CallWave Communication LLCv. Sprint Nextel Corp. et al.

Filing 1

COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT filed with Jury Demand against Google Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp. - Magistrate Consent Notice to Pltf. ( Filing fee $ 350, receipt number 0311-1190005.) - filed by CallWave Communications LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet)(els)

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EXHIBIT B 111111 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 US007907933B 1 United States Patent (10) Trandal et al. c12) (45) (54) CALL ROUTING APPARATUS (75) Inventors: David S. Trandal, Santa Barbara, CA (US); David J. Brahm, Santa Barbara, CA (US) (73) Assignee: Callwave, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (US) ( *) Notice: 5,459,548 5,459,584 5,467,388 5,533,102 5,533,106 5,577,111 5,651,054 5,668,861 5,805,587 5,809,128 5,825,867 5,835,573 5,884,032 5,995,603 6,031,896 6,035,031 6,169,795 6,175,622 Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 674 days. This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. (21) Appl. No.: 11/861,171 (22) Filed: Patent No.: US 7,907,933 Bl Date of Patent: *Mar. 15, 2011 A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A B1 B1 10/1995 10/1995 1111995 7/1996 7/1996 1111996 7/1997 9/1997 9/1998 9/1998 10/1998 1111998 3/1999 1111999 212000 3/2000 1/2001 1/2001 Matsuda et a!. Gordon eta!. Redd, Jr. eta!. Robinson eta!. Blumhardt Iida eta!. Dunn eta!. Watts Norris et al. McMullin Epler et al. Dee eta!. Bateman et a!. Anderson Gardell eta!. Silverman Dunn eta!. Chiniwala et a!. (Continued) Sep.25,2007 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS Related U.S. Application Data (63) Continuation of application No. 11/212,536, filed on Aug. 26, 2005, now Pat. No. 7,292,841, which is a continuation of application No. 10/106,517, filed on Mar. 22, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,968,174. EP 1 120 954 8/2001 (Continued) Primary Examiner- Michael T Thier (60) Provisional application No. 60/278,570, filed on Mar. 22, 2001, provisional application No. 60/309,142, filed on Jul. 30, 2001. (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm- Knobbe, Martens, Olson & BearLLP (51) Int. Cl. H04M 11100 (2006.01) H04M 15100 (2006.01) U.S. Cl. .................... 455/406; 455/405; 379/114.01; 379/114.25 Field of Classification Search .......... 455/405-408, 455/415-417; 379/111, 112.01, 114.01, 3791114.14, 114.24, 114.25, 127.01, 133-134 See application file for complete search history. (57) (52) (58) (56) References Cited ABSTRACT The present invention relates generally to telecommunications, and in particular to systems and methods for routing and placing telephone calls. In one embodiment, a call manager system is configured to place a call to a pay-per-call service, or to cause such a call to be placed by a user computer terminal, in response to a user initiating a purchase transaction over a computer network. In addition, the call may include billing information, such as the user's phone number, which is provided to the pay-per-call service so that the user can be billed for the call in an appropriate amount. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,994,926 A 5,291,302 A 211991 Gordon eta!. 3/1994 Gordon eta!. 17 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets US 7,907,933 Bl Page 2 U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 6,208,638 6,282,276 6,304,565 6,310,939 6,345,090 6,350,066 6,353,660 6,405,035 6,430,274 6,438,222 6,477,246 6,505,163 6,549,612 6,564,321 6,643,034 6,658,100 6,661,785 6,690,785 6,738,461 6,751,299 6,785,021 6,857,074 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B2 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1 B1 B2 3/2001 8/2001 10/2001 10/2001 212002 212002 3/2002 6/2002 8/2002 8/2002 1112002 112003 4/2003 5/2003 1112003 12/2003 12/2003 2/2004 5/2004 6/2004 8/2004 2/2005 Rieley eta!. Felger Ramamurthy Varney Walker et al. Bobo, II Burger et al. Singh Winstead et a!. Burg Dolan eta!. Zhang et al. Gifford et a!. Bobo, II Gordon eta!. Lund Zhang et al. Stetler et al. Trandaletal. Brown eta!. Gordon eta!. Bobo, II 6,879,677 6,898,275 6,968,174 6,981,214 7,103,167 200110037264 2002/0010616 2002/0097710 2002/0176558 2003/0063731 2003/0123629 2003/0156700 2004/0010472 2005/0265322 B2 B2 B1 B1 B2 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 4/2005 5/2005 1112005 12/2005 9/2006 1112001 112002 7/2002 1112002 4/2003 7/2003 8/2003 112004 12/2005 Trandaletal. Dolan eta!. Trandaletal. Miller eta!. Brahm eta!. Husemann et a!. Itzhaki Burg Tate eta!. Woodring Hussain et a!. Brown eta!. Hilbyetal. Hester FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS JP JP JP wo wo wo 10-513632 11-506292 2001-168989 wo 97/26749 00/60840 wo 01/76210 12/1998 6/1999 6/2001 7/1997 10/2000 10/2001 ~ /8 ISP 00 • ~ ~ /4 ~ CALL MANAGER SYSTEM ~ = ~ 36!"ffiMINATING 22 /3 CLIENT APPLICATION ISDNSS7 ~ ~ :-: .... ~Ul N 0 .... .... 20 rFJ =.... ('D ('D ..... LIVE OPERATOR CPE, OR IVRS 0 ..... .j;o. 34 24 d F/C. ./ '--/0 rJl -....l \c = -....l \c w w = """"' U.S. Patent Mar.15,2011 US 7,907,933 Bl Sheet 2 of 4 ;-----200 202 START ) ~204 .----------'------'------. USER INITIATES PURCHASE (_206 MESSAGE SENT TO CALL MANAGER /_208 CALL MANAGER SETS ANI TO USER ANI CALL MANAGER CALLS SELECTED PAY-PER-CALL NUMBER r-2!2 .