from this record extract the name of the card; (5) Communicate the transaction control system with - the airtime account control system and request from this update the mobile phone account with the amount identified by the PIN; (6) Return a confirmation SMS text message to the mobile phone. The introduction of the NIPs can be simplified by fully using an alphabetical PIN. Such a PIN can be shorter than the equivalent numeric PIN (for example, less than half the length) and still have the same number of possible values, since there are 26 letters and only 10 digits. In some embodiments, the introduction of the? IP can be simplified by using NIPs composed of words from the T9 dictionary (or other dictionaries such as self-spelling dictionaries). The? IP of a card can be completely built with one or more words found in an automatic word spelling dictionary present in mobile phones or other communication devices. This then simplifies the click of the? IPs when using such dictionaries as T9 and Zi. In accordance with some modalities, IVR and voice recognition can be used for systems to introduce a PIN in voice calls.

The alphabetic or word-based NIP can be provided to the system by speaking the client in the system by means of a voice recognition system based on an interactive voice response service. In some modalities, a user can send text to someone else (via SMS) and thereby electronically transfer card values to someone else. For example, a user can send a prepaid card PIN to another user (such as a family member or friend). The other user can use the PIN to obtain the associated product or service.

According to some modalities, a user can type a card PIN in a mobile phone using the keypad of the mobile phone and send this PIN by SMS text message to another mobile phone. The recipient can then send this SMS text message even to another mobile phone. This process can be repeated any number of times.

The final receiving mobile phone can send the PIN as a text message to the central system (for example, a central telephone number) for the service as specified on the card. The value of the cards can be controlled or monitored in batches or by POS activation. For example, whenever cards are slid in a warehouse location, a central processing entity can activate the card.

Some modalities may include some or all of the following features: (1) A mobile phone that has a radio communication circuit, a keyboard with the ability to type numbers and letters of the alphabet, and the ability to use the Service text system of Short Message provided by the mobile operator's telecommunications networks. (2) A remote transaction control system of the mobile telephone, the mobile telephone and the transaction control system allow communication using the SMS text messaging facility, the transaction control system that stores the database records of NIP where each record of? IP has a denomination stored in it; (3) Combine known cards in batches of one or more cards; (4) Identify these batches of cards by unique lot identifiers and record these batches in a database that forms a part of the transaction control system whose records contain a state identifier for each of these batches; (5) Record all the? IPs of all cards contained in the batch in the batch database record; (6) Issue these batches of cards to warehouses with an "inactive" status where each card is therefore inactive; (7) Activate a lot at a time by communicating the warehouse with the transaction control system, identifying the lots by means of its unique lot identifier and request that the status be changed to "active" where each card in batch it becomes active; a process called "activation"; Some modalities may include some or all of the following features: (1) Buy a phone card in a warehouse and use the warehouse system to accept payments as well as for other goods; (2) Enter the PIN of this card acquired in the mobile phone using the keypad of the mobile phone; (3) Send this PIN as an SMS text message to the telephone number for the service as specified on the card; (4) The data read by the transaction control system corresponding to an? IP record in the database and from this record extract the denomination and status of the card; (5) Return a reject SMS text message to the mobile phone if the state of the card was found to be inactive; (6) Communicate the transaction control system with the airtime account control system and request this update the mobile phone account with the amount identified by the PIN if the status of the card was found to be active; (7) Return a confirmation text message to the mobile phone. In some modalities, the value can be determined by the amount paid for it by the client. For example, the client may specify a certain value that will be activated on the card, in accordance with any of the systems and methods known in the art. The value of the cards can be charged to the store after activation. Some of the embodiments of the invention may provide a card based on an airtime complementation service that may not need a PIN provided by the Mobile Operators. In some modalities, an IVR may not be necessary to add the PIN value to an account. In some modalities, a card purchased to carry out an airtime supplement may also be used by the account holders of any mobile operator (or other service or product provider).

