Patent ID: 7702565
Filing Date: 2010-04-20
Classification: G06Q,H04M

Abstract:
1. A process performed by a server, the process comprising: (a) the server receiving a request over a data network from a computing device of a user to cause a duplex voice communication session over a voice network to be established between a user telephone associated with a user phone number of the user and a merchant telephone associated with a merchant phone number of a merchant from a group of one or more merchants capable of providing a good or service specified in the request, wherein the user telephone is separate and distinct from the computing device of the user (b) the server causing a first voice communication leg to be made to the user phone number (c) the server generating a notice to all of the merchants in the group of merchants capable of providing the good or service specified in the request at approximately the same time, the notice including an offer to establish the duplex voice communication session with the user in exchange for payment of a definite fee (d) the server receiving from at least one accepting merchant an acceptance of the offer (e) when the acceptance is received from only one merchant, the server designating the only accepting merchant as the designated merchant (f) when the acceptance is received from more than one accepting merchant, the server selecting one of the accepting merchants as the designated merchant as a result of competitive bidding between the accepting merchants, the selecting based on the accepting merchant making the highest bid for the duplex voice communications session (g) the server causing a second voice communication leg to be made to the designated merchant at the merchant phone number (h) the server causing the first voice communication leg and the second voice communication leg to be bridged to thereby establish the duplex voice communication session over the voice network between the user telephone associated with the user phone number of the user and the merchant telephone associated with the merchant phone number of the designated merchant (i) the server causing the definite fee to appear on a bill for telephone service of the designated merchant.