----------'-------'--------. USER CHARGED VIA PHONE BILL 2/4 ( END ) F/C. 2 U.S. Patent Mar.15,2011 US 7,907,933 Bl Sheet 3 of 4 ,-3oo 302 ( START ;-304 USER INITIATES PURCHASE ~306' ~------~--~-- MESSAGE SENT TO CALL MANAGER /308 CALL MANAGER INSTRUCTS CLIENT APPLICATION TO PLACE CALL TO SELECTED PAY-PER-CALL NUMBER /3/0 ~--------~------~-- CLIENT COMPUTER CALLS SELECTED PAY-PER-CALL NUMBER 3/2 USER CHARGED VIA PHONE BILL 3/4 ( END F/C. :J U.S. Patent Mar.15,2011 US 7,907,933 Bl Sheet 4 of 4 404 INSTRUCT CLIENT APPLICATION TO CALL PAY-PER-CALL NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH CALL MANAGER 406 CALL PLACED VIA USER COMPUTER 4/2 STORE CALL BLOCKING INDICATION IN DATABASE YES 4!4 4!0 GO TO PROCESS #300 REQUEST ALTERNATE FORM OF PAYMENT 4!6 F/C. 4 US 7,907,933 Bl 1 2 CALL ROUTING APPARATUS In one embodiment, when a user is transacting an online purchase transaction using a computer terminal and wants to charge the purchase price to the user's phone bill, a message is transmitted to a remote call manager system. The message can include information related to the purchase price and an ANI associated with a phone line of the user. The remote call manager system sets an ANI of a call service phone line be the same as the user ANI. The call manager system then calls a pay-per-call service via the call service phone line using the user ANI. Thus, the call manager is in effect making the call on behalf of the user by appearing to be the user, even if the call placed by the call manager system is originating from a network location out of the user's local calling area or state. The user is then billed for the call on the user's phone bill in an amount corresponding to the purchase price. In another embodiment, in response to a user initiating an online purchase via a client terminal, a call manager system transmits over a computer network, such as the Internet, instructions to the client terminal to schedule an outcall from the client terminal to a pay-per-call phone number. The client terminal will then place a call to the pay-per-call phone number in accordance with the instructions. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention without placing limitations thereon. PRIORITY CLAIM This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/278,570, filed Mar. 22, 2001, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/309,142, filed Jul. 30, 2001, and is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/212,536, filed Aug. 26, 2005, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/106,517, filed Mar. 22, 2002, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 15 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to telecommunications, and in particular to systems and methods for routing and placing telephone calls. 2. Description of the Related Art The conventional public switched telephone network (PSTN) provides for pay-per-call network services via one or more designated numbers, such as a 900 or 97 6 number, whereby consumers can call such a designated number and be charged a flat rate or per minute charge for a service. For example, the service may be providing entertainment information, sports information, or the like. The fee associated with calling such designated numbers is greater than the cost of simply transmitting the call. However, conventional commerce systems fail to provide an automated apparatus that places or routes calls to such pay-per-call numbers or services as part of an online purchase transaction. Thus, consumers are deprived of making secure online purchases using the payper-call service. 20 25 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 30 35 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is related to systems and methods for routing and placing telephone calls. Embodiments of the present invention provide consumers with a reliable, secure, and convenient method of utilizing a telecommunications network to pay for goods or services on a one-time or recurring basis. In particular, embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and methods for a system connected to the PSTN to place an authorized call to a pay-per-call number, such as a 900 or 97 6 number, or the like, on behalf of a user to purchase a good or service. Advantageously, embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods optionally eliminate the need for a consumer to place a call to a pay-per-call service directly. This is in contrast to conventional systems wherein a consumer uses a home telephone to directly call a 900 or 97 6 pay-per-call telephone number. Optionally, in one embodiment a user does not have to communicate private billing information, such as credit card or checking account information, to pay the provider of the good or service. The resulting security and convenience of this payment method can further encourage transactions involving the purchase or lease of goods or services, benefiting both the user and the service provider or merchant. In addition, the offer and/or payment options can be specifically tailored to the consumer. In addition, embodiments of the present invention enable a merchant or service provider to discover whether a user has blocked pay-per-call services and to disallow this payment method or instruct the user in ways to unblock these services. The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only: FIG. 1 illustrates an example system that can be used in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates an example method of routing calls. FIG. 3 illustrates another example method of routing calls. FIG. 4 illustrates an example method of detecting whether a user has pay-per-call blocking. 