Method and system for processing payments for remotely purchased goods
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method of processing a payment for a purchase of goods, comprising the steps of:
- receiving at a point-of-sale system a code relating to a purchase of goods;
determining if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller;
if said code relates to a remote order, then determining a price for said remote order, generating data to indicate a payment has been received by a third party for said remote order, and transmitting said data to said remote seller.
12 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided whereby goods can be purchased from a remote seller such as a catalog marketer, and paid for at a local register, such as that of a local retailer. A point-of-sale system operable by a local seller processes, in a user-friendly manner, purchase codes identifying remote sellers to enable transactions including payments for both local and remotely purchased goods. A processor operable by a remote seller generates data for use by the local seller in receiving and processing a payment for goods purchased from the remote seller. A processor operable by a processing merchant permits the processing merchant to facilitate the remote sales and local payments, reconciling the related transactions occurring at the remote seller and the local seller. Further provided is a process for use by a customer enabling remote purchase of goods with subsequent local payment at a convenient location.
249 Citations
73 Claims
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1. A method of processing a payment for a purchase of goods, comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a point-of-sale system a code relating to a purchase of goods;
determining if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller;
if said code relates to a remote order, then determining a price for said remote order, generating data to indicate a payment has been received by a third party for said remote order, and transmitting said data to said remote seller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of processing a payment for a purchase of goods, comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a point-of-sale system a code relating to a purchase of goods;
determining if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller;
if said code relates to a remote order, then determining a price for said remote order, receiving a payment for said remote order, and transmitting to said remote seller data indicating that said payment has been received for said remote order. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
storing a plurality of product codes indicating local goods;
storing a plurality of merchant codes indicating remote goods; and
comparing said code with at least one of said plurality of product codes and said plurality of merchant codes.
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14. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said code comprises a barcode, and said step of receiving said code comprises scanning said barcode.
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15. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said barcode identifies said remote seller, and further including the step of requesting an order code including further information relevant to said purchase.
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16. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said step of transmitting to said remote seller data indicating that said payment has been received for said remote order comprises transmitting said data directly to said remote seller.
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17. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said step of transmitting to said remote seller data indicating that said payment has been received for said remote order comprises transmitting said data to a third-party intermediary for transmission to said remote seller.
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18. A method in accordance with claim 17 and further including the step of selecting said third-party intermediary from a plurality of third-party intermediaries.
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19. A method in accordance with claim 8 and further including the steps of:
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requesting an order code; and
transmitting said order code to said remote seller with said data indicating that said payment has been received.
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20. A method according to claim 8, wherein said code identifies said remote seller.
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21. A method according to claim 8, wherein said code identifies said remote order.
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22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said code encodes said price.
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23. A method according to claim 8, wherein said code encodes said price.
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24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the step of determining said price comprises decoding said code.
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25. A method for a remote seller to process a payment for the sale of goods, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a remote order for a purchase of goods from a customer;
generating a code and a purchase price for said remote order;
transmitting said code and said purchase price to the customer;
providing order data for use by a point-of-sale system of a local seller in receiving a payment for said remote order;
receiving payment data confirming said payment has been received at said point-of-sale system of said local seller;
initiating, responsive to said payment data, a shipment of said goods; and
receiving a payment for said remote order from said local seller. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
receiving a request for said order data for use by said point-of-sale system; and
providing said order data responsive to said step of receiving a request for said order data.
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33. A method in accordance with claim 32 wherein said step of receiving a request for said order data includes receiving said request from said point-of-sale system.
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34. A method in accordance with claim 32 wherein said step of receiving a request for said order data includes receiving said request from said point-of-sale system through a third party.
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35. A method in accordance with claim 25 wherein said step of receiving a remote order for the purchase of goods includes receiving said remote order by telephone.
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36. A method in accordance with claim 25 wherein said step of receiving a remote order for the purchase of goods includes receiving said remote order through a computer data network.
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37. A method according to claim 25, wherein said code identifies said remote seller.
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38. A method according to claim 25, wherein said code identifies said remote order.
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39. A method according to claim 38, wherein said code encodes said purchase price.
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40. A method according to claim 25, wherein said code encodes said purchase price.
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41. A method submitting a payment for a purchase of goods, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting an order for goods to a remote merchant;
receiving a code and a purchase price for said order from said remote merchant;
providing at least one of said code and said purchase price for use by a point-of-sale system of a local seller in processing a payment for said order;
submitting said payment to said local seller at said point-of-sale system; and
receiving said goods from said remote merchant. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. Apparatus for processing a payment for a purchase of goods, comprising:
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a point-of-sale system including a processor and a memory connected to said processor;
said memory storing instructions for controlling said processor; and
said processor operative with the stored instructions to receive a code relating to a purchase of goods;
determine if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller; and
if said code relates to a remote order, then determine a price for said remote order, generate data to indicate receipt by a third party of a payment for said remote order, and transmit said data to said remote seller. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. Apparatus for processing a payment for a purchase of goods, comprising:
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a point-of-sale system including a processor and a memory connected to said processor;
said memory storing instructions for controlling said processor; and
said processor operative with the stored instructions to receive a code relating to a purchase of goods;
determine if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller; and
if said code relates to a remote order, then determine a price for said remote order, receive an indication of payment of said price for said remote order, and transmit to said remote seller data indicating that said payment has been received for said remote order. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
said memory further contains a plurality of product codes indicating local goods and a plurality of merchant codes indicating a plurality of remote sellers; and
said processor is further operative to compare said code with at least one of said plurality of product codes and said plurality of merchant codes in order to determine if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller.
