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:
 sending, by a computing device for managing tax information and to a tax information system, a tax information request for the 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;   receiving, by the computing device and from the tax information system, 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   communicating, by the computing device, the tax information to at least one of a buyer associated with the first transaction and a seller associated with the first transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is at least one of a point-of-service (POS) computing device associated with the seller and a mobile computing device associated with a buyer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communicating comprises at least one of:
 sending the detailed tax information to a buyer computing device, wherein the computing device is associated with the seller; sending the detailed tax information to a seller computing device, wherein the computing device is associated with the buyer; and presenting the detailed tax information on a display associated with the computing device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tax information system, a tax service and a tax directory determines the tax information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the tax information is determined based at least partially upon the location information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises at least one of a zip code, an address, a longitude and a latitude, and information from a global positioning satellite (GPS) feature of the computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tax information comprises the calculated tax. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the calculated tax comprises a plurality of calculated taxes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of calculated taxes comprises calculated tax for each of a plurality of taxing authorities. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the computing device and based upon the tax information, detailed tax information for the transaction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the communicating the tax information comprises communicating at least one of the tax information and the detailed tax information. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tax information comprises at least one of a tax calculation and a tax rate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tax information computer, a tax service and a tax directory determines a taxing authority for the first transaction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the tax information computer, a tax service and a tax directory determines that at least one of a stored tax rate and a stored tax calculation is up to date. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a selection of a tax authority and sending the selection to the tax information computer, wherein the tax information comprises a plurality of taxing authorities. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, in response to the sending the selection, receiving detailed tax information, wherein the detailed tax information comprises at least one of the tax rate, the tax calculation and the calculated tax. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tax information comprises a listing of tax rates and a listing of tax calculation rules, and 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. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising storing the subset of the listing of tax rates and the subset of the listing of tax calculation rules to create stored taxation rules. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 sending to a tax information system, a transaction request for a second transaction, wherein the second transaction is subject to the stored taxation rules, wherein the tax information obtains a tax rate and a tax calculation rule based on the transaction request and determines an update of the stored taxation rules; and   receiving the update from the tax information system.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an accounting of the tax information received from the tax information system. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the accounting in order to facilitate a tax settlement process. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending the tax information to a point-of-service (POS) computing device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending the tax information to a point-of-service (POS) computing device, wherein the POS computing device is capable of communication, and wherein the sending the tax information comprises sending a purchase request that includes the tax information. 
     
     
         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 computing device for managing tax information, cause the computing device to be capable of performing operations comprising:
 sending, by the computing device and to a tax information system, a tax information request for the 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;   receiving, by the computing device and from the tax information system, 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
 communicating, by the computing device, the tax information to at least one of a buyer associated with the first transaction and a seller associated with the first transaction. 
 
     
     
         26 . A computing device comprising:
 a processor for managing tax information,   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:
 sending, by the processor and to a tax information system, a tax information request for the 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; 
 receiving, by the processor and from the tax information system, 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 
 communicating, by the processor, the tax information to at least one of a buyer associated with the first transaction and a seller associated with the first transaction.