WO2010022405A2

WO2010022405A2 - Telecommunications service system, method and vending machine device

Info

Publication number: WO2010022405A2
Application number: PCT/US2009/054813
Authority: WO
Inventors: Xuan Lam
Original assignee: Xuan Lam
Priority date: 2008-08-22
Filing date: 2009-08-24
Publication date: 2010-02-25
Also published as: WO2010022405A3

Abstract

An automated, unmanned customer-service retail system, method and device for retailing telecommunication service products to a telecommunication service product buyer. The retailing device is capable of presenting telecommunications service products, obtaining purchase orders, and accepting payments from the telecommunication service product buyer. The service retailing apparatus is capable of electronic communication with a telecommunication service provisioning component of a selected telecommunication service product provider; transmitting purchase orders to the service provisioning component. The service provisioning component processes purchase orders, grants service account updates, and delivers telecommunication service products indicated in the purchase order to the purchaser at the service retailing device, where the retailing device dispenses the telecommunication service product to the telecommunication service product buyer.

Description

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE SYSTEM, METHOD AND VENDING

MACHINE DEVICE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial Number 61/091,076 filed August 22, 2008 and is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to telecommunications services, more precisely, to a cellular, mobile minutes vending machine (MVM) that allows cellular telephone users to add prepaid airtime minutes to their cellular telephone accounts, by putting cash (bills or coins) or other forms of monetary value into the 'minute' vending machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In many developing countries, such as Vietnam, China and/or India, cell phone users still widely purchase SIM cards and prepaid monetary "minute" equivalents which are deducted from their prepaid cellular telephone account as they use their "minutes" in airtime making calls, sending SMS messages and other forms of over-the-air services.

[0004] In many developing countries like Vietnam where the standard of living is low, per capita income is low, and the extension of credit and credit-based payment cards is uncommon, the vast majority of transactions for service-goods are available only on a cash- basis. As of 2000, 29% of Vietnamese lived under a dollar a day. While today in Vietnam the standard of living is much improved (e.g., $2,800 per capita in 2008), the culture and economy still dictate that many people are very frugal; deal primarily in cash for most of their daily expenses, and save even small monetary denominations to make every "penny" count. This is true of other countries such as India, China, as well as other under-developed and developing countries where cash is used in everyday life.

[0005] On the other hand, individuals in developing countries have been keen adopters of mobile phones as a means to advance their business and economic status in newly emerging markets. International mobile phone adoption is a source of tremendous growth in the wireless industry. Developing countries/regions such as Vietnam, Brazil, India, China, Africa and Latin America have demonstrated blistering cell phone growth in recent years. According to CIA website, Vietnam had 33 million cell phone users as of 2007 - most of whom are prepaid GSM cell phone users. Vietnam stands at 27^th in the world in terms of cell phone users. There were over 547 million cell phone users in China (in 2007); > 362 million in India (2009); 120 million in Brazil (in 2007), more than 88 million in Pakistan (in 2008), and > 81 million in Indonesia (in 2007). In advanced countries, the numbers are staggering; as of 2007 there were approximately 255 million cell phone users in the US , 466 millions in the EU (2005), 107 million users in Japan (2007), 18 million users in Canada (2006), 170 million users in Russia (in 2007), and over 78 million users in Italy (2006).

[0006] According to Obopay® Company, a maker of mobile-pay installable applications for cell phones - there are about 4 billion phones, and only 1 billion credit cards in the world.

[0007] It appears more cell phone users using other forms of payment than credit card payment - for not only cell phone minutes, but also for other telecommunications services including internet access, landline, international calls, and other daily expenses. Given that there is a lack of telecommunications infrastructures including cellular communications, banking infrastructures, and hand-to-mouth ways of living in many under-developed and developing countries where people just earn enough to make the living and hopefully have some extra for a cell phone with calling and messaging capabilities rather than having an extravagant, expensive smart iPhone® or Blackberry® for economic and un-availed technology reasons - the gap between cash and card is so great and will remain great for years to come. And regardless of whether one is rich or poor, all pay the same price for cell phone minutes in any given market.

[0008] As a result, providing service to developing countries has become a substantial source of profits for several major carriers and mobile phone producers. The growth in the mobile phone sector indicates that users in individual countries put a high premium on having a mobile phone, and that the use of a mobile phone is important in their lives. In the past, most wireless carriers have chosen not do business in underdeveloped or developing countries due to the inherently low profit margins. The average revenue per user (ARPU) was $50 in developed countries versus $3-$7 in developing countries. A large concern for most network service providers is the return on investment given the inherent differences in the personal economics of individuals in developing countries when compared to those in developed countries. For example, it is difficult to sell a mobile service plan for $39.99 ($50+ with taxes) to a consumer that only makes $100 per month.

[0009] Currently, a cell phone user in Vietnam may, for example, purchase a SIM card and prepaid amount of cell phone minutes at a local cell phone retailer. To establish a new cell phone account, the retailer calls a desired cellular service provider to request to create a new account and to activate a new cell phone service. The user pays the retailer in cash and/or cash equivalents for the SIM card, new cell phone service account including a new cell phone number preprogrammed in the SIM card and prepaid amount of "minutes". Subsequently, the user can "refill" minutes, by going to a local cell phone retailer and pay to top up additional airtime minutes in his/her cell phone service account by one of two commonly used methods. In one method, for example, the cell phone user pays the retailer in cash for a set number of minutes to be added to the user's cell phone account, and the retailer calls the appropriate network service provider who will add the appropriate number of prepaid airtime minutes to the cell phone user's account. The retailer, in turn, pays the service provider later; or service provider deducts payment from the preset-up payment account of service retailer. The service amount is generally one of whole value denominations set by the service provider (e.g., cash equivalents of denominations of 50,000VND, 100,000VND, 300,000VND, 500,000VND - and no larger amount).

[0010] Alternatively, the cell phone user can buy a prepaid calling card or airtime minute voucher of appropriate service provider from the local retailer; the prepaid airtime minute voucher is keyed to a pre-determined monetary denomination (e.g., $10.00USD or 500,000VND). The prepaid airtime minute voucher typically has a unique voucher ID and the scratch-off activation code. To use this voucher, the cell phone user enters a service operation command (e.g., *100*) and, follows by the voucher ID and the activation code onto his/her cell phone and transmits that sequence of digits to the network service provider (e.g., voucher ID number and, SEND key and waits for the network service provider prompt to enter the scratch- off activation code). The cell phone of user will receive a service delivery notification from service provider, and user can check instantly the prepaid 'amount' updated in his/her cell phone account by dialing another service operation command (e.g., *101# SEND in Vietnam or #999# for T-Mobile in the U.S.) from his/her own cell phone. In some instances, the network service providers can give the user a service promotion, and the user gets additional promoted amount of airtime (Sometimes the promoted amount isn't updated right away - So the user won't see the promoted amount until moments later). To check the promoted amount, user issues yet another service operation command from his/her cell phone (e.g., *102#SEND in Vietnam)

[0011] A problem exists in the present industry schema because the use of existing prepaid cell phone vouchers general/y precludes phone minute purchases in "micropayments," that is, in denominations of less than $10, for example. For example, in the United States common prepaid phone card equivalents are in denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100 (from T- Mobile®). Purchases of smaller or larger monetary values other than whole and/or exact denominations are not possible. Cash purchases of any monetary amounts are hassles. Moreover, there is general reluctance in the telecommunications industry to support such micropayment transactions. Some reasons associated with the reluctance include: pressure to utilize the current credit card scheme, high processing charges associated with numerous small transactions, communications charges, credit transaction insurance, equipment infrastructure, clearing house fees, transaction processing time, and/or the overburdening the telecommunications network with small transaction amounts. To the later point, because network transmission is a resource, too many trivial and/or transactions are discouraged by the network service provider because of network overheads such as congestion, performance, service maintenance and service delivery.

[0012] Another problem with the current schema is that a user is required to purchase mobile "minutes" from a network operator and therefore transactions are limited to a retailer's business hours, location, available business with particular network operators, and/or limited by the dependency on an Internet connection. There are no known fully automated and unmanned solutions to purchase minutes by micropayment or by amount other than pre-determined payment denominations. In remote area and/or in developing countries a user can be forced to wait in long lines to purchase minutes, or indeed, to wait for an Internet connection at a public space or to lease a connection at internet cafe. Also, problematic, many of the current prepaid systems demand that the user re-fill their airtime minutes by using a credit card and/or are dependent on a functioning credit network. In many developing countries, such credit networks do not exist and/or are otherwise rudimentary. Many times the user does not have a credit card and/or banking institution-backed account. Many developing countries operate on almost a strictly cash basis alone because of the general lack of a stable banking infrastructure. In many cases, it is the combination of one or more of the above issues. For example, the need for both Internet access AND the dependence on credit card transactions, both of which are limited in many under-developed and developing countries in the world, make current prepaid mobile minutes purchases difficult at best, if not impossible for many.

[0013] Although a solution has been proposed in U.S. Patent No. 7,255,268 (herein after, '268), a number of inconveniences still remain. For example, the suggested solution described in '268 is not automated. It is merely an electronic version of commercially existing calling card and prepaid airtime minute voucher - in operation service buyers still need to follow service instructions on paper receipts just as if they would have done if they bought a paper calling card. Hence the service purchased by this suggested solution is not automatically updated and not readily available for use. Service buyers still need to have the handsets at hands and follow the printed instructions to conduct service activation. Additionally if the user is purchasing service for another user, such as their children or their loved ones who are far away, they will not be able to do so conveniently. Another drawback of the system described in '268 is that it operates with the use of bank-cards, thus it requires buyers to have credit or debit banking account and banking infrastructure in place of service. It does not solve the cash-based purchase issue. Furthermore, the suggested solution of '268, does not attempt to solve the problem a service buyer experiences when they wish to purchase service by payment amounts different from pre-det ermine denominations offered.

[0014] Another exemplary commercial solution is available at a CoinStar® machine - a money counter which enables a service buyer to top-up cellular airtime minutes. It is similar to the service solution of '268. However, again, the CoinStar® machine is also the electronic equivalent of a paper calling card, despite the fact the machine accepts cash payment. Additionally the CoinStar® machine creates an unfriendly business situation and unforeseen frustration wherein service buyers must use exact change for the whole denomination case equivalent, but the machine charges additional convenience fees and tax. For example, as of October, 2009, the CoinStar® machine can offer top-up airtime minutes of denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100. For a purchase of $10, the convenience fee and tax is $0.89 cents. The service buyer cannot select any other amount but those pre-determined denominations. - Therefore in this example, the service buyer selects to purchase a $10 of airtime service, and a total charge is $10.89. The service buyer would need to insert exact $10.89 to acquire a $10- airtime minutes. Or, the buyer needs to insert at least $11.00 to attempt to purchase a $10- airtime minutes. The CoinStar® system then prints out a paper-receipt with instructions for which service buyer must manually follow as if they would for a paper calling card or paper prepaid minute voucher to top up airtime minutes. If $11.00 was inserted, the CoinStar® system will print out a second service receipt valued of $0.11 as change refunded. If the service buyer does purchase airtime minutes anymore this $0.11 valued change of refund will go to waste.

[0015] Yet other payment method exists in the art, in which a service buyer can purchase airtime minutes for a cell phone account by phone or via Internet. One such example is Obopay®, which makes mobile-pay applications which are loaded in the user's cell phones to enable online purchases. In this system too, buyers are required to have a legitimate credit card account or other banking account. Additionally it is currently necessary for buyers to contact a cellular service provider by phone or via Internet connection, provide banking account information plus the cell phone number for which the airtime minutes to be accredited to, over the phone or via Internet connection. The underlying dilemma remains. What if buyers do not have credit card and banking account or computer and prepaid internet access or phones with mobile-pay apps installed plus prepaid Internet access? Using the Obopay® system buyers still need to make a run to the local cell phone retailer during business hours, purchase a prepay airtime minute voucher, and manually follow instructions to refill airtime minutes. Alternatively them can find a good customer service agent at the retail store to help top up his/her airtime minutes. [0016] Another problem exists, if for example, if service buyers want to prepay airtime service for individuals other than themselves, e.g., their children or perhaps other loved ones. While they may know the phone number of the party they want to purchase minutes for they don't necessarily know the service providers of those numbers. In this case, the buyer needs to first call their children to find out what their children's service providers are in order to apply purchased minutes to their phone. In a developing country, such as Vietnam, people can receive calls, but cannot make calls without some sufficient prepaid amount. In the United States, a buyer's children may run out of minutes so their children cannot actually answer the calls. Meaning, it is up to the parents to make a good guess - and to purchase airtime minutes for their children in advance. In common situations such as emergencies, physical separation due to travel or work it essential that people keep in contact with their parents, children, friends and family. Children need to be able to contact their parents even though they are out of resources- in many cases it would be convenient for parents to send their children an SMS from overseas for instance. Currently it is very difficult for users in one country to provide long-distant support and telecommunication resources to their children, family and friend from remote locations, for example, another country. In fact, there is a general lack of technical support and services, including telecommunications services for service users to purchase services for anyone other than themselves.

[0017] Other telecommunication problems persist in developing countries, e.g., Vietnam, China, India, due to the general lack of financial and technical resources, rudimentary telecommunications infrastructure, and other unavailable services. For example, international telecommunications services are inconvenient and expensive, VoIP calls are inconvenient, and international emailing and messaging communications are cumbersome at best. For example, currently, international calls from Vietnam are inconvenient and expensive due to lack of communications infrastructure and/or international call services. To make an international call, many Vietnamese must go a public provider, for example at a post office, ask a postal officer to make an international call to a desired international telephone number, and then pay the postal officer a calling charge of calling minutes which is often expensive.

[0018] While alternative solutions exist for making cheaper international calls, the inconvenience remains. Turning to again to above example in Vietnam many people do not own a computer, or if they do, they do not have internet access. To make international calls many Vietnamese callers go to an Internet cafe or computer salon to purchase a VoIP calling voucher that is keyed to a certain monetary value. Generally, the voucher will have a voucher ID and a scratch-off authorization code. In this scenario a caller rents a computer with internet access, a good microphone, and good speaker phones to make a call. The caller follows instructions on the voucher, often requiring the caller to go to the VoIP service provider's website to download and install an appropriate VoIP call service application. The caller then can enter the voucher ID and authorization code, and only then the international call number.

[0019] Compounding the problems and inconvenience above, in countries like Vietnam, many people are not computer-literate. In fact using a computer is intimidating. For many manipulating a computer is akin to docking the NASA shuttle. Many times people must ask someone else who knows how to operate a computer to help them send an email message to their loved ones living oversea and ask their loved one to call them at their cell phone or home phone. Self sufficiency to do the most basic things in such a technologically advanced scenario is a barrier to entry for many; they must find someone who is equipped with both computer and internet access to help them reach out to their loved rang who can be many thousands of miles from them.

[0020] Another problem, though not directly related to communications, is that of tele- financing. In such countries as Vietnam where cash remains the main source of payment in exchange for goods and commodities, tele-banking and financial systems in general are very rudimentary. Because they are not very reliable and not well-connected, very few people trust their savings to established banking institutions. As a consequence of this inherent mistrust, many people carry cash in large quantities to conduct daily business such as travelling, commuting, paying for food, purchasing big ticket items such as a laptop or vehicle. For example, it is not uncommon for a Vietnamese to pack a suitcase-full of cash (e.g., 22 million VND which = ~ $l,300.00USD) to purchase a cell phone or a computer. Currently there is no solution to help people in Vietnam; saving them from the inconvenience of carrying large sums of money to purchase costly goods and services.

[0021] Given these dynamics, combined with the explosive use of cell phones in developing countries a need exists by which cheap, easily accessible, airtime "minutes" can be purchased that is not either based on subscriber model and/or solely based on a credit-based transactional model.

[0022] Therefore what is needed is an economically viable, easily accessible, automated, and preferably unmanned apparatus, system, and method to dispense mobile "minutes" for cellular phone usage by which a mobile phone user can purchase those mobile "minutes" using small monetary equivalents and/or micropayments. Importantly the beneficial and practical aspects of such a solution must be accessible to those who are generally less fortunate, financially under-represented, and/or technologically unconnected to current telecommunications service problems. Such solutions, to be viable, should be flexibly configurable, scalable, reliable, manageable, deployable in various computing platforms, and dynamically extendable to resolve even more practical problems in other businesses and even industries such as Internet access purchase, wireless service purchase, insurance, finance, health, and even hard-content products in the lack of telecommunications infrastructure and cash-based environments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Particular embodiments of the instant invention greatly enhances the ease and convenience of having cell phone, particularly for individuals in developing countries, by providing an affordable and easy way to pay for "minutes" by cash based micropayments.

[0024] While embodiments of the invention may have a more direct effect in developing countries, there are distinct advantages to embodiments of the instant invention in more advanced countries like the United States, Japan, European nations where convenience is an issue. In such advanced countries the use of banking ATM machines, gas-pump-credit pay machines, parking prepaid machines, and food/liquid vending machines are almost everywhere. Embodiments of the instant invention can transform such convenience machines into 'minute' vending machines. At such "minute" vending machines, individual "minute" buyers can transform loose change, and micro -monetary equivalents into cell phone "minutes." Because the 'minute' vending machines accept any amount of currency including micro-amount, anybody carrying change can replenish their phone.

[0025] In particular embodiments of the invention, a system, method, and device for mobile 'minute' purchase and dispensing are disclosed. The system and method allow telecommunications service buyers including cell phone user to initiate cash payment (in coins or bills) in payment acceptors and/or credit card in card reader (if available) in a calling minutes vending machine (MVM). Accordingly, the system provides a means by which the service buyers can enter a series of digits of desired account number to initiate a telecommunications service purchase.

[0026] The system and method also includes a means by which the series of digits, which for example, can correspond to user's cellular telephone number, is transmitted via a network transport means to a cellular network service provider (CNSP), a provisioning component, and based on that transmitted cell phone number, the CNSP can accredit the cell phone user's account with a number of purchased "minutes" or service equivalents. A means is included to update the user's account including a monetary amount of the currently purchased minutes and any accumulated number of prepaid minutes once updated. Furthermore, the CNSP can respond to the MVM with a status/result report of the purchase transaction including various forms of information associated with and/or indicating the user's purchase and current prepaid minutes in the user's account. The status/results report can be displayed on a display terminal of the MVM. Also contemplated in exemplary embodiments, the service buyer and/or cell phone user has the means to query his/her current prepaid minutes from the network service provider using his/her own cell phone. Accordingly, in this exemplary embodiment, the CNSP can send back that 'prepaid minutes' information to the user's cell phone.

