Payment service capable of being integrated with merchant sites

• US 8,626,665 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Bui, Hong Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel, Vanel
• Application Number:
  US13/717,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20130179345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 705/44, 705/26.1, 705/26.7, 705/40, 709/203, 235/379, 715/205
• US Class Current: 705/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• 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 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers

Abstract

A computer-implemented service integrates with merchant sites to enable registered users of the service to perform purchase transactions on the merchant sites. In one embodiment, a merchant can incorporate a reference to a display object served by the service into coding of a page of the merchant'"'"'s site. When the page is loaded by a user'"'"'s browser, the reference causes the browser to request the display object from the service for display on the page. If the user is recognized by the service, the service may return a personalized display object that includes functionality for the user to perform a purchase transaction using the service. Also disclosed are embodiments that enable users to initiate transfers of personal account information to the merchant sites.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first server system that operates in a first network domain, said first server system storing account information, including payment information, of a user, said first server system providing a service for enabling users to place orders on merchant sites without having to create accounts with such merchant sites; and

a second server system that operates in a second network domain that is distinct from the first network domain, said second server system hosting a merchant site of a merchant, said merchant site including a page that includes a reference to a display object served by the first server system, said reference configured to cause browsers that load the page from the second server system to request the display object from the first server system for display on the page;

said first server system operative to transmit, to a user computing device of the user, a browser cookie for storage on the user computing device, said browser cookie corresponding to the first network domain but not the second network domain, said browser cookie including information that enables the first server system to associate the browser cookie with the user;

said first server system configured to respond to a browser request from the user computing device for the display object by at least (1) personalizing the display object with information associated with the user, said information associated with the user retrieved by the first server system using the browser cookie as received from the user computing device, and (2) transmitting the personalized display object to the user computing device for display on the page of the merchant site, said personalized display object providing functionality for the user to use the service to place an order on the merchant site.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the display object includes a field for user entry of a password for authenticating with the service.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display object is configured for display as a frame on said page.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the display object is configured for display as a box on said page.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the page is an item detail page corresponding to an item that is available for purchase from the merchant site, and the display object provides functionality for the user to use said service to place an order for the item from the merchant site.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display object is a single-action object that enables the user to place an order with a single selection action.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server system is configured to use the payment information of the user to initiate collection of payment for the order on behalf of the merchant.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server system is configured to transmit shipping information of the user to the second server system in connection with said order.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the user comprises a name of the user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server system provides functionality for the user to log into the service and view a history of purchase transactions performed by the user across a plurality of merchant sites.

11. A system, comprising:

a server that operates in a first network domain, said server programmed to provide a payment service that enables users to perform payment transactions on merchant sites, including a merchant site hosted in a second network domain that is distinct from the first network domain; and

a database coupled to the server, said database storing account information, including payment information, of users registered with the payment service;

said server programmed to implement a process that comprises;

transmitting a browser cookie associated with the service to a user computing device for storage thereon, said browser cookie corresponding to the first network domain but not the second network domain;

subsequently receiving, from the user computing device, said browser cookie and a request for a display object to display on a page of the merchant site; and

responding to the request by transmitting to the user computing device, for display on the page of the merchant site, a personalized display object that includes user information associated with the browser cookie, said personalized display object providing functionality for the user to use the payment service to place an order on the merchant site.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the personalized display object includes a text entry box for user entry of a password for authenticating with the payment service.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the personalized display object is configured for display as a box on said page.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the personalized display object is configured for display as a frame on said page.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the personalized display object is a single-action purchase object that enables the user to authorize a purchase transaction with a single selection action.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the user information associated with the browser cookie includes a name of the user.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is configured to send shipping information of the user to the merchant site in connection with the order.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is configured to initiate collection of a payment from the user for said order on behalf of the merchant site.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, from a user computing device, a user identifier and a request for a display object to display on a page of a merchant site, wherein the merchant site is hosted on a first server in a first network domain, wherein the request is generated by the user computing device based on a reference included in said page, wherein the user identifier is stored on the user computing device of a user and the user identifier corresponds to a second network domain, and wherein the second network domain has associated therewith a database storing user account information, including payment information, and the second network domain is distinct from the first network domain; and

responding to the request for the display object by generating, and transmitting to the user computing device, a personalized display object for display on the page of the merchant site, said personalized display object providing functionality for the user to use the user account information to place an order with the merchant site without registering with the merchant site, wherein generating the personalized display object comprises using the received user identifier to retrieve information associated with the user from said database.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the user identifier is a browser cookie.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the display object includes a field for user entry of a password for authenticating with the second network domain.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the method is performed in its entirety by a second server that operates in the second network domain.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the display object includes a field for user entry of a password for authenticating with the second server.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the personalized display object is personalized with a name of the user.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the personalized display object is configured for display as a box on said page.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the personalized display object is configured for display as a frame on said page.