In some modalities, entities (such as third parties) may place warnings on the cards (or other representation of an identifier). In some modalities, the NIPs can be used for the purchase of goods and services different from those related to mobile airtime. In some modalities,? IPs can be used as a means of payment for goods and services. For example, him PIN can be used as a card number in a similar transaction such as that used for credit and debit cards at merchant terminals or on the Internet. The airtime application for a mobile phone can be completed by the end user by sending a free standard text message of a service identifier (5 characters) and an? 8 character alphabetic IP to an SMS switch; a process with which the vast majority of prepaid users are quite familiar, and whose success rates can be significantly higher than an IVR. In some embodiments, the absence of the service identifier may indicate that the value must be added to the user's airtime account. In some embodiments, the user may determine the functionality of one or more service identifiers. Card NIPs can be provided by a centralized system. The end user can send one or more NIPs to the centralized system, which can build an electronic payment to the Mobile Operator of the end user from an interpretation of the text. Another benefit of the present invention is that the providers of products and services (such as those that may be associated with a PIN) can use electronic distribution and release channels that do not necessarily include distribution to a consumer (or reception of a consumer) of a physical mode of a PIN (for example, on a physical card). For example, a payment can be completely electronic. Cards and accounts can be activated in a variety of ways: in units of a lot at the point of sale when using an IVR (or Internet) based on the activation service; or in units of a card, again at the point of sale but by sliding the card through the acquisition terminal or POS. The value associated with the identifiers may also be activated and / or accredited in any of the other forms known in the art, such as any of those described in the following North American Patent and Patent Applications: North American Application No. 10 / 778,338 filed at 17 February 2004, North American Application No. 10 / 253,243 filed on September 24, 2002, US Provisional Application No. 60 / 324,333 filed on September 24, 2001, US Provisional Application No. 60 / 396,404 filed on July 15, 2002, US Provisional Application No. 60 / 519,630 filed on November 14, 2003, US Provisional Application No. 60 / 519,629 filed in 14 de Novi embre de 2003, Request Nort eameri cana? O. 10 / 712,182 filed on November 13, 2003, North American Application No. 10 / 655,828 filed on September 5, 2003, US Patent Application No. 10 / 698,084 filed on November 3, 2003, North American Application? O. 10 / 411,971 filed on April 11, 2003, North American Application No. 09 / 641,363 filed on August 18, 2000 (currently issued as US Patent No. 6,575,361), Provisional Application North American? O. 60 / 149,740 filed on August 19, 1999, US Application No. 10 / 732,641 filed on December 10, 2003, the North American Application filed on December 19, 2003 under the attorney Docket No. 64243.000005, and the US Patent Application. filed on January 26, 2004 under the attorney Docket No. 64243.000006. All of these patents and applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Other characteristics of these patents and applications are also contemplated here. It should be appreciated that the authorization and activation of media devices such as those described herein can be combined with the new systems and methods of the applications referenced above. It should be appreciated that the modalities described above may have some or all of the features described for those modalities. For each component or step of the system described above, a corresponding system and method according to the invention may comprise only a portion of the component or step. In some modalities, the cards can only have value after the activation which provides the industry with quite significant control benefits and minimizes the financial risk for the retail store. In some modalities, cards can only be charged after activation, which offers much improved cost controls over existing services. In some modalities, operators can significantly reduce or even close their IVR services. In some modalities, operators can significantly reduce their Customer Service support supplies. In some modalities, the nature of the service It also allows the use of a generic card for all networks, which ensures the availability of reservations and provide greater flexibility in the use of the card.

In accordance with some modalities, a client can designate a service provider. A small number of cards, for example, 3 cards with the denominations of $ 5, $ 10, $ 20, could be circulated instead of a large number of cards for each denomination for a plurality of different service providers. A customer can buy an individual card and later select the service provider (or select the service provider at the point of sale). It should be understood that the identifiers are not limited to the purchase of airtime. These can be used, without change and with the same interface-end user, to buy other services such as mobile services (text packages, ring tones, screen savers, games and the like) and fixed services (time WiFi, Internet purchases, lottery tickets, etc.) According to what is contemplated here, the identifiers can be used to add or activate any type of value in any type of client account. For example, any of the products and / or services mentioned in common property is contemplated in this disclosure in the North American Application No. 10 / 732,641 filed on December 10, 2003. The description of this application is incorporated herein in its entirety as reference .