[0027] In accordance with some examples of the invention, a "minute" vending machine (MVM) is a device by which mobile "minutes" can be dispensed. The MVM can be conveniently positioned in high traffic areas; easily accessible to the general public. For example, the MVM can be posted along a sidewalk like a parking meter, or installed in a wall in a shopping area and/or mall similar to automatic cash/dispensing units (ATMs) or placed at many tourist/visitor sites, hospitals, universities or airports as well as in remote areas. It is contemplated that vending machine apparatus can utilize existing network transport means, such as, but not limited to, cellular telephone networks, landline telephone networks, cable networks, wireless networks, and/or Internet (e.g., telephone networks, cable ISP network, wifi, wimax) to make purchase transactions. For example, the MVM can house a network access device (e.g., calling processing unit, NIC, PCMCIA card).

[0028] In accordance with other examples of the invention, one embodiment of the invention includes the mechanical apparatus of the MVM including an outer secured box to hold all hardware and software components to effectuate service purchase and sale transaction, a plurality of payment slots to accept cash in banknotes and/or in coins, and/or bank cards; a component to hold monetary units; a money dispenser to dispense refund in case of transaction cancellation and/or a change making from larger monetary units; a user interface display; key input unit such as a keypad and side-keys or touch-screen input; and a plurality of hosted integrated circuits, network interface cards to effectuate data exchange and transport between the MVM and the wireless carrier (i.e., CNSP) and dispense mobile "minutes" in exchange for monetary units accepted at the payment slots of the MVM.

[0029] The onboard integrated circuit hosts logic components to effectuate service processing, service purchase transaction and network connection processing including: a wire and/or wireless connectivity component to establish a network connection via transport component connecting network "minute" provider with "minute" dispensing MVM; a chip component to handle calculation logics of money processing; and a chip component to handle connection processing and settling payment transaction between service user/buyer and minute provider. In addition, the MVM should include ROM, RAM, and other storage devices to store data.

[0030] In accordance with other examples of the invention a software application implements tasks for service purchasing in application layer and low-level service logic processing within and between hardware components of the MVM and tasks for making service purchase transaction with CNSP including a user interface processing unit; a money calculation/processing component; a payment and/or credit card processing component (if credit system is available); a network connection processing component to enable voice calls and/or data connections to make purchase transaction. Additional components to determine a CNSP based on user's cell phone number can be provided. A new business and technical entity, the Minute Vendor/Minute Liaison - can be introduced to facilitate the network, and to accommodate world-wide service payment settlement. The minute vendor's/liaison entity's software and/or hardware to be implemented can be modified and adapted dependent on requirements determined by service provider(s).

[0031] In accordance with other examples of the invention the functionalities of the MVM hardware and/or software features can be installed into existing ATM machines, public telephone systems, public transportation ticketing systems, prepaid parking systems, car wash and gas-pump payment system/machines, entertainment ticket re-seller machines, food/liquid dispensing vending machine systems, amongst others, and affectively, turning these existing systems into telecommunications service vending machines that retail prepaid calling 'minute' service for telephone service providers. For example, an existing machine that is only equipped with a keypad, user interface display, and payment acceptor, can be enabled with hardware and software features of this MVM to effectuate transaction of "minutes" to and from a cellular network service provider to a "minute" user/buyer.

[0032] MVM' s software is a light-weight service application. Accordingly the software it is highly adoptable in cellular telephone platforms of either high-tier or low-tier calibers. By adding payment elements such as credit card or debit card payment mechanism, a MVM-software-enabled cellular telephone, suddenly has become a walking MVM machine.

[0033] In another embodiment of the invention, an online MVM-enabled internet service can be implemented. Preferably, the core software features of MVM are platform- independent. The MVM-enabled internet service retailer can establish a telecommunications service retail business presence online to be coupled with credit and/or debit card payment capability. A web application can employ MVM' s core features to provide equivalent telecommunications services to internet users who shop for prepaid cellular services by credit, or debit cards in a similar way as if they purchase said service via stand-alone MVM-enabled devices. In operation, for example, the service buyer can shop and purchase a telecommunication service product from an online retail service website that has the MVM- enabled web application. In this way the service buyer can just shop for telecommunications service product via the MVM-enabled web application as if he/she does for other online shopping web applications and pay with a credit/debit card.

[0034] In accordance with other examples of the invention, modifications of software and/or hardware can be made to MVM and service provider's network to facilitate the automated exchange of "minutes" for monetary units where monetary units are delivered at the MVM and the new cellular phone number and the activation code is dispensed at the MVM's display. For example, the user wants to change the phone number to a new one. The user can go to the MVM to make a "change phone number request" transaction; the MVM returns the new phone number given by the CNSP and an activation code. The user can enter that new phone number and the activation code onto the cell phone to transmit and activate the new number, determine the "minute" balance, and update prepaid minutes.

[0035] Similarly, to register for a new cellular telephone service, additional software and/or hardware can be provided on both MVM and on service provider's side. That is - the HW and/or SW features of the MVM can act as a human customer service to allow new customer or service buyer to purchase a new cell phone service by submitting the new user profile at the MVM. MVM can offer cell phone services of different CNSPs on the MVM's display for service buyer to choose from. Once the service buyer selects a particular CNSP 's service and fills out the service form and proceeds, MVM presents a list of telephone numbers of SIM cards that are currently stockpiled inside MVM. In this exemplary embodiment, the service buyer selects one of available cell phone numbers and confirms the purchase; MVM forwards the service purchase request to selected CNSP. Once selected CNSP validates, approves new user profile, CNSP sends an activation key code to initiate MVM - and perhaps newly created account ID, wherein initiating MVM displays an activation key code to service buyer and a new SIM card corresponding to new cell phone number is dispensed from MVM for which service buyer can use to activate new cell phone service with selected service provider.

[0036] In accordance with other examples of the invention a liaison entity can settle the transaction between the MVM and the network service provider. For example, a liaison can be a service retailer who can set up service account and purchases a block of service in "minutes" from the network service provider to sell at the MVMs. In this example, the purchase of minutes of any amounts (big or small) can be credited to the user virtually right away. In exemplary embodiments, the purchases can be accumulated at vendor's depository until a sufficient amount is reached. Then the liaison vendor or retailer periodically can make a single transaction to pay for all the purchases accumulated earlier in the depository. This exemplary approach can help save network resources by making fewer transactions, and effectively minimize the possibility of multiple transactions that can take place concurrently which can overburden the network causing congestion, affect network performance, increase service maintenance costs, and the like. In this exemplary system, a software protocol provides the means by which the network service provider serves the cell phone users whose purchases are still being accumulated at the liaison's depository (i.e., the users' accounts at the network service provider are updated at a later point in time). For example, service retailer can provide service user whose purchase still remains at retailer's depository, a temporary service token with a value up to the amount of purchase. Thus, service user will include the token while making a call or sending an SMS. Service provider continues to serve service user, but deduct the number of 'minutes' consumed by the service user from service retailer's service account up to the amount specified by the token.

[0037] In another embodiment, the system can provide prepaid access to an on-the-go- service. For example, a cell phone user whose cellular phone is internet-capable can purchase internet access or other service (e.g., GPS) on the go for a few hours. Preferably, the cell phone user can buy service-on-the-go at the MVM without needing a service contract, or user account with an ISP (Internet Service Provider). In operation, the system can operate to provide a tourist navigation information, for example, if the tourist becomes lost in the new place without directions without knowledge of the local language or directions. Alternatively, the service buyer can send an email or IM (instant message) from his/her Internet-enabled cell phone to friends and/or relatives asking for information from overseas, and/or download a local language dictionary. The tourist in this example can easily approach a MVM to purchase instant on-the-go Internet access for some prepaid hours to provide any of the aforementioned examples.

[0038] In another embodiment, the system, method, and MVM can provide global collect call and/or collect messaging services wherein the service buyer can chooses to send a text message to an electronic destination address (e.g., cell phone number, email address or IM address). In an exemplary scenario, the service buyer can compose a text message via input means on the MVM terminal, specify a callback telephone number, and/or electronic callback contact in the message, and/or optionally, indicate a message status (e.g., EMERGY, URGENT, etc.) The MVM can reformat the composed text message in accordance with the destination address (e.g., cell phone number, email address, or IM) and transmits it. In addition, if the MVM is equipped with a microphone, and speakerphone, and VoIP technology, a VoIP telephone address, TSP 120 can include MVM' s VoIP telephone address in the callback address field of the message. The destination caller can then make a call to VoIP telephone address at MVM where service buyer is waiting for a callback.

[0039] In another embodiment the MVM can provide electronic payment service to pay prepaid international call minutes. In exemplary scenario, the service buyer can, for example, initiate cash payment via MVM, selects prepaid international call service, and selects a service provider via MVM. The service buyer can also provide a telephone number of the handset which can be used to dial and accept international calls. As first step, initiating MVM transmits a service purchase request to selected service provider who can validate the service purchase request, looks up the service account by given telephone number and/or grants service registration if the account does not exist- and update service balance with the prepaid amount. In addition, selected service provider can respond to service buyer via MVM by providing a purchase transaction status report, and/or service delivery notice, which may include information such as, but not limited to a local bridge telephone number to an international call gateway, or a pass-code associated with buyer's purchase. The service buyer/user can initiate international calls via this service for example by using the handset whose telephone number was previously given to selected service provider, by dialing the given local bridge telephone number, entering the given pass-code when prompted, and following by destination telephone number to start the international call

[0040] In yet another embodiment of the invention a virtual bank or piggy-bank is provided for, enabling a savings component to the telecommunication service wherein users can utilize the wide-spread availability of the MVM network and convenience of the MVM as a mobile "piggy-bank" that provides a collection means whereby a user can save loose change of coins and bills, and/or withdraw cash while on the go. Additionally, users can pay for telecommunication services from the virtual piggy-bank savings account.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:

[0042] FIGURE 1 is an exemplary embodiment of the system and method 100 of the invention;

[0043] FIGURE 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a TSR terminal of the invention;

[0044] FIGURE 3 is an exemplary embodiment of a TSR terminal of the invention;

[0045] FIGURE 4 is a schematic flow chart of programming execution inside a TSR terminal in an exemplary embodiment of invention;

[0046] FIGURE 5 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the system and method of the invention in PAYE 530;

[0047] FIGURE 6 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the system and method of the invention in SSE 550; [0048] FIGURE 7 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the programming execution in PDE 555.

[0049] FIGURE 8 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of programming execution in SPRE 560;

[0050] FIGURE 9 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of programming execution in SAE 565;

[0051] FIGURE 10 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of programming execution in service acquisition operation handler which is a part of SAE 565.

[0052] FIGURE 11 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of programming execution in service provision element and/or component for validating service purchase request or equivalent functionality of POS TSP gateway 185;

[0053] FIGURE 12 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of programming execution in service provision element and/or component for handling service update, service payment settlement, and service delivery inside POS TSP gateway 185 and inside TSP database 190 of selected service provider TSP 120;

[0054] FIGURE 13 is an exemplary embodiment of a display showing two separate screenshots 680 and 690;

[0055] FIGURE 14 is an exemplary embodiment of a display showing two separate screenshots 615 and 640;

[0056] FIGURE 15 is an exemplary embodiment of a display showing two separate screenshots 720 and 730;

[0057] FIGURE 16 is an exemplary embodiment of display showing two separate screenshots 760 and 780;

[0058] FIGURE 17 is an exemplary embodiment of a display of two separate screenshots 830 and 840;

[0059] FIGURE 18 is an exemplary embodiment of a display of two separate screenshots 860 and 880;

[0060] FIGURE 19-1 is an exemplary embodiment of a service purchase record table (TABLE 1) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0061] FIGURE 19-2 is an exemplary embodiment of a service purchase record table (TABLE 2) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention

[0062] FIGURE 19-3 is an exemplary embodiment of a service purchase record table (TABLE 3) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention

[0063] FIGURE 19-4 is an exemplary embodiment of a service record database table (TABLE 4) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention [0064] FIGURES 20-1 to 20-4 are exemplary embodiments of service purchase record tables (TABLES 5-8) in accordance with embodiments of the invention ;

[0065] FIGURE 21-1 is an exemplary embodiment of a translation table for a telecommunications business modules (TABLE 9) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0066] FIGURE 21-2 is an exemplary translation table for telecommunications services of Calling Minute Vending Machine (MVM) Module (TABLE 10) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0067] FIGURE 21-3 is an exemplary embodiment of a translation table for purchase operations of Cellular Communications Service of Calling Minute Vending Machine (MVM) Module (TABLE 11) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0068] FIGURE 22-1 is an exemplary embodiment of a translation table for purchase operations of Global Collect Call and Collect Messaging Service of Calling Minute Vending Machine (MVM) Module (TABLE 12) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0069] FIGURES 22-2 to 22-4 are exemplary embodiments of translation tables for services and purchase operations of Mobile Piggy-bank Savings service and of Mobile Piggy- bank Telecommunications service with respect to Piggy-bank Savings Telecommunications Module (PSTM) (TABLES 13-15) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0070] FIGURE 23 is an exemplary embodiment of a data mapping and text strings table (TABLE 16) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0071] FIGURE 24-1 is an exemplary embodiment of a service selection data structure (TABLE 17) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0072] FIGURE 24-2 is an exemplary embodiment of a purchase determination data structure (TABLE 18) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0073] FIGURE 24-3 is an exemplary embodiment of a service provider resolution data structure created by SPRE 560 (TABLE 19) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0074] FIGURE 25-1 is an exemplary embodiment of a service purchase request data structure (TABLE 20) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0075] FIGURE 25-2 is an exemplary embodiment of a translation table for point-of- sales address type or POSA type (TABLE 21) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0076] FIGURE 25-3 is an exemplary embodiment of a translation table for request type (TABLE 22) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; [0077] FIGURE 26-1 is an exemplary embodiment of a translation table for a service retailer payment type (TABLE 23) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0078] FIGURES 26-2 to 26-4 are exemplary embodiments of translation tables for three payment methods/types - offering three different payment techniques to allow service retailers to pay service providers in different ways (TABLE 24-26) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0079] FIGURES 27-1 to 27-2 are exemplary embodiments of translation tables using local currencies in countries of Vietnam and US (TABLE 27-28) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0080] FIGURE 27-3 is an exemplary embodiment of a translation table with a list of popular foreign currencies that TSR terminals 110 operating in Vietnam and/or in US, can consider accepting (TABLE 29) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0081] FIGURE 27-4 is an exemplary embodiment of data type and size of a unique service provider display name, and ID (TABLE 30) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0082] FIGURE 28 is an exemplary embodiment of a computing platform and/or existing commercial vending machine wherein some or all features of the invention can be employed in accordance the invention;

[0083] FIGURE 29 is an exemplary embodiment of a system and method 400B for an automatic, unmanned customer-service retail system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0084] FIGURE 30 is an exemplary embodiment of a system and method 200 for a plurality of TSP 120 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0085] FIGURE 31 is an exemplary embodiment of a system and method 300 for service purchasing activities acquiring telecommunications services for service buyers TSB 170 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0086] FIGURE 32 is an exemplary embodiment of a automatic retailing and purchasing system and method 101 for telecommunications services in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0087] FIGURE 33-1 is an exemplary embodiment of a data structure of service subscription\submission request created by a particular telecommunications service provider (TABLE 31) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0088] FIGURE 33-2 is an exemplary embodiment of data structure of service retail request created by a central server TSR gateway 155 of a TSRS 150 (TABLE 32) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; [0089] FIGURE 34 is an exemplary embodiment of the system and method 2000, offering a new cell phone registration service with a cellular service provider in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

[0090] FIGURE 35 is an exemplary embodiment of internet retail service implementing core features of MVM to retail Telecommunications services via internet by a "virtual" online retail company called "VoViPay";

[0091] FIGURE 36 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service with selection mechanism allowing service buyer to select or to change input selection of telecommunications service purchase options;

[0092] FIGURE 37 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing mechanism to select a module within Telecommunications industry selection;

[0093] FIGURE 38 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing selection of "Calling Minute Vending Module";

[0094] FIGURE 39 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing new selection Calling Minute Vending Module" being added to the "Your Selection" panel at the upper-right hand side;

[0095] FIGURE 40 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing selection of service provider "T-Mobile";

[0096] FIGURE 41 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing service buyer changing selection of service provider to "AT&T";

[0097] FIGURE 42 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing service buyer agreeing to "continue" with the purchase for telecommunications product specified by "Your Selection" panel;

[0098] FIGURE 43 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing service buyer confirming for being an existing customer;

[0099] FIGURE 44 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing service buyer to a cell phone number at the prompt, and proceeds;

[00100] FIGURE 45 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing purchase information and prompting service buyer to pay; and

[00101] FIGURE 46 is an exemplary embodiment of MVM-enabled internet retail service showing payment form for service buyer to fill out to pay by credit or debit card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[00102] An exemplary embodiment of a Telecommunications service retail system and method 100 of the invention is shown in FIGURE 1. A telecommunications service buyer 170 (TSB) can physically interface with a Telecommunications service retail terminal 110 (TSR terminal) to purchase a telecommunications service for themselves and/or any number of telecommunications service users 175 (TSU). In turn, a TSR terminal 110 can contacts a telecommunications service provider 120 (TSP) via a network interface subsystem 195 (NIS) to acquire the telecommunications service for the TSB 170. The TSP 120 can validate a service purchase request, update a service account of TSU 175 and, sends a service delivery notice back to TSR terminal 110 where the TSR terminal 110 can presents the delivery notice to TSB 170.

[00103] FIGURE 2 illustrates another embodiment of system and method 400 in which the TSB 170 can interface with the vending machine TSR terminal 110 via a user interface unit 445 (UIU). When the UIU 445 receives input from TSB 170 and receives a money payment, it fetches input from a service purchase determination unit 450 (PDU) which in turn processes the input and communicates with the UIU 445. Input from buyer TSB 170, data of service purchase to be displayed on UIU 445, and data being processed by a service purchase processing unit 450 (PPU) is stored in memory storage unit 455. Once processing is complete, PPU 450 coordinates with a connectivity unit (CONNU) 460 to move processed data of service purchase request from memory storage unit 455, to the NIS 195, to a point-of-sales TSP gateway 185, the provisioning component of TSP 120. The data of service purchase request, for example, is again processed by the TSP gateway 185. Once the data is successfully validated by the provisioning component, TSP gateway 185, TSP gateway 185 can authorize a data update, causing TSP database 190 to take the data and update into an appropriate service account. The provisioning component, TSP gateway 185 then sends a sale transaction and/or a service delivery notice to TSR terminal 110.

