Patent ID: 7996323
Filing Date: 2011-08-09
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method in a computer system of a service consumer for controlling exposure to liability for non-payment by the service consumer and controlling costs associated with requesting payment when a service provider provides services to the service consumer, the computer system having a processor, the method comprising: receiving from the service provider a specification of a number of services within a billing unit for services provided by the service provider for the service consumer, the billing unit generated by the service provider and indicating a number of codes in a sequence from a start code to an end code; generating by the processor the start code wherein the start code is not known to the service provider or the service intermediary at the time of generation by the service consumer; generating by the processor a sequence of codes from the start code to an end code, the number of codes in the sequence corresponding to the number of services within the billing unit as specified by the service provider; providing by the processor the end code to the service provider via the service intermediary; and sending by the processor to the service provider a request for a service, the request including one of the codes of the sequence from which the end code can be derived so that the service provider can verify that the end code can be generated from the provided code; wherein in response to the service provider being provided by the service consumer with the start code, the service provider requests payment for the billing unit from a financial entity by providing the start code to the financial entity; and wherein the financial entity requests the service intermediary to verify that the end code can be generated from the start code; and wherein the service intermediary verifies that the end code can be generated from the start code.