SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN PARTIES RESIDING AT REMOTE LOCATIONS

• US 20070174189A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Bishop, Fred, Barrett, Michael, Armes, David, Gebb, Lucas, Madhineni, Madhukar, McKay, Joshua, Krishnan, Vilayanur, Wojciechowski, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• 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 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for facilitating commercial transactions involving the exchange of monetary value for goods, services, or other value between remote individuals, as in the case of transactions between users of a distributed computer network such as the Internet. Remote individuals are provided with a convenient, cost-efficient, and secure means for engaging in commercial transactions with one another. The invention provides remote sellers with an irrevocable means of receiving funds from a remote purchaser; means for improving purchaser willingness to transact with an unknown party; transaction tracking; and rapid funds availability. The invention also provides remote purchasers with means for making a secure, confidential transfer of funds; means for immediate initiation of shipment by a seller; means for releasing funds to a seller only after approval of the goods, services, or other value; means for demonstrating proof of payment; and means for having some level of recourse against a remote seller.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating commercial transactions, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said transaction mechanism, a request to debit said first financial account to effectuate a purchase transaction between said first party and a second party;

receiving, at said transaction mechanism, transaction information relating to said purchase transaction between said first party and said second party;

comparing, at said transaction mechanism, said transaction information with previous transaction information to determine whether said request to debit said first financial account is fraudulent;

determining, at said transaction mechanism, whether said purchase transaction is acceptable by performing at least one of a credit risk analysis and a fraud risk analysis;

debiting, at said transaction mechanism, funds from said first financial account in the amount of a sales price of said item when said request to debit said first financial account is not fraudulent; and

,

disbursing, at said transaction mechanism, said funds to a second financial account associated with said second party, wherein said funds are credited to said second financial account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of performing at least one of a credit risk analysis and a fraud risk analysis is based upon at least one of said transaction information, said request to debit said first financial account, and said determination of whether said request to debit said first financial account is fraudulent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether said purchase transaction is acceptable comprises deeming said transaction unacceptable when a potential risk associated with said transaction is unacceptable.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising interfacing with a shipping agent associated with said transaction mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising interfacing with a shipping agent associated with said transaction mechanism, said shipping agent performing the steps of:

receiving an item from said second party; and

,

causing said item to be delivered to said first party after said funds are credited to said second financial account.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating a registration of a first party with a transaction mechanism having a financial account identifier for identifying a first financial account associated with said first party.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating a registration of a first party with said transaction mechanism having a financial account identifier for identifying said first financial account by receiving a financial account identifier selected from the group consisting of a card number and a demand deposit account number.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating a registration of said second party by providing said transaction mechanism with said financial account identifier for identifying said second financial account.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of debiting funds from said first financial account further comprises holding said funds in an escrow account until an escrow release event has transpired, and releasing said funds from said escrow account prior to the step of disbursing said funds to said second financial account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of debiting funds from said first financial account further comprises holding said funds in an escrow account until an occurrence of at least one of:

a receipt by said first party of said item and other value from a shipping agent, and

a lapse of a predefined period of time within which said first party may evaluate said item received from said shipping agent.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a request, at said transaction mechanism, to debit said first financial account comprises receiving a request to debit said first financial account selected from the group consisting of a transaction card account, a demand deposit account, a credit line, and a money market account.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of disbursing said funds to said second financial account comprises disbursing said funds to said second financial account selected from the group consisting of a transaction card account, a demand deposit account, a credit line, a digital cash account, and a money market account.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing said transaction mechanism with said financial account identifier for identifying said second financial account comprises providing said financial account identifier selected from the group consisting of a card number and a demand deposit account number.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving, at said transaction mechanism, transaction information relating to said purchase transaction between said first party and said second party comprises at least one of receiving said financial account identifier associated with said first financial account and receiving said financial account identifier associated with said second financial account.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving notification, by said transaction mechanism from a shipping agent, that said first party has received said item from said shipping agent.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an intermediary to facilitate said transaction between said first party and said second party.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising interfacing with a shipping agent associated with said transaction mechanism by maintaining at least one of identity and address of said first party and said second party in confidence with respect to at least one of said first party and said second party.

18. A system for transferring financial tender from a first financial account associated with a first party to a second financial account associated with a second party, comprising:

a transaction mechanism configured to communicate with said first party, said second party, said first financial account and said second financial account and to receive registration information from said first party and said second party, said registration information including a financial account identifier to identify said first financial account and said second financial account; and

,

in response to a purchase request for an item from at least one of said first party and said second party, said transaction mechanism is configured to perform at least one of a credit risk analysis and a fraud risk analysis to determine a potential risk associated with said transaction, and debit funds from said first financial account when said potential risk is acceptable and disburse said funds to said second financial account, wherein said purchase request includes transaction information relating to a transfer of funds between said first party and said second party, and wherein said transaction mechanism authenticates at least one of said first party and said second party based upon said transaction information.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said transaction mechanism is further configured to provide a shipping agent configured to receive said item from said second party and cause said item to be delivered to said first party.

20. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method performed by a transaction mechanism for transferring financial tender from a financial account associated with a first party to a financial account associated with a second party, said processing instructions directing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving, at said transaction mechanism, a request to debit said first financial account to effectuate a purchase transaction between said first party and a second party;

receiving, at said transaction mechanism, transaction information relating to said purchase transaction between said first party and said second party;

comparing, at said transaction mechanism, said transaction information with previous transaction information to determine whether said request to debit said first financial account is fraudulent;

determining, at said transaction mechanism, whether said purchase transaction is acceptable by performing at least one of a credit risk analysis and a fraud risk analysis;

debiting, at said transaction mechanism, funds from said first financial account in the amount of a sales price of said item when said request to debit said first financial account is not fraudulent;

disbursing, at said transaction mechanism, said funds to a second financial account associated with said second party, wherein said funds are credited to said second financial account.