[00104] As depicted in FIGURE 2 an example of retail system retailing and purchasing a "cellular communications service" to "top-up cellular airtime minutes," is shown where the TSR terminal 110 is enabled with a MVM-business module (CMVM). In operation, the TSB 170 pays and selects "Calling Minute Vending Machine Module" from a list telecommunications services on display, causing PPU 450 to populate a list of services of MVM from memory storage unit 455. Buyer TSB 170 selects to purchase a "Cellular communications service" via UIU 445, causing PPU 450 to correspond with a series of prompts and probes to obtain more information from TSB 170 for selected service. PPU 450 completes processing of input data, and prepares a service purchase request data structure stored in memory storage unit 455. PPU 450 coordinates with CONNU 460 to communicate the service purchase request data structure to the provisioning component, TSP gateway 185 of a cellular network service provider CNSP 120. The TSP gateway 185 can validate the data in service purchase request. If approved, the TSP gateway 185 can grant a service update, in which case, service database 190 can update service in its data storage in accordance with service purchase request. [00105] Turning again to FIGURE 2, the bidirectional arrows from component to component represent the completion of service updates. In operation for example, the service database 190 can notify the provisioning component, TSP gateway 185 which in turn, can notify CONNU 460. Data of notification can be transmitted from TSP gateway 185 to CONNU 460, buffered, and communicated to memory storage unit 455. CONNU 460 notifies service update completion to PPU 450 which can retrieve data of notification from memory buffer in memory storage unit 455. PPU 450 can process and coordinate with UIU 445 to present service update completion information on the display of UIU 445. Preferably printing is supported on TSR terminal and TSB 170 can not view, read, and print the service update completion information.

[00106] Also, as depicted in FIGURE 2, telecommunication service user TSU 175 can operate electronic devices ED 105 (e.g., cell phone) to access telecommunications service that \ TSB 170 has purchased and receive purchased service credits to ED 105. In exemplary embodiments, TSB 170 and service user TSU 175 can be one individual a relatives of the TSB 170, a friend of the TSB 170, and/or any third party telecommunications service user. In any case, TSB 170 can apply minutes by knowing the service account number (e.g., cell phone number) of the 3^rd party service user TSU 175 whose service account can be credited by purchased service of buyer TSB 170. In this exemplary embodiment, service account of service user TSU 175 is an established account with a particular service provider that TSB can purchase service from. This type of service purchase is called 'prepaid' service, and the service account of this type is called 'prepaid' service account.

[00107] As depicted in FIGURE 2, the Memory Storage unit 455 can provide a temporary storage and data depository for UIU 445, PPU 450, and connectivity unit 460 (CONNU). Specifically, the memory storage unit 455 can hold data for services that can be presented on the display of user interface unit 455 and it can temporarily buffer TSB 's 170 input. The memory storage unit 445 can also temporarily hold data of service being processed by PPU 450, including, but not limited to such data as data of service purchase request going out, sales transaction status, and service delivery notice coming in from outside via CONNU 460. The memory storage unit 455 can comprise both hardware and software components of memory storage such as ROM, RAM, memory Cache and external MD; collectively all of which store some form of information such as BIOS, loader, operating systems, interrupt routines, device drivers, application service routines, connectivity service routine (e.g., TCP/IP service routines), APIs, data structures, programming stacks, service queues, programming processes, programming counters, timers, and other application programs including application manager (if implemented), Cache and external MD can also store TSR terminal's application program, TSR terminal's service purchase handlers, data of business modules, data of services, data of purchase operations, data profiles of service providers whose services are retailed via TSR terminal, service translation table, TSR terminal's ID information, TSR gateway's 155 ID, and payment account information.

[00108] Turning now to FIGURE 3, an exemplary embodiment of the TSR terminal 110 utilizing the system and method 500 is shown further, describing logical components and can interface within the telecommunications service vending machine. The TSR terminal 110, as an exemplary retailing device, includes the UIU 445, the PPU 450, the memory storage unit 455, and the connectivity unit (CONNU) 460. As depicted in FIGURE 3, the user interface unit 445 can further comprise a key input element 520 (KEYIE), a payment element 530 (PAYE), a display element 525 (DISPE), a printing element 515 (PRINTE), and a user interface processing element 510 (UIPE). The PPU 450 further comprises a service selection element 550 (SSE), a purchase determination element 555 (PDE), a service provider resolution element 560 (SPRE), and service acquisition element 565 (SAE).

[00109] As depicted in FIGURE 3, the CONNU 460 further comprises a plurality of network technologies such as IP -based packet data network interface 570, a dial-up network interface 575, and a cellular and wireless network interface 588. The memory storage unit 455 further comprises a primary storage element 590, and a secondary storage element 585.

[00110] Turning again to FIGURE 3, the PAYE 530 of UIU 445 further comprises payment acceptors 545 for accepting coins and bills. Alternatively, in another embodiment the PAYE 530 can include, for example, a bank-card acceptor that can accept credit cards, debit cards or other types of payment cards. In a preferred embodiment, the PAYE 530 can include a cash vault or cash safe 540 and cash dispenser 535. Additionally Payment acceptors 545 can have coin slot and banknote slot, where TSB 170 can initiate micropayment to prepay for services retailed at TSR terminal 110. The payment acceptor 545 can have a counterfeit scanner and a foreign currency validator (not shown), to validate supported local and foreign currencies and, detect counterfeits. The payment acceptor 545, preferably has a money counter to quantify inserted coins and/or banknotes of supported currencies. The Payment acceptor 545 can programmatically communicate with the DISPE 525 to display financial calculation information of current payment. The cash dispenser 535 includes a means to dispense change of larger banknotes and/or refund money if purchase operation is forcefully aborted and/or sale is cancelled for any reason. In another embodiment, calculation of a service fee and/or account activation fee can be included in purchase payment calculation, which can also be communicated to TSB 170.

[00111] As depicted in FIGURE 3, the KEYIE 520 of an exemplary embodiment of the invention of UIU 445 can further include a key input means including, for example, a cell phone-like keypad or keypad with Qwerty keys, or computer-like keyboard having programmatic support of ASCII character set and/or can, where relevant, include character sets to support other languages such Vietnamese, Chinese characters, or Russian. The KEYIE 520 can optionally include various directional keys, including but not limited to, scroll cursor keys, side-keys along the sides of display, function keys, special operation buttons (e.g., power button), and/or hardware interrupt key. The KEYIE 520 can optionally include other input means, including but not limited to, a computer-like mouse, and/or soft keys of touch-screen display, a touch pad, and/or voice actuation means (e.g., microphone). The TSR terminal 110 can house any programmatic support to recognize input from the different input source, key input buffers or input registers to buffer input from key input element; and input processing function to preprocess input data and take appropriate actions on input data.

[00112] As depicted in FIGURE 3, DISPE 525 of UIU 445 can further comprise screen and/or display technology such CRT or LCD and having programmatic capability to render output data on to screen of CRT or LCD technology to represent service information in intelligent forms of images or texts. In one embodiment, the DISPE 525 having touch-screen technology can programmatically serve as an input device as well.

[00113] The printing element 515 of UIU 445 can further comprise a printing device, printing paper, paper feeder, paper scrolling mechanism and other printing cartridge, inks, and programmatic capability to effectuate printing activity upon requested.

[00114] The UIPE 510 of UIU 445 can further comprise software programs that manage the flow of input data and output data within user UIU 445 by programmatically preprocessing input data from KEYIE 520 or touch-screen or microphone (not shown) to perform a plurality of functions, including, but not limited to, calculating payment and/or refund from payment element; controlling output data to appropriate output ports of UIU 445 such as printer for sale receipt; dispensing money refund or change; presenting purchase information; and/or correct product dispensing if any.

[00115] The SSE 550 of PPU 450 can further comprise a programming means to interactively interface with TSB 170 (not shown) via KEYIE 520 and display element 535 of UIU 445. In operation, for example, the SSE 550 can present a plurality of preferred telecommunications business modules of the telecommunications industry in selectable line- items on the display element 525, and prompt the TSB 170 to select telecommunication business module from the display. When the TSB 170 selects a key input corresponding to a telecommunications business module, the SSE 550 programmatically retrieves selected key input from key input buffer/register, processes the input, and populates a plurality of telecommunications services of selected telecommunications business module in selectable line- items on to display 525, and prompts selection by the TSB 170. The SSE 550 can saves data of previous key input in memory storage unit 590. The TSB 170 can select a key input corresponding to a telecommunications service presented on the display. The SSE 550 retrieves the key input from key input data buffer/register, processes it, and populates a plurality of purchase operation choices for selected telecommunications service in selectable line-items on to display 525. Again, the SSE 550 saves data of key input for selected telecommunications service in memory storage unit 590. Once again, the TSB 170 enters a key input corresponding to a purchase operation choice of selected telecommunication service. In response SSE 550 retrieves data of selected key input from key input data buffer/register, processes it, and populates a plurality of service providers that can retail and provide selected purchase operation of selected telecommunication service. Once again, the SSE 550 also saves data of key input for selected purchase operation in memory storage unit 590. The TSB 170 once more, enter a key input corresponding to a desired service provider and this time - the SSE 550 can retrieve data of selected key input from key input data buffer and process the data. The SSE 550 saves data of key input for selected service provider in primary storage element 590. As a next step, the SSE 550 can gather the TSB's inputs, map and encode them in accordance with translation tables (See FIGURES 21-1-22-4 (TABLES 9-15)) and retrieve a plurality of data necessary for the transaction, including the selected service provider's ID from data storage element and payment information of TSB 170 which is retrieved from memory saved, for example, by payment element and/or user interface processing element. The SSE 550 packages the processed data as a SSE data structure as depicted in system and method 6200. The next steps are delineated in a programming execution flowchart performed by the purchase determination element PDE 555.

[00116] The PDE 555 of PPU 450 can further comprise a programming means to interactively interface with TSB 170 (not shown) via KEYIE 520 and display 525, the PDE 555 can programmatically retrieve data relevant to the transaction from primary storage element 590 including, for example: business module service selection input, telecommunication service selection input, selected purchase operation, and data of selected service provider. The PDE 555 processes data of TSB 170's input and determines an appropriate programming handler for selected purchase operation of selected telecommunication service. The programming handler can additionally command, instruct, and/or prompt TSB 170 for additional input actions. It is to be understood that the PDE 555 is so configured to be scalable, and therefore capable of supporting additional services in the future, wherein a plurality of business modules, services, and purchase operations can be programmatically designed, and added to TSR terminal with little modification. [00117] The SPRE 560 of PPU 450 can further comprise a programming means to resolve point-of-sales address of service provider. More specifically, PDE 555 can retrieve service provider ID corresponding to key input for selected service provider previously saved in memory storage unit 455; searches service record by service provider ID; and extracts point-of- sales address (POSA) and/or point-of-sales-address (POSA) type from the service provider's profile. In operation, the SPRE 560 can save POS address, and POSA type of selected service provider in primary storage element 590.

[00118] In addition, SPRE 560 can determine payment method by which to pay the selected service provider if the purchase request is approved. Specifically, the SPRE 560 can retrieve service retailer's profile (saved by TSR terminal 1 10 in memory storage unit 455), The SPRE 560 can extract service the retailer's payment type and corresponding payment account number. In an exemplary embodiment, in operation, the service retailer's payment accounts can be established prior a service purchase and stored in serving TSR terminal 110.

[00119] Alternatively if the serving TSR terminal 110 is owned by a different business entity, TSR terminal 110 can store payment information of that entity such that SPRE 560 can retrieve that information to apply payment to the selected service provider later.

[00120] Yet another alternative payment option is TSB 170's credit card payment. In this exemplary scenario, the PAYE 530 can offer an alternative bank-card payment option for which TSB 170 can select and then submit his/her credit card number to. The TSB 's 170 credit account information is temporarily saved in primary storage element 590, and retrieved by SPRE 560 which communicates that payment method and payment account information to service provider.

[00121] The SAE 565 of PPU 450 can comprise a programming means to verify all necessary information of a particular service purchase request and to prepare the service purchase request in accordance with data input selection entered by TSB 170. Also, the SAE 565 can determines the appropriate connectivity interface based on POSA type indicated in service records of selected service provider, and prepare to establish data connection at POS address of selected service provider TSP 120. In addition, the SAE 565 can prepare a purchase operation handler and prompts a programming process to execute it, causing the purchase operation handler to dynamically run and await a particular software-triggered event. The purchase operation handler waits for the software-triggered event it is interested in handling to occur or be forcefully aborted by external interrupt action (e.g., TSB 170 presses the hardware button to abort the current purchase.). There exist industry-defined network interface protocols such as TCP/IP that TSR terminal 110 can employ, i.e., the application stack that TSR terminal 110 features are built upon. The TSR terminal 110 can provide connectivity interfacing with industry-defined network protocols, low-level connectivity functionality, and/or hardware capability to comply with the industry-define network protocols and as is known in the art.

[00122] The CONNU 460 of TSR terminal 110 can comprise network protocol stacks, a plurality of programming network connectivity interfaces, and connectivity service routines. In addition the CONNU 460 can preferably include at least one hardware connectivity means and/or adapters to enable connection to networks of different technologies supported by POS TSP gateways 185. The TSR terminal can employ most common network connectivity interfaces to accommodate a wide-range of point-of-sales TSP gateway 185 of TSPs 120. In a preferred embodiment the IP -based network interface is employed. If, for example, the service provider only has the POS cellular address and only supports cellular connections, the TSR terminal 1 10 can employ the cellular connection means to establish a cellular connection of the TSP gateway 185.

[00123] In reference to FIGURE 4, a flowchart for telecommunication service product purchase and dispensing at the retailing device, the TSR terminal 110, through logical components of the TSR terminal 110 is shown (system and method 1000). As a first step in FIGURE 4, 'start' symbol indicates the TSB 170 to inserting coins and/or banknotes into payment acceptors 545 (not shown) of PAYE 530 to enter payment state and to begin to purchase telecommunication services. In this example, the inserted payment is accumulated and quantified by PAYE 530 which then causes DISPE 525(not shown) to display payment amount to the TSB 170. PAYE 530 also initiates a prompt to TSB 170, displayed to TSB 170 at display element 525. TSB 170 can continue to insert coins and/or banknotes and let PAYE 530 accumulate and quantify until payment quantifier is maximized and/or a pre-determined upper limit is reached, and/or TSB 170 presses a key to confirm or cancel the current purchase. The TSR terminal 110 can provide an option whereby TSB 170 can purchase smaller cash equivalents of service. For example, in one scenario if the TSB 170 can inserts $ 100 USD, but only purchase $52 USD of service. Either way, the TSB 170 can press a key to consummate the transaction. In one scenario, for example - if TSB 170 presses a 'cancel' key, PAYE 530 cancels the current purchase, prompting TSB 170 via DISPE 525 to continue. Alternatively, a 'NO' response from TSB 170 causes TSR terminal 110 to end the current purchase session and enters a system initialization state to refresh the system. If the TSB 170 indicates a 'YES' response the TSR terminal 110 proceeds to next state at the service selection state in SSE 550.

[00124] As depicted in FIGURE 4, SSE 550 can present a plurality of telecommunications business modules (not shown), at which the TSB 170 can first select (a first input selection is registered) a telecommunication business module or cancel selection. The first selection input from TSB 170 causes a plurality of telecommunications services of selected telecommunications business module to be presented to the TSB 170 onto DISPE 525 (not shown). The TSB 170 can make a second selection (a second input selection). The second selection input from TSB 170 causes a plurality of purchase operations of selected service to be presented to the TSB 170 who can then select, as a third input selection, to choose a purchase operation of the selected service. As a fourth step, the TSB 170 is prompted by a forth input selection, the TSB 170's input, as a fourth selection, causes a plurality of service providers who provide such selected purchase operation of selected telecommunications service. As a next step, TSB 170 determines which of those offered service providers is the one who provides telecommunications service for his/her prepaid service account, for example, and chooses a service provider of his/her own service. Alternatively, if TSB 170 selects "new service registration" operation, then those service providers, who can offer "new service registration" via the TSR terminal 110, are listed on the screen. If a service, or purchase operation has no service provider's supports, TSR terminal 110 cannot proceed to this point in the operation.TSB 170 can make a selection of service provider and/or cancels the operation. The TSB' 170 Input selection of a service provider causes TSR terminal 110 to initiate the service purchase determination state, in PDE 555.

[00125] In the exemplary embodiment as depicted in FIGURE 4, PDE 555 can analyze the selected service and selected purchase to determine which particular service purchase handler to execute. The service purchase handler can determine which operations to carry out in accordance with the selected service and selected purchase. For example, a service purchase handler can inquire a service account registration status, or can require service account number, or cell phone number, and/or other form of account verification. For example, the service purchase handler of PDE 555 depicted in FIGURE 4 handles input selection of cellular service for topping up cellular airtime minutes.

[00126] In operation, for example, cellular service purchase handler of PDE 555 can ask "Are you a new customer?" at which point TSB 170 can select a "YES/NO" response. A "NO" response, causes the service purchase handler to prompt TSB 170 to enter the existing prepaid service account number (e.g., cell phone number), at which point the TSB 170 can enter the existing prepaid service account number and/or or cancels the operation. A "YES" response to "Are you a new customer?" inquiry causes service purchase handler of PDE 555 to formulate a new user profile form, enabling TSB 170 to submit personal information of the new service user and/or cancels the operation. It is contemplated in this scenario that the "service user the person who can use the service could be the TSB 170 himself, or any third party service user that the TSB 170 is purchasing the selected service for. [00127] Turning again to FIGURE 4, the cellular service purchase handler of PDE 555 obtains cellular account information. The cellular service purchase handler communicates to main function or main programming process in PDE 555 which determines to go to next state - i.e. service provider resolution state, in SPRE 560. It is contemplated that in certain embodiments of the invention there can be service and service operations that do not require service account information. For example, if services are offered by service retailer who own the TSR terminal 110, and the TSB 170 pays in cash directly to TSR terminal 110, the, service retailer may opt not to require service account information.

[00128] The SPRE 560 can search a service record of selected service provider from the memory storage unit 455. The SPRE 560 can extract data of point-of-sales (POS) address and data of point-of-sales address type of point-of-sales TSP gateway 185 of selected service provider TSP 120. The SPRE 560 can offer multiple techniques to resolve POS of an "UNKNOWN" service provider or missing POS in service provider profile, if for some reasons, TSB 170 omits selected service provider. Optionally, TSR terminal 110 can force TSB 170 to select a default service provider in a service selection state, and always checks POS of service provider when service provider subscribes a service for retailing via TSR terminal 110.

