Patent ID: 7555458

Claim:
A method for controlling access to a service over a computer network, comprising: receiving a request over the computer network from a user to establish a communication between the user and the service; receiving information over the computer network, the information being associated with the user; accessing a database; comparing the received information associated with the user with information stored in the database; requesting billing information associated with the user when the received information associated with the user passes the comparison with the information stored in the database; issuing an approval signal to enable establishment of the communication if the user passes the comparison, and a cost for the communication is determined to not exceed a predetermined credit limit for the user; issuing a temporary block signal to temporarily block establishment of the communication if the user passes the comparison, but the cost for the communication is determined to exceed the predetermined credit limit for the user; and establishing the communication between the user and the service over the computer network after the requested billing information associated with the user is received.