Transaction tax settlement in personal communication devices

Abstract

A transactional tax settlement system for use with a personal communication device is provided. The system has particular usefulness in determining a taxing authority and calculating a tax rate imposed by the taxing authority in a communication network environment. The system may be used to determine a tax authority and corresponding tax rate for a buyer/seller transaction over a network, e.g., the Internet. The system may also be used to determine a tax authority and corresponding tax rate in a mobile telecommunications network, e.g., a cellular phone. The system includes a tax information system for determining the taxing authorities and corresponding tax rates by evaluating factors pertaining to the transaction such as, location, tax status, and transaction description. In addition, the tax information system may validate a payment modality, collect taxes, and account for the transaction.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a tax information computer, a tax information request from a computing device for tax information, wherein the request comprises transaction information related to a first transaction, wherein the transaction information comprises location information associated with the first transaction;   determining, by the computer and based upon the transaction information, the tax information, wherein the tax information comprises at least one of an identification of a taxing authority authorized to impose a tax on the first transaction; a calculated tax for the first transaction; a tax calculation for the first transaction; and a tax rate for the first transaction; and   transmitting, by the computer and to the computing device, the tax information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the tax information comprises determining based upon the location information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the tax information comprises determining the calculated tax, and wherein the calculated tax comprises a plurality of calculated taxes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of calculated taxes comprises calculated tax for each of a plurality of taxing authorities. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the tax information comprises receiving the tax information from at least one of a tax service and a tax directory. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information is associated with at least one of the buyer, the seller, the physical location of the computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the computing device determines the location information. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the computing device determines the location information using a global positioning satellite (GPS) feature of the computing device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is associated with a buyer in the first transaction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is associated with at least one of: the buyer in the first transaction and includes software associated with the seller in the first transaction; and the seller in the first transaction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the transmitting the tax information, receiving a selection of a selected taxing authority from the computing device, wherein the tax information comprises a plurality of taxing authorities. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising determining, based upon the selected taxing authority and the transaction information, the detailed tax information comprising at least one of a tax rate, a tax calculation and the calculated tax. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising transmitting, by the computer, the detailed tax information the computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the transmitting the detailed tax information comprises transmitting a listing of tax rates and a listing of tax calculation rules to the computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the computing device comprises client software that groups a subset of the listing of tax rates and a subset of the listing of tax calculation rules based on whether the listing of tax rates and the listing of tax calculation rules are not subject to modification for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the computing device stores the subset of the listing of tax rates and the subset of the listing of tax calculation rules to create stored taxation rules. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 receiving a transaction request for a second transaction , wherein the second transaction is subject to the stored taxation rules; 
 determining, by the computer, a geographical location of the computing device based upon the transaction request; 
 searching for a tax rate and a tax calculation rule based on the transaction request and the geographic location; 
 determining, by the computer, that an update of the stored taxation rules; and 
 in response to the determining the update, transmitting the update to the computing device. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device receives the tax information and, based upon the tax information, at least one of: determines a tax rate, determines a tax calculation, calculates the calculated tax and calculates the plurality of calculated taxes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an accounting of the tax information provided to the computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the accounting is used by a collector of a tax in a tax settlement process. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device accounts for the of the tax information provided to the computing device in order to facilitate a tax settlement process. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the tax information comprises receiving the tax information from a tax directory, the a tax directory having a listing of tax authorities stored thereon, the tax directory capable of identification of certain of the tax authorities capable of imposing a tax on the transaction based on a type of the first transaction, a merchant type, and the location information, the tax directory capable of returning the list of the identified tax authorities to the computing device such that the computing device can allow selection of a subset of the a list of the identified tax authorities, wherein the tax information system does not calculate a tax amount. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein, in response to the selection of the subset, the computing device send a tax calculation request to one of the identified tax authorities. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is at least one of wireless and mobile. 
     
     
         25 . A non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a tax information computer, cause the computer to be capable of performing operations comprising:
 receiving, at the computer, a tax information request from a computing device for tax information, wherein the request comprises transaction information related to a first transaction, wherein the transaction information comprises location information associated with the first transaction;   determining, by the computer and based upon the transaction information, the tax information, wherein the tax information comprises at least one of an identification of a taxing authority authorized to impose a tax on the first transaction; a calculated tax for the first transaction; a tax calculation for the first transaction; and a tax rate for the first transaction; and   transmitting, by the computer and to the computing device, the tax information.   
     
     
         26 . A system comprising:
 a tax information processor,   a memory configured to communicate with the processor,   the memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to be capable of performing operations comprising:
 receiving, at the processor, a tax information request from a computing device for tax information, wherein the request comprises transaction information related to a first transaction, wherein the transaction information comprises location information associated with the first transaction; 
 determining, by the processor and based upon the transaction information, the tax information, wherein the tax information comprises at least one of an identification of a taxing authority authorized to impose a tax on the first transaction; a calculated tax for the first transaction; a tax calculation for the first transaction; and a tax rate for the first transaction; and 
 transmitting, by the processor and to the computing device, the tax information.