Information provider, terminal and system and recording medium for the terminal

• US 6,711,551 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1998
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterQ Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetZero Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujita, Nobuyuki, Itakura, Yuichiro, Tsutsui, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US09/206,385
• Time in Patent Office: 1,933 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/51, 705/64, 705/39, 709/217
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus

Abstract

To provide a terminal with which a user can safely make payments using a communication network. The terminal has a browser for communicating with the World Wide Web or other public computer network and a message viewer for communicating with a private network. The browser allows for ordering goods from a host computer connected to the World Wide Web, for receiving a bill for the goods from the World Wide Web, and for transmitting the bill to the message viewer. The message viewer allows for paying the bill through the private network.

Claims

1. A terminal for enabling on-line payment comprising:

a display which allows multiple windows as part of a graphical user interface, each window comprising a distinct display area having independent control;

a browser program which communicates with a public hypertext network, the browser comprising;

means for displaying a browser window on the display,

means for receiving and processing interactive hypertext images for display and input in the browser window, including interactive hypertext images for permitting a user to order goods from a host computer connected to the public hypertext network, and to display a bill for the goods from the public hypertext network,

a message viewer program which communicates with a private network, the message viewer program comprising;

means for displaying a message viewer window on the display,

means for receiving the bill, and

means for paying the bill through the private network; and

communication means for providing a single communication line contemporaneously used by the browser program for communicating with the public hypertext network on a first logical link and the message viewer program for communicating with the private network on a second logical link which is independent of the first logical link.

2. The terminal for enabling on-line payment according to claim 1 wherein:

the message viewer program further includes;

means for receiving information indicative of a payment completion from the private network,

means for transmitting the information indicative of the payment completion to the browser program.

3. A terminal for enabling on-line payment comprising:

a display which allows multiple windows as part of a graphical user interface, each window comprising a distinct display area having independent control;

a browser program which communicates with a public hypertext network and comprises means for displaying a browser window on the display;

a message viewer program which communicates with a private network, the message viewer program comprising;

means for displaying a message viewer window on the display,

means for ordering goods through the private network,

means for receiving a bill for the goods from the private network,

payment means for paying the bill through the private network, and

means for transmitting information that the order and the payment have been completed to the browser program;

communication means for providing a single communication line contemporaneously used by the browser program for communicating with the public hypertext network on a first logical link and the message viewer program for communicating with the private network on a second logical link which is independent of the first logical link.

4. The terminal for enabling on-line payment according to claim 3 wherein the payment means of the message viewer program further includes means for transmitting a credit card number and an expiration date of a user of the terminal to the private network.

5. An information provider for enabling on-line payment, the information provider comprising:

a gateway through which a terminal accesses a public hypertext network, the gateway comprising;

means for transmitting a goods order input through the terminal to a host computer connected to the public hypertext network,

means for transmitting a price information of the goods from the host computer through the public hypertext network to the terminal;

a connection manager which manages a communication through the gateway;

a message manager which communicates with the terminal independently from the gateway and is connected to a payment system which enables payments through a private line contemporaneous with the communication through the gateway, the message manager comprising;

means for receiving the price information from the terminal through the private line,

request means for sending a request message to the payment system through the private line requesting that the payment system authorize payment of an amount indicated by the price information.

6. The information provider for enabling on-line payment according to claim 5 wherein:

the message manager further includes means for receiving information indicative of payment completion from the payment system;

the gateway includes means for notifying the payment completion to the host computer through the public hypertext network.

7. An information provider for enabling on-line payment, the information provider comprising:

a gateway through which a terminal accesses a public hypertext network;

a connection manager for managing a communication conducted through the gateway;

a message manager which communicates with the terminal independently from the gateway and is connected to a payment system which allows payments through a private line contemporaneous with the communication through the gateway, the message manager comprising;

means for transmitting a goods order, input through the terminal, to the payment system,

means for transmitting a bill for the goods order from the payment system to the terminal,

request means for requesting the payment system through the private line to pay the bill,

means for receiving information indicative of payment completion from the payment system,

means for notifying the gateway of the information indicative of payment completion;

wherein the gateway includes means for sending a payment completion message through the public hypertext network to a host computer, the payment completion message notifying the host computer of the payment completion.

8. The information provider for enabling on-line payment according to claim 7 wherein:

the message manager further comprises means for notifying the connection manager of the information indicative of the payment completion;

the connection manager has means for having the gateway send the payment completion message.

9. The information provider for enabling on-line payment according to claim 7 wherein the request means further comprises means for transmitting a credit card number and an expiration date of a credit card held by a user of the terminal to the payment system.

10. A computer-readable recording medium which stores a program for operating on a CPU of a terminal connected to a public network for enabling on-line payment, the program comprising:

a browser module for causing the CPU to communicate with a public hypertext network and for receiving and processing interactive hypertext images for display and input, including interactive hypertext images to

permit a user of the terminal to place an order for goods to a host computer connected to the public hypertext network,

display a bill for the goods from the public hypertext network;

a message viewer module for causing the CPU to communicate with a private network through a logical link which is independent from and contemporaneous with a communication established between the browser module and the public hypertext network, the message viewer module comprising;

means for causing the CPU to receive the bill

means for causing the CPU to execute a payment for the goods using the private network.

