Apparatus and methods for community based purchasing by mobile buyers

• US 20070198360A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Minear, Brian, Rogers, Sean, Sprigg, Stephen, Gardner, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Community based purchasing methods and apparatus for products/services may include accumulating micro payments from a plurality of mobile buyers equipped with wireless communication devices. A seller, upon notification of accumulation of a predetermined total of micro payments, may then deliver the product/service. Payment by a mobile user may be escrowed upon receipt of the micro payment and be released to the seller upon delivery of the product/service. Product/services purchased using community based purchasing methods and apparatus may include digital content streamed to a buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device and live performances viewed directly by the buyer.

Claims

1. A method of purchasing between mobile buyers and sellers, comprising:

receiving a micro transaction message from a buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device, the micro transaction message including buyer information, a product or service identifier, and a micro payment amount, the micro payment amount being a portion of a predetermined total requirement, delivery of the product or service pending receipt of the predetermined total requirement;

processing the micro transaction message, wherein processing the micro transaction message includes accumulating the micro payment amount with at least one other micro payment amount to form a total accumulated payment amount; and

initiating a billing process when the total accumulated payment amount meets or exceeds the predetermined total requirement.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a fulfillment message indicting accumulation of at least the predetermined total requirement; and

transmitting the fulfillment message to a seller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a billing process further comprises crediting a seller by the micro payment amount.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a buyer client application module to the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device, wherein the buyer client application module comprises purchasing logic and offer details, the offer details including the product or service identifier and cost information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting seller requirements includes transmitting the predetermined total requirement.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting offer details includes transmitting an expiration time of an offer to purchase the product or service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating and transmitting a progress status message, the progress status message including at least one of a total of client application modules transmitted, and accumulated payment amount.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying delivery of the product or service.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising validating a portion of the buyer information comprising the micro transaction message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the product or service once the accumulated payment amount meets or exceeds the total predetermined requirement.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a micro transaction received acknowledgment message to the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the product or service comprises a portion of a live act.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the product or service comprises digital content downloadable to the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with the seller via a wireless portal of a wireless network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the micro transaction message includes debiting a buyer'"'"'s funding account by the micro payment amount and placing the micro payment amount in an escrow account.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising releasing the escrowed micro payment amount upon receiving verification of delivery of the product or service.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an authorization code to the mobile buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device, the authorization code providing access to the product or service.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising refunding the buyer of the micro payment amount if the total predetermined requirement is not met.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the micro transaction message from the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device over a mobile portal across a wireless network.

20. A community purchase server, comprising:

a means for receiving a micro transaction message from a buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device, the micro transaction message comprising information regarding the purchase of a product or service including buyer information, a product or service identifier, and a micro payment amount, the micro payment amount being a portion of a total predetermined requirement, delivery of the product or service pending receipt of at least the total predetermined amount; and

a means for accumulating the micro payment amount with at least one other micro payment amount.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising a means for initiating a billing process upon receiving an acknowledgment of fulfillment of the total predetermined requirement.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising means for generating and transmitting a progress status message, the progress status message including at least one of a total of client application modules transmitted, and accumulated payment amount.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising escrowing the micro payment amount in an escrow account.

24. A computer-readable medium embodying logic for mobile purchasing by a group of buyers and sellers, comprising at least one sequence of instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform the acts of:

receiving a micro transaction from a buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device, the micro transaction comprising purchasing information, the purchasing information including buyer information, a product or service identifier, and a micro payment amount, the micro payment amount being a portion of a total predetermined requirement, delivery of the product or service pending receipt of at least the total predetermined amount; and

accumulating the micro payment with at least one other micro payment.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to perform the act of initiating a billing process upon acknowledgment of fulfillment of the total predetermined requirement.

