System and method for two-way transfer of funds and electronic content between summa account users with gathering of behavioral metrics and management of multiple currencies and escrow accounts

• US 8,346,660 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David C. Reardon
• Original Assignee: David C. Reardon
• Inventors: Reardon, David C., Henson, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai
• Application Number:
  US12/544,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20090319368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45, 705/34, 705/14, 705/64, 705/65
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like

Abstract

A method and system for creating a pre-defined electronic transactions is disclosed. the system comprises a server in communication with a database and a computer network, and the server is configured to: (1) receive a request to create a pre-defined electronic transaction from a client computer via the computer network, (2) receive input from the client computer comprising information that at least partially defines the pre-defined electronic transaction, and (3) store the received information in the database.

Claims

1. A method of processing electronic transactions between user accounts on a designated network, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of users each with a user account comprising an account identifier and a financial account, each user account being enabled to execute electronic transactions and receive electronic content;

providing a memory storing a database, the database comprising user account information;

providing at least one server, the server being in communication with the memory and with a plurality of electronic communication devices, via the designated network, each of the plurality of electronic communication devices being associated with a user;

receiving, from a first user via the designated network, data defining an electronic transaction, the data comprising a delivery data part and at least one designation of funds part comprising a payment amount to be transferred between the financial account associated with the first user and a financial account associated with a second user, the data further comprising delivery criteria defining one or more user accounts eligible to execute the electronic transaction;

storing the data in the database as data associated with the first user'"'"'s account;

receiving from a second user via the designated network, a request to execute the electronic transaction;

comparing the second user'"'"'s account information to the delivery criteria associated with the electronic transaction;

delivering the delivery data part of the electronic transaction to an electronic communications device associated with the second user in a manner to enable the second user'"'"'s electronic communications device to process the delivery data and transferring at least a portion of the payment amount between the first user'"'"'s financial account and the second user'"'"'s financial account if and only if the second user'"'"'s account information is compatible with the delivery criteria associated with the electronic transaction; and

storing, in the database, data describing the second user'"'"'s interaction with the electronic transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request to execute the electronic transaction comprises a hyper-text transfer protocol request (“

HTTP request”

) initiated by activation of a hyperlink associated with the electronic transaction.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the delivery data part of the electronic transaction data further comprises a product identifier, wherein the hyperlink comprises the product identifier, and wherein the server is further configured to (1) receive, upon activation of the hyperlink, the hyperlink product identifier, and (2) query the database to find the associated electronic transaction data for the received hyperlink product identifier.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the hyperlink comprises a payment amount notice and wherein the server is further configured to (1) receive the hyperlink payment amount notice upon activation of the hyperlink, (2) compare the hyperlink payment amount notice to the stored payment amount for the electronic transaction, and (3) process the request by one of two disposition modes, the first mode comprising notifying the second user of an error if the hyperlink payment amount does not match the stored payment amount for the electronic transaction, and the second mode comprising executing the electronic transaction if the hyperlink payment amount matches the stored payment amount for the electronic transaction.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the designation of funds comprises a payment amount to be transferred from the first user'"'"'s financial account to the second user'"'"'s financial account, and wherein the second user'"'"'s electronic communication device is configured to read the payment amount from the hyperlink and display the payment amount as a payment that will be paid to the second user upon activating the hyperlink.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the stored electronic transaction data comprises a condition that the second user must satisfy before the electronic transaction will be executed, and wherein the server is configured not to execute the electronic transaction until the condition is satisfied.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the electronic transaction data comprises a period of time, and wherein the condition comprises viewing an advertisement for the period of time.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the designation of funds comprises a payment amount to be transferred from the second user'"'"'s financial account to the first user'"'"'s financial account and wherein the second user'"'"'s electronic communication device is configured to display the payment amount as a price that will be paid from the second user'"'"'s financial account upon activating the hyperlink.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second user'"'"'s computer is configured to require a confirmation if the price is above a predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the delivery data part comprises a purchase receipt.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the delivery data part comprises access information that is necessary for accessing electronic content provided by the first user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the access information comprises a password.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the electronic transaction data comprises an indication that a one-time code is required, and wherein the server is further configured to (1) generate a one-time code (2) insert the one-time code into the delivery data part of the electronic transaction, and (3) electronically deliver the one-time code to the first user in real-time.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the electronic transaction data comprises an indication that a one-time code is required, and wherein the server is further configured to (1) generate a message to the first user comprising a notification that the hyperlink has been activated, (2) receive a one-time code from the first user, and (3) insert the one-time code into the delivery data part of the electronic transaction.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the server is further configured to (1) receive at least one variable associated with the request to execute the electronic transaction, and (2) insert the at least one variable into the delivery data part of the electronic transaction.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the electronic transaction data comprises a pre-defined percentage of revenue to be shared with an affiliate user account, and wherein the server is further configured to (1) identify an affiliate based on the received request to execute the electronic transaction, and (2) deliver the pre-defined percentage of the payment amount to the affiliate user'"'"'s financial account.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the server is configured to identify an affiliate based on hyper-text transfer protocol referrer header information received in the HTTP request.

