Secure purchases over a computer network

US6823318B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• AT&T CORP. · US

Inventors

• Carroll W. Creswell · Berkeley Heights, US
• Roy Philip Weber · Bound Brook, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 14, 1998
• Grant date: Nov 23, 2004
• Expiry date: Apr 1, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0613
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method of purchasing an item by a purchaser includes providing an identity of the item to the purchaser over the Internet on a vendor server. The purchaser then places a telephone call over a telephone network to a billing server. During the telephone call, the billing server receives a billing amount for the item and a financial account. The billing server provides a confirmation number to the purchaser during the telephone call. The purchaser then sends the confirmation number to the vendor server. After verifying the confirmation number, the vendor sends the item to the purchaser and the vendor server sends the confirmation number to the billing server over the telephone network.