11. The recording medium which stores a program for operating on a CPU of a terminal connected to a public network for enabling on-line payment according to claim 10, wherein:

the message viewer module further includes;

means for causing the CPU to receive information indicative of payment completion from the private network,

means for causing the CPU to transmit the payment completion to the browser module.

12. A computer-readable recording medium which stores a program for operating on a CPU of a terminal connected to a public hypertext network for enabling on-line payment, the program comprising:

a browser module for causing the CPU to communicate with the public hypertext network;

a message viewer module for causing the CPU to communicate with a private network independent from and contemporaneous with a communication established between the browser module and the public hypertext network, the message viewer module comprising;

means for causing the CPU to give an order for goods to the private network,

means for causing the CPU to receive a bill for the goods from the private network,

means for causing the CPU to execute payment for the goods through the private network,

means for causing the CPU to indicate that the order and the payment have been completed to the browser module.

13. The recording medium which stores a program for working on CPU of a terminal connected to a public hypertext network for enabling on-line payment according to claim 12 wherein the message viewer module includes means for causing the CPU to transmit a credit card number and an expiration date of a credit card held by a user of the terminal user via the private network during the payment process.

14. A communications system comprising:

a private payment authorization network for providing automated authorization of a given form of payment;

a public computer network having hypertext content and including at least one merchant server system providing HTTP-based commercial transactions across the computer network and accepting the given form of payment;

an information provider having a connection to the private payment authorization network and a gateway to the public computer network;

a terminal comprising;

a display which allows multiple windows as part of a graphical user interface, each window comprising a distinct display area having independent control,

a communications interface for providing a single physical connection to the information provider and supporting plural contemporaneous logical links,

a browser program comprising computer program code for;

making requests of servers on the computer network for hypertext images on behalf of a user of the browser program, wherein the requests are sent through the physical connection,

opening a browser window on the display for displaying the requested images,

receiving the requested images,

displaying the requested images in the browser window,

receiving user input selecting images to receive, wherein the user is able to select at least some images using the hypertext of images shown in the display,

wherein the browser has a first logical link for communicating with the computer network through the single physical connection,

a second program comprising software for;

opening a second window on the display,

after the terminal begins an order transaction with the merchant server system, making a request of the private payment authorization network for authorization of a payment of the given form of payment, wherein the request is sent through the physical connection,

receiving an acknowledgement from the private payment authorization network of the payment,

wherein the second program has a second logical link for communicating with the private payment authorization network through the single physical connection in existence concurrently with the first logical link.

15. The communications system of claim 14 wherein the second program further includes means for transmitting the acknowledgement to the browser program.

16. A terminal for enabling on-line payment and connecting to an information provider, the information provider having a connection to a private payment authorization network and a gateway to a public computer network, the private payment authorization network for providing automated authorization of a given form of payment, the public computer network having hypertext content and including at least one merchant server system providing HTTP-based commercial transactions across the computer network and accepting the given form of payment, the terminal comprising:

a display which allows multiple windows as part of a graphical user interface, each window comprising a distinct display area having independent control;

a communications interface for providing a single physical connection to the information provider and supporting plural contemporaneous logical links;

a browser program comprising computer program code for;

making requests of servers on the computer network for hypertext images on behalf of a user of the browser program, wherein the requests are sent through the physical connection,

opening a browser window on the display for displaying the requested images,

receiving the requested images,

displaying the requested images in the browser window,

receiving user input selecting images to receive, wherein the user is able to select at least some images using the hypertext of images shown in the display,

wherein the browser has a first logical link for communicating with the computer network through the single physical connection;

a second program comprising software for;

opening a second window on the display,

after the terminal begins an order transaction with the merchant server system, making a request of the private payment authorization network for authorization of a payment of the given form of payment, wherein the request is sent through the physical connection,

receiving an acknowledgement from the private payment authorization network of the payment,

wherein the second program has a second logical link for communicating with the private payment authorization network through the single physical connection in existence concurrently with the first logical link.

17. The communications system of claim 16, the second program further including software for transmitting the acknowledgement to the browser program.

18. A terminal for connecting to an information provider, the information provider having a connection to a private payment authorization network and a gateway to a public computer network, the private payment authorization network for providing automated authorization of a given form of payment, the public computer network having hypertext content and including at least one merchant server system providing HTTP-based commercial transactions across the computer network and accepting the given form of payment, the terminal comprising:

a display which allows multiple windows as part of a graphical user interface, each window comprising a distinct display area having independent control;

a communications interface for providing a single physical connection to the information provider and supporting plural contemporaneous logical links;

a browser program comprising;

means for making requests of servers on the computer network for hypertext images on behalf of a user of the browser program, wherein the requests are sent through the physical connection,

means for opening a browser window on the display for displaying the requested images,

means for receiving the requested images,

means for displaying the requested images in the browser window,

means for receiving user input selecting images to receive, wherein the user is able to select at least some images using the hypertext of images shown in the display,

wherein the browser has a first logical link for communicating with the computer network through the single physical connection;

a second program comprising;

means for opening a second window on the display,

means for, after the terminal begins an order transaction with the merchant server system, making a request of the private payment authorization network for authorization of a payment of the given form of payment, wherein the request is sent through the physical connection,

means for receiving an acknowledgement from the private payment authorization network of the payment,

wherein the second program has a second logical link for communicating with the private payment authorization network through the single physical connection in existence concurrently with the first logical link.