In some modalities, one or more cards and identifiers can be transferred as gifts. For example, an identifier can be transmitted from a user device to another user's device. The transfer may then use the identifier to release the value in an equal or similar manner as described in this description. In some modalities, the identifiers can be stand-alone services so that the PIN can be used in another financial transaction. In some modalities, the identifiers can be used with any network, such as a closed or open debit network or credit. In some modalities, because the manufacturing and distribution of the cards may not be done by mobile operators, there is the possibility of additional marketing opportunities and brand techniques. For example, cards with Christmas themes and other occasions, special editions, prizes and the like, or cards with the brand of Starbucks or McDonalds may become a possibility. The cards can be labeled with the brand of a different entity, (or additional to) from the card provider. Use the text as a mechanism to transfer the PIN to the airtime service. In some modalities, the "own label" NIPs can be used to withdraw what is necessary for anything of value from the mobile operators in the whole process. In some modalities, Mobile Operators may be unaware of a promissory note until payment occurs. Some PINs / identifiers may be releasable for the purchase of goods and services related to age (such as lotteries, and goods / services related to young children such as entrance to theme parks, etc.). Adult content items may also be purchased. . Shops can execute any necessary verification of age at the point of purchase. The release of these clearly marked NIPs would be restricted according to the intended use. The modalities of the present inventions will not be limited in scope by the specific modalities described herein. For example, although many of the modalities described herein have been described with reference to value storage cards and wireless telephone accounts, the principles included herein are equally applicable to any type of signaler or value identifier and any other type of account. As wellEven though many of the modalities have been described with reference to "paying" an account, the principles included herein are equally applicable to other systems and methods for adding or activating a value in an account. In fact, various modifications of the embodiments of the present inventions, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to ordinary technicians skilled in the art from the foregoing description and the appended figures. Thus, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following appended claims. Furthermore, even though the embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in the context of a particular execution method in a particular environment, technicians skilled in the art will recognize that their utility is not limited thereto and that the modalities of The present invention can be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, the claims set forth below are constructed under full observation of the breadth and spirit of the embodiments of the present inventions according to what is described herein. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (22)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property.

1. A method for adding value to a customer account characterized in that it comprises: distributing an identifier associated with a value to a customer, wherein the identifier is used to add the value to an account; receive through a short message service (SMS) a • request to add the value to a customer account, the request includes the identifier and account identification information associated with the customer account, the request is received from a user communication device as an SMS message; identify the value associated with the identifier and the customer account associated with the account identification information based on the request; cause the value to be added to the customer account; and transmitting to the user communication device a confirmation that the value was added to the customer account.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, before receiving the request from the user communication device, the identifier is entered into the SMS message in the user communication device at least in part by the user and at least partly automatically by the user communication device.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the identifier comprises at least a first set of alphanumeric characters and at least a second set of alphanumeric characters and wherein the user communication device is configured to automatically enter the second set of alphanumeric characters in response to receiving an entry of the first set of alphanumeric characters.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least a portion of the identifier is input into the SMS message in the user communication device that uses a self-completion spelling function of a computer program of dictionary operated in the user communication device.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the identifier comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is entered into the SMS text message in the user communication device, and in response to entering the first portion in the user communication device, the user communication device automatically enters the second portion.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the identifier comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is introduced into the SMS message in the user communication device, and in response to entering the first portion in the user communication device, the user communication device automatically suggests the second portion.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a first portion of the identifier comprises a series of alphanumeric characters, and wherein the first portion of the identifier is introduced into the user communication device when pronouncing each of the series of alphanumeric characters .

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a first portion of the identifier includes a series of alphanumeric characters and wherein the first portion of the identifier is introduced into the user communication device when pronouncing each of the alphanumeric characters of the first portion of the identifier.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a first portion of the identifier is introduced into the user communication device by means of a verbal request, and wherein a second portion of the identifier is entered into the user communication device by manually entering one or more alphanumeric characters included in the second portion.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, before receiving the request from the user communication device, the identifier is typed into the SMS message in the user communication device by the user.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the SMS message includes a body and a collector, and wherein the body comprises the identifier and the account identification information.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the SMS message includes- a body in which the account identification information is stored in a memory storage system included in the user communication device, and wherein the Account identification information was entered into the body directly from the memory storage system.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the identifier includes a PIN.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the user communication device includes a wireless telephone that has a telephone number, and wherein the account identification information includes the telephone number.

15. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the customer account includes a telecommunications service account.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the client account includes a prepaid wireless telephone account.

17. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the customer account can be used to purchase online gaming services.

18. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the customer account can be used to purchase bridge or toll services on highways.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the SMS message includes a body and a collector, wherein the body includes the identifier, and the collector includes the account identification information.

20. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the customer account can be used to allow one or more services on the user communication device.

21. A system for adding value to a customer account, characterized in that it comprises: a distribution system for distributing to a customer an identifier associated with a value, wherein the identifier can be used to add the value to an account; an input device for receiving through a short message service (SMS) a request to add the value to a customer account, the request includes the identifier and the account identification information associated with the customer account, the request it is received from a user communication device as an SMS message; a processor for identifying the value associated with the identifier and the customer account associated with the account identification information based on the request; a value insertion system to cause the value to be added to the customer's account; and an output device for transmitting to the user communication device a confirmation that the value was added to the customer account.

22. A method for adding value to a customer account, characterized in that it comprises: receiving from a first user communication device an identifier associated with a prepaid value in a second user communication device associated with a customer account; transmitting to a central processor a request to add the value to the customer account, the request includes the identifier and account identification information associated with the client account, wherein the request is transmitted via SMS, and wherein the processor Central is configured to identify the value and the customer account based on the request.