Parallel data network billing and collection system

Abstract

A billing and collection system comprising an access management computer for enabling payment for a service provided over a data network to be made for a telephone connection to a shared revenue billing network where the telephone connection to the billing network regulates access to the service provided over the data network, the data network including at least one information provider presenting at least one service for on-line access by a user with a user computer through the data network, the billing network and access management computer adapted for controlling access to the information provider and billing the user for access to the information provider, the access management computer communicating with the data network to enable and terminate access to the information provider through the user computer with the billing network sharing revenues for the telephone connection with the information provider.

1. A method for utilizing a billing site to toll a user's access to digital data at a data site through signaling an access management computer to authorize said user's access to said digital data, comprising the steps of:
 receiving at said billing site a user's request for access to said digital data, said request for access being associated with a billing account for charging said user, said request for access including a code corresponding to said digital data, 
 wherein said billing site comprises a shared-revenue communications line;  
 
 routing from said billing site to said access management computer a signal indicating that said billing site has received said code corresponding to said user request for access to said digital data;  
 receiving at said billing site from said access management computer a signal that said user has received access to said digital data; and  
 posting via said billing site an access charge to said billing account based upon said user's access to said digital data.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said shared-revenue communications line comprises a “900” telephone line or equivalent. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said routing step includes the step the step of establishing a communications link with said access management computer for the period that said user is authorized access to said data site. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus for tolling a user's access to digital data at a data site by signaling an access management computer to authorize said user's access to said digital data, said apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving, at a billing site that comprises a shared revenue communications line, a user's request for access to said digital data, said request for access being associated with a billing account for charging said user, said request for access including a code corresponding to said digital data;  
 means for routing to said access management computer a signal indicating the receipt of said code corresponding to said user request for access to said digital data;  
 means for receiving from said access management computer a signal that said user has received access to said digital data; and  
 means for posting an access charge to said billing account based upon said user's access to said digital data.  
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said shared-revenue communications line comprises a “900” telephone line or equivalent. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a communications link maintained with said access management computer during the time said user accesses said digital data. 
     
     
       7. A method for a user to access stored digital information at a data site, comprising the steps of:
 communicating from said user to a billing system a first access code authorizing said billing system to charge a billing account for access to said stored digital information at said data site;  
 receiving by said user from said billing system a second access code permitting said user to access said stored digital information at said data site;  
 connecting by said user to said data site; and  
 providing from said user to said data site said second access code whereby to gain access to said stored digital information.  
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein said first and second access codes are identical. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein said first and second access codes are generated by an access management computer separate from and in communication with both said billing system and said remote data site. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein said billing system comprises a shared-revenue communications line. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein said shared-revenue communications line comprises a “900” telephone line or equivalent. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7 , and further including the steps of:
 establishing with said billing system a data communications link; and  
 establishing with said remote data site a communications link.  
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said communications link with said billing system and said communications link with said remote data site are established simultaneously for at least a period of time during which said user is connected to said remote data site. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said communications link with said billing system and said communications link with said remote data site are established at separate times. 
     
     
       15. A user computer for a user to access stored digital information at a remote data site while said user access to said remote data site is tolled by a billing system, comprising:
 means for communicating from said user to said billing system a first access code authorizing said billing system o charge a billing account for access to said stored digital information;  
 means for receiving by said user from said billing system a second access code permitting said user to access said stored digital information at said data site;  
 means for connecting by said user to said data site; and  
 means for providing from said user to said data site said second access code whereby to gain access to said stored digital information.  
 
     
     
       16. The user computer of  claim 15 , wherein said first and second access codes are identical. 
     
     
       17. The user computer of  claim 15 , wherein said first and second access codes are generated by an access management computer separate from and in communication with both said billing system and said remote data site. 
     
     
       18. The user computer of  claim 15 , wherein said billing system comprises a shared-revenue communications line. 
     
     
       19. The user computer of  claim 18 , wherein said shared-revenue communications line comprises a “900” telephone line or equivalent. 
     
     
       20. The user computer of  claim 15 , and further including:
 means for establishing a data communications link with said billing system; and  
 means for establishing a data communications link with said remote data site.  
 
     
     
       21. The user computer of  claim 20 , wherein:
 said means for establishing said data communications link with said billing system and  
 said means for establishing said data communications link with said remote data site are separate,  
 whereby said data communications links may be established simultaneously for at least a period of time during which said user is connected to said remote data site.  
 
     
     
       22. The user computer of  claim 21 , wherein:
 said data communications link with said billing system and  
 said data communications link with said remote data site are established at separate times.  
 
     
     
       23. A method for utilizing a billing site to toll a user's access to a data site through an access management computer, comprising the steps of:
 establishing a communications link between said user and said billing site, said communications link associated with a billing, account for charging said user,  
 establishing a communications link between said billing site and said access management computer;  
 sending from said billing site to said access management computer a signal indicating that said communications link between said user and said billing site is active, whereby to authorize said user access to said data site;  
 receiving at said billing site from said access management computer a signal that said user has received access to said data site; and  
 posting via said billing site an access charge to said billing account based upon said user's access to said data site.  
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein said billing site comprises a shared-revenue communications line. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein said shared-revenue communications line comprises a “900” telephone line or equivalent. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 23 , further including the step of sending from said billing system to said access management computer a signal indicating if said communications link between said user and said billing system becomes inactive, whereby to terminate the authorization of said user to access said data site. 
     
     
       27. Apparatus for tolling a user's access to a data site by signaling an access management computer to authorize said user's access to said data site, said apparatus comprising:
 means for establishing a communications link with a user;  
 means for receiving via said communications link a user's request for access to said data site, said request for access being associated with a billing account for charging said user,  
 means for routing to said access management computer a signal indicating that said communications link with said user is active, whereby to authorize said user access to said data site;  
 means for receiving from said access management computer a signal that said user has received access to said data site; and  
 means for posting an access charge to said billing account based upon said user's access to said data site.  
 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said billing site comprises a shared-revenue communications line. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said shared-revenue communications line comprises a “900” telephone line or equivalent. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising means for routing to said access management computer a signal that said communications link with said user is inactive, whereby to terminate the authorization of said user to access said data site. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said access management computer and said billing site are located remotely from each other.  
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said code is generated by said access management computer.  
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said code includes a telephone number of said user.  
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said code includes pricing information corresponding to said user's access to said digital data.  
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said code includes usage information corresponding to a number of times said code may be used.  
     
     
       36. A method comprising:
   receiving a request by a user for access to content,      the request for access being associated with a financial account of the user,        the request for access including a code,        the request being received via a shared - revenue communications line;          transmitting, to an access management computer, a signal indicating that a billing site has received the code included in the request;        receiving, from the access management computer, a signal indicating that the user is authorized to access the content; and        posting, via the billing site, an access charge to said financial account based upon the authorization of the user to access the content.      
     
     
       37. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured for directing a processor to:
   receive a request by a user for access to content,      the request for access being associated with a financial account of the user,        the request for access including a code,        the request being received via a shared - revenue communications line;          transmit, to an access management computer, a signal indicating that a billing site has received the code included in the request;        receive, from the access management computer, a signal indicating that the user is authorized to access the content; and        post, via the billing site, an access charge to said financial account based upon the authorization of the user to access the content.