System and method for micro-payments

• US 20030135434A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ravi Jain
• Original Assignee: Ravi Jain
• Inventors: Jain, Ravi
• Application Number:
  US10/190,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20030135434A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and system is provided for on-line transactions involving micro-payments. The method includes, paying a merchant for any goods and/or services purchased by a user, wherein a micro-payment system pays the merchant; and billing the user for the goods purchased, wherein a payment provider bills the user for the goods and services. The micro-payment system authorizes a user for transacting business with an authorized merchant and pays the merchant. The payment provider in the foregoing aspects of the present invention may be a telephone company, a cable company, Internet service provider, utilities company, Gas Company and/or any other entity that regularly bills the user for service(s).

Claims

1. A method for on-line transaction, comprising:

paying a merchant for any goods and/or services purchased by a user, wherein a micro-payment system pays the merchant; and

billing the user for the goods purchased, wherein a payment provider bills the user for the goods and/or services.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider may be a telephone company.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider may be a cable company.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider may be a gas company.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider may be a utilities company.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider may be an Internet Service Provider.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider is any business entity that bills the user for any service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the goods and/or services may be valued at less than a dollar.

9. A system for on-line transactions, comprising of:

a micro-payment system module, wherein the micro-payment system authorizes a user for transacting business with an authorized merchant; and

a payment provider that is authorized by the micro-payment system module to bill the user for any goods and/or services purchased by the user from the authorized merchant.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment provider may be a telephone company.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment provider may be a cable company.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment provider may be a gas company.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment provider may be a utilities company.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment provider may be an Internet Service Provider.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment provider is any business entity that bills the user for any service.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the goods and/or services may be valued at less than a dollar.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein micro-payment module pays the merchant for the goods and/or services purchased.

18. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable process steps of a process for use in a computer system for on-line transactions, comprising of:

paying a merchant for any goods and/or services purchased by a user, wherein a micro-payment system pays the merchant; and

billing the user for the goods purchased, wherein a payment provider bills the user for the goods and/or services.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the payment provider may be a telephone company.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the payment provider may be a cable company.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the payment provider may be a gas company.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the payment provider may be a utilities company.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the payment provider may be an Internet Service Provider.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the payment provider is any business entity that bills the user for any service.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the good and/or services may be valued at less than a dollar.

26. Computer-executable process steps for on-line transactions, comprising:

paying a merchant for any goods and/or services purchased by a user, wherein a micro-payment system pays the merchant; and

billing the user for the goods purchased, wherein a payment provider bills the user for the goods and/or services.

27. Computer-executable process steps of claim 26, wherein the payment provider may be a telephone company.

28. Computer-executable process steps of claim 26, wherein the payment provider may be a cable company.

29. Computer-executable process steps of claim 26, wherein the payment provider may be a gas company.

30. Computer-executable process steps of claim 26, wherein the payment provider may be a utilities company.

31. Computer-executable process steps of claim 26, wherein the payment provider may be an Internet Service Provider.

32. Computer-executable process steps of claim 26, wherein the payment provider is any business entity that bills the user for any service.

33. Computer-executable process steps of claim 26, wherein the goods and/or services may be valued at less than a dollar.