SYSTEM AND METHOD ENABLING CHILDREN TO SHOP ON-LINE

• US 20080004984A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian Ferilla, Mark Sendo
• Original Assignee: Brian Ferilla, Mark Sendo
• Inventors: Ferilla, Brian, Sendo, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,793,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system and method enabling people, including children, to shop on-line in a safe and secure manner. A gift card having a predetermined monetary value is purchased by a parent, friend or other third party. An account is established in conjunction with a web site with a starting account balance related to the predetermined monetary value. As a user shops at the web site, their account balance is reduced as items are purchased. One or more filters are used to limit the types of products that can be purchased on the web site. Such filters may relate to a user'"'"'s age, gender, hobbies or interests, price range, media maturity rating, and so forth. In the preferred embodiment, consent information is received in conjunction the COPPA (Child Online Privacy Protection Act) or other applicable law(s). The consent information includes usage options, opt-out provisions, child master records information, etc. The method further includes the step of funding the account by a third party. In the preferred embodiment the initial and subsequent funding, as well as the purchase prices for goods/services are in a whole dollar amounts to simplify buying. A desktop icon is preferably provided that allows access to the web site through a single click, and/or graphically indicates a user'"'"'s available funds. The system may further allow a user to purchase music, video, games or other media through a source other than the web site.

Claims

1. A method enabling people, including children, to shop on-line, comprising the steps of:

providing a web site with products for purchase;

purchasing a gift card having a predetermined monetary value to be used only at the web site;

setting up an account in conjunction with the web site with a starting account balance related to the predetermined monetary value;

shopping at the web site; and

reducing the account balance as items are purchased.

2. The method of claim 1, including the step of providing one or more filters limiting the types of products that can be purchased on the web site.

3. The method of claim 2, including a filter relating to age.

4. The method of claim 2, including a filter relating to gender.

5. The method of claim 2, including a filter relating to the interests of a prospective purchaser.

6. The method of claim 2, including a filter relating to price range.

7. The method of claim 2, including a filter relating to a maturity rating.

8. The method of claim 2, including the step of retrieving consent information associated with the COPPA (Child Online Privacy Protection Act).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the consent information includes usage options and opt-out provisions.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the consent information includes child master records information.

11. The method of claim 1, including the step of funding the account by a third party.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined monetary value is in a whole dollar amount.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase prices are in whole dollar amounts.

14. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing a desktop icon that allows access to the web site through a single click.

15. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing an animated desktop icon that graphically indicates a user'"'"'s available funds.

16. The method of claim 1, further including the step of allowing a user to purchase music, video, games or other media through a source other than the web site.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the media is purchased through a satellite radio service.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the media is purchased through a predefined key sequence establishing a service-level agreement (SLA) contract.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the SLA is established through the key sequence in conjunction with the time the sequence was entered, the channel number, and an identification code.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the media is automatically placed into a music library for subsequent access by the purchaser.