Call routing apparatus

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.

1 . A method of processing a billing transaction from a user's mobile telephonic device comprising:
 causing, at least in part, a first user interface to be presented on a mobile telephonic device via which the user can register for phone billing services;   receiving over a data network from the user's mobile telephonic device phone billing registration information;   receiving a purchase request for an item over the data network from the user's mobile telephonic device, wherein the item is other than a telephone service;   determining a phone number of the user;   determining if the user is authorized to purchase the item;   determining whether the purchase price is to be billed via a phone bill of the user associated with the phone number of the user; and   at least partly in response to:
 receiving the purchase request-related information, and 
 determining the purchase price is to be paid via the user's phone bill, 
   causing, at least in part, the user to be billed on the user's phone bill a purchase price associated with the item purchase request.   
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the mobile telephonic device includes a software application which presents the first user interface. 
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first user interface to be presented on the mobile telephonic device is a browser-based user interface. 
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the phone billing registration information includes the user's phone number. 
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the user does not place a call to a pay-per-call service using any telephonic device of the user in association with the purchase request. 
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the item is a tangible good. 
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the item is a service. 
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , the method further comprising denying authorization of the purchase request if the user has a balance due. 
     
     
         9 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is a cellular phone. 
     
     
         10 . A method of processing a billing transaction from a user's mobile device comprising:
 receiving a purchase request for an item over a data network from a user's mobile telephonic device, wherein the item is other than a telephone service, and   wherein the offer to purchase the item is presented to the user via a user interface on the user's mobile telephonic device;   determining an account identifier of the user;   determining if the user is authorized to purchase the item; and   determining whether the purchase price is to be billed via a phone bill of the user associated with a phone number of the user; and   at least partly in response to:
 receiving the purchase request-related information, and 
 determining the purchase price is to be paid via the user's phone bill, 
   causing, at least in part, the user to be billed on the user's phone bill a purchase price associated with the item purchase request.   
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the mobile telephonic device includes a software application which presents the first user interface. 
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the first user interface to be presented on the mobile telephonic device is a browser-based user interface. 
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , the method further comprising receiving from the user phone billing registration information including the phone number of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the user does not place a call to a pay-per-call service using any telephonic device of the user in association with the purchase request 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the item is a tangible good. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the item is a service. 
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , the method further comprising denying authorization of the purchase request if the user has a balance due. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the mobile device is a cellular phone. 
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 a computing device:   nontransitory computer readable memory that stores program code that, when executed by the computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:   causing, at least in part, a first user interface to be presented on a mobile telephonic device of a user via which the user can register for phone billing services;   receiving over a data network from the user's mobile telephonic device phone billing registration information;   receiving a purchase request for an item over the data network from the user's mobile telephonic device, wherein the item is other than a telephone service;   determining a phone number of the user;   determining if the user is authorized to purchase the item;   determining whether the purchase price is to be billed via a phone bill of the user associated with the phone number of the user; and   at least partly in response to:
 receiving the purchase request-related information, and 
 determining the purchase price is to be paid via the user's phone bill, 
 causing, at least in part, the user to be billed on the user's phone bill a purchase price associated with the item purchase request. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the user does not place a call to a pay-per-call service using any telephonic device of the user in association with the purchase request