The Call & See Technology relies on two parallel communication channels between a customer and a content provider:

      1. Internet connection
   Any type of Internet connection, no matter whether dial-up, ADSL or broadband, can be used. Call & See is completely independent of the technology used for accessing the Internet.
      2. Telephone connection
   While surfing the web a customer makes a phone call to the telephony server. The price charged to the customer will appear on his or her phone bill. Depending on the type of service, the call may be forwarded and connected to a person to permit direct conversation.

   The non-free-of-charge content is available as long as the customer stays on the phone. Disconnecting the phone call interrupts the web content.

   Note: this scheme makes most sense where the web content consists of a (live) video stream. However, other use cases can be beneficial as well.

      Telephony Server
   The Telephony Server is connected to the PSTN via a PRI (primary rate interface) connection. It handles calls from customers and optionally connects them to a content provider.
      Web Server
   Interacts with the Telephony Server, manages customer sessions and controls the video stream.
      Video Server
   Converts the signal from a video camera into an Internet compatible data stream.
      PSTN
   The Public Switched Telephony Network system is used for billing and voice communication.
      Internet
   The Internet carries the video stream.
      Customer
   The customer uses a regular computer running standard software with any type of Internet connection.
      Content Provider (e.g. Hostess)
   The person behind the camera. For logging in and out, a web browser (i.e. PC with Internet connection, not in depicted in the diagram) is required in addition.

   A web surfer browses the Internet and finds some content which is not free of charge. Clicking on the hyperlink opens a pop-up window with instructions to make a call to a business number. The surfer calls and hears a short code, which s/he enters in the browser. Then, the video image of a content provider, e.g. an expert or a hostess, becomes visible.

   At the same time the phone call is connected to the content provider, thus the customer can directly talk to that person. The value content stays visible for the duration of the call. When the customer (or the content provider) disconnects, the Call & See technology ensures that the video stream is cut off as well.

   The price for consuming the value content is added to the customer’s phone bill. Using an anonymous prepaid chip, the customer may choose to keep such expenses invisible to other parties.

      Credit Card
   Payments based on credit cards are a well established scheme.

   Advantages:

• Suitable for relatively large payments
• Well established, well known

   Disadvantages:

• Relatively high processing charges
• No anonymity
• Security concerns of customers

      Dialers
   Dialers are quite a common billing mechanism. Yet, this technology has received a very bad reputation. Dialers appeared that are truly malicious to the point where they pose a threat comparable to viruses and Trojan horses etc. As a result, people have become very reluctant to use dialers.

   Advantages:

• Simple to use
• Suitable for time-dependent charging

   Disadvantages:

• Security concerns of customers
• Bad reputation, low acceptance
• Open to fraud
• Only limited anonymity

      Proprietary Online Accounts
   With this scheme customers are required to sign up and typically make a prepayment. Then they can consume services until their credit points are used up.

   Advantages:

• Suitable for tight customer relationships

   Disadvantages:

• Overhead for signing up, no quick and spontaneous access possible
• Overhead for maintaining customer accounts (customer support)
• Only works if customers return on a relatively frequent bases
• No anonymity
• Security concerns depending on payment method (e.g. credit card)

      Dedicated Access Software
   Dedicated access software is often used in conjunction with online accounts. The user is required to download and install dedicated software on his or her computer.

   Advantages:

• Optimised access to content
• Typically easy to use

   Disadvantages:

• Low acceptance among customers
• Security risk
• Non-transparent to customer

      Cyber Money
   All sorts of attempts have been made to create a currency system suitable for the Internet. None has really every reached anything like a general acceptance. Thus, these system are not viable and useful for the time being.

      Call & See

   Advantages:

• Simple to use
• Fully transparent, users start and terminate the billing process explicitly
• Fully anonymous, if desired
• Well suited for time-dependent charging

   Disadvantages:

• Requires extra phone connection

      Conclusion
   Call & See avoids most of the severe drawbacks of other technologies and is clearly superior for a range of application areas.

      Invocation
   Call & See is typically integrated into an existing web site, which provides an overview of specific offers. When a customer selects an item, he or she just clicks a hyperlink. A pop-up window opens, in which the non-free-of-charge content is displayed.

      Service Types

• Continuous Charging
     Continuous charging is typically used where a time varying signal is transmitted to a customer, for instance a movie or a video image. Other types of services with time dependent charges are just as well possible.
   
• Bulk Charging
     Call & See can also be used to charge for fixed price offers, such as file download etc.

      Video Stream Content
   Although, Call & See can be used for other purposes, it is best suited where video streams shall be offered, in particular live streams directly from a video camera.
   In cases, where a video stream shall be available to multiple users in parallel, a video broadcast server can be integrated.

      CP Console
   In case of expert or hostess services (as opposed to access to archived content), the content providing person needs a way to interact with the system. For instance to start work, to take breaks or to modify various system parameters. Call & See provides a fully web based user interface, which permits the content provider to perform the following tasks:

• Log in and out
• Take a break
• View the video image
• View the system state and statistical data
• View system messages (sent by system administrators)
• Modify system settings

      Admin Console
   For setting up and configuring a system as well as managing it during operation, system administrators need a set of tools to perform their task.
   Call & See features a fully web based administration tool that provides access to all system settings. Moreover, the tool supports a number of wizards to efficiently execute typical tasks, such as registering new content provider, setting up their workplaces etc.

      Accounting
   Data relevant for accounting is permanently collected by Call & See.
   Dedicated tools permit to derive accounting information, such as work- and online time of content providers, average session durations etc.

      Statistics
   The same data can easily be used to create statistical analyses about the system: total work and online time, average session durations, number of sessions, percentage of successful sessions etc.

      Interfaces
   Call & See supports the following interfaces to other systems:

• Invocation
     A simple HTML link embedded in a web site is sufficient to invoke Call & See.
• Proprietary Payment Systems
     In cases where a portal has an existing payment system in place, a simple HTTP based transaction interface can be used to perform synchronisation with Call & See.
• Accounting
     A flexible interfacing scheme allows forwarding this information into existing accounting systems.

   Any interesting content that is not free of charge attracts hackers. Complete security is neither possible nor affordable. Call & See has a number of security measures built in to avoid misuse in an efficient and cost effective way.

   inACTsoft GmbH has a patent pending that covers the Call & See technology. Thus, any comparable technology that uses a phone connection to charge for and control a service made available through the Internet is potentially in conflict with this patent.

   At present, all features are implemented and have been thoroughly tested in an extended field test with actual customers.

• Extension of and improvements to Call & See administrative tools
• Support for alternative video streaming systems according to customer’s requirements
• Integration with streaming video broadcasting servers
• Extended functionality of accounting and statistical evaluation
• Security improvements