APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AN ELECTRONIC TELEPHONE WALLET AND/OR COMMUNICATION DEVICE WALLET

• US 20110258114A1
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stripe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stripe, Inc.
• Inventors: Poltorak, Alexander I.
• Application Number:
  US13/171,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258114A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3433 the counter having monetary units
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing an electronic wallet device, including a memory device for storing payment identifier information associated with an account holder, a processing device for processing a payment command, wherein the processing device retrieves the payment identifier information from the memory device, and a transmitter for transmitting the payment identifier information to a merchant computer, wherein the merchant computer is associated with a merchant, and further wherein the payment identifier information is utilized in a transaction with the merchant.

Claims

1. A method of electronic commerce, the method comprising:

storing a first pre-specified payment identifier of a first user at a storage device of a central processing computer;

receiving by the central processing computer from a first remote communication device a first payment command;

retrieving, in response to receiving the first payment command by the central processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier of the first user from the storage device; and

transmitting to a first merchant computer of a first merchant, by the central processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier retrieved from the storage device, whereby the first user is enabled to request the central processing computer to provide the first pre-specified payment identifier to the first merchant computer;

wherein the central processing computer is configured to enable the first user to cause a payment corresponding to the first payment command to be made to the first merchant for processing a first transaction (1) without storing the first pre-specified payment identifier at the first remote communication device, and (2) without the first user providing the first pre-specified payment identifier to the central processing computer through the first remote communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first transaction comprises a purchase of a first subject of transaction by the first user, the first subject of transaction being a good or a service,

the method further comprising;

consummating the first transaction between the first user and the first merchant.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving by the central processing computer from the first remote communication device order information associated with the first transaction.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the remote communication device is a wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the remote communication device comprises a telephone.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing a second pre-specified payment identifier of the first user at the storage device of the central processing computer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving by the central processing computer from a selected remote communication device of the first user a second payment command;

retrieving, in response to receiving the second payment command by the central processing computer, the second pre-specified payment identifier of the first user from the storage device;

transmitting to a selected merchant computer of a selected merchant, by the central processing computer, the second pre-specified payment identifier retrieved from the storage device, whereby the first user is enabled to request the central processing computer to provide the second pre-specified payment identifier to the selected merchant computer; and

consummating a second transaction between the first user and the selected merchant.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the selected merchant is a second merchant, the second merchant being different from the first merchant, and the selected merchant computer is a merchant computer of the second merchant, the selected merchant computer being different from the first merchant computer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the selected merchant is the first merchant, and the selected merchant computer is the first merchant computer.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving by the central processing computer from a selected remote communication device of the first user a second payment command;

retrieving, in response to receiving the second payment command by the central processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier of the first user from the storage device;

transmitting to a selected merchant computer of a selected merchant, by the central processing computer, the second pre-specified payment identifier retrieved from the storage device, whereby the first user is enabled to request the central processing computer to provide the first pre-specified payment identifier to the selected merchant computer; and

consummating a second transaction between the first user and the selected merchant.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the selected merchant is a second merchant, the second merchant being different from the first merchant, and the selected merchant computer is a merchant computer of the second merchant, the selected merchant computer being different from the first merchant computer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the selected merchant is the first merchant, and the selected merchant computer is the first merchant computer.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing a second pre-specified payment identifier of a second user at the storage device of the central processing computer;

receiving by the central processing computer from a remote communication device of the second user a second payment command;

retrieving, in response to receiving the second payment command by the central processing computer, the second pre-specified payment identifier of the second user from the storage device;

transmitting to a selected merchant computer of a selected merchant, by the central processing computer, the second pre-specified payment identifier retrieved from the storage device, whereby the second user is enabled to request the central processing computer to provide the second pre-specified payment identifier to the selected merchant computer; and

consummating a second transaction between the second user and the selected merchant;

