System and methods for servicing electronic transactions

• US 20030115126A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard Mobile Transactions Solutions, Inc. (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: C-SAM Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pitroda, Satyan G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,527,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02

Abstract

A method for using an electronic transaction device with an electronic transaction service provider may include the steps of registering the electronic transaction device with the electronic transaction device service provider, registering a plurality of accounts corresponding to a plurality of service institutions, providing a data connection between the electronic transaction device and the electronic transaction device service provider, and storing account information for a plurality of service institutions at the electronic transaction device service provider. The method may also include the steps of providing access to a database of client information to the client and analyzing transactional information in the database of client information for a plurality of accounts. The method may also include the steps of designating a portion of the client database non-confidential; analyzing the portion of the client database designated as non-confidential for preferences and patterns; and providing analyzed transactional information to a plurality of vendors.

Claims

1. A service provider for administering a plurality of accounts for a client, comprising:

a) a computer, having a processor, a data storage medium, and a network port;

b) the storage medium configured to store the clients'"'"' personal information, account information, and transactional information;

c) the processor configured to;

1) create a database of client information including the client'"'"'s personal information, account information corresponding to a plurality of accounts associated with the client, and transactional information corresponding to a plurality of transactions conducted by the client;

2) designate as confidential a predetermined first portion of the database client information;

3) designate as non-confidential a predetermined second portion of the database of client information non-confidential;

4) provide the client with access to the first and second portions of the database of client information via the network port.

2. The transaction service provider of claim 1, wherein:

a) the storage medium is further configured to store information corresponding to a plurality of vendors; and

b) the processor is further configured to;

1) create a database of vendor information;

2) receive a transaction request from a client;

3) analyze information in the database of vendor information;

4) analyze information in the database of client information;

5) provide a suggested transaction to the client based on the information in the database of vendor information and the database of client information.

3. The transaction service provider of claim 2, wherein:

a) the processor is further configured to;

1) establish communication with a vendor via the network port;

2) disclose information from the predetermined second portion of the database of client information to the vendor;

3) receive information from the vendor;

4) provide information received from the vendor to the client.

4. The transaction service provider of claim 1, wherein:

a) the processor is further configured to;

1) establish a communications with a service institution via the network port;

2) receive transactional information corresponding to the client from the service institution;

3) add the transactional information received from the service institution to the database of client information.

5. The transaction service provider of claim 1, wherein:

a) the processor is further configured to;

1) establish communication with the client via the network port;

2) receive information from the client; and

3) add the information received from the client to the database of client information.

6. The transaction service provider of claim 5, wherein the information received from the client includes transaction information.

7. The transaction service provider of claim 5, wherein the information received from the client includes personal information.

8. The transaction service provider of claim 5, wherein the information received from the client includes account information.

9. The transaction service provider of claim 5, wherein the information received from the client includes promotional information.

10. The transaction service provider of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to establish communication with an electronic transaction device and transactional information is received from the electronic transaction device.

11. The transaction service provider of claim 1, wherein:

a) the processor is further configured to;

1) establish communications with a service institution via the network port;

2) receive information corresponding to the client from the service institution;

3) add the information received from the service institution to the database of client information;

4) establish communication with the client via the network port;

5) receive information from the client;

6) add the information received from the client to the database of client information; and

7) reconcile the information received from the service institution with the information received from the client.

12. A method for using an electronic transaction device with a transaction service provider, comprising:

registering the electronic transaction device with the transaction service provider;

registering a plurality of accounts corresponding to a plurality of service institutions;

providing a data connection between the electronic transaction device and the transaction service provider;

creating a database of client information including personal information, account information, and transactional information; and

storing account information for a plurality of service institutions in the database of client information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of registering the electronic transaction device with the transaction service provider further comprises the steps of:

registering a client associated with the electronic transaction device with the transaction service provider;

collecting and storing personal information from the client in the database of client information;

archiving a password corresponding to the client; and

archiving the personal information stored on the electronic transaction device in the database of client information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of registering a plurality of accounts corresponding to a plurality of service institutions further comprises the steps of:

storing account information in the database of client information;

storing transactional information; and

reconciling transactional information received from the electronic transaction device with transactional information received from the plurality of service institutions.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of providing access to a database of client information to the client and analyzing transactional information in the database of client information for a plurality of accounts.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

designating a portion of the client database non-confidential;

analyzing the portion of the client database designated as non-confidential for preferences and patterns; and

providing analyzed transactional information to a plurality of vendors.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of downloading promotional information to the electronic transaction device from the transaction service provider.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of downloading promotional information further comprises assembling promotional information from a plurality of vendors.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic transaction device is a universal electronic transaction card.

20. A system for using an electronic transaction device having access to a network and a plurality of point of sale terminals, the electronic transaction device associated with a client and a plurality of service institution accounts, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of service institutions coupled to a network, each service institution further coupled to the plurality of point of sale terminals.

b) a transaction service provider having a storage medium configured to store database of client information, including personal information, account information, and transactional information associated with the client;

c) a network port configured to communicate with a plurality of electronic transaction devices and with a plurality of service institutions; and

d) a processor, configured to;

1) receive transactional information from the electronic transaction device associated with the client via the network port;

2) store transactional information received from the electronic transaction device associated with the client in the database of client information;

3) receive transactional information associated with the client from the plurality of service institutions via the network port; and

4) store the transactional information received from the plurality of service institutions in the database of client information.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor of the transaction service provider is further configured to reconcile transactional information received from the electronic transaction device with transactional information received from the plurality of service institutions.

22. A system for conducting and reconciling electronic transactions, comprising:

a plurality of electronic transaction devices, each electronic transaction device having access to a network;

a transaction service provider coupled to the network;

a plurality of service institutions coupled to the electronic transaction device service provider;

a plurality of point of sale terminals coupled to the plurality of service institutions, wherein each point of sale terminal provides access to the plurality of electronic transaction devices.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of electronic transaction devices includes a plurality of universal electronic transaction cards.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of electronic transaction devices includes a plurality of hand held computers programmed to conduct electronic transactions.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the point of sale terminals provide access to the plurality of electronic transaction devices by infra-red communication.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the point of sale terminals provide access to the plurality of electronic transaction devices by radio frequency wireless communication.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the point of sale terminals provide access to the plurality of electronic transaction devices by metallic contact communication.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the point of sale terminals provide access to the plurality of electronic transaction devices by bar code communication.

29. A method for conducting and reconciling an electronic transaction with an electronic transaction device, an electronic transaction device service provider, a service institution, and a point of sale terminal, comprising:

conducting an electronic transaction at the point of sale terminal with the electronic transaction device;

storing transactional information on the electronic transaction device;

transmitting transactional information from the point of sale terminal to the service institution;

transmitting transactional information stored on the electronic transaction device to the electronic transaction device service provider;

coupling the electronic transaction device service provider with the service institution;

comparing transactional information transmitted to the electronic transaction device service provider with the transactional information transmitted to the service institution.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of conducting an electronic transaction further comprises conducting a plurality of electronic transactions.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of transmitting transactional information from the point of sale terminal to the service institution further comprises transmitting transactional information from a plurality of point of sale terminals to a plurality of service institutions.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of coupling the electronic transaction device service provider with the service institution further comprises coupling the electronic transaction device service provider with a plurality of service institutions.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of comparing the transactional information transmitted to the electronic transaction device service provider with the transactional information transmitted to the service institution further comprises comparing the transactional information transmitted to the electronic transaction device service provider with the transactional information transmitted to a plurality of service institutions.