Secure online purchasing

• US 7,007,000 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Engelhart, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas D.
• Application Number:
  US10/080,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 705/44, 705/75, 705/76, 705/77, 705/78, 379/114.1, 379/114.12
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

In a method of purchasing online, a client device of a customer communicates a purchase selection which is received by a vendor computer system. The vendor computer system, in response, communicates a cost of the purchase selection and fund confirmation address to the client device. The client device communicating a payment authorization for the cost that is received by a fund guardian. The fund guardian confirms the availability of sufficient funds to pay the cost. The vendor computer system communicates a fund confirmation address which is received by the fund guardian. When sufficient funds are available to pay the cost, the fund guardian communicates a fund confirmation to the fund confirmation address.

Claims

1. A method of purchasing online, comprising:

a client device of a customer communicating a purchase selection, the purchase selection received by a vendor computer system, the vendor computer system in response communicating a cost of the purchase selection and a fund confirmation address, the cost and fund confirmation address received by the client device;

the client device communicating a payment authorization for the cost, the payment authorization received by a fund guardian, the fund guardian to confirm the availability of sufficient funds to pay the cost, the payment authorization also received by a billing system, the billing system suspending network access charges for the customer in response to receiving the payment authorization;

the client device communicating the fund confirmation address, the fund confirmation address received by the fund guardian; and

when sufficient funds are available to pay the cost, the fund guardian communicating a fund confirmation to the fund confirmation address without using the client device as an intermediary.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the vendor computer system enabling a download to the client device in response to the fund confirmation.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

the vendor computer system communicating to the fund guardian that the download completed successfully; and

the fund guardian causing funds to transfer to the vendor computer system in response to the download completing successfully.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the fund guardian is a banking system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fund guardian is an escrow system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the vendor computer system further communicates a transaction ID, the transaction ID received by the client device, and wherein the method further comprises the client device communicating the transaction ID, the transaction ID received by the fund guardian.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the vendor computer system further communicates transaction time information, the transaction time information received by the client device, and wherein the method further comprises the client device communicating the transaction time information, the transaction time information received by the fund guardian.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the client device is a handheld computer.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein the client device is a mobile telephone.

8. A method of purchasing online, comprising:

a client device of a customer communicating a purchase selection, the purchase selection received by a vendor computer system, the vendor computer system in response communicating a cost of the purchase selection and a fund confirmation address, the cost and fund confirmation address received by the client device;

the client device communicating a payment authorization for the cost of the purchase selection, the payment authorization received by a fund guardian, the fund guardian to confirm the availability of sufficient funds to pay the cost, the payment authorization also received by a billing system, the billing system suspending network access charges for the customer in response to receiving the payment authorization;

the client device communicating the fund confirmation address, the fund confirmation address received by the fund guardian; and

when sufficient funds are available to pay the cost, the fund guardian communicating a fund confirmation to the fund confirmation address.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

the vendor computer system enabling a download to the client device in response to receiving the fund confirmation; and

the vendor computer system communicating an indication that the download completed successfully, the billing system receiving the indication that the download completed successfully and in response resuming network access charges for the customer.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the network access charges are against a prepaid wireless access account.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the network access charges are in terms of network access time.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the network access charges are in terms of data volume.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the fund guardian is a banking system.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the fund guardian is an escrow system.

15. A method of transacting online, comprising:

communicating a purchase selection to a vendor computer system;

receiving from the vendor computer system a cost of the purchase selection and a fund confirmation address;

communicating the fund confirmation address and a payment authorization for the cost of the purchase selection to a fund guardian;

communicating the payment authorization for the cost of the purchase selection to a billing system; and

with the billing system, suspending network access charges in response to receiving the payment authorization.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving content which is the subject of the purchase selection from the vendor computer system as a result of the fund guardian providing a fund confirmation for the cost to the fund confirmation address.

17. A method of transacting online, comprising:

communicating a purchase selection to a vendor computer system;

receiving from the vendor computer system a cost of the purchase selection and a fund confirmation address;

communicating a payment authorization for the cost of the purchase selection to a billing system, and with the billing system, suspending network access charges in response to receiving the payment authorization.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

communicating the fund confirmation address to a fund guardian; and

receiving content which is the subject of the purchase selection from the vendor computer system as a result of the fund guardian providing a fund confirmation for the cost to the fund confirmation address.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein a client device communicates to the vendor computer system and to the billing system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the client device is a handheld computer.

21. The device of claim 19 wherein the client device is a mobile telephone.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the network access charges are against a prepaid wireless access account.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the network access charges are in terms of network access time.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the network access charges are in terms of data volume.

25. A method of transacting online, comprising:

receiving a purchase selection, the purchase selection communicated by a client device;

in response to receiving the purchase selection, communicating to the client device a cost of the purchase selection and a fund confirmation address for subsequent communication by the client device to a fund guardian for a user of the client device;

receiving by a billing system an indication of the purchase selection, the indication of the purchase selection communicated by a client device;

with the billing system, suspending network access charges in response to receiving the indication of the purchase selection;

receiving at the fund confirmation address a fund confirmation for the cost of the purchase selection; and

enabling a download by the client device in response to receiving the fund confirmation.

26. A The method of claim 25 wherein the fund confirmation is received from the fund guardian.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

communicating to the fund guardian an indication that the download completed successfully.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the fund guardian is a banking system.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the fund guardian is an escrow system.

30. A method of transacting online, comprising:

communicating a purchase selection for receipt by a vendor computer system;

receiving a cost of the purchase selection, the cost communicated by the vendor computer system;

communicating an indication of the purchase selection for receipt by a billing system; and

with the billing system, suspending network access charges in response to receiving the indication of the purchase selection.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein a client device communicates to the vendor computer system and to the billing system.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein the network access charges are against a prepaid wireless access account.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein the network access charges are in terms of network access time.

36. The method of claim 30 wherein the network access charges are in terms of data volume.

37. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

receiving a transaction ID communicated by the vendor computer system; and

communicating the transaction ID for receipt by the billing system.

38. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

receiving transaction time information communicated by the vendor computer system; and

communicating the transaction time information for receipt by the billing system.

39. A method of transacting online, comprising:

communicating a purchase selection for receipt by a vendor computer system;

receiving a cost of the purchase selection and a fund confirmation address, the cost and the fund confirmation address communicated by the vendor computer system;

for receipt by a fund guardian, communicating the fund confirmation address and a payment authorization for the cost of the purchase selection communicating the payment authorization for the cost of the purchase selection to a billing system; and

with the billing system, suspending network access charges in response to receiving the payment authorization.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

receiving content which is the subject of the purchase selection, the content communicated by the vendor computer system as a result of the fund guardian providing a fund confirmation for the cost to the fund confirmation address.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein a client device communicates to the vendor computer system, to the fund guardian and to the billing system.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the client device is a handheld computer.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the client device is a mobile telephone.

44. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

receiving a transaction ID communicated by the vendor computer system; and

communicating the transaction ID for receipt by the fund guardian.

45. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

receiving transaction time information communicated by the vendor computer system; and

communicating the transaction time information for receipt by the fund guardian.