Method and System for Restricting the Usage of Payment Accounts

• US 20080235135A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blinn, Arnold N., Coco, Joseph N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/41
• 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 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• 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 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A user'"'"'s ability to spend and/or receive funds for payment accounts maintained in an electronic wallet are limited. These limitations include restrictions on where the user is able to spend the funds in a payment account (e.g., at which merchants the funds can be spent, whether the funds can be withdrawn from an ATM, etc.). These limitations may also include restrictions on what other payment accounts the user can receive funds from and/or transfer funds to, thereby limiting person-to-person fund transfers.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wallet server including an electronic wallet having a plurality of payment accounts, wherein each payment account stores information that identifies a particular set of one or more users that are allowed to add funds to the payment account; and

a computing device, coupled to the wallet server, to restrict how funds can be transferred from at least one of the plurality of payment accounts, wherein the restricting comprises allowing only the particular set of the one or more users to add funds to the at least one of the plurality of payment accounts.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises an intermediary device coupled to both the wallet server and a universal credit card platform.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises at least a portion of a universal credit card platform.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device is to restrict how funds can be transferred in response to a user request to transfer funds.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises an account monitor.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an account interface to communicate, with an electronic wallet, regarding payment accounts.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the account interface comprises a web page.

8. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the account interface comprises an application.