wherein the central processing computer is configured to enable the second user to cause a payment corresponding to the second payment command to be made to the selected merchant for processing the second transaction without storing the second pre-specified payment identifier at the remote communication device of the second user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selected merchant is a second merchant, the second merchant being different from the first merchant, and the selected merchant computer is a merchant computer of the second merchant, the selected merchant computer being different from the first merchant computer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the selected merchant is the first merchant, and the selected merchant computer is the first merchant computer.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the first pre-specified payment identifier comprises an account number of the first user, the account number being selected from the group consisting of a credit account number and a debit account number.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein the first pre-specified payment identifier comprises expiration date of an account of the first user.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the first pre-specified payment identifier comprises confidential information used to verify identity of the first user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the confidential information comprises mother'"'"'s maiden name of the first user.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the confidential information comprises a password.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the steps of receiving and transmitting is performed at least in part over the Internet.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the steps of receiving and transmitting is performed at least in part over a satellite communication network.

23. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the steps of receiving and transmitting is performed at least in part over a wireless communication network.

24. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing at the central processing computer information regarding the first merchant and at least one other merchant.

25. A processing computer comprising:

a storage device; and

a processing device coupled to the storage device;

wherein the processing computer is configured to perform steps of a method of electronic commerce, the method comprising;

storing a first pre-specified payment identifier of a first user at a storage device of a central processing computer;

receiving by the central processing computer from a remote communication device of the first user a first payment command;

retrieving, in response to receiving the first payment command by the central processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier of the first user from the storage device;

transmitting to a first merchant computer of a first merchant, by the central processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier retrieved from the storage device, whereby the first user is enabled to request the central processing computer to provide the first pre-specified payment identifier to the first merchant computer; and

consummating a first transaction between the first user and the first merchant;

wherein the central processing computer is configured to enable the first user to cause a payment corresponding to the first payment command to be made to the first merchant for processing the first transaction (1) without storing the first pre-specified payment identifier at the remote communication device of the first user, and (2) without the first user providing the first pre-specified payment identifier to the central processing computer through the remote communication device of the first user.

26. The processing computer of claim 25, further comprising:

a receiver coupled to the processor, wherein the processing computer is further configured to perform the step of receiving through the receiver; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor, wherein the processing computer is further configured to perform the step of transmitting through the transmitter.

27. A processing computer comprising:

a means for storing; and

a means for processing coupled to the means for storing;

wherein the processing computer is configured to perform steps of a method of electronic commerce, the method comprising;

storing a first pre-specified payment identifier of a first user at the means for storing of the processing computer;

receiving by the processing computer from a remote communication device of the first user a first payment command;

retrieving, in response to receiving the first payment command by the processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier of the first user from the means for storing;

transmitting to a first merchant computer of a first merchant, by the processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier retrieved from the means for storing, whereby the first user is enabled to request the processing computer to provide the first pre-specified payment identifier to the first merchant computer; and

consummating a first transaction between the first user and the first merchant;

wherein the processing computer is configured to enable the first user to cause a payment corresponding to the first payment command to be made to the first merchant for processing the first transaction (1) without storing the first pre-specified payment identifier at the remote communication device of the first user, and (2) without the first user providing the first pre-specified payment identifier to the processing computer through the remote communication device of the first user.

28. A memory device storing software for performing a method of electronic commerce at a central processing computer, the method comprising steps of:

storing a first pre-specified payment identifier of a first user at a storage device of the central processing computer;

receiving by the central processing computer from a remote communication device of the first user a first payment command;

retrieving, in response to receiving the first payment command by the central processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier of the first user from the storage device;

transmitting to a first merchant computer of a first merchant, by the central processing computer, the first pre-specified payment identifier retrieved from the storage device, whereby the first user is enabled to request the central processing computer to provide the first pre-specified payment identifier to the first merchant computer; and

consummating a first transaction between the first user and the first merchant;

wherein the central processing computer is configured to enable the first user to cause a payment corresponding to the first payment command to be made to the first merchant for processing the first transaction (1) without storing the first pre-specified payment identifier at the remote communication device of the first user, and (2) without the first user providing the first pre-specified payment identifier to the central processing computer through the remote communication device of the first user.