[00129] As indicated in FIGURE 4, SPRE 560 can determine payment method to pay- enable selected service providers to be paid upon service delivery. The SPRE 560 can retrieves the service retailer's profile from memory storage unit 455, and extract service retailer's payment account information and a payment authorization code if any, previously stored in service retailer's profile. The SPRE 560 then proceeds to a service acquisition state, in SAE 565. The SPRE 560 can offer a plurality of payment methods, which will be described in more detail below. In a preferred embodiment the payment account to be used to pay the selected service provider must be established and payment account information saved in the memory storage unit 455 of TSR terminal 1 10.

[00130] As a next step in FIGURE 4, the SAE 565 can prepares a service purchase request at which point SAE 565 can verify necessary information in accordance with selected service and selected purchase operation, including, for example, necessary information required to establish data connection with POS TSP gateway 185 of selected service provider TSP 120 {e.g., POS address) and POSA type (to determine which connectivity interface it needs to initiate to make appropriate data connection to the POS address). In addition, the SAE 565 can prepare the service purchase operation handler to handle sale transaction status and service delivery from the selected service provider. The purchase operation handler is engaged and ready to run when it receives the software-triggered event that SAE 565 is preparing to create. More specifically, application manager (not shown) can forward the software-triggered events to applications including TSR terminal 110's application that handles those events. That means, in this example, for a particular program to receive such software-triggered events, that program (e.g., TSR terminal 110's application) prepares its software-triggered event and registers that event with the application manager, and that such an application also install a software-triggered event handler to dynamically await this event.

[00131] In this exemplary embodiment, the SAE 565 prepares a specific software- triggered event, and registers that event with application manager (not shown), and installs a purchase operation handler which waits until the software-triggered event to occur or it can be forcefully aborted by external interrupt action (e.g., TSB 170 presses the hardware button to abort the current purchase.). In essence, when sale transaction status is returned and service delivery notice is sent back to TSR terminal from the provisioning component, TSP gateway 185 of selected service provider, the event is created and managed by application manager that can signal purchase operation handler to handle it.

[00132] In addition, the SAE 565 can perform certain software encryption activities for data embedded in service purchase request. Alternatively, data security and encryption can be handled by a completely different security program entailing TSR terminal 110's application or by hardware entity such as cryptoprocessor. Data encryption and security can be accomplished by variety of well known, industry-defined security technique and programs.

[00133] As depicted in FIGURE 4, the provisioning component, TSP gateway 185 of selected service provider TSP 120 receives data of service purchase request or sale transaction at point-of-sales address (e.g., IP address). The TSP gateway 185 can validate the service purchase request including determining purchase operation, and availability of service requested. The TSP gateway 185, working with the TSP database 190 searches service account by account number specified in service purchase request. Successful account search causes TSP gateway 185 to attempt a settle payment operation by determining, for example, total payment amount and payment method/type (e.g., retailer service-equivalent payment or retailer financial account payment or buyer credit account payment), and deduct payment amount from service retailer's payment account in accordance with payment method and payment information indicated in service purchase request.

[00134] Successful payment causes TSP gateway 185 to initiate a service account update operation of TSP database 190, topping-up a service balance of specified service account by the total payment amount. A Successful service account update prompts TSP gateway 185 to notify sales transaction result and service delivery status back to TSR terminal 110 via data connection established by SAE 565 at initiation step at TSR terminal 110. [00135] The signaling component in CONNU 460 logically receives signals and communicates those signals to the connectivity stacks. Signals are transferred to appropriate destinations, and those signals for software applications can be forwarded to application frame work where they are again analyzed and interpreted. Application manager determines signals associated with software-triggered event registered by SAE 565 (see discussion above), and translates them to software driven events for a service acquisition handler of SAE 565 to handle. The purchase operation handler can processes sale transaction results and present appropriate sale transaction information to TSB 170 via display 535 (not shown). As a final step, the Purchase operation handler ends and returns the programming execution to main function or system program manager (e.g., application manager) at which point TSR terminal 110 is reinitialized to accept next purchase.

[00136] Optionally, TSP 120 can notify the physical electronic device ED 105 whose telecommunication service account was updated. TSP 120 can send service purchase notification as well as service delivery information and/or instructions to ED 105. Similarly, TSR terminal 110 can allow TSB 170 to specify additional electronic contacts where service purchase result and service delivery notice and instructions can be sent to. In a preferred embodiment the service purchase process ends when TSP 120 responds back to TSR terminal 110 with sale transaction results and service delivery information regardless whether service was successfully granted and service account was successfully updated or not

[00137] Turning now to FIGURE 5, a system and method 1200 is depicted with a flow chart of programming execution in service payment element 445, embodying features of an embodiment of the invention. As a first step, TSB 170 (not shown) inserts payment (1225) via payment acceptor 545 (not shown). Vending machine TSR terminal 110 internally transitions from idle to payment state. Payment acceptors 545 can accept coins and/or bank notes of local currency (e.g., VND) and/or supported foreign currencies (e.g., USD, EUR, JPY, and AUD). Payment acceptors programmatically scan to detect counterfeit (1230), then reject and eject counterfeit (1240) or accept and quantify (1245) inserted cash micropayment, and repeats inserting payment until TSB 170 confirms "YES" to the prompt "Is this amount correct?" (1250). Alternatively, if bank card is swiped thru the card reader, the total payment amount and security verification information prompts can appear on the screen at which point TSB 170 enters requested information and program execution jumps to confirmation of "Is this amount correct?" 1250, the "cancel" to purchase (1260) causes total amount of payment refund from dispenser 535 (not shown). A confirmation by TSB 170 to consummated purchase causes inserted cash payment to be placed in appropriate cash holders/safe 540 (not shown). The digital presentation of total payment can be saved in primary storage memory 590 (not shown). As a next step, machine state is transitioned to service selection state

[00138] In FIGURE 6, a system and method 1300 is depicted with a flow chart of an example of execution in SSE 550 for purchasing a plurality of telecommunications services including "top-up cellular airtime minutes" of "Cellular communications service." For example, SSE 550 causes DISPE 525 to present a list of preferred telecommunications business modules (1320) and prompts TSB 170 to select a business module. In this example when prompted the TSB 170 selects "calling minute vending module" (1325) via KEYIE 520 (not shown). SSE 550 again causes DISPE 525 to present a list of preferred telecommunications services of selected module (1330) and, prompts TSB 170 for a service selection input. In this example when prompted the TSB 170 selects "Cellular communications service" (1335) via KEYIE 520. SSE 550 causes DISPE 525 to present a list of preferred purchase operations (1340) associated with selected "Cellular communications service" and prompts TSB 170 for a purchase operation selection input. In this example when prompted the TSB 170 selects "top-up cellular airtime minutes" (1345) via KEYIE 520. The SSE 550 causes DISPE 525 to present a list of preferred service providers - e.g., a list of providers can be indicated for selection by their logo and/or trademark (1350) - that can provide purchase operation of selected service. Next, TSB 170 is prompted to select one more from a provider selection input. The TSB 170 can select the service provider (1355) for the selected service via KEYIE 520. In addition, the SSE 550 causes each item selected and corresponding key input to be saved in memory storage 590 (not shown).

[00139] In FIGURE 7, a system and method 1400 is depicted with a flow chart of an example of execution in purchase determination element 555 (PDE) for purchasing a plurality of telecommunications services including "top-up cellular airtime minutes" of "Cellular communications service." The PDE 555 (not shown) can verify buyer's service selection input to determine appropriate purchase operation task to execute (1420). The PDE 555 can include a plurality of purchase operation handlers for handling a plurality of specific telecommunication purchase operations.

[00140] As depicted in FIGURE 7, PDE 555 can provide a "top-up cellular airtime minute" operation handler (1435) for recharging airtime minutes on existing prepaid cellular service account. The operation handler can enables the TSB 170, who has a prepaid cellular service account, to enter prepaid cellular phone number at the prompt (1460). Preferably, the operation handler ensures that TSB 170 has an established prepaid cellular service account, by forcing TSB 170 to go and register a prepaid account (1455). The PDE 555 receives cell phone number and prompts TSB 170 to verify it again (1465), or else to reenter prepaid cell phone number. The PDE 555 can include a mechanism to allow buyer TSB 170 to cancel current purchase operation if desired.

[00141] As depicted in FIGURE 7, PDE 555 can provide a new cellular account registration handler for handling new cellular service registration (1425) at which point the PDE 555 inquires service user registration information (1445) from TSB 170 (not shown). TSB 170 can be presented options (1485) to cancel current purchase operation or proceed to register a new cellular service with selected TSP 120. The new cellular service account registration can comes with new account, new cell phone number, a new SIM card, and/or new phone hardware (for CDMA technology that does not utilize SIM card). To support the new cellular service registration feature, the TSR terminal 110 can be equipped with a mechanism to dispense new SIM cards and new cell phone numbers associated with new SIM card (and/or new phone hardware).

[00142] As depicted in FIGURE 7, system and method 1400 supports global collect call and collect SMS message service (1440). In this exemplary embodiment of the invention the TSR terminal 110 can provide functionality to allow TSB 170 to compose a short, urgent text message to quickly notify friends or their loved ones to correspond at a callback number. More specifically, the global collect messaging operation handler (1440) of PDE 555 provides "TO" address box, a "Callback" address box, a "Subject" box, and "Message" box. The "TO" address box can accept cell phone number, or an email address. The "Subject" box is prefixed with "URGENT" or "EMERGENCY" and is capable of holding an extra number of ASCII characters. The "Callback" address box can also accept a cell phone number, a landline telephone, or email address in accordance with industry-standard address format. The "Message" box can accept a specific number of text characters in ASCII format. In operation, the TSB 170 fills in all required fields and composes a text message and submits to TSR terminal 110 for transmission. The TSR terminal 110 can optionally give a free first SMS message and charge subsequent messages. The global collect messaging operation validates data input in each input field, extracts text message from "Message" box, and formats it in an SMS message or email message in accordance with "TO" address type, and sends the SMS or email to specified address in "TO" field.

[00143] In addition, as depicted in FIGURE 7, system and method 1400 illustrates a capability and flexibility of PDE 555 of TSR terminal 110 to adopt variety of new functionalities for purchasing new telecommunications services. New functionalities can be easily implemented as plug-and-play service operation handler to handle other telecommunication service purchase. For example, system and method 1400 illustrates a generic telecommunications purchase operation handler (1430) to show that some TSP 120 can require a prepaid account to be set up prior to purchase. Thus, the service operation handler can programmatically reinforce TSP's 120 requirement by checking to ensure TSB 170 having a prepaid service account (1470) and prompts TSB 170 to enter such account number (1480) or asks TSB 170 to cancel current purchase operation and return (1475). Note, depending on service and/or business and/or software requirements, the generic telecommunication service operation handler can be designed accordingly to meet the requirements.

[00144] As depicted in FIGURE 7, whether purchasing airtime minutes for existing cell phone account, registering a new cell phone service, and/or buying services for other types of telecommunication service accounts, the PDE 555 can prompt the TSB 170 to provide all input information needed by particular operation handler for processing and handling selected purchase operation (1490). Operation handlers gather data and information (1490) required for the purchase and presents the information on display (not shown) and prompts TSB 170 to confirm the purchase "Buy Now?" (1495).

[00145] As depicted in FIGURE 7, purchase order information is displayed (1490) to the. PDE 555 of TSR terminal 110 can allow TSB 170 to change total payment amount to a smaller amount than amount inserted, including zero - and the change of difference in payment can be refunded. Also, the PDE 555 can allow TSB 170 to change or correct account number.

[00146] In FIGURE 8, a system and method 1500 is depicted with a flow chart of programming execution in SPRE 560 for purchasing telecommunications service including "top- up cellular airtime minutes" of "Cellular communications service", embodying features of an embodiment of the invention. SPRE 560 (not shown) can determine the point-of-sales address (POSA) and POSA type by searching in memory storage unit 455 (not shown) for SP profile (1520) of selected TSP 120.

[00147] As depicted in FIGURE 8, an "Unknown" service provider option can be selected in SSE 550 if, for example, the TSB 170 is buying service for a 3^rd party user whose service provider is "unknown." The SPRE 560 can attempt to determine missing service provider based on a given account number (e.g., cell phone number). In one example, the TSR terminal 110 can have pre-loaded a list of third-party TSP's 120 profiles in its database and, depending on the service selected, the SPRE 560 can look up appropriate third-party directory service provider (DSP) of respective business in local memory storage and retrieves POSA and POSA type; establishing data connection with the DSP at POSA. The SPRE 560 can compose a SP lookup request with given account number, and prompts TSR terminal 110 to send the lookup request to connecting DSP (e.g., Mobile directory service provider). DSP attempts to find missing SP by given account number and sends TSP's 120 name and/or ID back initiating TSR terminal 110 at which point the SPRE 560 awaits to receive SP's ID info. The SPRE 560 can attempt to match received ID info with IDs of preferred TSPs in memory storage. If a match is found, SPRE 560 can retrieve corresponding SP profile and retrieve POSA and POSA type from it. Depending on business and industries as well as national rules, there are industry- defined approaches and/or commercial approaches to find missing TSP 120 by given account number in certain business. For example, in the cellular telephone industry, there are third-party directory TSPs 120 who can look up a TSP 120 by a given cell phone number in the United States. In Vietnam, the cell phone carriers have unique identity in the first 3-4 digits of cell phone number, {e.g., one of Viettel® ids is 167).

[00148] As depicted in FIGURE 8, SPRE 560 can attempt to resolve payment issue by one of a plurality of service payment methods. The SPRE 560 can search profiles of service retailers who own the TSR terminals 110, and retrieve payment method, payment account number, and/or payment authorization codes; storing that information in the local memory storage unit 455. The payment method or type, payment account number and perhaps payment authorization code can be sent to selected TSP 120. The selected TSP 120 can determine the payment method or type, and programmatically retrieve or request to retrieve service retailer's payment account. As depicted in FIGURE 8, after determining service payment method, SPRE 560 transitions to service acquisition state.

[00149] In FIGURE 9, a system and method 1600 is depicted with a flow chart of programming execution in SAE 565 for purchasing a plurality of telecommunications services including "top-up cellular airtime minutes" of "Cellular communications service", embodying features of an embodiment of the invention. The SAE 565 (not shown) can validate and format necessary data for purchasing selected service (1620), and can encode total payment, retailer's payment information if required, and buffer data in service purchase request. The SAE 565 can also determine connectivity interface protocols based on POSA type (retrieved by SPRE 560). The SAE 565 can attempt to establish data connection with POS TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120 via given POSA (1625) (acquired by SPRE 560). SAE 565 can initiate data transmission and forward data to CONNU 460 (not shown) which can then format data of service purchase request in accordance with industry-defined network data transmission protocols (preferably TCP/IP) before transmitting data (1635) across the network interface (1650) to the POS TSP gateway 185 (not shown).

[00150] As depicted in FIGURE 9, SAE 565 can establish a service acquisition operation handler/routine and software-driven event for selected purchase operations of selected service (1620). The SAE 565 can install and/or register this service acquisition operation handler, for example, in application execution environment and/or with the application manager (not shown) of TSR terminal 110. In operation, for example, Software-events relating to current purchase operation can be generated by a signaling component and managed by system program manager (or application manager) that can communicate the software-driven event associated with current purchase operation, to the registered service acquisition operation handler (1640).

[00151] Turning to FIGURE 10, a system and method 1700 is depicted with a flow chart of programming execution of service acquisition operation handler/routine (1720) awaiting software-driven events indicating sale transaction status and service delivery result from connecting to the provisioning component, TSP gateway 185 (not shown) of selected TSP 120. In this exemplary embodiment, TSP 120 sends data or signals indicating sale transaction status and service delivery result of current purchase operation via network connectivity interface (1715) to initiating TSR terminal 110. The electronic data (including speech data and/or analog signals) comes into connectivity unit 460 of initiating TSR terminal 110. The data or signals are converted and/or translated into software-driven events by signaling component (not shown) and handled or managed by application manager (not shown) to application execution environment where installed service acquisition operation handler 1720 is enabled to receive events.

[00152] In FIGURE 10, the service acquisition operation handler filters for appropriate events (1720) by inspecting the event indicator embedded inside event's data .structure, extracts data from the software-event (1725), determines sale transaction status and service delivery result (1730). The service acquisition operation handler presents transaction status and service delivery information or operation failure or ERROR (1735, 1740) on to DISPE 525 (not shown). Alternatively, a sale transaction status indicating 'failed' can cause SAE 565 to command payment element to determine refund and dispensing refund (1740) to TSB 170, and/or prompt TSB 170 to view, and/or to print or accept "refund" or to finish (1745). In this example, the service acquisition operation handler can terminate the operation in which case the programming execution is sent to the application manager that refreshes and/or initializes TSR terminal 110. In case of operation failure, the application manager can initiate payment refund programming routing to cause PAYE 530 to dispense refunds to TSB 170 before refreshing TSR terminal 110.

[00153] In an alternative embodiment system and method 17 can send and notify an electronic entity via a given electronic contact (e.g., cell phone and cell phone number respectively). If electronic address was previously given by TSB 170, TSR terminal 110 can relay a summary of sale receipt and service delivery notice to a electronic entity (e.g., cell phone, email) by given electronic address (e.g., cell phone number or an email address).

[00154] In FIGURE 11, an exemplary embodiment of a service validation system and method 1800 for providing telecommunication services including "top-up cellular airtime minutes" of "Cellular communications service" is shown by in a schematic flow chart. The POS TSP gateway 185 (not shown) can accept a data connection request from the initiating TSR terminal 110; responding by opening and maintaining a data connection link with the TSR terminal 110 (not shown). The TSP gateway 185 can include a connectivity means to receive data (1820) transmitted by the TSR terminal 110, and a programming means to validate and reorder data received, and/ or request a re-send request (1825 and NO) of missing data packet until all data is received (1825 and YES) or timeout of data transmission occurs(not shown).

[00155] In FIGURE 11 when all necessary data is received by connecting TSP gateway 185 (1820) the TSP gateway coordinates with the service provision element (not shown), the service provision element unpacks, decodes, validates data, and checks for errors (1830). In addition, the service provision element determines if retailer payment method/type, retailer's payment account number are received (1835), and checks if purchase operation is supported (1855, and 1860). For example, the service provision element of TSP gateway 185 supports purchase operation for "topping up cellular airtime minutes" (1855, 1870), determines the appropriate operations to carry out to handle request "topping up cellular airtime minutes" such as, retrieving "cellular telephone number" from received data, and retrieving account record of matching cellular telephone number (1870) from TSP databases 190 (not shown).

