Method and system for restricting the usage of payment accounts

• US 7,337,144 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blinn, Arnold N., Coco, Joseph N.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, JAGDISH
• Application Number:
  US09/675,467
• Time in Patent Office: 2,707 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/37, 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• 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 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A user'"'"'s ability to spend and/or receive funds for payment accounts maintained in an electronic wallet are limited. These limitations include restrictions on where the user is able to spend the funds in a payment account (e.g., at which merchants the funds can be spent, whether the funds can be withdrawn from an ATM, etc.). These limitations may also include restrictions on what other payment accounts the user can receive funds from and/or transfer funds to, thereby limiting person-to-person fund transfers.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

maintaining on a server a plurality of payment accounts in a user-accessible electronic wallet corresponding to a particular user, wherein each said payment account stores information that identifies an associated external account where funds available to the user are maintained;

restricting via the payment accounts where funds in the external account identified by at least one said payment account can be spent using the electronic wallet;

receiving at the server from a merchant server, a request of the user to make a purchase at the merchant server using the electronic wallet;

determining, based upon an identity of the merchant server, a set of the payment accounts in the electronic wallet maintained on the server that identify external accounts which are not restricted from being spent at the merchant server; and

generating, based on the determining, a display that identifies the set of payment accounts.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the restricting comprises restricting which on-line merchants the funds can be spent at.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising limiting, via an expiration date, when the funds can be spent.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the on-line merchants that the funds can be spent at are a group of merchants that changes over time.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising restricting the combination of the funds in the external account identified by at least one said payment account with funds from another external account identified by another payment account prior to being spent.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the external accounts identified by the plurality of payment accounts each comprises one of:

a credit card account, a debit card account, a gift certificate account, a rebate account, a cash account, an allowance account, or a reward account.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising restricting different external accounts identified by payment accounts in the electronic wallet in different manners.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising maintaining, in the electronic wallet, restrictions regarding where the funds identified by at least one said payment account can be spent.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein, if one particular payment account is not useable to make the purchase, the particular payment account is not included in the display.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display further indicates that one or more payment accounts in the plurality are not useable to make the purchase.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display further indicates restrictions associated with one or more payment accounts in the electronic wallet that are not useable to make the purchase.

12. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

maintain on a server payment accounts in a user-accessible electronic wallet corresponding to a particular user, wherein the payment accounts store information that identifies external accounts where funds available to the user are maintained;

restrict via the payment accounts where funds in the external account identified by a respective said payment account can be spent using the electronic wallet;

receive, at the server from a merchant server, a request of the user to make a purchase at the merchant server using the electronic wallet;

determine, based upon an identity of the merchant server, a set of the payment accounts in the electronic wallet maintained on the server that identify external accounts which are not restricted from being spent at the merchant server; and

generate, based on the determining, a web page displayable to the user which identifies the set of the payment accounts.

13. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein to restrict where finds identified by a respective said payment account can be spent is to restrict which on-line merchants the funds can be spent at.

14. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause to one or more processors to limit, via an expiration date, when funds in the external account identified by a respective said payment account can be spent.

15. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the on-line merchants that the funds can be spent at are a group of merchants that changes over time.

16. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to restrict the combination of the funds in the external account identified by a respective said payment account with finds from another external account identified by another payment account prior to being spent.

17. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the external accounts identified by the payment accounts comprises one of:

a gift certificate account, a rebate account, an allowance account, or a reward account.

18. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to restrict different external accounts identified by payment accounts in the electronic wallet in different manners.

19. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, further comprising maintaining, in the electronic wallet, restrictions regarding where the funds identified by the payment accounts can be spent.

20. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein, if one particular payment account is not useable to make the purchase, the particular payment account is not included in the web page.

21. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the web page further indicates that one or more payment accounts in the electronic wallet are not useable to make the purchase.

22. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the web page further indicates restrictions associated with one or more payment accounts in the electronic wallet that are useable to make the purchase.

23. A system comprising:

a server having;

a processor; and

a memory configured to maintain instructions executable on the processor to provide;

means for maintaining on the server payment accounts in a user-accessible electronic wallet corresponding to a user, wherein the payment accounts store information that identifies external accounts where funds available to the user are maintained;

means for restricting via the payment accounts where funds in the external account identified by at least one said payment account can be spent using the electronic wallet;

means for receiving, at the server from a merchant server, a request of the user to make a purchase at the merchant server using the electronic wallet;

means for determining, based upon an identity of the merchant server, set of the payment accounts in the electronic wallet maintained on the server that identify external accounts which are not restricted from being spent at the merchant server; and

means for generating, based on the determining, a listing displayable to the user which identifies the set of the payment accounts.

24. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein the means for restricting comprises means for restricting the combination of the funds in the external account identified by a respective said payment account with funds from another external account identified by another payment account prior to being spent.

25. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein the electronic wallet maintains restrictions regarding where the funds identified by the payment accounts can be spent.

26. A system as recited as recited in claim 23, wherein, if one particular payment account is not useable to make the purchase, the particular payment account is not included in the listing.

27. A system as recited as recited in claim 23, wherein the listing further indicates that one or more payment accounts in the electronic wallet are not useable to make the purchase.

28. A system as recited as recited in claim 27, wherein the listing further indicates restrictions associated with one or more payment accounts in the electronic wallet that are not useable to make the purchase.

29. A system as recited as recited in claim 23, wherein the listing is displayable to the user via a web browser.