Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork

摘要

A method for ordering a product over an internetwork of computer systems, wherein the product is ordered from a consumer computer (42) connected to the internetwork and billed by a billing server (34) connected to the internetwork comprises: (a) establishing a connection between the consumer computer and the billing server via the internetwork of computer systems; (b) transferring an order for a product from the consumer computer to the billing server via the internetwork; (c) transferring a transaction identification from the billing server to the consumer computer, wherein the transaction identification identifies the product ordered; (d) terminating the connection between the consumer computer and the billing server via the internetwork after the transaction identifier has been received by the consumer computer via the internetwork; (e) establishing a direct connection between the consumer computer and the billing server such as a telephone link administered by a telephone service provider and (f) transferring the transaction identification from the consumer computer back to the billing via the direct connection to identify the product ordered.