[00156] In addition, as depicted in FIGURE 11 , the service provision element of TSP gateway 185 which receives incomplete data, e.g., no supported purchase operation, and/or cellular service account record is missing (1875), can prompt the service notification handler (1885) to send a sales transaction status of 'failed," indicating a reason of failure to service acquisition operation handler.

[00157] In FIGURE 12, a flow chart of exemplary programming execution of the service provision element of the telecommunications service 1900 is shown. Dispatcher program (1920) of TSP gateway 185 (not shown) dispatches appropriate service provision operation handlers (e.g., 1925, or 1930, or 1935, or 1940) based on received purchase operation code of selected telecommunication service. Dispatching service provision operation handler performs service provision activities needed for a particular purchase operation selected by TSB 170 including, new account registration service (1945), top-up cellular airtime minute service (1950), global collect call service (1955), and other telecommunication services (1960) (e.g., change phone number, piggy-bank telecommunication savings, etc.).

[00158] In FIGURE 12, the service provision element of TSP gateway 185 provides payment transaction method to settle payment (1970) between service retailer and TSP 120 in accordance with payment method/type indicated in received service purchase request. The POS TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120, in an exemplary embodiment, can contact a financial institution or an intermediary payment service entity (e.g., PayPal®) that TSR has previously set up a payment account with. In this example, the service provision element can communicate with POS TSP gateway 185, establish a secured payment connection with the payment entity, provide the retailer's account number and/or authorization code, for example, and request a payment transaction from service retailer's payment account.

[00159] As depicted in FIGURE 12, a system and method 1900 including a service provision element or delivery routine of POS TSP gateway 185 is shown. The POS TSP gateway 185 in this exemplary embodiment of the invention can compose a summary of sale transaction status and, service delivery notice, including date relevant to the notice such as, service instructions, identification of service purchased, service balance, payment information, service charges, fees charged, and the like. Other data relevant to the sale transaction status and service delivery notice includes, but is not limited to, date and time data and location of service purchase data. The service notification handler of TSP gateway 185 manages logical delivery of the summary or notice to the service acquisition operation handler of the initiating TSR terminal 110.

[00160] In FIGURE 12, the system and method of 1900 can include a system and method for service notification to electronic device ED 105 and/or service user. In this example, the TSP gateway 185 can notify ED 105 and/or service user via electronic address of ED 105 (e.g., cell phone number), and/or email address of service user whose service account was updated. Another embodiment, enables the TSB 170 to purchase "top-up cellular airtime minute service" The provision handler (1930), in this embodiment can search for a TSB service account by account number in TSP database 190 (not shown), retrieves the service account record matching the account number specified in the service purchase request, and updates the service account balance by total payment amount and other relevant information relevant for service purchase request (1950).

[00161] Another embodiment, enables the TSB 170 to select "new cellular account registration" at which point the provision handler (1925) retrieves TSB's 160 personal information (e.g., TSB's name, address, contact phone number) from service purchase request, and extracts required information such as password and/or account access PIN, total payment or premium for a new account registration, and/or other relevant information necessary for setting up a new cellular account. The initiating step at TSR terminal 110 can include purchase of a new phone number associated with a new SIM card (for GSM technology phone) stored at TSR terminal 110. The service provision handler can request creation and registration of a new account with TSP database 190. The TSP database 190 can validate and create the new cellular account with the new cell phone number and activation code, and return them to the provision handler. The provision handler can communicate the registration of the new account information to the initiating TSR terminal 110. The automatic account registration service may optionally require the TSR terminal to have hardware and software capability to store and dispense SIM cards.

[00162] As depicted in FIGURE 12, system and method of 1900 also includes a global collect call and collect messaging service handler (1935) for handling global collect call and collect message service. As depicted in FIGURE 12, system and method of 1900 can include other to-be-defined telecommunications service handlers (1940) for handling other to-be-defined telecommunication services (1960). See translation tables for telecommunications services TABLES 9-15.

[00163] Turning to FIGURE 12, a system and method 1900 is depicted with a logical view of a plurality of telecommunications services in one provision domain. Exemplary telecommunications services handled by 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, can be owned by one or a plurality of TSPs 120 or can be owned by service retailers themselves. For example, one TSP 120 can provide services to top up prepaid cellular airtime minutes; another TSP 120 can provides service to register new cellular telephone account and prepaid cellular airtime minutes concurrently; and yet another TSP 120 can provide global TSP 120. The TSP 120 can provide all aforementioned telecommunications services. Even the small, independent telecommunications service retailer who owns and manages a vending machine TSR terminal 110, can offer a telecommunications service. For example, the service retailer might provide a piggy-bank telecommunications savings to TSR terminal 110 users to save loose coins and bills in a piggy-bank telecommunication savings account and later transfer to pay for their prepaid telecommunications services. In this example, the service software program for the piggy-bank telecommunication savings might reside in the TSR terminal 110 or it might be installed somewhere on a service retailer's server of the same private network that TSR terminal 110 is connected to.

[00164] As depicted in Figure 12, service provision element of TSP gateway 185 can also provide a payment transaction method to settle payment (1970) between service retailer and service provider in accordance with payment method/type indicated in received service purchase request. In this exemplary embodiment, the POS TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120 may can contact financial institution or intermediary payment service entity (e.g., PayPal®) that service retailer has an established payment account with. The service provision element or like function of POS TSP gateway 185 can establish a secured payment connection with the payment entity, provide the authorizing data, e.g., retailer's account number and perhaps authorization code, and request a payment transaction from service retailer's payment account.

[00165] FIGURE 13 is exemplary display of a TSR terminal, showing two separate screenshots 680 and 690. Screenshot 680 presents the system in idle state wherein TSB 170 see 'cash' or 'card' by pressing appropriate side-key or numeric key press to start the sales order. The TSB 170 can also insert payment to start the sales order. Although not depicted in this figure, alternatively, the TSB can select a telecommunication service product first and then insert payment to pay. Screenshot 690 presents a payment processing state in which TSB 170 inserts payment via a payment acceptor. The TSR terminal can initiate a payment element 530 after buyer finishes inserting payment at the payment accepter and affirmatively presses an key input, indicating TSB is ready proceed. The payment element 530 can coordinate with user interface processing element 510 to communicate total payment to SSE 550.

[00166] FIGURE 14 is exemplary display of a TSR terminal showing two separate screenshots 615 and 640. SSE 550 provides service prompts and input prompts at the display 520, based on TSB's input at key input element 525 The SSE 550 displays a list of telecommunications business modules belonging to telecommunications industry as depicted on screenshot 615. If, as in this example, TSB 170 selects a side-key 625 or key selects T to select "Calling Minute Vending Module" (i.e., MVM) from "Telecommunications industry", the SSE 550 can display a list of services belonging to MVM business module as shown on screenshot 640. If, as in this example, TSB 170 selects a side-key 625 or key-selects T to select "Cellular Communications service" as on screenshot 640, the SSE 550 can displays another list of purchase operations that can be performed on selected service.

[00167] FIGURE 15 is an exemplary display of a TSR terminal showing two separate screenshots 720, 730. In this example, TSB 170 is prompted to select a purchase operation and a preferred TSP 120. The SSE 550 coordinates with display, presents a list of purchase operations of selected service and the TSB 170 can select side-key 625 or key-select ' 1 ' to select a purchase operation for "Top-up cellular airtime minutes" from "Cellular communications service" on screen 720. Again, in response to TSB selection, the SSE 550 populates a list of preferred local TSPs 120 who can provide the selected purchase operation "Top-up cellular airtime minutes" for "Cellular Communications service". If, as in this example TSB 170 can select side-key 630 or key-select '2' to select AT&T®" on screen 730. The TSR terminal 110 can preferably support retailing for foreign business TSPs 120; and one option, for example, "Other service provider" 730, can enable TSB 170 to search for a country of service and preferred TSP 120 in the selected country. Also, the TSR terminal can present the TSP 145 with an option to determine a TSP 145 if it is unknown, as might be the situation when the TSB 170 purchases a service for a third party user whose TSP 120 is not known by TSB 170. hi such a scenario, the TSB 170 can select "Unknown" on the display. TSR terminal 110 to detect the "Unknown" service provider, associated automatically by the SSE 550. [00168] FIGURE 16 is an exemplary display of a TSR terminal 110 showing two separate screenshots of 760 and 780. In this example, TSB 170 can confirm prepaid service registration status at which point service PDE 555 can coordinate with display, prompting TSB 170 to select a side-key 625 or key-select T. If, as in this example, TSB 170 selects "NO" to "Are you a new customer?" as depicted on screenshot 760, PDE prompts the TSB 170 to input data, for example, a cellular phone number. As shown, the TSB 170 enters "4253193364" cell phone number (screenshot 780), and then select a side-key 625 or key-press ' 1 ' to proceed.

[00169] FIGURE 17, is an exemplary display of a TSR terminal display showing two separate screenshots 830, and 840. In this example TSB 170 is prompted to review the purchase order including total payment amount, the service account number, and confirm purchase of telecommunications produce. As depicted on screenshot 830, PDE 555 responds to TSB 170 selection of a side-key 625 or key-selection ' 1 ' to select "Buy Now", the screen showing, for example "AT&T® sale order" with purchase order information. After TSB 170 selection, TSR terminal 110 internally transitions to a new state where SPRE 560 presents another window displaying AT&T® sale transaction status as depicted on screenshot 840. In a preferred embodiment, he TSB 170 can be presented with an option to change the total payment amount to a smaller amount and/or alternatively an option to change account number as desired, in which case, the PDE 555 can re-evaluate the change of payment and/or account number, display purchase order as depicted on screen 830 with new information, and prepare a refund as necessary.

[00170] FIGURE 18 is an exemplary display of a TSR terminal display with screenshots 860 and 880 showing a sales receipt of the purchase of a telecommunication service product. The service acquisition operation handler is handled by SAE 565 that receives the sale transaction status and service delivery notice from the TSP 120. The purchase operation handler presents a receipt on the display, and can prompts TSB 170 to print or exit, as depicted on screenshot 860.

[00171] FIGURE 19-1 is an exemplary TABLE 1 including data fields of service purchase record. Service purchase record is assembled by SSE 550 and PDE 555 and forwarded to selected TSP 120 by SAE 565, to purchase a selected telecommunication service product. In this exemplary embodiment, to perform the task described the order of these fields is relevant to the data packing, data unpacking, data translation and processing.

[00172] FIGURE 19-2 is an exemplary TABLE 2 including logical view of service purchase record for purchasing cellular airtime minutes for a mobile phone. As TSB 170 can select first the business module, second, the service of the business module, and third, the purchase operation of a service. The SSE 550 receives the service selections from the key input element. The TSB 170 selected key inputs can be decoded and mapped to service codes defined by translation tables (TABLES 9-15). The SSE 550 can map key input for the selected TSP 120 with a TSP's 120 ID. SSE 550 can retrieve the total payment amount from payment element or from temporary memory location where payment element has saved total payment data. The SSE 550 can arrange data in an order specified by system and as shown in TABLE 1 and as shown in TABLE 2. The PDE 555 obtains account number (e.g., cell phone number) in and order specified by system and shown in TABLE 1 5900. The service purchase record can be embedded in service purchase request and sent to selected TSP 120 to purchase a selected telecommunication service product.

[00173] As depicted in TABLE 2, the service purchase record illustrates a purchase of $3.45 USD of cellular airtitne minutes for cell phone number "4253193364" from TSP 120 "ID#." The data is translated by SSE 550, in this example, the first column 910 is business module and 0x01 represents "Calling Minute Vending Module" as represented in FIGURE 21-1. The second column 920 is service and 0x01 represents "Cellular Communications Service" as defined by system as represented in FIGURE 21-2. A Third column 930 corresponds to purchase operation ID and 0x01 represents "Top-up Call Minutes" as defined by system, as represented in FIGURE 21-3. SSE 550 can map TSP 120 selection key input to TSP's 120 ID and save it in data structure 940. The SSE 550 can obtain total payment amount from PAYE 530 saving it in data structure 980. The PDE 555 can continue to obtain cell phone number from TSB 170 - and saving them in data structure 985.

[00174] In FIGURE 19-3, an exemplary TABLE 3 includes a logical view of data fields of a service record. Service records can be pre-loaded and stored in service record database inside TSR terminal 110. The selected order of data fields is relevant to data retrieval and data processing. TSR terminals 110 (and/or retailer owners of a plurality of TSR terminals for example) can receive service records from TSPs 120 who are interested to retail their services on the TSR terminal 110. The TSR terminal 110 can extracts data of the TSP 120 and validate the data using translation tables, as shown in FIGURES 21-1- 22-4, (TABLES 9-15) for supported business modules and services and purchase operations of service. The TSR terminal 110 can validate supported point-of-sales address type using a translation table of POSA FIGURE 27-2, 7200 and validate the preferred TSP 120 from its pre-setup preferred TSP 120 registration list (i.e., a TSP 120 registered to sell their services via TSR terminals 110). In alternate embodiments, optional data can be sent in a submission request with the embedded service record.

[00175] In FIGURE 19-4, an exemplary TABLE 4 includes a logical view of data stored in service record database of TSR terminal 110. In this example, data of TSP 120, e.g., Provider #1, Provider #2, Provider #3, and Provider #4 are subscribed or pre-loaded to TSR terminal 110. The TSR terminal 110 receives service records from TSPs 120 and data is preferably arranged in order specified by system, as is shown in FIGURE 19-3, TABLE 4 by the TSP 120. The TSR terminals 110 can the extract data and validate data before saving the data in service record database as determined by the system, and shown if FIGURE 19-4.

[00176] In FIGURE 20-1, an exemplary TABLE 5 includes a data subscription sent by Provider #1. In this example, service provider #1 subscribes a plurality of service subscription records that offer three business modules defined by 0x01, 0x02, 0x03 respectively (column 910). For example, in Table 5, a business module coded 0x01 (column 910, R1-R3) includes two services coded as 0x01, 0x02 respectively (column 920, R1-R3, R4). The service coded 0x01 (column 920, R1-R3) includes three purchase operations coded 0x01, 0x03, and 0x04, respectively (column 930, Rl, R2, R3). The service coded 0x02 (column 920, R4) further includes one purchase operation coded 0x01 (column 930, R4). In addition, Provider #1 can provide self-identity text-string indicated by "Provider #1" (column 935, R1-R6) and an identification number indicated by "ID#1" (column 940, R1-R6). The POS type for purchasing service 0x01 (column 920, R1-R3) is defined by: 0x01 (column 950, R1-R3) indicating that POS address of POS TSP gateway 185 is the IP -based address, (i.e., TSR terminal 110 can initiate IP- based connectivity interfaces establishing data connection with POS TSP gateway 185 of Provider #1 for purchasing the telecommunications product 0x01 (column 920, R1-R3)); and POS address of the TSP gateway 185 , "IP address #11" (column 960, R1-R3).

[00177] As represented in TABLE 5, the service coded 0x02 (column 920, R4) of business module coded 0x01 (column 910), further comprises purchase operation coded 0x01 (column 930, R4). In this example, service 0x02 and associated purchase operation 0x01 is provisioned by TSP gateway 185 of Provider #1 whose POS address is "IP address #12" (column 960, R4), i.e., the POS type defined as 0x01 (column 950, R4) . That is, the POS address is an IP address, meaning, the TSR terminal 110 initiates an IP -based connectivity and establishes data connection with the TSP gateway 185 of Provider #1 for purchasing the service 0x02 (column 920, R4). In this case, the POS address of the TSP gateway 185 corresponds to "IP address #12" (column 960, R4).

[00178] As represented in TABLE 5, the business module coded 0x02 (column 910, R5) further comprises one service coded 0x02 (column 920, R5). The service coded 0x02, in turn, further comprises one purchase operation coded 0x02 (column 930, R5). Provider #1, for consistency in data recording, also provides self-identity "Provider #1" (column 935, R5) and identification number "ID#1" (column 940, R5) respectively. The, POS type defined as 0x02 (column 950, R5) indicates that POS address is a dial-up telephone number, which means that TSR terminal 110 initiates a dial-up connectivity interfaces to establish data connection for purchasing service 0x02 (column 920, R5) from TSP gateway 185 of Provider #1 whose POS address is "dial-up telephone number" (column 960, R5).

[00179] Similarly, as shown in TABLE 5, business module coded "0x03" (column 910, R6) further comprises one service coded "0x01" (column 920, R6), which is turn, includes purchase operation coded "0x01" (column 930, R6). Provider #1, can also provide self-identity information (column 940, R6) and identification number "ID#1" (column 940, R6). In this example, the POS type is defined as "0x03" (column 950, R6) indicating that TSR terminal 110 can use cellular connectivity interfaces to establish data connection with TSP gateway 185 of Provider #1 for purchasing telecommunication service product corresponding to service "0x01" (column 920, R6) and purchase operation coded 0x01 (column 930, R6) of business module "0x03" (column 910, R6).

[00180] In FIGURE 20-2 TABLE 6 illustrates three examples of data subscription sent by TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120 "#2." In this example, the TSP 120 "#2" offers a service subscription record module coded as 0x01 (column 910) comprising two telecommunication services coded by 0x01 and 0x03 (column 920). The service coded 0x01 includes purchase operation coded 0x01 (column 930) and service coded 0x03, and purchase operation coded 0x02 (column 930). The service provider unique identity is defined by "Provider #2" and "ID#2" (columns 935, 940). In this example, POS address of TSP gateway 185 responsible for providing services 0x01 and 0x03 (column 920) is specified as "IP address #21" (column 960) and its POS type is 0x01, indicating IP -based connectivity interfaces are to be initiated by TSR terminal 110 for handling data connection establishment and data transmission.

[00181] Turning to FIGURE 20-3, TABLE 7 is an example of data subscription sent by TSP gateway 185 of service provider #3. Service provider #3 offers two business modules coded by 0x01, 0x02 (column 910). The other columns are populated with associated pieces of mandatory data (e.g., columns 920, 930, 935, 940, 950, 960) for handling data connection establishment and data transmission.

[00182] In FIGUER 20-4, TABLE 8 is an example of data subscription sent by TSP gateway 185 of service provider #4. Service provider #4 offers one business module coded 0x04 (910). The other columns are populated with associated pieces of mandatory data (columns 920, 930, 935, 940, 950, 960) for handling data connection establishment and data transmission.

