System and method for facilitating real time transactions between a user and multiple entities

• US 20050203765A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maritzen, L. Michael, Ludtke, Harold Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating real time transactions between a user and multiple entities are described. In the system, an exchange of information related to a transaction involving a user and multiple entities is facilitated.

Claims

1-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A method comprising:

receiving a purchase request from a server of a primary merchant originating from a user;

forwarding the purchase request from the server of the primary merchant to a transaction privacy clearing house (TPCH);

identifying at least one ancillary merchant by the TPCH that can fulfill the purchase request; and

establishing a link for an exchange of user discount information automatically between the server of the primary merchant and a server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein said exchange of user discount information is performed in real time.

45. The method according to claim 43, wherein said link is a secure link.

46. The method according to claim 43, wherein said exchange of user discount information allows completion of a transaction.

47. The method according to claim 46, further comprising:

performing said transaction by providing a best price to a user involved in said transaction.

48. The method according to claim 46, further comprising:

performing said transaction by providing a best incentive program to the ancillary merchant involved in said transaction.

49. The method according to claim 46, further comprising:

performing said transaction based on said exchange of user discount information.

50. The method according to claim 46, further comprising:

selecting the ancillary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information; and

performing said transaction with the ancillary merchant on behalf of a user.

51. The method of claim 43, wherein the user discount information is information relating to the purchase request comprising of at least one of purchase, coupon and discount information.

52. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

establishing a link for an exchange of user financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the user financial information comprises at least one of a credit card account, a bank account, an investment account, a utility account, available mortgage information and a user identification.

54. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

establishing a link for an exchange of merchant financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the merchant financial information comprises at least one of a bank account, a line of credit account, a financial verification information, a loyalty program agreement and a merchant relationship discount.

56. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

negotiating, by the TPCH, a transaction element.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the transaction element comprises at least one of a purchase price, a discount, a coupon, a merchant relationship discount and a shipping discount.

58. A system comprising:

a management module to receive a purchase request from a server of a primary merchant originating from a user, to identify at least one ancillary merchant that can fulfill the purchase request; and

to establish a link for an exchange of user discount information automatically between the server of the primary merchant and a server of the ancillary without interaction of the user.

59. The system according to claim 58, wherein said exchange of user discount information is performed in real time.

60. The system according to claim 58, wherein said link is a secure link.

61. The system according to claim 58, wherein said exchange of information allows completion of a transaction.

62. The system according to claim 61, wherein said management module further performs said transaction by providing a best price to a user involved in said transaction.

63. The system according to claim 61, wherein said management module further performs said transaction by providing a best incentive program to the ancillary merchant involved in said transaction.

64. The system according to claim 61, wherein said management module further:

performs said transaction based on said exchange of user discount information.

65. The system according to claim 58, wherein said management module further:

selects the ancillary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information; and

performs said transaction with the ancillary merchant on behalf of a user.

66. The system of claim 58, wherein the user discount information is information relating to the purchase request comprising of at least one of purchase, coupon and discount information.

67. The system of claim 58, wherein said management module further establishes a link for an exchange of user financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the user financial information comprises at least one of a credit card account, a bank account, an investment account, a utility account, available mortgage information and a user identification.

69. The system of claim 58, wherein said management module further establishes a link for an exchange of merchant financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the merchant financial information comprises at least one of a bank account, a line of credit account, a financial verification information, a loyalty program agreement and a merchant relationship discount.

71. The system of claim 58, wherein said management module further negotiates, by the TPCH, a transaction element.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the transaction element comprises at least one of a purchase price, a discount, a coupon, a merchant relationship discount and a shipping discount.

73. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions, which, when executed in a processing system, cause said system to perform a method comprising:

receiving a purchase request from a server of a primary merchant originating from a user;

forwarding the purchase request from the server of the primary merchant to a transaction privacy clearing house (TPCH);

identifying at least one ancillary merchant by the TPCH that can fulfill the purchase request; and

establishing a link for an exchange of user discount information automatically between the server of the primary merchant and a server of the ancillary without interaction the user.

74. The computer readable medium according to claim 73, wherein said exchange of user discount information is performed in real time.

75. The computer readable medium according to claim 73, wherein said link is a secure link.

76. The computer readable medium according to claim 73, wherein said exchange of information allows completion of a transaction.

77. The computer readable medium according to claim 76, wherein said method further comprises:

performing said transaction by providing a best price to a user involved in said transaction.

78. The computer readable medium according to claim 76, wherein said method further comprises:

performing said transaction by providing a best incentive program to the ancillary merchant involved in said transaction.

79. The computer readable medium according to claim 76, wherein said method further comprises:

performing said transaction based on said exchange of user discount information.

80. The computer readable medium according to claim 76, wherein said method further comprises:

selecting the ancillary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information; and

performing said transaction with of the ancillary merchant on behalf of a user.

81. The system of claim 73, wherein the user discount information is information relating to the purchase request comprising of at least one of purchase, coupon and discount information.

82. The computer readable medium according to claim 73, further comprising:

establishing a link for an exchange of user financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

83. The computer readable medium according to claim 82, wherein the user financial information comprises at least one of a credit card account, a bank account, an investment account, a utility account, available mortgage information and a user identification.

84. The computer readable medium according to claim 73, further comprising:

establishing a link for an exchange of merchant financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

85. The computer readable medium according to claim 84, wherein the merchant financial information comprises at least one of a bank account, a line of credit account, a financial verification information, a loyalty program agreement and a merchant relationship discount.

86. The computer readable medium according to claim 73, further comprising:

negotiating, by the TPCH, a transaction element.

87. The computer readable medium according to claim 86, wherein the transaction element comprises at least one of a purchase price, a discount, a coupon, a merchant relationship discount and a shipping discount.