Conditional purchase offer management system for telephone calls

US6345090B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• priceline.com LLC · US

Inventors

• Jay S. Walker · Ridgefield, US
• Thomas M. Sparico · Monroe, US
• Bruce Schneier · Minneapolis, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 4, 1997
• Grant date: Feb 5, 2002
• Expiry date: Sep 4, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07F9/026
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving and processing CPOs for telephone calls from calling parties. The CPO management system processes the CPO to determine whether one or more long distance carriers is willing to accept a given CPO and complete a telephone call in accordance with restrictions defined by the calling party. If accepted, the CPO management system binds the calling party on behalf of the accepting interexchange carrier, to form a legally binding contract. A calling party can submit a CPO for an individual telephone call, a package of calls to one or more called parties, or for a contract to provide telephone service for a predefined period of time. The conditions defined by the calling party may include the telephone number to be called, the maximum price, one or more preferred carriers, if any, as well as any time limitations, such as a particular time-of-day or minimum call duration. Preferably, the calling party initially contacts the CPO management system, for example, by means of telephone or Internet connection, to provide the CPO management system with the terms of the CPO. The CPO management system preferably provides …