Systems and methods for facilitating commercial transactions between parties residing at remote locations

• US 7,756,785 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Madhineni, Madhukar, Armes, David, McKay, Joshua B, Bishop, Fred, Barrett, Michael R, Krishnan, Vilayanur Parameswaran, Gebb, Lucas, Wojciechowski, Lee A
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, JAGDISH
• Application Number:
  US11/695,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20070174189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 705/39, 705/26, 705/38
• US Class Current: 705/39
• 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 20/10 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for facilitating commercial transactions involving the exchange of monetary value for goods, services, or other value between remote individuals, as in the case of transactions between users of a distributed computer network such as the Internet. Remote individuals are provided with a convenient, cost-efficient, and secure means for engaging in commercial transactions with one another. The invention provides remote sellers with an irrevocable means of receiving funds from a remote purchaser; means for improving purchaser willingness to transact with an unknown party; transaction tracking; and rapid funds availability. The invention also provides remote purchasers with means for making a secure, confidential transfer of funds; means for immediate initiation of shipment by a seller; means for releasing funds to a seller only after approval of the goods, services, or other value; means for demonstrating proof of payment; and means for having some level of recourse against a remote seller.

Claims

1. A method for a financial account issuer server to facilitate a transaction, the method comprising:

receiving, at the financial account issuer server, a first application for a first financial account from a first party, wherein the financial account issuer server is a processing engine and, wherein the first application comprises fields which include financial account information for establishing the first financial account and transaction management information relating to facilitating transaction management between the first party and a second party;

facilitating, by the financial account issuer server, creation of the first financial account for the first party and a registration of the first party to participate in the transaction management, wherein the registration includes a first financial account identifier for identifying the first financial account associated with the first party;

obtaining, by the financial account issuer server, first party credit information from at least one of the financial account issuer server or a third party;

determining, by the financial account issuer server, that the first party is eligible for obtaining the first financial account based on the first party credit information and the transaction management information;

obtaining, by the financial account issuer server, first party fraud risk information from at least one of the financial account issuer server or the third party;

determining, by the financial account issuer server, that the first party is eligible to participate in the transaction management based on a fraud risk analysis of the first party fraud risk information;

transmitting, by the financial account issuer server, the first financial account identifier to the first party;

receiving, at the financial account issuer server, a second application for a second financial account from a second party, wherein the second application comprises fields which include financial account information for establishing the second financial account and transaction management information relating to facilitating transaction management between the second party and the first party;

facilitating, by the financial account issuer server, creation of the second financial account for the second party and a registration of the second party to participate in the transaction management, wherein the registration includes a second financial account identifier for identifying the second financial account associated with the second party;

obtaining, by the financial account issuer server, second party credit information from at least one of the financial account issuer server or the third party;

determining, by the financial account issuer server, that the second party is eligible for obtaining the first financial account based on the second party credit information and the transaction management information;

obtaining, by the financial account issuer server, second party fraud risk information from at least one of the financial account issuer server or the third party;

determining, by the financial account issuer server, that the second party is eligible to participate in the transaction management based on a fraud risk analysis of the second party fraud risk information;

transmitting, by the financial account issuer server, the second financial account identifier to the second party;

receiving, at the financial account issuer server, the first financial account identifier;

receiving, at the financial account issuer server, a request associated with the transaction management to debit a first amount from the first financial account;

verifying, by the financial account issuer server, that the first financial account can satisfy the request to debit;

receiving, at the financial account issuer server, the second financial account identifier;

receiving, at the financial account issuer server, a request associated with the transaction management to credit at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account;

determining, by the financial account issuer server, if at least one of the request to debit the first financial account or the request to credit the second financial account is not fraudulent based upon a fraud analysis routine;

debiting, by the financial account issuer server and based upon the transaction management information, the first amount from the first financial account, if the request to debit the first financial account is not fraudulent based upon the fraud analysis routine; and