[00183] In FIGURE 21-1, TABLE 9 is a representation of a translation table for business modules of telecommunications industry to be retailed at the TSR terminal 110. Exemplary business modules can include, but are not limited to, Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM), Piggy-bank Savings Telecommunication Module, Broadband Internet, Cable Internet, Cable TV Module (BCIM), GPS Module (GPSM), Wireless Access, and Wimax Access Module (WAM). In this example, Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM) is defined and coded as OxOl, and the Piggy-bank Savings Telecommunication Module is defined and coded as 0x05.

[00184] In FIGURE 21-2, TABLE 10 is a representation of a translation table for a subset of the services of the business modules above, i.e., telecommunications services for the business module "Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM)" (FIGURE 21-1, coded "0x01"). In this example, the services offered include, but are not limited to, "Cellular Communications Service" as defined and coded as "0x01" and "Global Collect Call and Collect Messaging Service (GCMS)" as defined and coded as "0x05" with respect to MVM.

[00185] In FIGURE 21-3, TABLE 11 is a representation of a translation table for a subset of the purchase operations of the services, i.e. purchase operations for the telecommunication service "Cellular Communication Service" (FIGURE 21-2, coded "0x01"). In this example, the purchase operations include, but are not limited to, "top-up Call minute," operation as defined and coded as "0x01," and "New Cellular Account Registration" operation as defined and coded as "0x03."

[00186] In FIGURE 22-1, TABLE 12 is a representation of a translation table for exemplary purchase operations of "Global Collect Call and Collect Messaging Service (GCMS)" of MVM. In this example "Messaging to cell phone number" operation is defined and coded as "0x01," and "Messaging to email" is defined and coded as "0x02" with respect to GCMS of MVM.

[00187] In FIGURE 22-2, TABLE 13 is a representation of a translation table for exemplary for "Piggy-bank" telecommunication services of Piggy-bank Savings Telecommunications Business Module (PSTM). Specifically, "Mobile Piggy-bank Savings Service" is defined and coded as 0x01 with respect to PSTM. And "Mobile Piggy-bank Telecommunication Service" is defined as 0x02 also with respect to PSTM.

[00188] In FIGURE 22-3, TABLE 14 is a representation of a translation table for exemplary purchase operations of "Mobile Piggy-bank Savings" service of PSTM. In this example, "Set up mobile Piggy-bank account" operation is defined and coded as "0x01,", "Top- up mobile Piggy-bank Savings" operation is defined and coded as "0x02," and "Mobile Piggy- bank withdrawal" operation is defined and coded as "0x03."

[00189] In FIGURE 22-4, TABLE 15 is a representation of a translation table for exemplary purchase operations of "Piggy-bank Telecommunication" service of PSTM. In this example, "Pay telecommunication Service" operation is defined and coded as "0x01" with respect to Piggy-bank telecommunication service of PSTM. [00190] In FIGURE 23, TABLE 16 is a logical view of data being mapped for preferred exemplary business modules, preferred services, preferred purchase operations and TSPs 120 at the TSR terminal 110. Data is mapped and communicated to the various components of the system including KEYIE 520, DISPE 525, and user interface processing element 510, SSE 550 and service record database. SSE 550 can retrieves data and TSP 120 identity from databases and service records, respectively; translating data using translation tables (e.g., FIGURES 21-1, 22-4 (TABLES 9-15)). For example, SSE 550 can retrieves codes of business modules (See FIGURES 19-1- 19-4, column 910) from record database, and translate data to human-readable- text string in column 905, and communicate to user interface processing element, that data is to be on the display and associating a key input to each service rendered on the display. The TSB 170 can see service displayed and key input associated with each service rendered on display. The TSB can then select a key thereby selecting the associated service from the display. The user interface processing element processes the input key, forwarding it to SSE 550 where the key is further processed and matched to service code of selected item in column 910. In this example, TSB 170 selects "Calling Minute Vending module" and SSE 550 translates "0x01" as the for business module, and SSE 550 then retrieves service codes of selected business module from the database. In this example, SSE 550 retrieves 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04 and 0x05 in column 920 and links them to human-readable-text strings corresponding to "Cellular communications service", "Landline communications service", "International call service", "Internet VoIP call service" and "Global collect call and collect messaging service" in column 915, and requests display elements to presents those text strings to TSB 180. Likewise a similar approach can be carried out for data pairs shown in columns 930, 925 and in columns 940, 935 - to enable communications between human TSB 170 and SSE 550, thereby effectuating purchase of a telecommunication service product.

[00191] Turning to FIGURE 24-1, TABLE 17 is an exemplary programming data structure of SSE 550. The SSE 550 can retrieve key input for service selected by TSB 170, and maps the key input to service codes; saving the service codes in SSE data structure and forwarding the data structure to PDE 555. For example, SSE 550 can present a list of preferred telecommunication modules via display, where the TSB 170 can selects a business module via key input. The SSE 550 can receive the key input, maps the key input the service code defined by one of the service translation tables (TABLE 9-15), and save the service code in the SSE data structure. Similarly, the SSE 550 can retrieve other key input selections for service of selected modules and purchase operations of selected services. In each instance the SSE 550 can receive the TSB' s 170 key input, map the received data using one of the service translation tables, and save the corresponding codes to SSE data structure. Also, SSE 550 can receive key input for a preferred TSP 120; the SSE 550 can retrieve the corresponding ID of the selected TSP 120 and save the corresponding ID into SSE data structure. In addition, SSE 550 can obtain total payment information from payment element, and saves payment information in the payment field of the SSE data structure.

[00192] In FIGURE 24-2, TABLE 18 is an exemplary programming data structure of the purchase determination element (PDE) 555. The PDE 555 can extract the data from the SSE 550 data structure. In addition to data that is communicated from SSE 550, PDE 555 prompts TSB 170 to enter service account number (e.g., cell phone number). PDE 555 can optionally obtain other input data depending on particular service needs. The PDE 555 can save the service account number and other data into PDE data structure. PDE 555 can communicate its programming data structure to SPRE 560.

[00193] In FIGURE 24-3, TABLE 19 is an exemplary programming data structure of SPRE 560. The SPRE 560 can copy all data of PDE data structure into appropriate data fields of SPRE data structure including other data or service parameters of a particular service. In addition, the SPRE 560 pulls up the profile of selected TSP 120 from memory storage and determines the point-of-sales address (POSA) and POSA type of selected TSP 120, saves the point-of-sales address (POSA) and POSA type data in appropriate data fields. Furthermore, the SPRE 560 can also pulls up the profile of service retailer who owns TSR terminal 110, and determines retailer's payment information such as payment account number and payment method/type to use to pay selected TSP 120 saving retailer's payment information in appropriate fields of SPRE 560' s data structure.

[00194] In FIGURE 25-1, TABLE 20 is an exemplary programming data structure of service purchase request created by SAE 565. The SAE 565 can receive SPRE data structure from SPRE 560, and can create a service purchase record (See FIGURE 19-1 and Figure 19-2), can copy data including, but not limited to, business module code, service code, purchase operation code, TSP 120's ID, total payment, and service account number from SPRE data structure into the service purchase record. The SAE 565 can also create another programming data structure, namely a service purchase request SAE 565 can include other data or service parameters inside service purchase request. SAE 565 can extract POSA and POSA type data to determine the connectivity interfaces to use to establish data connection with TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120 at POSA. SAE 565 can initiate data connection establishment using the connectivity interfaces it has determined from data structure. Once the data connection is initiated - the SAE 565 can initiate data transmission and send service purchase request to TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120. [00195] In FIGURE 25-2, TABLE 21 is an exemplary translation table of point-of-sales address (POSA) types of TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120. Data communicated in table and translated at TSR terminal 110 determine the type of the POSA of TSP gateway 185. Based on the type of POSA of the TSP gateway 185, the TSR terminal 110 determines the appropriate data connectivity interfaces to initiate the data connection with TSP gateway 185. More specifically, in automatic installation or in a manual installation, TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120 (or human service agent of TSP 120 in a manual installation) can provide POSA and POSA type of TSP gateway 185 into TSR gateway 155 (or to TSR terminal 110 in a manual installation).

[00196] In FIGURE 25-3, TABLE 22 is an exemplary translation table for request types. For example, a service purchase request encoded as "0x03" can indicate to TSP gateway 185 that current request is a service purchase request at which point TSR terminal 110 can send the service purchase request to TSP gateway 185 to make a purchase of a telecommunication service product. The TSP gateway 185 can retrieve the service purchase record from the purchase request to determine how to provide the requested telecommunication service product. The purchase request coded as "0x01" can indicate to TSR gateway 155 of service retailer (discussed below) that the current request is service subscription/submission request. TSP 120 can programmatically request to have their service to be retailed via TSR terminals 110. When receiving the purchase request, the service retailer's TSR gateway 155 (discussed below) can extract service record from the purchase request, and saves the service record into a service record database 240 (discussed below) (See FIGURE 19-2 and 19-4). The TSR gateway 155 can be a server on the service retailer's domain connecting to a plurality of TSR terminals 110. The TSR gateway 155 can enhance automation capabilities of the service retail system. In terms of automation, service records saved in TSR database 240 can be broadcasted or sent to appropriate TSR terminals 110 within the same network of the TSR gateway 155.

In FIGURE 26-1, TABLE 23 is an exemplary translation table of service retailer payment type. In this example, TSB 170 inserts payment via payment acceptors of TSR terminal 110 where TSR terminal 110 is owned by a service retailer who can or cannot be the same as TSP 120. The service retailer repays the TSP 120 the cost of the service provided to TSB 120. The payment type selected, and as coded in translation table, indicates the payment method that service retailer selects to repay TSP 120. As shown in TABLE 23, payment codes indicate to TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120 how service retailer can repay TSP 120 for purchased service via TSR terminal 110. For example, payment method coded as "0x01" indicates to TSP gateway 185 that service retailer and TSP 120 are the same business entity. In this scenario, no payment transaction is prompted because service purchased by TSB 170 is already paid at TSR terminal 110. Alternatively, where TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120 receives payment method/type coded "0x02" or "0x03" indicates to TSP gateway 185 to use a retailer service payment account, or retailer financial payment, account, respectively to perform payment transaction. When a telecommunication service product sold, the TSP 120 can deduct payment in service equivalents of total payment amount from service retailer's service account. An example of a translation table containing the retailer's service payment account is shown in FIGURE 26-2, TABLE 24. An example of retailer's financial payment account is shown in FIGURE 26-3, TABLE 25. Alternatively, a payment method/type coded as "0x04" indicates that TSP gateway 185 can charge a retailer intermediary service payment account (e.g., Paypal® account) and perform an electronic payment transaction from the intermediary service payment account. An example of retailer's intermediary service payment account is illustrated in FIGURE 26-4, TABLE 26.

[00197] FIGURES 27-1 and 27-2, TABLES 27-28 are examples of local currency in Vietnam, and in US, contemplated as monetary units acceptable in embodiments of the invention.

[00198] FIGURE 27-3, TABLE 29 is a list of popular foreign currencies that TSR terminals 110 operating in Vietnam and/or in US, can consider accepting.

[00199] FIGURE 27-4, TABLE 30 is an exemplary specification of TSP's 120 display name length, and TSP's 120 business ID length. Preferably, in embodiments of the invention TSPs 120 can provide their display name and unique ID in the service record when submitting services to TSR terminal 110. Additionally service retailers can have a mechanism to generate a unique ID for each TSP 120 who sells services at TSR terminal 110, and service retailer can map retail er-generated-ID to the actual ID of TSP 120. The display name to be displayed on the screen for TSB 170 to view can be tied to TSP 120 ID. In this example, when TSB 170 selects a TSP 120, the corresponding ID is retrieved by SSE 550.

[00200] FIGURE 28 is an exemplary embodiment of an embedded retail system 15000. More specifically, many industry-defined system architectures already exist in the market and are sufficient to readily support primary service features of present invention encoded in a computer-readable program medium containing instructions for implementing purchase of a telecommunication service product. For example, personal computers such as Windows (e.g., WinME®) have sufficient capability to support features of the TSR terminal 110. Even small devices such as Internet-enabled Windows Mobile-based devices or cellular telephone platforms based on Symbian OS 6 Pearl or Crystal can be enabled with the computer program of the instant invention. For example, implementation of a payment element to accept cash or credit cards, and installation of primary service features (i.e. PPU 450) of TSR terminal 110 could almost instantly convert such devices to TSR-enabled machines. Likewise an ATM, with the addition of the primary service features of TSR terminal 110, can effectuate a TSR terminal's functionality. As another example, self-serve gas station pumps equipped with physical payment acceptor, a display, a key input and network interface components, can implement the computer readable program medium of the instant invention to become TSR- capable. Other existing systems that are TSR-capable include, but are not limited to, many public phone stations, supper market's self-checkout stations, self-pay public parking meters, and self-postal service machines at many post offices. The computer implemental features the invention are platform independent, rather small, and can be implemented as a lightweight applications and therefore ported into small devices such as cell phones, PDAs, computers or other electronic devices that have internet access and payment capabilities installed.

[00201] Turning to FIGURE 29 an exemplary embodiment of an automatic, unmanned customer-service retail system 400B. This system and method 400 of FIGURE 2, showing a telecommunications service retail system for purchasing Cellular communications services. System 400B in contrast also includes a telecommunications service retail gateway 155 (TSR gateway 155) and TSR database 240 - both residing in the service retailer's domain and a service reception unit 495 to accept services sent by TSR gateway 155. For example, the TSR gateway 155 acts as a central point of data synchronization between different TSR terminals 110 within service retailer's TSRS 150, and remains a central point of service subscription for a plurality of TSPs 120. The TSR database 240 acts as a central storage for data of services subscribed to TSR gateway 155 by the plurality of TSPs 120. In this example, the TSP gateway 185 of the TSP 120, subscribes services to TSR gateway 155. The TSR gateway 155 saves data of subscribed services to TSR database 240. The TSR gateway 155 uploads subscribed services to appropriate TSR terminals 110, at which point the service reception unit 495 accepts, processes and stores services into service record database in memory storage unit 455 of TSR terminal 1 10.

[00202] As depicted in FIGURE 29 400B, TSR gateway 155 logically connects with TSR terminal 110 by data connection 480. Connection 480 can be a physical serial connection, or a wireless connection, or network connection to a hub, router, or internet connection, or even can be cellular connection. TSR gateway 155 initiates connection 480 with TSR terminal 110 via CONNU 460 when the TSR gateway 155 uploads services to TSR terminal 110 for retailing to TSB 170. More specifically, TSR gateway 155 can encode, order, and package each service individually in a service retail record in accordance with format defined by system. The Service retail record can be included in the service retail request for example. The TSR gateway 155 can initiate the data connection 480 with TSR terminal 110 via CONNU 460 and, transmit the service retail request to TSR terminal 110. The service reception unit 495 of TSR terminal 110 can receive, extract service retail records from service retail request, and store data into service record database in memory storage unit 455.

[00203] As depicted in FIGURE 29 400B, TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120 logically connects with TSR gateway 155 by data connection 485. Data connection 485 can be a physical serial connection, and/or a wireless connection, and/or network connection to a hub, router, and/or internet connection, and/or a cellular connection. The connection 485 is established when TSP gateway 185 subscribes services to TSR gateway 155 for retailing services via TSR terminals 110.

[00204] In FIGURE 30 an exemplary system and method 200 for subscribing telecommunication services is described. In this example the TSP gateway 185 of the TSP 120 retailing their telecommunications services via service retailer's TSRS 150, sends services to the TSR gateway 155 of target TSRS 150. In this example, TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120 establishes a data connection 485 via network transport means with the TSR gateway 155, and packages each service in a service subscription record; embedding the service subscription record in a service subscription request. The TSP 120 transmits the service subscription request to connecting TSR gateway 155. TSR gateway 155 receives service subscription request, extracts service subscription records in service subscription request, and validates data in accordance with requirement and format defined by system. The TSR gateway 155 can then save service subscription record in database of TSR 240. The TSP 120 can add an option in service subscription record for preferred service location indicating, for example, where TSP 120 prefers service to be retailed, discounts, and/or other service promotions

[00205] As depicted in FIGURE 30, TSR gateway 155 of TSRS 150 can programmatically initiate a service upload to some or all TSR terminals 110 of TSRS 150 on a regular basis. In this example, TSR gateway 155 establishes data connection 485 to each TSR terminal 110 within its TSRS 150. For example, TSR gateway 155 can store the IP address of each TSR terminal 110 in its local memory prior to point of service uploading. For example, TSR gateway 155 can retrieve a list of addresses of a plurality of TSR terminals 110 of TSRS 150 from its database TSR 240. The address of each TSR terminal 110 can for example, determine the connectivity interface each TSR establishes data connection 480 with a particular TSR terminal 110. Preferably, all TSR terminals 110 can support IP -based data connections.

[00206] In this example, TSR gateway 155 can establish the data connection 480 to appropriate TSR terminal 110 within its TSRS 150, and package services to be retailed via target TSR terminal 110 in a service retail record in accordance with requirement and format defined by system. In addition, the TSR gateway 155 can include service retail records in service retail request, and transmits the service retail request to connecting TSR terminal 110. The connecting TSR terminal 110 can receive, unpack, and extract the service retail record out of service retail request, and stores it into the service record database in memory storage unit 455 of connecting TSR terminal 1 10.

[00207] FIGURE 31 is an exemplary embodiment of a system and method 300 for purchasing and dispensing telecommunication service products via TSR terminals 110. The system and method 300 is depicted with logical components embodying features of an embodiment of the invention. Bidirectional dotted arrows between TSBs 170 and TSR terminals 110, indicate interactions between TSBs 170 and vending machine TSR terminals 110, indicating TSBs 170 follow the prompts on user interface unit (not shown) of TSR terminals 110 to initiate a telecommunication service product purchase. Specifically, TSR terminal 1 10 can prompt TSB 170 to insert payment in coins and/or banknotes of local currency or one of those supported foreign currencies. The TSB 170 can press a series of key presses to select desired service options from the display (not shown). The UIU 445 (not shown) of TSR terminal 110 can receive input from TSB 170 and forwards input to PPU 450 (not shown) of TSR terminal 110. The PPU 450 can process received input and initiate appropriate programming task to carry out actions in accordance with input of service purchase request. The PPU 450 can prepare input selections in a service purchase request and coordinate with connectivity unit 460 (not shown) of TSR terminal 110 to establish data connection 385 with point-of-sales TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120. The PPU 450 can transmit service purchase request over data connection 385.

