Providing dual number access electronic wallet

• US 7,814,014 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gopalan, Prabhakar
• Primary Examiner(s): Akintola; Olabode
• Application Number:
  US09/888,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20030009422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,396 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 40
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

An electronic wallet is based upon a centralized personal data base (CPDB). In the CPDB system merchants obtained customer information by using a primary number and a secondary number given to them by the customer. The CPDB electronic wallet provides a primary number and a wallet number to the merchant to conduct the financial transaction between the user and the merchant. The merchant submits the primary number and the wallet number to the centralized personal data base, the transaction is processed by the CPDB, and the merchant obtains credit for the financial transaction.

Claims

1. A method of completing a financial transaction between a user having a payment account and a merchant having a merchant account, the method comprising:

a) the user logging on to a centralized personal data base using a basic number and a primary number, wherein the basic number is accessible by the user but not by the merchant;

b) the user creating an electronic wallet in the centralized personal data base by inputting a payment account number of the user'"'"'s payment account to associate with the electronic wallet, a payment limit of the electronic wallet, and an expiration date of the electronic wallet;

c) responsive to the user creating the electronic wallet, the centralized personal data base generating a wallet number associated with the electronic wallet;

d) the user making a purchase from the merchant on a purchase date by sending the primary number and the wallet number to the merchant, wherein the purchase has a price;

e) the merchant sending the primary number and the wallet number to the centralized personal data base; and

f) the centralized personal data base determining whether the purchase is authorized by determining whether the purchase price exceeds the payment limit of the electronic wallet and whether the purchase date is after the expiration date, wherein the purchase is authorized when the purchase price does not exceed the payment limit and the purchase date is not after the expiration date;

g) responsive to determining that the purchase is authorized, the centralized personal data base debiting the user'"'"'s payment account for the purchase price and crediting the merchant account.