Electronic commerce using a transaction network

• US 6,473,740 B2
• Filed: 11/29/1998
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amdocs Development Limited (Amdocs Ltd.), Amdocs Incorporated (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Qpass, Inc. (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ryan, Timothy J., Bryant, William K., Franklin, D. Chase, Faith, Ronald R. Jr., Malek, Thor A., Siadek, Steven J., Goris, J. Mark, Sweet, Andrew P., McNeely, Mark H., Cockrill, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKERS, GEOFFREY R
• Application Number:
  US09/201,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,430 Days
• Field of Search: 705/27, 705/40, 705/34, 705/30, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/26.81
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a transaction network that facilitates and simplifies purchase transactions between any number of customers and any number of merchants. The transaction network is primarily utilized in the sale and purchase of digital content via a network such as the Internet. The transaction network registers and authenticates customer purchase activities and maintains customer account data including payment information. Once registered, a customer will generally not register again for further purchase activities at participating merchant sites. Additionally, the transaction network provides a single, central authentication mechanism for all participating merchant sites using a single customer identifier and password. Further, the transaction network accumulates purchase information across all of the merchant sites and the ultimate payment processing of those purchase transactions. Payment processing generally occurs on a periodic basis, enabling the accumulation of multiple purchase transactions within a participating customer'"'"'s account. The network additionally preferably provides customers with centralized, automated services for customer account management, product refunds, subscription management, and multiple purchasing accounts linked to the same payment account.

Claims

1. A method in a computer network for managing purchase transactions for the Web sites of a plurality of merchants using a transaction network, comprising:

for each of the plurality of merchant Web sites, under the control of the merchant Web site;

displaying items available for purchase, each item having a price;

receiving user input from users using Web clients selecting items for purchase; and

for each item selection, forwarding a purchase request to the transaction network indicating the price of the selected item;

under the control of the transaction network;

receiving transaction network purchase requests forwarded from at least two of the plurality of merchant Web sites;

for each received purchase request;

discerning the identity of the user; and

generating a pending transaction record indicating the identity of the user, the price of the selected item, and the identity of the forwarding Web site;

periodically determining, for each user whose identity is indicated by a pending transaction record, the sum of the prices of the pending transaction records indicating the identity of the user;

where the determined sum for a user exceeds a billing threshold, submitting to a payment processor a request for settlement for the determined sum against an account of the user, whereby the transaction network is capable of permitting profitable management of purchase transactions that are typically unprofitable on an individual basis;

receiving settlement indications from the payment processor each indicating payment of an identified submitted a request for settlement;

for each received settlement indication, for each transaction record whose price is included in the sum of the billing transaction identified by the received settlement indication;

crediting an account of the merchant identified by the transaction record; and

removing the pending status of the transaction record.

2. A method in one or more computer systems for procuring payment for purchase transactions each originating with a particular user and vendor, comprising:

receiving purchase requests each originating at one of a plurality of vendor Web sites, and at least two of the purchase requests originating from different vendor Web sites in the plurality, each purchase request indicating a purchase price;

for each received purchase request;

discerning the identity of a user with which the purchase request originated; and

storing a pending transaction record indicating the identity of the user, the purchase price, and the identity of the vendor at whose Web site the purchase request originated;

periodically determining, for each user whose identity is indicated by a pending transaction record, the sum of the prices of the pending transaction records indicating the identity of the user;

where the determined sum for a user exceeds a billing threshold, submitting to a payment processor a billing transaction for the determined sum against an account of the user, whereby the transaction network is capable of permitting profitable management of purchase transactions that are typically unprofitable on an individual basis;

receiving settlement indications from the payment processor each indicating payment of an identified submitted billing transaction;

for each received settlement indication, for each transaction record whose price is included in the sum of the billing transaction identified by the received settlement indication;

crediting an account of the vendor identified by the transaction record; and

removing the pending status of the transaction record.