On-line credit redemption system and method
First Claim
1. A method for implementing an on-line shopping program, the method comprising:
- (a) allocating an amount of credit, in a predetermined unit, available to a user;
(b) providing the user with computer access to a copy of at least a portion of a first on-line document belonging to a first vendor and containing a description and pricing information of at least one item from the first vendor for the user to purchase;
(c) establishing a correspondence between the predetermined unit of credit and a unit of a currency in which the first vendor'"'"'s item is priced;
(d) at least partially funding a payment account associated with the user with an amount corresponding to at least a portion of the allocated credit amount according to the correspondence established in step (c);
(e) after the user confirms a purchase including the first vendor'"'"'s item, sending a sufficient payment from the payment account to the first vendor for the purchase; and
(f) deducting the amount of credit available to the user by the portion in step (d).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for on-line shopping are disclosed. The system and method allow one or more entities to sponsor on-line shopping programs that are individually tailored for each sponsor and at the same time provide a high degree of security flexibility and user flexibility. A programs sponsor can assign each user of the program an amount of credit, such as a performance-based reward. The sponsor can also select a set of vendors from whom the user can make purchases with the credit. The sponsor can establish conversion rates between the assigned credit and the currency used by the vendors if the credit is assigned in a unit (such as points) different from the currency unit (such as dollars). The user can then use the credit to shop at any of the vendors'"'"' on-line store while being reminded of the available credit displayed in the currency unit. After the user has selected the item(s) to purchase and confirmed the purchase, a credit card payment account individually established for the user is funded, and the funds are subsequently transferred to the vendor.
38 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for implementing an on-line shopping program, the method comprising:
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(a) allocating an amount of credit, in a predetermined unit, available to a user;
(b) providing the user with computer access to a copy of at least a portion of a first on-line document belonging to a first vendor and containing a description and pricing information of at least one item from the first vendor for the user to purchase;
(c) establishing a correspondence between the predetermined unit of credit and a unit of a currency in which the first vendor'"'"'s item is priced;
(d) at least partially funding a payment account associated with the user with an amount corresponding to at least a portion of the allocated credit amount according to the correspondence established in step (c);
(e) after the user confirms a purchase including the first vendor'"'"'s item, sending a sufficient payment from the payment account to the first vendor for the purchase; and
(f) deducting the amount of credit available to the user by the portion in step (d). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for implementing an on-line shopping program, the method comprising:
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(a) allocating an amount of credit available to a user;
(b) selecting at least one predetermined vendor from whom the user is permitted to make purchases with the credit;
(c) providing the user with computer access to at least a portion of the contents of the vendor'"'"'s on-line documents containing a description and pricing information of at least one item from the vendor;
(d) establishing a correspondence between a unit of the credit and a unit of a currency in which the vendor'"'"'s item is priced if the two units are different from each other;
(e) at least partially funding a payment account associated with the user with an amount corresponding to at least a portion of the allocated credit amount according to any correspondence established in step (c);
(f) after the user confirms a purchase including the first vendor'"'"'s item, sending a sufficient payment from the payment account to the vendor for the purchase; and
(g) deducting the amount of credit available to the user by the portion in step (d). - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method of for implementing an on-line shopping program for a sponsor of the program, the method comprising:
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(a) permitting the sponsor to select a plurality of vendors;
(b) allocating an amount of credit available to each of a plurality of users of the program; and
(c) for each vender and each user;
(i) providing the user with computer access to at least a portion of the vendors'"'"' on-line documents containing a description and pricing information of items sold by the vendor;
(ii) establishing a correspondence between a unit of the credit and a unit of a currency in which the vendor'"'"'s item is priced if the two units are different from each other;
(iii) at least partially funding a payment account associated with the user with an amount corresponding to at least a portion of the allocated credit amount according to any correspondence established in step (ii);
(iv) after the user confirms a purchase including the first vendor'"'"'s item, sending a sufficient payment from the payment account to the vendor for the purchase; and
(v) deducting the amount of credit available to the user by the portion in step (iii). - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification