System and method for enabling a merchant to apply for a credit card processing account using the internet

• US 6,135,349 A
• Filed: 02/01/1999
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zirkel, George S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/241,237
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/379, 235/375, 235/492, 705/1, 705/38, 705/35, 705/39, 705/42, 705/43, 705/26
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A system and method for enabling a merchant to apply for a credit card processing account using the Internet includes a computer browser in communication with the Internet. An Internet information server is in communication with the computer browser over the Internet. The Internet information server provides HTML pages on the computer browser for a merchant to enter credit card processing account information. A processor is in communication with the Internet information server to process the credit card processing account information to determine whether to grant the merchant a credit card processing account.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a merchant to apply for a credit card processing account using the Internet to open a credit card processing account with a third party provider for the third party provider to process credit card orders made by customers with the merchant, the system comprising:

a computer browser in communication with the Internet;

an Internet information server in communication with the computer browser over the Internet, the Internet information server providing HTML pages on the computer browser for a merchant to submit credit card processing account information to the Internet information server, wherein the submitted credit card processing account information includes banking information of a bank associated with the merchant the banking information being a function of a bank profile of the bank associated with the merchant, the bank profile being in the Internet information server; and

a processor in communication with the Internet information server to process the credit card processing account information to determine whether to grant the merchant a credit card processing account with the third party provider, wherein the processor includes a mobile agent for creating bank profiles in the Internet information server, each bank profile being associated with a respective bank.

2. A method for enabling a merchant to apply for a credit card processing account using the Internet to open a credit card processing account with a third party provider for the third party provider to process credit card orders made by customers with the merchant, the method comprising:

providing a computer browser in communication with the Internet;

providing an Internet information server in communication with the computer browser over the Internet;

browsing the Internet with the computer browser to receive HTML pages from the Internet information server;

entering credit card processing account information of a merchant into the HTML pages to submit the credit card processing account information to the Internet information server, wherein the submitted credit card processing account information includes banking information of a bank associated with the merchant, the banking information being a function of a bank profile of the bank associated with the merchant, the bank profile being in the Internet information server;

providing a processor in communication with the Internet information server;

processing the credit card processing account information with the processor to determine whether to grant the merchant a credit card processing account with the third party provider; and

creating bank profiles in the Internet information server using a mobile agent of the processor, wherein each bank profile is associated with a respective bank.