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52. Apparatus in accordance with claim 46 wherein said code comprises a barcode, and said point-of-sale system further comprising a barcode scanner connected to said processor and operative to scan said barcode.
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53. Apparatus in accordance with claim 52 wherein said barcode identifies said remote seller, said processor further operative to generate a request for an order code containing further information relevant to said purchase.
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54. Apparatus in accordance with claim 46 wherein said processor is operative to transmit said data directly to said remote seller.
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55. Apparatus in accordance with claim 46 wherein said processor is operative to transmit said data to a third-party intermediary for transmission to said remote seller.
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56. Apparatus in accordance with claim 55 wherein said processor is operative to select said third-party intermediary from a plurality of third-party intermediaries.
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57. Apparatus for use by a remote seller in processing a payment for a sale of goods, comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory connected to said processor and storing instructions for controlling said processor, said processor operative with the stored instructions to receive purchase data relating to a remote order for a purchase of goods from a customer, generate a code and a purchase price for said remote order, transmit said code and said purchase price to the customer;
generate order data for use by a point-of-sale system of a local seller in receiving a payment for said order, receive payment data confirming said payment has been paid at said point-of-sale system of said local seller, generate delivery data to initiate, responsive to said payment data, the shipment of said goods to said customer, and receive verification data indicating receipt of said purchase price from said local seller. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
said memory further contains information identifying a plurality of third parties and a plurality of point-of-sale systems;
said processor further operative toselect said third party based on an identity of said point-of-sale system.
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63. Apparatus in accordance with claim 59, wherein said processor is operative to output said order data responsive to said operation of receiving purchase data.
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64. Apparatus in accordance with claim 59 wherein said processor is operative to:
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receive a request for said order data; and
provide said order data responsive to said request.
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65. Apparatus in accordance with claim 64 wherein said processor is operative to receive said request from said point-of-sale system.
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66. Apparatus in accordance with claim 64 wherein said processor is operative to receive said request from said point-of-sale system through a third party.
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67. Apparatus in accordance with claim 57 and further including means connected to said processor for receiving said purchase data by telephone.
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68. Apparatus in accordance with claim 57 and further including means connected to said processor for receiving said purchase data through a computer data network.
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69. Apparatus for processing a payment for a purchase of goods, comprising:
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means for receiving at a point-of-sale system a code relating to a purchase of goods;
means for determining if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller;
means, if said code relates to a remote order, for determining a price for said remote order;
means, if said code relates to a remote order, for generating data to indicate a payment has been received by a third party for said remote order; and
means, if said code relates to a remote order, for transmitting said data to said remote seller.
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70. Apparatus for processing a payment for a purchase of goods, comprising:
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means for receiving at a point-of-sale system a code relating to a purchase of goods;
means for determining if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller;
means, if said code relates to a remote order, for determining a price for said remote order;
means, if said code relates to a remote order, for receiving a payment of said price for said remote order; and
means, if said code relates to a remote order, for transmitting to said remote seller data indicating that said payment has been received for said remote order.
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71. Apparatus for processing a payment for the sale of goods, comprising:
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means for receiving a remote order for a purchase of goods from a customer;
means for generating a code and a purchase price for said remote order;
means for transmitting said code and said purchase price to the customer;
means for providing order data for use by a point-of-sale system of a local seller in receiving a payment for said remote order;
means for receiving payment data confirming said payment has been received at said point-of-sale system of said local seller;
means for initiating, responsive to said payment data, a shipment of said goods; and
means for receiving a payment for said remote order from said local seller.
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72. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code means stored thereon for controlling a computer to process a payment for a purchase of goods, said computer-readable program code means including;
program code for receiving at a point-of-sale system a code relating to a purchase of goods;
program code for determining if said code relates to a local order or to a remote order from a remote seller;
program code, if said code relates to a remote order, for determining a price for said remote order, receiving a payment for said remote order, and transmitting to said remote seller data indicating that said payment has been received for said remote order.
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73. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code means stored thereon for controlling a computer to process a payment for a purchase of goods, said computer-readable program code means including;
program code for receiving a remote order for a purchase of goods from a customer;
program code for generating a code and a purchase price for said remote order;
program code for transmitting said code and said purchase price to the customer;
program code for providing data for use by a point-of-sale system of a local seller in receiving a payment for said remote order;
program code for receiving data confirming said payment has been received at said point-of-sale system of said local seller;
program code for initiating, responsive to said receiving data, a shipment of said goods; and
program code for receiving a payment for said remote order from said local seller.
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Specification