40 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 45 50 55 60 65 The present invention is related to systems and methods for routing and placing telephone calls. As will be described in greater detail below, embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and methods for initiating a telephone call using the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a pay-per-call number on behalf of a user in response to a user operation received over a computer network, such as the Internet. Referring to FIG. 1, a telecommunications system 10 is shown utilizing an example embodiment of the present invention. In this example embodiment, a subscriber or other user employs a networked terminal, such as a personal computer (PC) 12, an interactive television, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone equipped with a browser, or the like, to access a computer network 16, such as the Internet or the like. Thus, for example, the terminal 12 and/or a call manager system 18 discussed below, can correspond to a uniprocessor or multiprocessor machine. Additionally, the terminal12 and/ or a call manager system 18 discussed below, can include an addressable storage medium or computer accessible medium, such as random access memory (RAM), an electronically erasable progrmable read-only memory (EEPROM), masked read-only memory, one-time programmable memory, hard disks, floppy disks, laser disk players, digital US 7,907,933 Bl 3 4 video devices, Compact Disc ROMs, DVD-ROMs, other optical media, video tapes, audio tapes, magnetic recording tracks, electronic networks, and other techniques to transmit or store electronic content such as, by way of example, programs and data. In one embodiment, the terminal12 and/or a call manager system 18 discussed below, is equipped with a network communication device such as a network interface card, a modem, Infra-Red (IR) port, a wireless network interface, or other network connection device suitable for connecting to a network. For example, the terminal12 and/or the call manager system 18, can include a dial-up, narrow-band, modem or a dedicated, broadband, modem that connects to a data communication service, such as that provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Commercial Online Service 14. Furthermore, the terminal12 and/or the call manager system 18 can execute an appropriate operating system, such as Linux, Unix, Microsoft® Windows® 3.1, Microsoft® Windows® 95, Microsoft® Windows® 98, Microsoft® Windows® NT, Microsoft® Windows® 2000, Microsoft® Windows® Me, Microsoft® Windows® XP, Apple® MacOS®, IBM® OS/2®, Microsoft® Windows® CE, Palm OS®, or Sun Solaris®. The appropriate operating system may advantageously include a communications protocol implementation, which handles incoming and outgoing message traffic passed over the network. In other embodiments, while the operating system may differ depending on the type of terminal, the operating system may continue to provide the appropriate communications protocols necessary to establish communication links with the network. While online to the Internet 16 or other network, the user may be presented with one or more offers to purchase a product or a service transmitted over the Internet to the user. The phrase "purchase" as used herein includes a lease or licensing of a good or service. The offers may come in a plurality of forms such as via an email, a banner ad, a web page, and/or a collection of some or all of these forms. Byway of example, the offers may be provided in response to a user visiting a specific Web site or by accessing a given network resource or URL. A user may initiate a purchase of a product or service by filling in purchase data, activating a purchase link or other command, by accessing a specific network resource, or by otherwise authorizing a purchase. If a user makes a purchase decision and authorizes the merchant or service provider to place the charge for the good or service on their phone bill, a message is sent over the Internet 16 to the call manager system 18. As discussed above, the user can complete a web form or activate a link in an email message. The web form or form associated with the email link may ask the user if the user wants to pay for the purchase via their phone bill. If the user indicates that the purchase price is to be billed to the user's phone bill, a corresponding message is sent by the merchant or service provider to the call manager system 18. In one embodiment, the web form requests that the user provide a telephone number or account number to which the purchase is to be billed. The merchant or service provider can verifY via a merchant user database or the like that the user has permission to authorize a charge to the provided number. The call manager system 18 includes a user database that stores user registration information, identification information, account information, billing information and the like. In one embodiment, the call manager is implemented using one or more servers. The call manager system 18 is connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network 20 by means of a trunk interface 22 and to the Internet 16 via data connection 36. In one example embodiment, the message sent in response to the purchase request can contain one or more billing attributes or parameters. For example, the message can contain an account identifier, such as a phone number, user identifier, password, or other identifier. Other information which may be passed in the message can include the amount of the charge, whether the charge is recurring, such as whether the charge is a daily, weekly, monthly, or a one-time charge, and the like. In one embodiment, the call manager system 18 immediately, or at a scheduled or a delayed time, originates a call over trunk connection 22 to the Public Switched Telephone Network 20 to a "900", "976" or other pay-per-call number. As used herein, the terms "900 number", "900 service", "900/976 service", and the like, denote all such payper-call numbers and