Methods and apparatus for transacting electronic commerce using account hierarchy and locking of accounts
First Claim
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1. A system for facilitating electronic commerce among users, a service provider and vendors, wherein each user has established a primary account with the service provider, the system comprising:
- a plurality of vendor computers, each vendor computer programmed to provide a website at which a user at a user device may purchase goods or services;
a service provider computer at which the user has established a primary account, the service provider computer programmed to permit the user to establish a sub-account under the primary account, the primary account and sub-account having a prepaid value in the form of electronic tokenswherein the user may specify a subset of the plurality of vendor computers that are the only vendor computers from which purchases may be made using the sub-account;
wherein the service provider computer is programmed to permit the user to authorize the sub-account to independently add funds; and
a communications network enabling the user device to communicate with the plurality of vendor computers;
wherein the service provider computer is programmed to permit the user to authorize the sub-account to establish a further sub-account subordinate to the sub-account.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods are provided for facilitating electronic commerce in an environment in which a service provider handles business transactions between registered users and participating vendors and shipping companies, wherein users may establish and manage primary accounts and sub-accounts to purchase goods and services from participating vendors'"'"' web sites.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating electronic commerce among users, a service provider and vendors, wherein each user has established a primary account with the service provider, the system comprising:
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a plurality of vendor computers, each vendor computer programmed to provide a website at which a user at a user device may purchase goods or services; a service provider computer at which the user has established a primary account, the service provider computer programmed to permit the user to establish a sub-account under the primary account, the primary account and sub-account having a prepaid value in the form of electronic tokens wherein the user may specify a subset of the plurality of vendor computers that are the only vendor computers from which purchases may be made using the sub-account; wherein the service provider computer is programmed to permit the user to authorize the sub-account to independently add funds; and a communications network enabling the user device to communicate with the plurality of vendor computers; wherein the service provider computer is programmed to permit the user to authorize the sub-account to establish a further sub-account subordinate to the sub-account. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeAML IP LLC (Dynamic IP Deals, LLC (d/b/a DynaIP))
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Original AssigneePaybyclick corporation
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InventorsLing, Marvin T.
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Primary Examiner(s)CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
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Application NumberUS10/616,124Publication NumberTime in Patent Office2,436 DaysField of Search705/1, 705/38, 705/41, 705/35, 705 39- 40, 705/44, 235/380, 709/203, 709/204, 709/224, 713164-167, 707 9- 10, 707100-104, 726 1- 7, 726 27- 30US Class Current705/39CPC Class CodesG06Q 20/10 specially adapted for elect...G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing ...
