Method for facilitating a purchase transaction using an account associated with a media account

• US 7,856,387 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2010
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GoFigure Payments, LLC
• Original Assignee: GoFigure Payments, LLC
• Inventors: Rolf, Devon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fields, Benjamin S
• Application Number:
  US12/774,464
• Time in Patent Office: 230 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A computer implemented method for facilitating a purchase transaction includes enabling a deposit account of an accountholder to be associated with another account of the accountholder that is provided by a provider of media to the accountholder. The account provided by the media provider corresponds to provision of media to the accountholder or is a financial account that is associated with a media account of the accountholder. Information indicative of the account provided by the provider of media is received during a purchase transaction. The purchase transaction is settled using funds from the deposit account.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for facilitating a purchase transaction, said method comprising:

providing to an account holder a first account, wherein said first account is provided to the account holder by a provider of media to said account holder;

enabling a second account of the account holder to be associated with the first account, wherein said second account is an account of the account holder;

receiving information indicative of said first account when said first account is used during a purchase transaction at a merchant other than said provider of media, wherein said receiving information indicative of said first account when said first account is used during said purchase transaction is performed by at least one electronic processor; and

settling said purchase transaction using said second account of the account holder.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said receiving information indicative of said first account when said first account is used during a purchase transaction comprises receiving said information after said purchase transaction was initiated with a mobile communications device.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said receiving information indicative of said first account when said first account is used during a purchase transaction comprises receiving said information after said purchase transaction was initiated via a touch screen display on a mobile communications device.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said receiving information indicative of said first account when said first account is used during a purchase transaction comprises receiving said information after said purchase transaction was initiated with a payment card at a point of sale terminal.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said receiving information indicative of said first account when said first account is used during a purchase transaction comprises receiving said information after said purchase transaction was initiated over a communications network.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said receiving information indicative of said first account when said first account is used during a purchase transaction comprises receiving said information after said purchase transaction was initiated over a wireless communications network.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second account is provided by said provider of said first account.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second account is provided by a source other than said provider of said first account.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said second account is provided by a bank.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first account corresponds to provision of media to the account holder by the provider of the first account.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first account is a financial account that is associated with a media account provided by the media provider to the accountholder, wherein said media account of the account holder corresponds to provision of media to the accountholder by the provider of the media account.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising enabling said first account to maintain a balance of available funds.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising placing a limit on a cumulative monetary amount of purchase transactions that can be made with said first account in a period of time.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second account comprises a bank deposit account.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second account comprises a debit account.

16. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second account comprises a credit account.