System and method for facilitating real time transactions between a user and multiple entities

• US 7,729,925 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maritzen, L. Michael, Ludtke, Harold Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Vig; Naresh
• Application Number:
  US11/047,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/26, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating real time transactions between a user and multiple entities are described. In the system, an exchange of information related to a transaction involving a user and multiple entities is facilitated.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a link between a server of a primary merchant and a server of an ancillary merchant and exchanging client discount information on that link, the method comprising:

receiving a purchase request at a transaction privacy clearing house (TPCH) server from the server of the primary merchant, wherein the purchase request originated from a client of the primary merchant;

selecting the ancillary merchant by the TPCH server that can fulfill the purchase request;

establishing a link for an exchange of said client discount information automatically between the server of the primary merchant and a server of the ancillary merchant through the TPCH;

said server of the primary merchant completes the purchase request with the client discount information; and

said server of the primary merchant uses the established link and automatically exchanges client discount information with the server of the selected ancillary merchant through the TPCH without interaction of the client,

wherein the selected ancillary merchant fulfills the purchase request.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said exchange of user discount information is performed in real time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said link is a secure link.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said exchange of user discount information allows completion of a transaction.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

performing said transaction by providing a best price to a user involved in said transaction.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

performing said transaction by providing a best incentive program to the ancillary merchant involved in said transaction.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

performing said transaction by the primary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information.

8. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

selecting the ancillary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information; and

performing said transaction by the primary merchant with the ancillary merchant on behalf of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user discount information is information relating to the purchase request comprising of at least one of purchase, coupon and discount information.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a link for an exchange of user financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user financial information comprises at least one of a credit card account, a bank account, an investment account, a utility account, available mortgage information and a user identification.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a link for an exchange of merchant financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the merchant financial information comprises at least one of a bank account, a line of credit account, a financial verification information, a loyalty program agreement and a merchant relationship discount.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

negotiating, by the TPCH server, a transaction element.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transaction element comprises at least one of a purchase price, a discount, a coupon, a merchant relationship discount and a shipping discount.

16. A system for establishing a link between a server of a primary merchant and a server of an ancillary merchant and exchanging client discount information on that link, the system comprising:

a transaction privacy clearing house (TPCH) server adapted to;

receive a purchase request at from the server of the primary merchant, wherein the purchase request originated from a client of the primary merchant;

select the ancillary merchant that can fulfill the purchase request; and

establish a link for an exchange of said client discount information automatically between the server of the primary merchant and a server of the ancillary merchant through the TPCH;

Server of the primary merchant adapted to;

complete the purchase request with the client discount information; and

use the established link and automatically exchanges client discount information with the server of the selected ancillary merchant through the TPCH without interaction of the client, wherein the selected ancillary merchant fulfills the purchase request.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said exchange of user discount information is performed in real time.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said link is a secure link.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein said exchange of user discount information allows completion of a transaction.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said management module further performs said transaction by providing a best price to a user involved in said transaction.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said management module further performs said transaction by providing a best incentive program to the ancillary merchant involved in said transaction.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein said management module further:

performs said transaction by the primary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information.

23. The system according to claim 16, wherein said management module further to:

select the ancillary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information; and

perform said transaction by the primary merchant with the ancillary merchant on behalf of the user.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the user discount information is information relating to the purchase request comprising of at least one of purchase, coupon and discount information.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein said management module further establishes a link for an exchange of user financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the user financial information comprises at least one of a credit card account, a bank account, an investment account, a utility account, available mortgage information and a user identification.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein said management module further establishes a link for an exchange of merchant financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the merchant financial information comprises at least one of a bank account, a line of credit account, a financial verification information, a loyalty program agreement and a merchant relationship discount.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein said management module further negotiates, by a TPCH server, a transaction element.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the transaction element comprises at least one of a purchase price, a discount, a coupon, a merchant relationship discount and a shipping discount.

31. A computer readable storage medium containing executable instructions, which, when executed in a processing system, cause said system to perform the method of establishing a link between a server of a primary merchant and a server of an ancillary merchant and exchanging client discount information on that link, the method comprising:

receiving a purchase request at a transaction privacy clearing house (TPCH) server from the server of the primary merchant, wherein the purchase request originated from a client of the primary merchant;

selecting the ancillary merchant by the TPCH server that can fulfill the purchase request;

establishing a link for an exchange of said client discount information automatically between the server of the primary merchant and a server of the ancillary merchant through the TPCH;

said server of the primary merchant completes the purchase request with the client discount information; and

said server of the primary merchant uses the established link and automatically exchanges client discount information with the server of the selected ancillary merchant through the TPCH without interaction of the client,

wherein the selected ancillary merchant fulfills the purchase request.

32. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 31, wherein said exchange of user discount information is performed in real time.

33. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 31, wherein said link is a secure link.

34. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 31, wherein said exchange of user discount information allows completion of a transaction.

35. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 34, wherein said method further comprises:

performing said transaction by providing a best price to a user involved in said transaction.

36. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 34, wherein said method further comprises:

performing said transaction by providing a best incentive program to the ancillary merchant involved in said transaction.

37. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 34, wherein said method further comprises:

performing said transaction by the primary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information.

38. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 34, wherein said method further comprises:

selecting the ancillary merchant based on said exchange of user discount information; and

performing said transaction by the primary merchant with of the ancillary merchant on behalf of the user.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein the user discount information is information relating to the purchase request comprising of at least one of purchase, coupon and discount information.

40. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 31, further comprising:

establishing a link for an exchange of user financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

41. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 40, wherein the user financial information comprises at least one of a credit card account, a bank account, an investment account, a utility account, available mortgage information and a user identification.

42. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 31, further comprising:

establishing a link for an exchange of merchant financial information between the server of the primary merchant and the server of the ancillary merchant without interaction of the user.

43. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the merchant financial information comprises at least one of a bank account, a line of credit account, a financial verification information, a loyalty program agreement and a merchant relationship discount.

44. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 31, further comprising:

negotiating, by the TPCH server, a transaction element.

45. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 44, wherein the transaction element comprises at least one of a purchase price, a discount, a coupon, a merchant relationship discount and a shipping discount.