Patent ID: 7229014
Filing Date: 2007-06-12
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A charge account system, comprising: a charge account issuing authority configured to receive a number known to a consumer and to generate a charge account number for the consumer based on the known number and a number unknown to the consumer for purchasing items, other than telephone services, from a plurality of vendors, wherein the known number is a telephone number, and wherein the charge account issuing authority is further configured to confirm the telephone number by placing a call to the telephone number; an account processing authority coupled with the charge account issuing authority, the account processing authority configured to receive transaction information associated with the charge account number and to generate billing information associated with the charge account number based on the transaction information; and a third party billing authority associated with a telephone service provider and coupled with the account processing authority, the third party billing authority configured to receive the billing information from the account processing authority and to generate a telephone bill which combines the billing information associated with the charge account number with billing information associated with telephone services provided by the telephone service provider to the consumer.