Method and apparatus for holding a product in escrow "For Sale"

• US 20020073036A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Candelore, Brant
• Original Assignee: Candelore, Brant
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant
• Application Number:
  US09/972,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073036A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A secure holder enables a buyer and seller to conduct a remote purchasing transaction while maintaining the security of the transaction. The secure holder controls a secure location. A seller places an item related to a remote purchasing transaction with the secure holder, who keeps the item in the secure location. The item can be an item for sale or an item related to a service for sale. The seller cannot access the item once the item is advertised for sale. A buyer wishing to purchase the item pays the secure holder or the seller, and the item is released to the buyer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

securing an item at a secure location by a secure holder, said secure holder being a third party separate from a seller and a buyer;

offering the item for sale after the item has been secured by the secure holder; and

upon completion of as purchased of the secured item, providing the buyer authorization for access to the item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

denying the seller of the item access to the item once the item is accepted by the holder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

verifying background information of the seller of the item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

providing background information of the secure holder to the seller of the item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

marketing the item through a remote purchasing system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

marketing the item at a public location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

viewing the item from a remote site via an imaging remotely coupled to the secure location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

manipulating the item from a remote site via a remote manipulation device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

viewing the item at a public location via an imaging device coupled to an interior section of the location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

manipulating the item at a public location through a remote manipulation device coupled to an interior section of the secure location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

conducting a remote purchasing transaction between the buyer and the seller, the buyer and the seller being physically removed from each other during the remote purchasing transaction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

allowing access through use of a transaction device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

maintaining an association in a secure server between the buyer and the transaction device using a transaction device identifier.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the transaction device is selected from the group consisting of a privacy card, digital wallet, and a privacy card configured to be coupled to a digital wallet.

16. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, further comprising a transaction privacy clearinghouse (TPCH) coupled to the secure holder, the TPCH to interact with a transaction device identifier and to authorize the transaction based upon the transaction device identifier and account information of the buyer without providing the identity of the buyer.

17. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, wherein the secure holder denies the seller of the item access to the item once the item is accepted by the holder.

18. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, wherein the secure holder verifies background information of the seller of the item.

19. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, wherein the secure holder provides background information of the secure holder to a seller of the item.

20. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, wherein the secure holder markets the item through a remote purchasing system.

21. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, wherein the secure holder markets the item at a public location.

22. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, further comprising an imaging remotely coupled to the secure location for the buyer to view the item from a remote site.

23. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, further comprising a remote manipulation device for the buyer to manipulate the item from a remote site.

24. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, further comprising an imaging device coupled to an interior section of the location for the buyer to view the item at a public location.

25. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, further comprising a remote manipulation device coupled to an interior section of the secure location for the buyer to manipulate the item at a public location.

26. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, wherein the secure holder conducts a remote purchasing transaction between the buyer and the seller, the buyer and the seller being physically removed from each other during the remote purchasing transaction.

27. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 15, wherein the secure holder allows access through use of a transaction device.

28. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 27, wherein the secure holder maintains an association in a secure server between a buyer and the transaction device using a transaction device identifier.

29. The remote purchasing transaction system of claim 27, wherein the transaction device is selected from the group consisting of a privacy card, digital wallet, and a privacy card configured to be coupled to a digital wallet.

15. A remote purchasing transaction system comprising:

a secure holder to secure an item to be offered for sale at a future date and to provide a buyer with authorization for access to the item upon completion of a purchased of the secured item, the secure holder a third party separate from a seller and the buyer.

30. A machine-readable storage medium having a sequence of instructions executable to cause a machine to perform a method comprising:

securing an item at a secure location by a secure holder, said secure holder being a third party separate from a seller and a buyer;

offering the item for sale after the item has been secured by the secure holder; and

upon completion of as purchased of the secured item, providing the buyer authorization for access to the item.

31. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

denying a seller of the item access to the item once the item is accepted by the holder.

32. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

verifying background information of a seller of the item.

33. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

providing background information of the secure holder to a seller of the item.

34. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

marketing the item through a remote purchasing system.

35. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

marketing the item at a public location.

36. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

viewing the item from a remote site via an imaging remotely coupled to the secure location.

37. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

manipulating the item from a remote site via a remote manipulation device.

38. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

viewing the item at a public location via an imaging device coupled to an interior section of the location.

39. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

manipulating the item at a public location through a remote manipulation device coupled to an interior section of the secure location.

40. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

conducting a remote purchasing transaction between a buyer and a seller, the buyer and the seller being physically removed from each other during the remote purchasing transaction.

41. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

allowing access through use of a transaction device.

42. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 41, wherein accepting the item further comprises:

maintaining an association in a secure server between a buyer and the transaction device using a transaction device identifier.

43. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 41, wherein the transaction device is selected from the group consisting of a privacy card, digital wallet, and a privacy card configured to be coupled to a digital wallet.