Method and apparatus for conducting computerized commerce
First Claim
1. A method of conducting computerized commerce on a plurality of computer systems connected by a computer network comprising the steps of:
- storing a database of products in a vendor computer system;
generating a plurality of vendor scrips in the vendor computer system;
generating a plurality of broker scrips in a broker computer system;
purchasing a first of the generated broker scrips from the broker computer system, the first broker scrip being transmitted to a consumer computer system;
receiving the first broker scrip in the broker computer system from the consumer computer system;
validating the first broker scrip in the broker computer system;
exchanging a first of the vendor scrips received in the broker computer system for the validated first broker scrip;
transmitting the first vendor scrip to the vendor computer system;
validating the first vendor scrip; and
transmitting a product to the consumer.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of conducting computerized commerce on a number of computer systems connected by a computer network including providing a broker computer system, the broker system having a database of broker scrips, each of the broker scrips representing a form of electronic currency, providing a vendor computer system, the vendor computer system having a database containing products which may be exchanged for the broker scrips, the vendor computer system capable of providing vendor scrips, providing a consumer computer system, the consumer computer system having a user interface wherein a user may initiate transactions in the consumer computer system to obtain one or more of the products contained in the database of the vendor computer system, sending a first request from the user on the consumer computer system to obtain a first broker scrip from the broker computer system, processing the first request in the broker computer system, sending the first broker scrip to the consumer computer system in response to the step of processing, sending a second request from the broker computer system to obtain a first vendor scrip from the vendor broker computer system, processing the second request in the vendor computer system, sending the first vendor scrip to the broker computer system in response to the step of processing the second request, sending a third request from the consumer computer system to the broker computer system for a first product, exchanging the first broker scrip for the first vendor scrip, and delivering the product to the consumer computer system in response to the step of exchanging.
266 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of conducting computerized commerce on a plurality of computer systems connected by a computer network comprising the steps of:
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storing a database of products in a vendor computer system; generating a plurality of vendor scrips in the vendor computer system; generating a plurality of broker scrips in a broker computer system; purchasing a first of the generated broker scrips from the broker computer system, the first broker scrip being transmitted to a consumer computer system; receiving the first broker scrip in the broker computer system from the consumer computer system; validating the first broker scrip in the broker computer system; exchanging a first of the vendor scrips received in the broker computer system for the validated first broker scrip; transmitting the first vendor scrip to the vendor computer system; validating the first vendor scrip; and transmitting a product to the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21)
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9. A method of conducting computerized commerce on a plurality of computer systems connected by a computer network comprising the steps of:
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sending a first request from a consumer computer system to obtain a first broker scrip, representing electronic currency, from a broker computer system; processing the first request in the broker computer system; sending the first broker scrip to the consumer computer system in response to the processing; sending a second request from the broker computer system to obtain a first vendor scrip from a vendor computer system; processing the second request in the vendor computer system; sending the first vendor scrip to the broker computer system in response to the processing of the second request; sending a third request from the consumer computer system to the broker computer system for a first product; exchanging the first broker scrip for the first vendor scrip; and delivering the product to the consumer computer system in response to the exchanging. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for conducting computerized commerce over a network, comprising:
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a first computer system for generating a first scrip, the first scrip including information indicating an originator of the first scrip and a value of the first scrip, the first computer system including a memory for storing signals representing the first scrip, and being configured to communicate the first scrip over the network; a second computer system for generating a request for the first scrip generated by the first computer system, and for receiving the first scrip, after the request is approved, over the network; wherein the first computer system is further configured to receive the first scrip from the second computer system over the network, to approve the first scrip, and responsive to the approving of the first scrip to authorize a commercial transaction having a value less than or equal to the value of the first scrip. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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15. A system for conducting computerized commerce comprising:
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a memory configured to store broker scrip and vendor scrip; an interface interconnected to a network and configured to receive information communicated over the network and to transmit information over the network; and a processing unit configured (i) to retrieve the broker scrip from the memory responsive to a request received from a customer via the network by the interface, (ii) to instruct the interface to transmit the retrieved broker scrip to the customer via the network, and (iii) to retrieve the vendor scrip responsive to the broker scrip being received from the customer via the network by the interface; wherein the retrieved vendor scrip is usable to authorize delivery of a vendor product to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification