Accessing a vendor web site using personal account information retrieved from a credit card company web site

• US 7,904,344 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX-LV Acquisition LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Philyaw, Jeffry Jovan
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US12/021,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A method of accessing a vendor web site (3422) over a global communication packet-switched network (306) using personal account information of a credit card (3400) retrieved from a credit card company server (3300) on the network (306). At a user location disposed on the network, a machine-resolvable code (MRC) (3402) of the credit card (3400) of a user is read with a reading device (3410). Coded information is extracted from the MRC (3402). Routing information associated with the coded information is obtained, which routing information corresponds to the personal account information of the user stored on a credit card company server (3300) disposed on the network (306). The user location connects to the credit card company server (3300) across the network (306) in accordance with the routing information. The personal account information is returned from the credit card company server (3300) to the user location. The personal account information is then presented to the user at the user location. A hyperlink to a vendor web site (3422) is provided in the personal account information. Web site information of the vendor web site (3422) is displayed in response to the user selecting the hyperlink.

Claims

1. A method for connecting to a remote provider location on a network from a user location thereon comprising the steps of:

inputting a unique commerce code at the user location, wherein the unique commerce code is associated with commercial transactions of the user of the unique commerce code;

in response to the step of inputting, displaying to the user correlating historical completed commercial transaction information associated with the unique commerce code, which displayed correlating historical completed commercial transaction information has associated therewith corresponding routing information over the network to other locations on the network, at least one of which is the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location on the network;

allowing the user the option of selecting the routing information to the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location on the network;

selecting by the user the routing information to the remote provider'"'"'s location on the network;

in response to the user selecting, connecting the user location to the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location; and

completing a financial transaction with the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location to which the user is connected to make a purchase, and updating the historical completed commercial transaction information associated with the unique commerce code and adding commercial transactions thereto.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying in response to the step of inputting comprises the steps of:

connecting to a commerce transaction location on the network that is associated with the unique commerce code in the step of inputting;

the commerce transaction location having associated therewith a relational database with a plurality of information blocks of commercial transaction information associated with at least a portion of each of a plurality of unique commerce codes; and

comparing the received at least a portion of the unique commerce code with the database and, if a match exists, returning the associated information block of commercial transaction information to the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the returned information block is unique to the at least a portion of the unique commerce code transmitted thereto.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the unique commerce code is comprised of a first portion that is associated with routing information to the commercial transaction location on the network and a second portion that is related to the associated information block of commercial transaction information in the database, the second portion corresponding to the at least one portion.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of connecting comprises the steps of:

routing at least a portion of the unique commerce code to an intermediate location on the network, the intermediate location containing a database with relational information between a plurality of the at least portion of the unique commerce codes to network addresses of commercial transaction locations on the network;

comparing the received at least portion of the unique commerce code with information in the database; and

if a match exists, returning the routing information to the commercial transaction location on the network and connecting thereto.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the unique commerce code has a first portion that is stored in the database associated with the intermediate location on the network for determining the location of the commercial transaction location network and a second portion associated with the database at the commercial transaction location on the network for determining the information to be returned to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique commerce code is disposed on a substrate and the step of inputting comprises reading the unique commerce code disposed on the substrate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of reading the unique commerce code comprises using a bar code reader.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises a credit card.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the credit card, in addition to having the unique commerce code associated therewith, has additional identification information for the purposes of utilizing the credit card in a commercial transaction outside of the step of inputting.

11. A method for connecting to a remote provider location on a network from a user location thereon for the purpose of completing a transaction therewith, comprising the steps of:

inputting a unique commerce code at the user location, wherein the unique commerce code is uniquely associated with commercial transactions of a unique user of the unique commerce code, and which unique commerce code is issued to the user by financial entity that monitors financial transactions of users;

in response to the step of inputting, displaying to the user correlating historical completed commercial transaction information associated with the unique commerce code by the financial entity, which displayed correlating historical completed commercial transaction information has associated therewith corresponding routing information over the network to other locations on the network, at least one of which is the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location on the network;

allowing the user the option of selecting the routing information to the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location on the network;

selecting by the user the routing information to the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location on the network;

in response to the user selecting, connecting the user location to the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location; and

completing a financial transaction with the remote commerce provider'"'"'s location to which the user is connected to make a purchase, and updating the historical completed commercial transaction information associated with the unique commerce code by the financial entity and adding commercial transactions thereto.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying in response to the step of inputting comprises the steps of:

connecting to a commerce transaction location associated with the financial entity and controlled thereby on the network that is associated with the unique commerce code in the step of inputting;

the commerce transaction location having associated therewith a relational database with a plurality of information blocks of commercial transaction information associated with at least a portion of each of a plurality of unique commerce codes; and

comparing the received at least a portion of the unique commerce code with the database and, if a match exists, returning the associated information block of commercial transaction information to the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the returned information block is unique to the at least a portion of the unique commerce code transmitted thereto.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the unique commerce code is comprised of a first portion that is associated with routing information to the commercial transaction location on the network and a second portion that is related to the associated information block of commercial transaction information in the database, the second portion corresponding to the at least one portion.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of connecting comprises the steps of:

routing at least a portion of the unique commerce code to an intermediate location on the network controlled by the financial entity, the intermediate location containing a database with relational information between a plurality of the at least portion of the unique commerce codes to network addresses of commercial transaction locations on the network;

comparing the received at least portion of the unique commerce code with information in the database; and

if a match exists, returning the routing information to the commercial transaction location on the network and connecting thereto.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the unique commerce code has a first portion that is stored in the database associated with the intermediate location on the network for determining the location of the commercial transaction location network and a second portion associated with the database at the commercial transaction location on the network for determining the information to be returned to the user.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the unique commerce code is disposed on a substrate and the step of inputting comprises reading the unique commerce code disposed on the substrate, which substrate is issued to the user by the financial entity.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of reading the unique commerce code comprises using a bar code reader.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises a credit card and wherein the financial entity comprises a credit card company.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the credit card, in addition to having the unique commerce code associated therewith, has additional identification information for the purposes of utilizing the credit card in a commercial transaction outside of the step of inputting.