crediting, by the financial account issuer server and based upon the transaction management information, at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account, if the request to credit the second financial account is not fraudulent.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving notification, at the financial account issuer server, that an item associated with the first amount has been at least one of received or approved by a first party associated with the first financial account, prior to crediting at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving notification, at the financial account issuer server, that an item associated with the first amount has been shipped by a second party associated with the second financial account, prior to crediting at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising paying interest to the second financial account on the at least a portion of the first amount credited to the second financial account.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising paying interest to the second financial account on the at least a portion of the first amount credited to the second financial account, after receiving a payment for the charge associated with the first amount on the first financial account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account issuer comprises a first financial account issuer and a second financial account issuer, and wherein the first financial account issuer issued the first financial account and the second financial account issuer issued the second financial account.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an account issuer associated with at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an item is exchanged between a first party associated with the first financial account and a second party associated with the second financial account.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to debit is associated with an item, and wherein the item is exchanged between a first party associated with the first financial account and a second party associated with the second financial account, wherein the item comprises at least one of a good, service, information, experience, access, or entertainment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to debit is associated with an item, and wherein the item is exchanged between a first party associated with the first financial account and a second party associated with the second financial account, wherein the item was identified through at least one of classified advertisement, auction, internet posting, or internet auction.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting a credit risk analysis associated with at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking if the transaction at least partially complies with additional terms.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking if the transaction at least partially complies with additional terms, wherein the additional terms are established by at least one of a first party associated with the first financial account and a second party associated with the second financial account.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking if the transaction at least partially complies with additional terms, wherein the additional terms comprise at least one of suitable account information, evaluation period, time of transaction, date of transaction, funds transfer or escrow release event.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account issuer server operates for at least one of a transaction account issuer, charge card issuer, credit card issuer, debit card issuer, gift card issuer, bank, lender, credit union, or a third party issuer under contract with the financial account issuer server.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first amount comprises at least one of a monetary amount, a non-monetary amount, loyalty points, or monetary equivalent value.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing at least a portion of the first amount in an escrow account, prior to crediting at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the request to debit from at least one of a seller, buyer or intermediary.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the request to credit from at least one of a seller, buyer or intermediary.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving registration information from an intermediary.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection of the type of at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account, to facilitate the transaction.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying for more information from at least one of a first party associated with the first financial account or a second party associated with the second financial account.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising retaining, by the financial account issuer server, a portion of the first amount as a transaction fee.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising debiting, by the financial account issuer server, a transaction fee from at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing, at the financial account issuer, previous transactions associated with at least one of the first identifier or the second identifier.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the first financial account and the second financial account belong to the same customer.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first financial account and the second financial account belong to the same customer and the transaction relates to at least one of budgeting, gifting, cost-splitting or spend compartmentalization.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account includes at least one of a transaction card account, an escrow account, a digital cash account, a demand deposit account, a credit line, checking account, savings account, a gift card account, a pre-paid account, a credit union account, a bank account, an investment account, or a money market account.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing, by the financial account issuer, at least a portion of the first amount from the second financial account.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the debiting is irrevocable.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the debiting and crediting.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying at least one of a first party associated with the first financial account or a second party associated with the second financial account, in response to at least one of the debiting or the crediting.

33. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing proof of the transaction to at least one of a first party associated with the first financial account or a second party associated with the second financial account, in response to at least one of the debiting or the crediting.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating dispute resolution between a first party associated with the first financial account and a second party associated with the second financial account.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating at least one of postal tracking and issuance of insurance associated with an item exchanged between a first party associated with the first financial account and a second party associated with the second financial account.

36. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of crediting or debiting in response to tracking information from a shipping company.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with an automated clearinghouse (ACH) to facilitate at least one of the debiting or the crediting.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first identifier or the second identifier maintains at least a portion of the anonymity of the account.

39. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing, by the financial account issuer, information associated with at least one of the first financial account and the second financial account, wherein the information comprises at least one of name, address, demographic information, social security number, telephone number, account number, account expiration date, personal identification number, date of birth, mother'"'"'s maiden name, spending habit information, billing history information, credit history information, purchaser identity information, or purchaser financial account identification information.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account issuer issues at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account in response to at least one of the request to debit or the request to credit.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account issuer issues the first financial account by:

receiving, at the financial account issuer, a first application for the first financial account from a first party, wherein the financial account issuer comprises a processing engine and, wherein the first application comprises fields which include first financial account information relating to the first financial account and first transaction management information relating to facilitating transaction management between the first party and a second party;

analyzing, at the financial account issuer, the first financial account information to determine that the first party is eligible for the first financial account;

determining, at the financial account issuer, that the first party is eligible for the first financial account based on credit information relating to the first party;

facilitating, at the financial account issuer, creation of the first financial account for the first party, wherein the first party is eligible for the first financial account and, wherein the first financial account includes a first financial account identifier for identifying the first financial account associated with the first party;

analyzing, at the financial account issuer, the first transaction management information to determine that the first party is eligible to participate in the transaction management;

determining, at the financial account issuer, that the first party is eligible to participate in the transaction management based on a fraud risk analysis of the first party; and

,

facilitating, at the financial account issuer, a registration of the first party to participate in the transaction management of the financial account issuer, wherein the first party is eligible to participate in the transaction management and, wherein the registration includes a first party identifier for identifying the first party for the transaction management.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account issuer issues the second financial account by:

receiving, at the financial account issuer, a second application for the second financial account from a second party, wherein the second application comprises fields which include second financial account information relating to the second financial account and second transaction management information relating to facilitating transaction management between the first party and the second party;

analyzing, at the financial account issuer, the second financial account information to determine that the second party is eligible for the second financial account;

determining, at the financial account issuer, that the second party is eligible for the second financial account based on credit information relating to the second party;

facilitating, at the financial account issuer, creation of the second financial account for the second party, wherein the second party is eligible for the second financial account and, wherein second financial account includes a second financial account identifier for identifying the second financial account associated with the second party;

analyzing, at the financial account issuer, the second transaction management information to determine that the second party is eligible to participate in the transaction management;

determining, at the financial account issuer, that the second party is eligible to participate in the transaction management based on a fraud risk analysis of the second party; and

,

facilitating, at the financial account issuer, a registration of the second party to participate in the transaction management of the financial account issuer, wherein the second party is eligible to participate in the transaction management and, wherein the registration includes a second party identifier for identifying the second party for the transaction management.