[00208] As depicted in FIGURE 31 , bidirectional dotted arrows between TSR terminals 110 and a plurality of TSP gateways 185, represent data communications back and forth between TSR terminals 110 and point-of-sales TSP gateways 185 of a plurality of TSPs 120. The TSPs 120 provide services and authorize service update in appropriate service account specified in service purchase requests. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, service accounts can be prepaid telecommunications service accounts previously established with TSP 120 with telecommunications service users TSU 175 who can access and logically use the services in the accounts by the means of electronic device ED 105.

[00209] TSP 120 can send sales transaction status and/or service delivery notices back to connecting TSR terminals 110 over established data connection 185. The TSR terminals 110 can present the sales transaction and service delivery information onto the display (not shown). TSBs 170 can review the purchase order, sale transaction result and/or service delivery information, and/or print such information out via a printing accessory if supported by TSR terminals 110.

[00210] Also, in FIGURE 31, the TSU 175 can physically interface with ED 105 to access purchased telecommunication products. In this example EDs 105 can connect to database 190 of TSP 120 via network interface 195 (not shown) to access telecommunication products purchased and accumulated in service account of the TSU 175, database TSP 190 can determine service amount being used by ED 105 and deduct an equivalent amount from service account balance of the TSU 175.

[00211] Turning to FIGURE 32 is an exemplary automatic telecommunication service product retailing and purchasing system and method 101. The exemplary system comprises four logical business domains: a telecommunications service retailer subsystem TSRS 150, a telecommunications service provision subsystem TSPS 180, a telecommunication service consumer subsystem TSCS 160, and a network interface subsystem NIS 195.

[00212] As depicted in FIGURE 32, the consumer subsystem TSCS 160 further comprises telecommunication TSB 170, telecommunications service users TSU 175, and service access device and/or electronic device ED 105. In this example, A service account of a TSU 175 is set up with a telecommunications TSP 120 (e.g., cellular network TSP 120), and the service account of TSU 175 is prepaid for telecommunications service-equivalent amount. TSU 175 can operate service access device ED 105 to access service prepaid in the service account. Once TSU 175 operating ED 105 uses up the amount of prepaid service in his/her service account, TSU 175 can buy telecommunication service products to apply in his/her service account as a designated depository. TSB 170 can be the TSU 175 him/herself buying telecommunication service products for his/her service account. Alternatively, the TSB can be someone other than the TSU 175; the TSU 175 can be any 3^rd party whose service account requires a service update. To update service in a service account, TSB 170 can provide the service account number of TSU 175 and preferably TSP 120 who provides service to TSU 175.

[00213] As depicted in FIGURE 32, a service retailer subsystem TSRS 150 further comprises a central telecommunications service retailer gateway 155, a central telecommunications service retailer database TSR 240, and a plurality of telecommunications service TSR terminals 110. The TSR gateway 155, database TSR 240, and TSR terminals 110, are logically and/or physically connected in a private network or virtual private network or via Internet. A central TSR gateway 155 of the TSRS 150 is the central management, coordination engine and service deployment center within the TSRS 150. The TRS gateway 155 of the TSRS 150 can be the central communications and service submission for TSPs 120 who can submit telecommunications services for retailing and distributing via TSRS 150. More specifically, TSPs 120 subscribe and submit telecommunications services to a target TSR gateway 155 of a TSRS 150. The Target TSR gateway 155 can in turn, deploy submitted telecommunications services to designated TSR terminals 110 within its TSRS 150. Designated TSR terminals 110 can provide technical means to bring deployed telecommunication service products to the TSBs who can interface with TSR terminals 110 to purchase telecommunication service products.

[00214] As depicted in FIGURE 32, a network interface subsystem NIS 195 is an intermediary component, comprising data connectivity medium including physical hardware and software to support communications channels further comprising, for example, data connections between physical components within and between the four subsystems: TSRS 150, TSPS 180, TSCS 160, and NIS 195. More specifically, individual data connection 485 is requested by TSP gateway 185 of a particular TSP 120 to be established at point-of-retail of TSR gateway 155 of a TSRS 150, for the purposes of subscribing and/or registering with TSRS 150, and for submitting telecommunications services to TSR gateway 155. For example, TSP gateway 185 can send a data connection request to TSR gateway 155 via point-of-retail address (e.g., IP-address). Once data connection 485 established, TSP gateway 185 can subscribe to TSRS 150 by registering for a TSP 120 account with TSR gateway 155 of TSRS 150. The TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120 reconnects to same TSR gateway 155 at the same point-of-retail address (e.g., IP-address) to submit telecommunications purchase that the TSP 120 may be interested in retailing or distributing via TSRS 150. The TSR gateway 155 and TSP gateway 185 are in communication by network means, for example, Ethernet connection, dial-up connection, wireless connection, and/or cellular connection through the connectivity medium of subsystem NIS 195.

[00215] As depicted in FIGURE 32, data connections 480 are logical and physical data transmission connections between TSR gateway 155 and the plurality of TSR terminals 110 within the TSRS 150. In this example, the TSR gateway 155 determines telecommunication service products submitted by TSP gateways 185 to TSP 120; those telecommunication service products are deployed and presented to TSBs 170 at designated service retail TSR terminals 110. The TSR gateway 155 establishes individual data connection 480 with each designated TSR terminal 110 within its TSRS 150, and, installs the available and/or offered telecommunication service products to designated service retailing TSR terminal 110. The data connection 480 can be established over connectivity medium of wired or wireless networks, or combination of both. For example, data connection 480 might be Ethernet network connection, DSL/ADSL connection, dial-up connection, Wifi or Wimax connection via router, or can be a cellular connection or combination of those network connections.

[00216] Additionally, data connections 480 between TSR terminals and TSR gateway 155 within the same TSRS 150 can provide communications means for service retailer-specific applications. For example, service retailer can, in exemplary embodiments, have its own services to serve the general mass of end-user such as Mobile Piggy-bank Savings and Telecommunications services, and/or Global Collect Call and Collect Messaging services. More specifically, TSR terminals 110 can be installed with a service application that enables TSBs 170 to put loose change, for example, into their mobile piggy-banks or, alternatively, withdraw cash from their piggy-bank virtually anywhere where the Mobile Piggy-Bank application is installed. TSR terminals 110 can provide automatic piggy-bank setup means for TSB 170 to register and set up their own piggy-banks with piggy-bank TSP 120. Other specific applications are Global collect call and collect Messaging services - for which TSR terminals 110 provide a user- friend interface for TSBs 170, for example in developing countries. Specifically, TSR terminals 110 can utilize and employ internet technologies to bring advanced telecommunication service products such as International collect calls, collect messaging to of the less computer- literate and/or affluent TSUs 175 and TSBs 170.

[00217] Data connections 385 are logical and physical data transmission connections between a plurality of TSR terminals 110 of TSRS 150 and a plurality of point-of-sales TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120. More specifically, individual data transmission connection 385 can be established by a service retailing TSR terminal 110 with a point-of-sales TSP gateway 185 of a specific TSP 120, for the purpose of purchasing a telecommunication service product. TSR terminal 110 can receive telecommunication service product sales orders and payments for selected telecommunication products from the TSB at UIU 445 (not shown) of retailing TSR terminal 110. Retailing TSR terminal 110 processes sales order and establishes data connection 385 at point-of-sales address of TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120. The retailing TSR terminal 110 transmits purchase request over data transmission connection 385. The data transmission connection 385 also reports the sale transaction and notifies TSB 170 of service delivery of telecommunication service product purchased. The data connection 385 can be established over connectivity medium such as wired or wireless networks, or combination of both. For example, if the point-of-sales address of TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120 is an IP -based address, then the retailing TSR terminal 110 utilizes IP -based network programming interface to request to establish IP -based data connection 385. If point-of-sales address of TSP gateway 185 of selected TSP 120 is a cellular telephone address preferring selling services by cellular data connection (e.g., SMS or GPRS connections), retailing TSR terminal 110 utilizes a cellular network connectivity interface to establish cellular connection 385 to make purchase request at target TSP 120.

[00218] Network interface connections 475 can be logical service access connections where service access connection is any form of connection that can interface with TSP 120 to access services of TSP 120. For example, the TSU 175 who operates electronic device ED 105 can access service account, for example to review service account information, or checking cellular airtime minutes remaining in his/her service account. This is a form of service access

^9 — connection 475 that even though a physical cellular resource has been utilized, there is no charge to the service account being accessed by ED 105 (or by his/her computer if he/she uses his/her computer to access cellular service account only). On the other hand, for example, service user TSU 175 who operates a cell phone ED 105 to make a cellular call. Servicing cellular network service provider CNSP 122 sets up cellular communication channel between ED 105 and the other telephone handset allowing two parties to talk to each other. In another scenario, the cellular network resource is accessed, and airtime minutes are assessed on the duration of the call; in this case there can be service charge to service account associated with TSU 175 who is operating ED 105. In fact, in the U.S. both parties of the call can pay for the airtime minutes of the call. Nonetheless, service access connection 475 is the virtual connection interfacing with network of CNSP 122 from the moment the telephone number is sent the network and network validates dialed number and service account of caller TSU 175. The service access connection 475 can be the connection over wired or wireless connections to interface with network or resource of CNSP 122. For example, cellular connection, landline telephone connection, Wifi, Wimax connection, and/or IP -based data packet connection.

[00219] In FIGURE 33-1, TABLE 31 an exemplary data structure of service subscription or service submission request is shown. The POS TSP gateway 185 of TSP 120 can create a data structure for service record and fill in appropriate data for all the fields specified in the service translation table (e.g., See FIGURES 21-1- 22-4 (TABLES 9-15)). The display name and TSP's 120 ID can be specified and copied in POSA and POSA type of POS TSP gateway 185 in accordance with system and method 7200. The TSP gateway 185 can preferably create multiple data structures for one or multiple service records. In addition, the TSP gateway 185 can create service subscription/submission requests, set "request" field to appropriate (e.g., 7000), and set "registration code" fields with 10-20 byte registration code or preference ID In one example, the registration code can be programmatically generated by TSR gateway 155 at time of registration online or manual set up between service retailer agent and service provider agent. The TSP gateway 185 can embed the programming data structure of service record in service subscription/mission request. The TSP gateway 185 can initiate a data connection with TSR gateway 155, transmits service subscription/submission request to connecting TSR gateway 155. When receiving service subscription/submission request, the TSR gateway 155 can validates the registration code, extract and validate data of service inside service record, and save service record in the service record database TSR 240. The TSP gateway 185 determine when and where to send additional information to TSR gateway 155 such as business authentication code, or special service command specific to TSP 120. [00220] Turning to FIGURE 33-2, TABLE 32 an exemplary programming data structure of service retail request is shown. In this example the TSR gateway 155 of TSRS 150 can retrieves a service record from service record database TSR 240, create a programming data structure for service record, and copy data of service record including display name and TSP's 120 ID, POSA and POSA type into appropriate data fields of programming data structure. The TSR gateway 155 can create one or multiple programming data structures for multiple service records. Furthermore, TSR gateway 155 of TSRS 150 can create a programming data structure for service retail request as defined by system and method 4100, set "request" field to appropriate, copies in service retailer payment account number and set payment account type to appropriate code, and embeds data structure for service record. The TSR gateway 155 can establish data connections, and broadcast service retail request to one or more TSR terminals 110 within same TSRS 150. When receiving the service retail request, TSR terminal 110 can extract service record, copy the service record into the local service record database and memory storage 455. TSR terminal 110 can extract and saves additional data such as, but not limited to retailer's payment account number, payment account type, as well as other data if provided. The TSR gateway 155 can decide to send other data to TSR terminals 110 such as retailer IDs, payment authentication code, POSA and POSA type of service retailer for data connection between TSR gateway 155 and member TSR terminals 110.

[00221] In FIGURE 34 a system and method 2000, is depicted to register a new cellular service from a selected TSP 120. The TSB 170 can interface with the UIU 445 of telecommunications service vending machine, TSR terminal 110. More specifically, TSB 170 can insert cash payment via payment acceptors of TSR terminal 110, and select, for example, Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM) presented on the display. The TSR terminal 110 can launch the MVM and populates a list of MVM' s services from which the TSB 170 can select "cellular communications service". In turn, TSR terminal 110 can populate a list of purchase operations for "Cellular Communications Service" from which the TSB 170 can then selects "new cellular account registration" option. TSR terminal 110 can populates a list of TSP 120 who can allow and/or enable TSB 170 to register a new cell phone service. TSB 170 can then selects a desired TSP 120, and TSR terminal 110 can present a list of available cell phone numbers corresponding to SIM cards on a stack available at TSR terminal 110. TSR terminal 110 can prompt TSB 170 to select cell phone number, and prompt TSB 170 to fill in user's personal information. The initiating TSR terminal 110 can prepare the service purchase request including data such as, but not limited to user personal information and new cell phone number. TSR terminal 110 can sends the purchase request to selected TSP 120 who can establish a new service account based on the submitted data, e.g., new cell phone number and user personal information. TSP 120 processes the service purchase request, handles payment, creates new service account, generates a new activation code associated with the newly created cell phone account, and returns the activation code to TSR terminal 110. The TSR terminal 110 can present activation code via display and dispenses corresponding SIM card of selected cell phone number from the SIM card stack to TSB 170 via SIM card dispenser. TSB 170 can insert SIM card and enter activation code to activate the new service account. In some embodiments where cellular technology does not use SIM card, the service TSR terminal 110 can opt to preclude that technology from the service list options. Alternatively, the service purchase request may request additional data fields to accommodate the data for user's personal information.

[00222] In FIGURES 35-46 exemplary embodiments of a shopping portal of an MVM- enabled internet retail service selling cellular airtime minutes online. In system 8000, the virtual online company called "VoViPay" implements telecommunications business option 8010 as its default. TSB 170 can use the keyboard associated with computer to make a purchase selection, for example TSB 170 can be prompted to use "reverse arrow key" 8030 to return to a previous menu to alter select if service buyer is so desired. A "forward arrow" key: 8040 allows service buyer to select next sub-item of the current selection (i.e., telecommunications in this case). A "Your Selection" panel 8020 can display what service is being selected by TSB 170. Once TSB 170 makes a selection and an option is chosen that option title is added to "Your Selection" panel 8020. A "Home" link allows TSB 170 to a return to main page of virtual company "VoViPay". If, as in example, service buyer selects "Calling Minute Vending Module," that service module can be added to the "Your Selection" panel 8020. Similarly, TSB 170 can select several options by similar selection process (not shown), and displayed to TSB 170 in "Your Selection" panel 8020 as depicted in system 9100 (e.g., including newly selected service provider "T-Mobile®". In system 9300, internet retail service "VoViPay" indicates that TSB 170 has reversed a selection and decided to select a different service provider, e.g., "AT&T®" from a pull-down list 9310, for example - and "Your Selection" panel 8020 updates the change.

[00223] Turning to Figure 42 of system 9400, TSB 170 can continue by pressing "continue" button 9410, and can confirm the existing customer service account by pressing a "NO" button 9510 to the "Are you a new customer?" question. In system 9600, service buyer can enters an existing cell phone number 9620 and presses "Proceed" button 9610. As depicted in this example, TSB 170 has not paid - and the total amount remains at $0.00. As a next step TSB 170 can select "Pay Now" 9710 to proceed to payment acceptor means. In one exemplary embodiment, the internet retail service "VoViPay" can present a payment form for service buyer to fill out, and method of payment is credit/debit card wherein TSB 170 is preferably presented choices of different card types in a pull-down list 9920, for example. Once TSB 170 selects a telecommunication service product for purchase, TSB 170 can select a "Buy Now" button 9910, for example, to purchase service specified in the "Your Selection" panel 8020. The MVM- enabled web application will process TSB's 170 purchase request in a manner similar to the stand-alone MVM device or machine does. However, said MVM-enabled web application can take advantage of the already-availed online shopping functionality that may service providers already have, and quickly connect and transmit data of service purchase request to selected service provider. When transaction is complete, TSP 120 can sends back the transaction result and service delivery information wherein the MVM-enabled web application handles and presents such information to service buyer.

[00224] Another embodiment of the present invention addresses multiple smaller-than- smallest-denomination purchases. In some instances some very small denomination can be set as a bottom-limit for purchase (e.g., $0.25USD or $1000VND) even though the TSR terminal 110 can accept optimally accept a range from zero - up. In one exemplary embodiment multiple small purchases can be implemented in service TSRS 150 where, for example, service retailer can set a service payment account with the TSP 120 within TSP 120 payment domain. For example, a service retailer can prepay for a block of service or services. The multiple service purchase requests of said that prepaid service from one or more TSR terminals 110 of service retailer are accredited to respective service account or accounts, and payments of those purchases are summed up and accumulated until some max limit is reached. In this scenario, TSP 120 can then deduct from service retailer's prepayment account within its domain.

[00225] Similarly, in another embodiment, a service retailer financial payment account is used. The service retailer provides financial payment account information to TSP 120 in advance. The one or more TSR terminals 110 of service retailer can send one or more small service purchase requests which received and processed by TSP 120. TSP 120 can programmatically validate and update service in appropriate service accounts indicated in service purchase requests. The payment amounts of those service purchase requests can then be summed up and accumulated until the max limit is succeeded, then TSP 120 can coordinate with the holder of the financial payment account, e.g., a trusted financial institution designated by service retailer, and requests a payment transaction from service retailer's financial payment account.

[00226] Alternatively, multiple TSR terminals 110 within the same TSRS 150 can forward small purchases to central service retailer TSR gateway 155, which can sort out purchases by TSP 120 and by service and by purchase operation. At a prearranged time, set be a timer for a payment period (e.g., 5 minutes), TSR gateway 155 can pack all small purchases for same TSP 120, and possibly of same service into ONE master service purchase request. That means this master service purchase request can contain more than one service purchase records. At which point the TSR gateway 155 can forward the master service purchase request to same selected TSP 120 who can process, validate data and update service accounts indicated service purchase record inside the master request. In addition, TSP 120 can compute the total payment amount of purchases, and deduct the total payment amount from service retailer's payment account in accordance with payment method type indicated in master service purchase request.