services. Thus, the invention is not limited to a particular pay-per-call service, but is generally applicable to such services. The call may be to a pay-per-call number that is associated with a specific cost that corresponds to the price of the good or service being purchased. For example, in response to a user's request to purchase a $10 item, the call manager system 18 calls a number for which there is a $10 charge per call. Similarly, in response to a user's request to purchase a $15 item, the call manager system 18 calls a number for which there is a $15 charge per call. Alternatively, in response to a user purchase instruction, the call manager system 18 places a call to a pay-per-call number that can vary based on a database query and an interaction with the billing and rating system. Using still another process, in response to a user purchase instruction, the call manager system 18 places a call to a pay-per-call number that is associated with a specific cost per minute. For example, in response to a user's request to purchase a $10 item, the call manager system 18 places a call for 10 minutes to a number for which there is a $1 per minute charge. By way of example, the call manager system 18 delivers, over a signaling channel, such as an SS7 signaling channel, information identifYing the origin of the call through a service known as Automatic Number Identification (ANI), or using other types of signaling information, such as a charge-to number. The ANI corresponds to the caller's phone number. ANI is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art of telephony systems and will not be described further here. In one example embodiment, the call manager system 18 modifies the ANI that would normally be associated with a call manager system phone line by setting the ANI to be the ANI (e.g., phone number) of the user who has authorized the purchase. Thus, in one embodiment, the call manager system 18 is in effect making the call on behalf of the user by appearing to be the user, even if the call placed by the call manager system 18 is originating from a network location out of the user's local calling area or state. Optionally, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention can be utilized with a Common Channel Signaling system, such as Signaling System 7 (SS7), having separate voice/user data and signaling channels. In addition, the present invention can be used with other signaling methods, such as ISDN, Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN), and/or MF inband signaling. However, the invention is not limited to these methods and contemplates other methods in which ANI or similar signaling information can be passed. The originated call initiated by the call manager system 18 transits an Originating Local Exchange Network (OLEN) 24 to a pay-per-call services network 26 through an interconnecting trunk 28, and eventually to a Terminating Local Exchange Network (TLEN) 30 through an interconnecting trunk 32. The TLEN 30 is optionally connected to a live 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 US 7,907,933 Bl 5 6 operator or to customer premise equipment 34 operated by a service provider, a merchant, an online merchant, or a third party on behalf of the merchant or service provider. The process of a phone call or interworkings of a pay-per-call service network are well known to one of ordinary skill and will not be described here. In one embodiment, rather then using a live operator to answer the call placed by the call manager system 18, the call is answered by an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) operated by a service provider or a merchant. The PSTN connects to the IVRS via a telephone trunk. The telephone trunk has an associated signaling channel. The signaling channel is provided to communicate the ANI to the IVRS to enable the IVRS to customize the interaction as described below. The IVRS, connected to the phone network, can collect and store the ANI information for the call. The collected and stored ANI can be used to identify the user for post bill auditing, or to customize the interaction, such as to selectively restrict answered calls to known users, to identify the billed amount, play audio announcements, record voice messages, collect and store touch-tone responses, and transfer calls. Similarly, the ANI can be used to identifY the user to determine what rate or price the user is entitled to for a good or service. For example, some users may be entitled to a discounted rate. The IVRS system 34 can be included in the call manager system 18 or can be a separate system from the call manager system 18. The pay-per-call service then bills the user for the purchased services or goods based on the length of the call, a flat rate charge, or using customized or proprietary signaling information as discussed above sent from the IVRS into the pay-per-call services network 26. The charge may appear on the user's local or long distance carrier's bill for the user. The interworking of a pay-per-call service are well known and not described here. FIG. 2 illustrates one example process 200 of placing a call to a pay-per-call service. Starting at start state 202, the process 200 proceeds to state 204, wherein a user initiates a purchase and indicates that the purchase price is to be billed to the user's phone bill. At state 206 a message is sent to the call manager system, including the user's phone number and the purchase price amount to be charged to the user's phone bill. At state 208 the call manager sets an ANI associated with an outbound call to be the same as the user's ANI. At state 210 the call manager system selects and calls an appropriate payper-call number