Digital computer system and methods for implementing a financial transaction

• US 7,548,888 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Jared P. Schutz
• Inventors: Schutz, Jared P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, II, Calvin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Qayyum, Zeshan
• Application Number:
  US09/747,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20020103763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,098 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/50, 705/51, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/64
• 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 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction

Abstract

Computer-aided methods (making and using), along with a corresponding machine, article of manufacture, and data structures, is provided for using a computer system to implement a financial transaction, the method including the steps of: providing a first web site having identifier data; encrypting the identifier data; using a URL to log on to a second web site, said log on using the encrypted identifier data for passing the encrypted identifier data to a second web site; and implementing the financial transaction by using the encrypted identifier data from the second web site. A browser can be employed to communicate payment data over the Internet for reconciling a payment for the purchase invisibly to the purchaser by using the payment data communicated by the browser to implement the financial transaction. A computerized customer order is utilized to implement the financial transaction by triggering a communication of real time payment data from a non-customer computer to a vendor computer without customer intervention.

Claims

1. A method of using an apparatus, the method including:

storing a value and credit card information in memory;

creating a value conveyance using the value and the credit card information by a computer associated with the memory;

associating the value conveyance and the value with a debit instrument number by the computer;

displaying the value conveyance and at least one link to a store on a first webpage of the computer;

receiving, over a network, a selection, from a browser displaying the first webpage, of at least one link to a store;

in response to the selection, encrypting the debit instrument number by the computer, redirecting the browser using the link to a second webpage, and transmitting to the second webpage a URL comprising the encrypted debit instrument number by the computer; and

receiving and storing, by the computer from the second webpage, an update to the value conveyance.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the encrypting comprises private key to private key encrypting.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the transmitting to the second webpage a URL comprising the encrypted debit instrument number by the computer is carried out invisibly to a computer associated with the browser.

6. Any one of claims 1-3, further including attaching data identifying the value conveyance to an Internet greeting card transmitted by the computer.

7. Any one of claims 1-3, further including attaching data identifying the value conveyance to an electronic communication transmitted by the computer.

8. Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the value conveyance comprises a gift to from one person to an other person, such the other person can redeem the value conveyance without the other person having a merchant account or a relationship with a financial institution, and further including attaching data identifying the gift to an Internet greeting card transmitted by the computer.

9. Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the value conveyance comprises a gift certificate.

10. Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the value conveyance comprises a coupon.

11. Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the value conveyance comprises a rebate.

12. Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the value conveyance comprises money.

13. Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the value conveyance comprises a cash surrogate.

14. Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the value conveyance comprises a stored value vehicle.

15. Any one of claims 1-3, wherein the value conveyance comprises a debt card instrument.

16. Any one of claims 1-3, further including providing a gift icon at the computer.

17. Any one of claims 1-3, further including, providing at the computer, an option to combine money with the value conveyance.

2. A method of using an apparatus, the method including:

storing a value and credit card information in memory;

creating a value conveyance using the value and the credit card information by a computer associated with the memory;

associating the value conveyance and the value with a debit instrument number by the computer;

displaying the value conveyance and at least one link to a product on a first webpage of the computer;

receiving, over a network, a selection, from a browser displaying the first webpage, of at least one link to a product;

in response to the selection, encrypting the debit instrument number by the computer, redirecting the browser using the link to a second webpage, and transmitting to the second webpage a URL comprising the encrypted debit instrument number by the computer; and

receiving and storing, by the computer from the second webpage, an update to the value conveyance.

3. A method of using an apparatus, the method including:

storing a value and credit card information in memory;

creating a value conveyance using the value and the credit card information by a computer associated with the memory;

associating the value conveyance and the value with a debit instrument number by the computer;

displaying the value conveyance and at least one link to a charitable contribution on a first webpage of the computer;

receiving, over a network, a selection, from a browser displaying the first webpage, of at least one link to a charitable contribution;

in response to the selection, encrypting the debit instrument number by the computer, redirecting the browser using the link to a second webpage, and transmitting to the second webpage a URL comprising the encrypted debit instrument number by the computer; and

receiving and storing, by the computer from the second webpage, an update to the value conveyance.

18. Apparatus including:

a digital electrical computer;

a memory storing executable instructions which when executed, causes the digital electrical computer to perform the operations of;

storing a value and credit card information in memory;

creating a value conveyance using the value and the credit card information by the computer associated with the memory;

associating the value conveyance and the value with a debit instrument number by the computer;

displaying the value conveyance and at least one link to a store on a first webpage of the computer;

receiving, over a network, a selection, from a browser displaying the first webpage, of at least one link to a store;

in response to the selection, encrypting the debit instrument number by the computer, redirecting the browser using the link to a second webpage, and transmitting to the second webpage a URL comprising the encrypted debit instrument number by the computer; and

receiving and storing, by the computer from the second webpage, an update to the value conveyance.

21. The apparatus of any one of claims 18, 19, 20, further including a computer system associated with the browser.

22. The apparatus of any one of claims 18, 19, 20, further including a computer system communicating with the computer associated with the memory so as to create the value conveyance.

19. Apparatus including:

a digital electrical computer;

a memory storing executable instructions which when executed, causes the digital electrical computer to perform the operations of;

storing a value and credit card information in memory;

creating a value conveyance using the value and the credit card information by a computer associated with the memory;

associating the value conveyance and the value with a debit instrument number by the computer;

displaying the value conveyance and at least one link to a product on a first webpage of the computer;

receiving, over a network, a selection, from a browser displaying the first webpage, of at least one link to a product;

in response to the selection, encrypting the debit instrument number by the computer, redirecting the browser using the link to a second webpage, and transmitting to the second webpage a URL comprising the encrypted debit instrument number by the computer; and

receiving and storing, by the computer from the second webpage, an update to the value conveyance.

20. Apparatus including:

a digital electrical computer;

a memory storing executable instructions which when executed, causes the digital electrical computer to perform the operations of;

storing a value and credit card information in memory;

creating a value conveyance using the value and the credit card information by a computer associated with the memory;

associating the value conveyance and the value with a debit instrument number by the computer;

displaying the value conveyance and at least one link to a charitable contribution on a first webpage of the computer;

receiving, over a network, a selection, from a browser displaying the first webpage, of at least one link to a charitable contribution;

in response to the selection, encrypting the debit instrument number by the computer, redirecting the browser using the link to a second webpage, and transmitting to the second webpage a URL comprising the encrypted debit instrument number by the computer; and

receiving and storing, by the computer from the second webpage, an update to the value conveyance.