18. A system for processing electronic transactions between user accounts on a designated network, the system comprising:

a memory storing a database;

a server in communication with the memory and further in communication with a plurality of electronic communication devices via the designated network, the server being configured to;

(1) provide a plurality of users each with a user account comprising an account identifier and a financial account, each user account being enabled to execute electronic transactions and receive electronic content,

(2) receive, from a first user via the designated network, data defining an electronic transaction, the data comprising a delivery data part and a designation of funds part comprising a payment amount to be transferred between the financial account associated with the first user and a financial account associated with a second user, and the data further comprising delivery criteria defining one or more user accounts eligible to execute the electronic transaction,

(3) store the data in the database as data associated with the first user'"'"'s account;

(4) receive, from a second user via the designated network, a request to execute the electronic transaction,

(5) compare the second user'"'"'s account information to the delivery criteria associated with the electronic transaction,

(6) deliver the delivery data part to an electronic communications device associated with the second user in a manner to enable the second user'"'"'s electronic communications device to process the delivery data, and transfer at least a portion of the payment amount between the first user'"'"'s financial account and the second user'"'"'s financial account if and only if the second user'"'"'s account information is compatible with the delivery criteria associated with the electronic transaction, and

(7) store, in the database, data describing the second user'"'"'s interaction with the electronic transaction.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the request to execute the electronic transaction comprises a hyper-text transfer protocol (“

HTTP request”

) initiated by activation of a hyperlink associated with the electronic transaction.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the data defining the electronic transaction further comprises a product identifier, and wherein the hyperlink comprises the product identifier, and wherein the server is further configured to (1) receive, upon activation of the hyperlink, the hyperlink product identifier, and (2) query the database to find the associated electronic transaction data for the received hyperlink product identifier.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the hyperlink comprises a payment amount notice and wherein the server is further configured to (1) receive the hyperlink payment amount notice upon activation of the hyperlink, (2) compare the hyperlink payment amount to the stored payment amount notice for the electronic transaction, and (3) process the request by one of two disposition modes, the first mode comprising notifying the second user of an error if the hyperlink payment amount does not match the stored payment amount for the electronic transaction, and the second mode comprising executing the electronic transaction if the hyperlink payment amount matches the stored payment amount for the electronic transaction.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the designation of funds comprises a payment amount to be transferred from the first user'"'"'s financial account to the second user'"'"'s financial account, and wherein the second user'"'"'s electronic communication device is configured to read the payment amount from the hyperlink and display the payment amount as a payment that will be paid to the second user upon activating the hyperlink.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the stored electronic transaction data comprises a condition that the second user must satisfy before the electronic transaction will be executed, and wherein the server is configured not to execute the electronic transaction until the condition is satisfied.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the electronic transaction data comprises a period of time, and wherein the condition comprises viewing an advertisement for the period of time.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the designation of funds comprises a payment amount to be transferred from the second user'"'"'s financial account to the first user'"'"'s financial account and wherein the second user'"'"'s electronic communication device is configured to display the payment amount as a price that will be paid from the second user'"'"'s financial account upon activating the hyperlink.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the second user'"'"'s electronic communication device is configured to require a confirmation if the price is above a predetermined threshold.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the delivery data part of the stored electronic transaction data comprises a purchase receipt.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the delivery data part of the stored electronic transaction data comprises access information that is necessary for accessing electronic content.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the access information comprises a password.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein the electronic transaction data comprises an indication that a one-time code is required, and wherein the server is further configured to (1) generate a one-time code (2) insert the one-time code into the delivery data delivered to the second user'"'"'s electronic communications device, and (3) electronically deliver the one-time code to the first user in real-time.

31. The system of claim 25 wherein the electronic transaction data comprises an indication that a one-time code is required, and wherein the server is further configured to (1) generate a message to the first user comprising a notification that the hyperlink has been activated, (2) receive a one-time code from the first user, and (3) insert the one-time code into the delivery data part of the electronic transaction.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein the server is further configured to (1) receive at least one variable with the request to execute the electronic transaction, and (2) insert the at least one variable into the delivery data part of the electronic transaction.

33. The system of claim 25 wherein the electronic transaction data comprises a pre-defined percentage of revenue to be shared with an affiliate user account, and wherein the server is further configured to (1) identify an affiliate based on the received request to execute the electronic transaction, and (2) deliver the pre-defined percentage of the payment amount to the affiliate user'"'"'s financial account.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the server is configured to identify an affiliate based on hyper-text transfer protocol referrer header information received in the HTTP request.