using the user's ANI. Thus, it will appear to the pay-per-call service that the user is placing the call. The pay-per-call number can be selected based on, or to correspond with the amount of the purchase price. At state 212 the pay-per-call services causes the purchase price amount to be charged to the user via the user's long distance or local phone bill. The process 200 ends at state 214. In another embodiment, the call manager system 18 directs a call to the pay-per-call network 28 via the PC or other terminal12 without manual intervention by the user or other persons. In this embodiment, the user utilizes the networked computer 12 to connect to a data communication service via a dial-up or dedicated connection, such as that provided by the ISP 14. If the user makes a purchase decision while online and authorizes the merchant or service provider to place the charge for the good or service on the phone bill of the user, this event is logged in the call management system 18. For example, a user can complete a web form or activate a link in an email message, which causes a message to be sent to the call manager system 18, or the user can engage in a direct interaction with the call management system 18 database. For example, the user can make purchases directly from the operator of the call management system 18 which will then arrange to have the corresponding charge appear on the user's phone bill. A message is then sent from the networked computer 12 to the call manager system 18. Upon receipt of the message or transaction event, the call manager system 18 instructs a networked computer client application 13 over the Internet to schedule an outcall to a pay-per-call phone number. The client application 13 can be a small software agent executing on the client terminal12 that monitors the user's online access. The call manager system 18 monitors the user's session or the presence of the user on the Internet. In one embodiment, the client application 13 can make the user's online presence known to the call manager system 18. In particular, the call manager system 18 communicates with the client application 13 to determine whether the computer 12 is online. Presence detection can be performed by call manager system 18 polling or pinging the computer terminal12 via the client application 13, or by the client application 13 transmitting an "''m alive" message and subsequent periodic "keep alive" messages to the call manager system 18. The schedule for placing the call from a user could be immediate. In this case, if the computer 12 is accessing the Internet 16 over the user's telephone line via a dial-up connection, the user's networked computer 12 is disconnected from the Internet and a call is placed from the networked computer 12 to the call management system 18, as described in greater detail below. Alternatively, the call schedule can be set for when the user goes offline, when the user next goes back online, the next day, month, year, or at the occurrence of other specified time or event. Thresholds on call retries and frequency are optionally established between the networked computer client application 13 and call management system 18 to reduce the impact on the availability of the user's phone line. For example, the client may be restricted to no more than one call attempt within a 24-hour period. In addition or alternatively, the networked computer-client application 13 can be restricted from making a call attempt if a user has received an incoming call within a predetermined amount of time. Thus, for example, a call may be placed by a caller to the user while the user's telephone line is being utilized to by the user's computer terminal. The call is then forwarded to the call manager system 18 which transmits a notification to the user via email or the client application 13 regarding the forwarded call. If the user then goes offline within a predetermined amount of time, such as within 5 minutes, it may be assumed that the user is calling the caller back. Therefore, in order to avoid tying up the user's phone line, the call to the pay-per-call number may be scheduled for another time, such as the next time the user goes online. When the client application 13 receives an instructional message from the call manager system 18 to place a call for billing purposes, the client application 13 uses dialer software and a modem associated with the networked computer 12 to place a call to the telephone number provided by the call manager system 18 via a dial-up or always-on connection, or to place a call to a number pre-provisioned and stored on the computer 12 in conjunction with the client application 13. The call is switched at a local exchange switch, such as the OLEN 24, and connects with the pay-per-call network 26, where after the amount and transaction request are processed according to a predetermined plan, such as charging for a good or service at a predetermined price by calling a corresponding pay-per-call number. The call origin or source is identified using ANI or a similar service that provides the user's telephone number. The ANI establishes a billing num- 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 US 7,907,933 Bl 7 8 ber from the identified telephone number, and passes this information to the pay-per-call network 28 for billing purposes. FIG. 3 illustrates an example process 300 of placing a call to a pay-per-call service employing a user's computer. Starting at start state 302, the process 300 proceeds to state 304, wherein a user initiates a purchase and indicates that the purchase price is to be billed to the user's phone bill. At state 306 a message is sent to the call manager system, including