[00227] One embodiment of the invention is to prepay cellular airtime minutes from a selected TSP 120. The TSB 170 can interface with UIU 445 of telecommunications service vending machine, TSR terminal 110. More specifically, the TSB 170 can insert cash payment via payment acceptors of TSR terminals 110, and selects Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM) presented on the display. The TSR terminal 110 can launch the MVM and populate a list of MVM' s services from which the TSB 170 can select cellular communications service. In turn, TSR terminal 110 can populate a list of purchase operations for cellular communications service from which the TSB 170 can select "top-up call minutes." TSR terminal 110 can then populate a list of cellular communications TSPs 120 enabling TSB 170 to select and purchase top-up call minutes for a cell phone account. TSB 170 can select an appropriate TSP 120, e.g., the primary provider of the cell phone account that he/she is about to prepay cellular airtime minutes for. Once TSB 170 selects a TSP 120, TSR terminal 110 can prompt TSB 170 to enter the cell phone account number. TSR terminal 110 can process all TSB 170 inputs selected and electronically contact selected TSP 120 to purchase cellular airtime minutes for given cell phone account. Once the purchase transaction is completed, TSR terminal 110 can present the purchase order and result of purchase transaction and/or service delivery instructions to the TSB 170. Alternatively, TSP 120 can send a service delivery notice to the cell phone whose account was updated, for example in situations where TSB 170 and service user are not the same individual.

[00228] Another embodiment of present invention supports global "messaging to cell phone number" from a selected TSP 120. The TSB 170 can interface with UIU 445 of telecommunications service vending machine, TSR terminal 110. More specifically, the TSB 170 can inserts cash payment via payment acceptors of TSR terminal 110 (or skip the payment if TSR terminal 110 provides a limited free messaging service e.g., TSB 170 can enter zero payment), and selects Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM) presented on the display. The TSR terminal 110 can launch the MVM and populate a list of MVM' s services from which the TSB 170 can select "global Collect call and Collect Messaging Service". In turn, TSR terminal 110 can populate a list of purchase operations for "global Collect call and Collect Messaging Service" from which the TSB 170 can then select "Messaging to cell phone number". The TSR terminal 110 can then populate a list of TSPs 120 who can allow TSB 170 to send a message to a cell phone (e.g., cell phone at anywhere in the world). The TSB 170 can select a desired TSP 120, and TSR terminal 110 can present a message windows showing different message fields including destination cell phone number, callback address (e.g., cell phone or landline phone, or email address), possible message subject (e.g., prefixed with EMERGENCY, URGENT, etc.), and text field which is limited to 160 characters (i.e. the same length of one SMS message), and prompts TSB 170 to compose a text message. TSR terminal 110 can process TSB 170 inputs selected and information provided, and electronically contact selected TSP 120 to request to send an SMS message (include the composed text), to given destination cell phone number. Once the Service and/or purchase transaction is completed, TSR terminal 110 can present the purchase order and result of service transaction (e.g., indicating whether the SMS message is successfully sent to destination.)

[00229] In another embodiment of the present invention is to set up a Mobile Piggy- bank account from a selected piggy-bank TSP 120. The TSB 170 can interface with UIU 445 of telecommunications service vending machine, TSR terminal 110. More specifically, the TSB 170 can insert cash payment via payment acceptors of TSR terminals, and selects Piggy-bank Savings and Telecommunications Module (PSTM) presented on the display. The TSR terminal 110 can launch the PSTM and populate a list of PSTM' s services from which the TSB 170 can select "Mobile Piggy-bank Savings service". In turn, TSR terminal 110 can populate a list of purchase operations for Mobile Piggy-bank Savings service from which the TSB 170 can selects "Set-up Mobile Piggy-bank account". The TSR terminal 110 can in turn, populate a list of TSPs 120 who provide TSB 170 the option of the Mobile Piggy-bank account. The TSB 170 can select a desired TSP 120, and TSR terminal 110 can prompt TSB 170 to provide new user's personal information or profile. TSR terminal 110 can process all TSB 170 inputs selected and user's personal information including, for example, the cell phone number which will be used in combination with selected service provider code to generate the account number. The TSR terminal 110 can electronically contact selected TSP 120 to set up new piggy-bank account. Once the Purchase transaction completed, the TSR terminal 110 can present the purchase order and result of purchase transaction and service delivery instructions including new piggy-bank account number.

[00230] Another embodiment of the invention is a top up feature for Mobile Piggy-bank savings from a selected piggy-bank TSP 120. In this example the TSB 170 can interface with user interface unit of telecommunications service vending machine, TSR terminal 110. More specifically, the TSB 170 can insert cash payment via payment acceptors of TSR terminals, and select "Piggy-bank Savings and Telecommunications Module (PSTM)" presented on the display. The TSR terminal 110 can launch the PSTM and populate a list of PSTM' s services from which the TSB 170 can select "Mobile Piggy-bank Savings service". In turn, TSR terminal 110 can populate a list of purchase operations for "Mobile Piggy-bank Savings service" from which the TSB 170 can selects "Top-up Mobile Piggy-bank Savings". The TSR terminal 110 then populates another list of TSPs 120 who can allow TSB 170 to top up Mobile Piggy-bank savings with them. The TSB 170 can select desired TSP 120, and TSR terminal 110 prompts TSB 170 to provide existing Mobile Piggy-bank Savings account number. The TSB 170 provides Piggy-bank Savings account number, TSR terminal 110 can process all inputs selected and given Piggy-bank Savings account number, and electronically contact selected TSP 120 to top up given piggy-bank account with prepaid amount. Once the purchase transaction is completed, TSR terminal 110 can present the purchase order and result of purchase transaction and service delivery instructions to TSB 170.

[00231] In another embodiment of the invention payment of a telecommunications service products with a Mobile Piggy-bank account number is provides. In this example, the TSB 170 can interface with UIU 445 of TSR terminal 110. The TSB 170 can, as a first option select a telecommunications service product. In a system enabled with this feature as in this example, TSB 170 can select "Piggy-bank Savings and Telecommunications Module (PSTM)" presented on the display. The TSR terminal 110 can launch the PSTM and populate a list of PSTM's services from which the TSB 170 can select "Pay telecommunications service". In response to selection, TSB 170 is presented a window to enter Piggy-bank account number (and possibly a short PIN and/or authorization number), and the total payment amount of payment. The Piggy-bank account can validate the payment with appropriate Piggy-bank service provider based on PIN and the encoded service provider code within the Piggy-bank account number (to ensure a correct Piggy-bank account number is entered and adequate fund is available for a payment). Once the Piggy-bank account is validated and transfer occurs, TSR terminal 110 can continue to populate a list of MVM' s telecommunications service products to present to TSB 170.

[00232] In another embodiment of the invention a top up international calling minutes feature is enabled through a call service company. In this example, the TSB 170 can interface with UIU 445 of TSR terminal 110. More specifically, TSB 170 can insert cash payment via payment acceptors of TSR terminals 110, and select "Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM)" presented on the display. In response to TSB 170 selection, the TSR terminal 110 can launch the MVM and populate a list of MVM's services from which TSB 170 can select "International Call Service". In response, TSR terminal 110 can populate a list of purchase operations for "International Call Service" from which TSB 170 can select "Top-up International calling minutes". In response, the TSR terminal 110 can populate a list of TSPs 120 who can provide TSB 170 with the service option of top up International calling minutes. The TSB 170 can select a desired TSP 120, and TSR terminal 110 can then prompt TSB 170 to provide his/her handset telephone number from which international calls can be made. The TSB 170 can provide handset telephone number, TSR terminal 110 can process all inputs selected and electronically contact selected TSP 120 to top up International calling minutes for the account associated with the given handset telephone number. Once the purchase transaction is completed TSR terminal 110 can present the purchase order and result of purchase transaction and service delivery instructions, including, for example, the bridge international call number, wherein the international caller can dial first to international call gateway, and then dial the international destination number.

[00233] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it should be understood that the invention and the inventive principles are not limited to any particular kind of computer system, may be used with any general purpose computer, as would be known to one familiar with art; arranged to perform the functions described and the methods steps as herein described. The operations of such a computer, as described above, may be according to a computer program contained on a medium for use in the operation or control of the computer, as would be known to one familiar with the art. The computer medium that may be used to hold or contain the computer program product, may be a fixture of the computer such as an embedded memory or may be on a transportable medium such as a disk, as would be known to one familiar with the art.

[00234] The invention is not limited to any particular computer program or logic or language, or instruction but may be practiced with any such suitable program, logic or language, or instructions as would be known to one familiar with the art. Without limiting the principles of the disclosed invention any such computing system can include, inter alia, at least a computer readable medium allowing a computer to read data, instructions, messages or message packets, and other computer readable information from the computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may include non-volatile memory, such as ROM, Flash memory, floppy disk, Disk drive memory, CD-ROM, and other permanent storage. Additionally, a computer readable medium may include, for example, volatile storage such as RAM, buffers, cache memory, and network circuits. Furthermore, the computer readable medium may include computer readable information in a transitory state medium such as a network link and/or a network interface, including a wired network or a wireless network, that enables a computer to read such computer readable information. [00235] Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the present description is provided only by way of illustrative example and should in no manner be construed to limit the invention as described herein. Numerous modifications and alternate embodiments of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only in terms of the following claims.

Claims

I Claim:

1. A system for retail and purchase of at least one telecommunication service product, comprising: retailing means, for providing at least one telecommunication service product for purchase to a purchasing party including: at least one payment acceptor means; an input means for selecting payment options, selecting the at least one telecommunication service product, and designating a depository to receive the at least one telecommunication service product purchased; a processor means for receiving a sales order and payment from the purchasing party for the at least one telecommunication service product, creating a purchase request from the sales order of the purchasing party, and processing the payment from the purchasing party; a communication means for communicating purchase request and payment information;

a network transport means for communicating the purchase request from the retailing means; and a provisioning means, for receiving the purchase request from the network transport means, including: an authenticating and validating means for authenticating and validating the purchase request, and a delivery means for delivering the at least one telecommunication service product purchased by the purchasing party to the designated depository of the purchasing party.

2. The system of Claim 1, wherein the designated depository of the purchasing party comprises a telecommunications service account established with the provisioning means.

3. The system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one payment acceptor means accepts coins and paper money from the purchasing party.

4. The system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one payment acceptor means accepts bank or credit card payment from the purchasing party.

5. The system of Claim 1, wherein the retailing means comprises at least one of a plurality of telecommunications service retail terminals.

6. The system of Claim 5, wherein the telecommunications service retail terminal of the retailing means is the point of sale for purchasing party wherein the purchasing party selects a telecommunication service product selected from a telecommunications service listing of the TSR terminal.

7. The system of Claim 1, wherein the provisioning means is a telecommunication service provider gateway.

8. The system of Claim 1, wherein the network transport means communicates sales transaction status and product delivery information from provisioning means to the retailing means.

9. The system of Claim 1, wherein the retailing means dispenses sale transaction status and delivery information to the purchasing party.

10. The system of Claim 1, wherein the retailing means is a mobile minutes vending machine, comprising: a telecommunications service selection means wherein purchasing party can select at least one telecommunication service product and designate a cellular telephone account as the designated depository of the at least one telecommunication service product; and a payment acceptor means wherein purchasing party can purchase at least one telecommunication service product for the cellular telephone account, by making a payment to the mobile minutes vending machine.

11. The system of Claim 1, wherein the network transport means further comprises: a data connection means; and a network interface means to forward the sales order from the retailing means to a designated provisioning means.

12. The system of Claim 1, wherein the provisioning means notifies the retailing means of sales transaction status and product delivery information.

13. The system of Claim 1 wherein, the retailing party further comprises: a user interface means with a display presenting a preferred telecommunications service listing wherein purchasing party can select at least one telecommunication service product for purchase from the telecommunications service listing; and a payment acceptor means wherein purchasing party can make any amount of payment to purchase the at least one telecommunication service product.

14. The system of Claim 1, wherein retailing means provides an input means wherein the purchasing party selects the at least one telecommunication service product from at least one of a plurality of preferred telecommunications businesses.

15. The system of Claim 14, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected at least one of a plurality of preferred telecommunications services of the at least one of a plurality of preferred telecommunications business.

16. The system of Claim 15, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from at least one of a plurality of preferred purchase operations of the at least one preferred telecommunications service.

17. The system of Claim 16, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from at least one of a plurality of preferred service providers providing at least one of the plurality of purchase operations.

18. The system of Claim 14, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected by the purchasing party from a group of telecommunications businesses, comprising: Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM), Broadband Internet, Cable Internet, Cable TV Module (BCIM), GPS Module (GPSM), wireless Access, Wimax Access Module (WAM), or Piggy-bank Savings Telecommunications Module (PSTM).

19. The system of Claim 15, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from a group of telecommunications services, comprising: Cellular Communication Service, Landline communication Service, International call Service, Internet VoIP call Service and Global Collect call, or Collect Messaging Service.

20. The system of Claim 16, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from a group of telecommunications purchase operations, comprising: Top-up Call Minutes, Joint Active Call Accounts, New cellular Account Registration, or Change cell phone number.

21. A method for retail and purchase of at least one telecommunication service product, comprising: receiving a sales order and payment from a purchasing party for at least one telecommunications service product at a retailing device; selecting, at the retailing device, a designated depository of the purchasing party to receive the at least one telecommunications service product after purchase of the at least one telecommunications service product; creating, at the retailing device, a purchase request of the purchasing party; communicating, via a network transport component, the purchase request and payment information; receiving, at the provisioning component, the purchase request from the network transport component; authenticating and validating, at the provisioning component, the purchase request; and delivering, to the designated depository of the purchasing party, the at least one telecommunication service product purchased by purchasing party.

22. The method of Claim 21, wherein the designated depository of the purchasing party comprises a telecommunications service account established with the provisioning component.

23. The method of Claim 21 , wherein the retailing device comprises at least one of a plurality of telecommunications service retail (TSR) terminals.

24. The method of Claim 23, wherein the TSR terminal of the retailing device is the point of sale for purchasing party, wherein the purchasing party selects a telecommunication service product selected from a telecommunications service listing at the TSR terminal.

25. The method of Claim 21, wherein the provisioning component comprises at least one of a plurality of telecommunications service provisioning gateways.

26. The method of Claim 21, wherein the retailing device is a mobile minutes vending machine (MVM), comprising: a telecommunications service selection component wherein the purchasing party selects at least one telecommunication service product and designates any cellular telephone account as the designated depository of the at least one telecommunication service product; and a payment acceptor component wherein purchasing party purchases the at least one telecommunication service product for the cellular telephone account, by making a payment to the minute vending machine.

27. The method of Claim 21, wherein the network transport component further comprises: a data connection means; and a network interface means to forward the purchase request from the retailing device to a designated provisioning component.

28. The method of Claim 21, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from at least one of a plurality of preferred telecommunications businesses.

29. The method of Claim 28, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from at least one of a plurality of preferred telecommunications services of the at least one of the plurality of preferred telecommunications business.

30. The method of Claim 29, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from at least one of plurality of preferred purchase operations of the at least one of the plurality of the preferred telecommunications service.

31. The method of Claim 30, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from at least one of the plurality of preferred service providers who provide the at least one of the plurality of purchase operations.

32. The method of Claim 28, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from a group of telecommunications businesses, comprising: Calling Minute Vending Module (MVM), Broadband Internet, Cable Internet, Cable TV Module (BCIM), GPS Module (GPSM), wireless Access, Wimax Access Module (WAM), and Piggy- bank Savings Telecommunications Module (PSTM).

33. The method of Claim 29, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected by the purchasing party from a group of telecommunications services, comprising: Cellular Communication Service, Landline communication Service, International call Service, Internet VoIP call Service and Global Collect call and Collect Messaging Service, Mobile Piggy-bank Savings service, Mobile Piggy-bank Telecommunications service.

34. The method of Claim 30, wherein the at least one telecommunication service product purchased is selected from a group of telecommunications purchase operations, comprising: Top-up Call Minutes, Joint Active Call Accounts, New cellular Account Registration, and Change cell phone number, Messaging to cell phone number, Messaging to email, Messaging to IM, Messaging to landline phone, Collect caller to call MVM terminal, Set-up Mobile Piggy- bank account, Top-up Mobile Piggy-bank Savings, Mobile Piggy-bank withdrawal, Pay Telecommunications service by Mobile Piggy-bank Savings.

35. The method of Claim 21, wherein the retailing device furthers comprises: a user interface with a display presenting a preferred telecommunications service listing wherein the purchasing party can select at least one telecommunication service product for purchase from the preferred telecommunications service listing; and a payment acceptor component wherein the purchasing party can make any amount of payment to purchase the at least one telecommunication service product.

36. A method for retailing at least one telecommunication service product through a plurality of service retailers, comprising: communicating, to at least one telecommunication service retailer terminal, at least one telecommunication service product offered by a telecommunication service provider for purchase to a purchasing party; receiving a purchase request for at least one telecommunication service product from the at least one telecommunication service retailer; authenticating and validating the purchase request from the at least one telecommunication service retailer; activating the purchase request of the at least one telecommunication service product by communicating to the telecommunications service provider and transferring the telecommunication service product to a designated depository of the purchasing party; communicating completion of the purchase request between the purchasing party and the service retailer to the purchasing party by confirming transfer of the telecommunication service product to the designated depository of the purchasing party.

37. A method for retailing at least one telecommunication service product through a plurality of service retailers, comprising: presenting telecommunications services offered by a telecommunication service provider, payment options, and designated depository options to a purchasing party at a telecommunication service retailer terminal; receiving a sales order and payment for at least one telecommunication service product of the purchasing party; generating a service purchase request from the sales order; communicating the service purchase request of the sales order to at least one telecommunications service provider; receiving confirmation of the activated purchase request of the at least one telecommunication service product from the at least one telecommunications service provider; receiving confirmation of the completion of sales transaction between the purchasing party and the telecommunications service retailer terminal; and confirming a transfer of the at least one purchased telecommunication service product to the designated depository of the purchasing party.

38. A telecommunications service retail terminal device comprising; a user interface unit having, a service selection component, a purchase determination component, a service provider resolution component, and service acquisition component, wherein a telecommunications service product buyer inputs data to generate a purchase request to purchase at least one telecommunication service product, designate a depository for the at least one purchased telecommunication service product, and receive confirmation of purchase and transfer to the designated depository of the at least one purchased telecommunication service product; a purchase processing unit comprising a service purchase request reception means, a purchase request processing means, a data translation means, a payment settlement means, a service update means, and a delivery notification means wherein the purchasing processing unit receives the purchase request, processes the purchase request, receives payment from the telecommunications service buyer, and communicates the purchase request from the user interface unit to a provisioning component; a local memory storage unit to store data of telecommunications services offered at the device, purchase request data, and service transaction data; and a network connection and transmission means to communicate the purchase request to a telecommunications service provider gateway, and to receive confirmation of the purchase request and a transfer of the at least one purchased telecommunication service product to the designated depository of the telecommunications service product buyer.

39. The device of Claim 38, wherein the network and transmission means further comprises software and hardware to receive and transmit data between telecommunication service retailer gateways, and to receive and transmit data between a plurality of telecommunication service provider gateways.