Network-accessible account system
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for allowing a user to add a value via a wide-area network (WAN) to a first account of a first network system of a participant from a second account supported by a different network system, the first account being supported by a first account server coupled to the WAN, said value-adding system comprising:
- a WAN-accessible value transfer station (VTS) coupled to said WAN and coupled to the first account server, said WAN-accessible VTS including 1) means for receiving from one of a general purpose computer and a personal digital assistant (PDA) operated by the user a) second account identification information, and b) the value that the user desires to transfer to said first account from said second account, 2) means for verifying that said second account authorizes the transfer of said value, and 3) means for transferring said value to said first account from said second account.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to methods of, and systems for, allowing an account participant to add value via a wide-area network to a first account from a second account. A first account server coupled to a wide-area network supports the first account. In a preferred embodiment the wide-area-network-accessible value transfer station (VTS) includes a central processing unit for executing instructions, and a memory unit. The memory unit includes an operating system, software for receiving from a participant via the network a) second account identification information, and b) a value that the participant desires to transfer to the first account from the second account, second account verification software for receiving the second account identification number from said receiving software and for verifying that the second account authorizes the transfer of the specified value, and value transfer software for receiving a value from the receiving software, for receiving a verification from the verification software, and for transferring the specified value to the first account from the second account if the verification is received. The wide-area-network-accessible VTS further includes conductive interconnects connecting the central processing unit and the memory unit to allow portions of the wide-area-network-accessible value transfer station to communicate and to allow the central processing unit to execute the software in the memory unit.
151 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for allowing a user to add a value via a wide-area network (WAN) to a first account of a first network system of a participant from a second account supported by a different network system, the first account being supported by a first account server coupled to the WAN, said value-adding system comprising:
a WAN-accessible value transfer station (VTS) coupled to said WAN and coupled to the first account server, said WAN-accessible VTS including 1) means for receiving from one of a general purpose computer and a personal digital assistant (PDA) operated by the user a) second account identification information, and b) the value that the user desires to transfer to said first account from said second account, 2) means for verifying that said second account authorizes the transfer of said value, and 3) means for transferring said value to said first account from said second account. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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17. In a server, a method of adding a value to a first account supported by a first computer network by transferring value from a second account supported by a second computer network different from the first computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving from one of a general purpose computer and a personal digital assistant (PDA) operated by a user via a wide-area network a) second account identification information for identifying the second account, and b) the value that the user desires to transfer to said first account from said second account, verifying that said second account authorizes the transfer of said value, and transferring said value to said first account from said second account. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave comprising
program code which allows for a card account participant or authorized user to use the Internet to add value to a first account from a second account, the first account being supported by a first account server coupled to the Internet, the first and second accounts being supported by different computer networks, said program code including software for receiving from the participant or user a) first account identification information, b) second account identification information, and c) the value that the participant desires to transfer to said first account from said second account, second account verification software for verifying that the second account authorizes the transfer of said value, and value transfer software for transferring said value to said first account from said second account.
Specification