Electronic money instrument
First Claim
1. A method of providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
issuing to the user an item having a unique serial number to the user;
retrievably storing item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
receiving a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
accessing the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
approving the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
refusing the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is less than the requested amount; and
upon approval, retrievably storing additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for finds can be approved.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and related computer system hardware and software are provided for an electronic money instrument, delivered by an issuer to a consumer in a specific amount having a unique serial number. The consumer, who does not wish to disclose credit card, debit card or other account information in an online transaction, determines the total amount needed from a first visit to a vendor'"'"'s online website, and then purchases the electronic money instrument, in the same amount, from the issuer at a retail outlet. In a second visit to the website, the consumer uses the electronic money instrument for payment by inputting the unique serial number on the electronic money instrument. The website vendor then submits a funds transfer request to the issuer for approval. If approved the online transaction is then consummated and the issuer places a halt on any further use of the serial number.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method of providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
issuing to the user an item having a unique serial number to the user;
retrievably storing item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
receiving a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
accessing the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
approving the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
refusing the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is less than the requested amount; and
upon approval, retrievably storing additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for finds can be approved. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
issuing an item having a unique serial number to the user;
retrievably storing item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
receiving a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
accessing the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is equal to the requested amount;
approving the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is equal to the requested amount;
refusing the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is not equal to the requested amount; and
if the third party request for funds was approved, retrievably storing additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for funds can be honored.
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30. A method of providing online transactions between a vendor and a user, comprising the steps, by the user, of:
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accessing the vendor'"'"'s online site;
selecting at least one item for purchase;
proceeding to checkout;
selecting between payment by an electronic money instrument and other payment methods;
if other payment methods are chosen, making payment with non-electronic money instrument;
if the electronic money instrument payment method is chosen, determining if an electronic money instrument is available in the amount required for payment;
if not available, noting the amount required, selecting an issuing outlet, purchasing the electronic money instrument from the outlet in the amount required, returning to the online site, and entering the electronic money instrument serial number as the payment method;
if available, entering the electronic money instrument serial number as the payment method;
upon entry of the serial number, waiting for the vendor to authenticate the electronic money instrument, by contacting the issuer, providing the serial number, requesting funds transfer, and receiving issuer approval; and
receiving an online approval from the vendor if the issuer verification was successful;
receiving an online rejection if the issuer verification was unsuccessful.
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31. A system of providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, comprising:
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means for receiving a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
means for issuing to the user an item having a unique serial number to the user;
means for retrievably storing item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
means for receiving a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
means for accessing the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
means for approving the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
means for refusing the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is less than the requested amount; and
means for retrievably storing additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for funds can be approved after the first approval. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A system for providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, comprising:
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means for receiving a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
means for issuing an item having a unique serial number to the user;
means for retrievably storing item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
means for receiving a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
means for accessing the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is equal to the requested amount;
means for approving the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is equal to the requested amount;
means for refusing the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is not equal to the requested amount; and
means for retrievably storing additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for funds can be honored after the first approval.
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46. A system for providing online transactions between a vendor and a user, comprising:
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means for accessing the vendor'"'"'s online site;
means for selecting at least one item for purchase;
means for proceeding to checkout;
means for selecting between payment by an electronic money instrument and other payment methods;
means for if other payment methods are chosen, means for making payment with non-electronic money instrument, if other payment methods are chosen;
if the electronic money instrument payment method is chosen, means for determining if an electronic money instrument is available in the amount required for payment if the electronic money instrument payment method is chosen;
means for noting the amount required, selecting an issuing outlet, purchasing the electronic money instrument from the outlet in the amount required, returning to the online site, and entering the electronic money instrument serial number as the payment method, if the electronic money instrument is not available;
means for entering the electronic money instrument serial number as the payment method, if the electronic money instrument is available;
means for the vendor to authenticate the electronic money instrument, by contacting the issuer, providing the serial number, requesting funds transfer, and receiving issuer approval; and
means for receiving an online approval from the vendor if the issuer verification was successful, or an online rejection if the issuer verification was unsuccessful.
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47. A system for providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, comprising:
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a storage device;
a processor programmed to;
receive a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
issue to the user a tender item having a unique serial number to the user;
retrievably store item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
receive a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
access the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
communicate approval of the request to the third party if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
communicate refusal of the request to the third party if the tender amount associated with the serial number is less than the requested amount; and
upon approval, retrievably store additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for funds can be approved. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A system for providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, comprising:
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a storage device;
a processor programmed to;
receive a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
issue to the user a tender item having a unique serial number to the user;
retrievably store item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
receive a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
access the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is equal to the requested amount;
communicate approval of the request to the third party if the tender amount associated with the serial number is equal to the requested amount;
communicate refusal of the request to the third party if the tender amount associated with the serial number is not equal to the requested amount; and
upon approval, retrievably store additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for funds can be approved.
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55. Computer readable media containing program instructions for execution on at least one computer system, which when executed by at least one computer, cause the at least one computer system to perform method steps for providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
issuing to the user an item having a unique serial number to the user;
retrievably storing item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
receiving a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
accessing the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
approving the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is at least as large as the requested amount;
refusing the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is less than the requested amount; and
upon approval, retrievably storing additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for funds can be approved. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. Computer readable media containing program instructions for execution on at least one computer system, which when executed by at least one computer, cause the at least one computer system to perform method steps for providing tender from an issuer for a user transaction with a third party, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request from the user for the tender in a specified amount;
issuing to the user an item having a unique serial number to the user;
retrievably storing item information associating the tender amount with the serial number;
receiving a request for funds from the third party, the request including the serial number and the amount requested;
accessing the stored item information to determine if the tender amount associated with the serial number is equal to the requested amount;
approving the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is equal to the requested amount;
refusing the request if the tender amount associated with the serial number is not equal to the requested amount; and
upon approval, retrievably storing additional item information associating the serial number with an indication that no further third party requests for funds can be approved.
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Specification