26. A computer server for managing transactions between a mobile buyer and a seller, comprising:

a communications module to receive a micro transaction message for purchasing a product or service from a buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device across a network, the micro transaction message comprising purchasing information, the purchasing information including buyer information, a product or service identifier, and a micro payment amount, the micro payment amount being a portion of a total predetermined requirement, delivery of the product or service pending receipt of the total predetermined amount; and

a micro transaction processing module operable to accumulate the micro payment amount with at least one other payment amount.

27. The computer server of claim 26, wherein the micro transaction processing module is further operable to generate a fulfillment status message based upon the accumulated micro payment amount.

28. The computer server of claim 27, wherein the communications module is operable to transmit the fulfillment status message to at least one of the seller and buyer.

29. The computer server of claim 26, further comprising a billing module operable to debit the buyer and credit a seller upon receipt of the total predetermined amount.

30. The computer server of claim 26, wherein the micro transaction processing module is operable to verify the validity of a portion of the micro transaction message.

31. The computer server of claim 26, wherein the micro transaction processing module is operable to escrow the micro payment amount.

32. The computer server of claim 31, wherein the billing module is operable to release the escrowed micro payment amount to the seller.

33. A method of purchasing a product or service by a mobile buyer, comprising:

receiving product or service information on a buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device from a source over a mobile portal across a wireless network, the product or service information comprising an identification of the product or service, a per buyer cost, and a predetermined total community requirement required prior to delivering the product or service, wherein the per buyer cost is a portion of the predetermined total community requirement; and

transmitting a micro transaction message from the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device to a destination, the micro transaction message including buyer information and a micro payment amount.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving product or service information further comprises receiving a buyer client application module across the wireless network.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising receiving a micro transaction acknowledgment message on the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising receiving a purchase completion message on the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device.

37. The method of claim 33, further comprising receiving the product or service after the total predetermined amount is achieved.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising receiving the product or service as digital content on the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device via the wireless network.

39. A mobile buyer wireless communications device, comprising:

a means for receiving product or service information on a buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device from a source over a mobile portal across a wireless network, the product or service information comprising an identification of the product or service, a per buyer cost, and a predetermined total requirement required prior to delivering the product or service; and

a means for transmitting a micro transaction message from the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device to a destination, the micro transaction message including buyer information and a micro payment amount, the micro payment amount being a portion of a total predetermined requirement, delivery of the product or service pending receipt of the total predetermined amount.

40. A mobile buyer wireless communications device according to claim 39, further comprising a means for receiving an authorization code operable to permit delivery of the product or service.

41. A computer-readable data signal embodied in a carrier wave embodying logic for mobile purchasing by a community of buyers and sellers, comprising at least one sequence of instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor in a wireless communication device causes the processor to perform the acts of:

receiving product or service information on a buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device, the product or service information comprising an identification of the product or service, a predetermined total community requirement required prior to delivering the product or service, and a per buyer cost associated with the product or service, the per buyer cost being a portion of the total predetermined requirement; and

transmitting a micro transaction message from the buyer'"'"'s wireless communication device to a destination, the micro transaction message including buyer information and a micro payment amount.

42. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a computer platform further including;

a memory, wherein the memory includes a buyer client application module downloaded to the memory across a wireless network from a source, the buyer client application module including an identification of the product or service, a predetermined total community requirement required prior to delivering the product or service, and a per buyer cost associated with the product or service, the buyer cost being a portion of the predetermined total requirement; and

a runtime environment operable to control the execution of the buyer client application module, whereby the buyer client application module is operable to generate a micro transaction message comprising buyer information and a micro payment amount.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the buyer client application module is further operable to receive a contract fulfillment acknowledgment message.

44. The device of claim 42, wherein the wireless communications device further comprises a cellular telephone and wherein the wireless network comprises a cellular telephone network.

45. The device of claim 42, wherein the runtime environment is operable to accept an authorization code from an external source.

46. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure comprising:

a field containing data representing a product or service identifier;

a field containing data representing a predetermined total requirement;

a field containing data representing a total of buyer client application modules downloaded; and

a field containing data representing a total of micro payments accumulated.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 46 wherein the data structure further comprises a field containing data representing an expiration time.