System and method for facilitating account-based transactions

• US 7,433,451 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2003
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Tedesco, Daniel E., Van Luchene, Andrew S., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US10/603,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,932 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.03, 379/114.1, 37911405-12705, 379/100.3, 379/93.02, 379/39.12, 379/91.01, 379/265.01, 379/91.02, 379/93.04, 379/93.12, 705/53, 705/75, 705/76, 705/77, 705/78, 705/79, 705/130, 705/34.1, 705/40, 705/400, 705/418, 705/44, 705/43
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention comprises associating a first person with an account, associating a second person with the account, receiving a request to authorize a transaction between the second person and a third party, and enabling communication between the first person and the second person.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating a first person with an account;

associating a second person with the account;

receiving a request to authorize a transaction between the second person and a third party;

determining whether the first person desires to communicate with the second person;

determining at least one communication address; and

enabling communication between the first person and the second person based on the at least one communication address if the first person desires to communicate with the second person.

2. The method of claim 1, in which determining whether the first person desires to communicate with the second person comprises:

receiving from the first person an indication that the first person desires to communicate with the second person.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal from the first person, the signal comprising an indication of whether to authorize the transaction; and

processing the transaction based on the signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first signal from the first person, the first signal indicating whether to authorize the transaction; and

transmitting a second signal to the third party, the second signal indicating whether the transaction is authorized.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data including an identifier that identifies the account.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the identifier comprises at least one of:

a credit card number,

a casino player tracking number,

a checking account number

a smart card number,

a frequent flyer account number,

a payment account number, and

a debit card number.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the account is a credit card account.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the first person is a controlling individual.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the first person is a joint holder of the account.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the first person is an account holder of the account.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the third party is an automatic teller machine.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a fee based on the transaction; and

charging the fee to the account.

13. The method of claim 1, in which associating the second person comprises:

associating the second person with a credit card, in which the credit card corresponds to the account, and in which the first person owns the account.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a duration of the communication;

determining a monetary amount based on the duration; and

charging the monetary amount to the account.

15. The method of claim 1, in which enabling communication comprises:

enabling communication between the first person and the second person via a device that is associated with the third party.

16. The method of claim 1, in which enabling communication comprises:

enabling communication between the first person and the second person via a device that is associated with the second person.

17. The method of claim 1, in which enabling communication comprises:

enabling communication between the first person and the second person via a device that comprises at least one of;

a telephone,

a pager,

a radio device,

a personal digital assistant, and

a computer.

18. The method of claim 1, in which enabling communication comprises:

enabling text-based communication between the first person and the second person.

19. The method of claim 1, in which enabling communication comprises:

enabling at least one of audio communication and video communication between the first person and the second person.

20. The method of claim 1, in which enabling communication comprises:

enabling telephonic communication between the first person and the second person.

21. The method of claim 1, in which the at least one communication address comprises at least one of:

a communication address that is associated with the first person,

a communication address that is associated with the second person,

a communication address that is associated with the third party,

a telephone number,

a pager number,

an Internet protocol address,

an instant messaging address, and

an email address.

22. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a first person;

associating the first person with a financial account;

receiving an indication of a second person;

associating the second person with the financial account;

receiving an identifier that identifies the financial account;

receiving a request to authorize a transaction between the second person and a third party;

determining a first communication address that is associated with the first person based on the identifier that identifies the financial account;

establishing a connection to the first person based on the first communication address;

determining whether the first person desires to communicate with the second person; and

if the first person desires to communicate with the second person;

determining a second communication address that is associated with the second person; and

enabling communication between the first person and the second person based on the second communication address.