Method in trade

• US 20020198737A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jarkko Valtanen
• Original Assignee: Jarkko Valtanen
• Inventors: Valtanen, Jarkko
• Application Number:
  US10/182,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198737A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method in trade, wherein a customer (A) effects a purchase for acquiring a product, a service, a game voucher and/or the like from a service provider (PT), such as a seller (M), a server (P) and/or the like, in which process the customer chooses, confirms and/or pays for their purchase, whereby the service provider (PT), if necessary after the verification of personal data, credit information and/or the like, confirms that the purchase transaction has been properly conducted and transmits to the customer at least a receipt or the like in an electronic mode substantiating the legitimacy of a purchase transaction and for storing the same in an electronic memory (C) possessed by the customer (A). Following an accepted purchase transaction, the customer (A) is supplied with a so-called smart certificate of purchase (X), which contains an independent information package, such as a file or the like, by means of which a purchase transaction between the customer (A) and the service provider (PT) is immediately identifiable and venfiable in procedures regarding an acquired product, service or the like, such as a transfer of the same to another customer, a resale, a redemption or the like exploitation.

Claims

1. A method in trade, wherein a customer (A) effects a purchase for acquiring a product, a service, a game voucher and/or the like from a service provider (PT), such as a seller (M), a server (P) and/or the like, in which process the customer chooses, confirms and/or pays for their purchase, whereby the service provider (PT), if necessary after the verification of personal data, credit information and/or the like, confirms that the purchase transaction has been properly conducted and transmits in an electronic mode to the customer a certificate of purchase storable in an electronic memory (C) possessed by the customer (A), which enables the claiming/exploitation of a product, a service, a game voucher and/or the like, characterized in that the customer (A) is supplied with a so-called smart certificate of purchase (X) containing an independent information package, such as a file or the like, by means of which transactions made available to the customer (A), such as information searches, use of extra services and/or the like, and/or a further processing of the certificate of purchase (X), such as a sale thereof, a transfer to another customer, its updating and/or the like, are implementable by using a so-called automated establishment of communication with the service provider (PT).

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the smart certificate of purchase (X) is provided with a customer identifier (X2), such as a PIN code, especially for enabling the service provider (PT) to verify that a transaction directed to a product, a service, a game voucher and/or the like, constituting an object of trade, is only conducted by the customer (A) authorized to do so.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the smart certificate of purchase (X) is stored in a customer'"'"'s electronic memory (C) while provided with the customer identifier (X2), such as a PIN code, in such a way that the exploitation thereof is implementable anonymously, whereby the customer (A) need not disclose their identity in the process of claiming or otherwise exploiting a product, a service, a game voucher and/or the like purchased by said customer.

4. A method as set forth in any of the preceding claims 1-3, characterized in that, along with the smart certificate of purchase (X), a customer is supplied with so-called hyperlinks or the like for guiding the customer (A) through the intermediary of their data processing device (TL) and/or the internet to sources of further information, services and/or the like.

5. A method as set forth in any of the preceding claims 1-4, characterized in that the smart certificate of purchase is provided with an information element (X3), which carries information transmitted to the customer (A), such as word processing documents, SAP-mode documents, graphic representations and/or the like, which the customer can visualize by means of their own data processing device (TL) by clicking a hyperlink or the like incorporated in the visual element (X2) included therein.

6. A method as set forth in any of the preceding claims 1-5, characterized in that the smart certificate of purchase is provided with a service element (X4), which carries data, such as an IP address for the service provider (PT) or other such information, on the basis of which a further processing of the certificate of purchase (X), such as a sale thereof, a transfer to another customer, its updating and/or the like, is implementable by using a so-called automated establishment of communication with the service provider (PT).

7. A method as set forth in any of the preceding claims 1-6, characterized in that the smart certificate of purchase is provided with an identification element (X5) containing necessary information, on the basis of which the customer'"'"'s (A) right to a purchase transaction recorded therein is specifiable in such a way that, if necessary, the commercial transaction relating to an acquired product, service, game voucher and/or the like can be brought to a conclusion, such that the customer is able to safeguard their anonymity as desired.