# US 11,310,368 B2 · Time-based nano-transaction system for reducing unsolicited communications

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- Number: US 11,310,368 B2
- Document ID: US11310368B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/038,899
- Filed: 2020-09-30
- Published: 2021-01-14
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-18
- Assignees: Robocash, Inc.
- Applicants: Robocash, Inc.
- Inventors: Adrian Espinoza Garcia
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310368B2

## CPC

- H04M 15/8207: {Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data}
- G06Q 20/02: involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
- G06Q 20/16: Payments settled via telecommunication systems
- G06Q 20/29: {characterised by micropayments}
- G06Q 20/305: {using wired telephone networks}
- G06Q 20/36: using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
- G06Q 20/383: {Anonymous user system}
- G06Q 20/407: {Cancellation of a transaction}
- G06Q 40/02: Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance (credit or loans G06Q40/03)
- G06Q 40/12: Accounting
- H04M 15/00: Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication {; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP}
- H04M 15/68: {Payment of value-added services}
- H04M 15/735: {Re-crediting user}
- H04M 15/8257: {Unit based}
- H04M 3/42059: {Making use of the calling party identifier}
- H04M 3/436: Arrangements for screening incoming calls {, i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it (based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54)}
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A telecommunications system for selectively connecting originator nodes to recipient nodes includes an account database with one or more accounts each associated with corresponding ones of the originator nodes and the recipient nodes. There is a contacts database with recipient contact lists each associated with a specific one of the accounts of the recipient nodes. A transaction processor is receptive to an incoming telecommunications initiation request, which includes a recipient node identifier and a nano-transaction payment submission defined at least by a payment amount. The transaction processor responsively directs the establishment of the telecommunications link between the one of the originator nodes and the one of the recipient nodes upon receipt of the telecommunications initiation request. The nano-transaction payment submission is settled based at least in part upon an active duration of the telecommunications link.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for connecting an originator node to a recipient node over a telecommunications link, the method comprising:
receiving an incoming telecommunications initiation request including a recipient node identifier and a refundable nano-transaction payment submission initiated through a nano-transaction payment platform;
directing the establishment of the telecommunications link from the originator node to the recipient node based upon an inclusion of the originator node in a recipient opt-in list; and
evaluating a legitimacy or illegitimacy of the telecommunications initiation request as a payment condition;
settling the refundable nano-transaction payment submission by either completing the refundable nano-transaction payment to the recipient node or refunding the refundable nano-transaction payment back to the originator node on the nano-transaction payment platform based at least in part upon the payment condition being determined without additional user intervention on either the originator node or the recipient node.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the payment condition is a duration of the telecommunications link.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the legitimacy of the telecommunications initiation request is based at least in part upon the duration of the telecommunications link exceeding a threshold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the illegitimacy of the telecommunications initiation request is based at least in part upon the duration of the telecommunications link being below a threshold.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the payment condition is a completion of an action by a user of the recipient node.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the action by the user of the recipient node is rejecting the telecommunications initiation request with predefined input to the recipient node.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming telecommunications initiation request is received on a central server.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
storing the refundable nano-transaction payment submission in a ledger on the central server.

### Claim 9

A method for selectively connecting an originator node to a recipient node over a telecommunications link, the method comprising:
receiving an incoming telecommunications initiation request including a recipient node identifier and a refundable nano-transaction payment submission initiated through a nano-transaction payment platform;
directing the establishment of the telecommunications link from the originator node to the recipient node upon receipt of the refundable nano-transaction payment submission;
initiating a connection timer once the telecommunications link between the originator node and the recipient node is established;
evaluating a legitimacy or illegitimacy of the telecommunications initiation request based at least in part upon a connection duration as measured by the connection timer and without additional user intervention on either the originator node or the recipient node; and
settling the refundable nano-transaction payment by either completing the refundable nano-transaction payment to the recipient node or refunding the refundable nano-transaction payment back to the originator node on the nano-transaction payment platform based upon the evaluated legitimacy or illegitimacy of the telecommunications link initiation request.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
storing the refundable nano-transaction payment submission in a ledger.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein settling the refundable nano-transaction payment submission includes transferring at least a first portion of payment from the ledger to a recipient payment account corresponding to the recipient node identifier when the telecommunications link initiation request is evaluated as illegitimate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the connection duration is below a predefined threshold.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein settling the refundable nano-transaction payment submission further includes transferring at least a second portion of payment from the ledger to an escrow payment account.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein settling the refundable nano-transaction payment submission includes returning the entirety of payment from the ledger to an originator payment account when the telecommunications link initiation request is evaluated as legitimate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the connection duration is above a predefined threshold.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the originator payment account is independent of the originator node, and directing the establishment of the telecommunications link includes commanding the recipient node to accept a subsequent incoming request from the originator node to establish the telecommunications link therewith.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying the originator node in a recipient contact list, the storing of the refundable nano-transaction payment submission in the ledger being conditioned on an absence of the originator node in the recipient contact list.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising retrieving the recipient contact list from the recipient node prior to receiving the incoming telecommunications initiation request.

### Claim 19 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein directing the establishment of the telecommunications link includes relaying the incoming telecommunications initiation request to the recipient node.

### Claim 20 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein directing the establishment of the telecommunications link includes commanding a telecommunications switch to connect the originator node to the recipient node.