the user's phone number or other account identifier, and the purchase price amount to be charged to the user's phone bill. At state 308 the call manager instructs the client application executing on the user's computer to call a pay-per-call number selected based at least in part on the purchase price. At state 310 the user's computer calls the selected pay-per-call number. At state 312 the pay-per-call services causes the purchase price amount to be charged to the user via the user's long distance or local phone bill. The process 300 ends at state 314. In one embodiment, the client application 13 is autonomous or semi-autonomous. That is, the client application 13 detects or is directly informed by the merchant when the user is making a purchase. The client application 13 uses a look-up table stored on the computer 12 that lists a plurality of payper-call numbers and the corresponding charges for calls to those numbers to determine the appropriate pay-per-call number to call for the purchase. The client application 13 then initiates a call via the computer 13 to the appropriate pay-percall number. The look-up table may periodically be updated by the call manager system 18. In some embodiments, optionally including the embodiments described above, the call manager system 18 automatically checks the balance due for an account after the user logs in to the call manager system 18 by accessing the user database. If the call manager system 18 finds a balance due on the account, the call manager system 18 passes a message to the networked computer 12. The message may notifY the user of the outstanding balance, request payment of the outstanding balance or a portion of thereof, or other like actions prior to proceeding with the established session. The call manager system 18 may effect a payment transaction via the previously described billing systems and methods; update the user's account to reflect the payment transaction; and notify the user of the action taken on the account via a message to the networked computer 12. In addition, the call manager system 18 optionally determines if a user's phone line is blocked from pay-per-call services. In one embodiment, this is accomplished using the following example procedure. Assuming that the user computer 12 is accessing the Internet using a broadband connection, the call manager system 12 transmits a request to the networked computer client application 13 to place a call in real-time while a user is transacting an order from a web site over the broadband connection. If it is determined that the user's line is blocked, then the user, while still transacting the order on the web, can be informed that another form of payment will be required. This should further improve the billing and collection conversion rates of the service provider or merchants. The determination of whether the user's line is blocked from pay-per-call services can be performed using several different processes, and the response thereto can vary as well. For example, the call manager system 12 may transmit a request to the networked computer client application 13 to place a call to a pay-per-call number associated with the call manager system 12. If the call manager system 12 fails to receive the call after one or more attempts, a determination is made that the user's line is blocked from making such a call. Even is the call is received and the ANI read, the call manager 12 may not answer the call to avoid billing the user. Optionally, the call may only be answered if there is a user balance due. A notation may be used in the user's account information that the user's line is blocked so further attempts will not be made. Instead, if the user in the future requests to make a purchase using a pay-per-call process, the user may automatically be requested to provide payment using an alternate method or instructions on how to unblock their line. In another embodiment, the call manager system 12 may transmit a request to the networked computer client application 13 to place a call to a pay-per-call number, and if an operator answers indicating that the call cannot be completed, a determination is made that the call was answered by a human voice and it is inferred that the user's line is blocked. FIG. 4 illustrates an example process 400 used to detect whether a user's phone is blocked from calling a pay-per-call service. Beginning at start state 402, the process proceeds to state 404. At state 404, the call manager transmits an instruction to a client application to call a designated pay-per-call number, such as a 900 number, associated with the call manager system. At state 406, the client application instructs the user's computer or other terminal to call the designated payper-call number for the purpose of determining whether the user's line is blocked from placing a pay-per-call number. While the call is to a pay-per-call number, in the example process 400 the user is not charged for the call. At state 408, the call manager system monitors incoming calls on the pay-per-call number to determine if the user's computer succeeded in placing the call. Note that the call need not be answered to succeeded in placing the call. Success is defined in one embodiment by the user's ANI being received. The call manager can determine from which number a call is placed via the ANI transmitted along with the call. If a call is received from the user computer, the process 400 proceeds to state 410 and then optionally can perform the purchase and call placement process 300 illustrated in FIG. 3. If instead a call is not received from the user's computer at the designated pay-per-call number, the user's account information stored in the user database is annotated to indicate that the user's phone line is blocked from calling pay-per-call phone numbers. At state 414, the call manager sends a request to the user's computer asking the user to provide an alternate form of payment, such as a credit card charge or a check. The process 400 ends at state 416. If the blocking determination is made in real-time, the user can be offered an alternative payment method while transacting the order. In one embodiment, the blocking determination could be made in advance, and the user could be offered other payment options automatically when the user attempts to make a transaction. Further, if an advance blocking determination is made, the user could be offered only those goods or services that do not require use of a pay-per-call type service. Additionally, the user is optionally offered a description on how to unblock pay-per-call type services on their phone line. The advance determination can be made by, for example, accessing the user database to determine if a pay-per-call blocking notation or indication has been provided. Thus, as described above, embodiments of the present invention provide consumers with a reliable, secure, and convenient method of utilizing a telecommunications network to pay for goods or services using pay-per-call services. Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. There- 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 US 7,907,933 Bl 9 10 it will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention. fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obv1ous to those skilled in the art. . 9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the user is ~ore, b!lled for the purchase price based on a flat rate charge as a result of the call. 10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call to the What is claimed is: pay-per-call type telephone service is automatically placed 1. A method of placing a call comprising: by the user's mobile device in response to a command receiving information over a data network related to a received over the network from a remote processing system. user's purchase request; and 11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the mobile at least partly in response to receiving the purchase requestdevice is a personal digital assistant. related information, causing, at least in part, a call to be 10 12. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the mobile placed from a mobile device associated with the user to device is a cellular phone. a pay-per-call type telephone service via a communica13. A method of processing a communication received over tions network, wherein the pay-per-call type telephone a network, comprising: service is not the subject of the purchase request and a receiving information over a network related to a user's voice communication from the user is not transmitted 15 purchase request; via the call, at least partly in response to the purchase request informawherein the call provides billing information associated tion, causing at least in part an electronic communicawith the user to the pay-per-call type telephone service tion to be originated from a mobile device associated and wherein, if the call is answered, the user is billed for with the user over at least one network to a first destinaa purchase price associated with the purchase request at tion in order to cause at least in part a billing event to 20 least partly in response to the call placed to the pay-peroccur for the purchase request, wherein the communicall type telephone service. cation from the mobile device is not the subject of the 2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the mobile purchase request and is not part of a voice call from the device includes a software application which receives the user; and purchase request from the user. 25 wherein, via the communication, a remote processing sys. 3. The. m~thod as defined in claim 1, wherein the billing tem associated with the destination obtains billing informformat10n mcludes at least a phone number associated with mation associated with the user, including the user's the user's mobile device. mobile device phone address, and the user is billed for a 4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a remote purchase price associated with the purchase request at processing system determines whether or not the call is to be 30 least partly in response to the communication; and answered. causing at least in part a charge for the purchase to be billed 5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein if the call is via a phone bill. not answered by a call processing system the user is not billed 14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the netas a result of the call. work includes a data network. 6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a remote 15. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the com35 processing system determines that the call is not to be munication is automatically initiated. answered if a user balance is not due. 16. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the mobile 7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a remote device is a cellular phone. processing system determines that the call is to be answered 17. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the mobile if a user balance is due. 40 device includes a software application which receives the 8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a remote purchase request from the user. processing system configured to answer the call has access to account registration records for the user. * * * * *

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