System and method for virtual piggy bank wish-list

• US 8,762,230 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: REGO Payment Architectures, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Virtual Piggy, Inc.
• Inventors: Webber, Jo, Ittycheria, Pradeep
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US13/431,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20130110670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.25, 705/26.3, 705/26.35, 705/26.4, 705 2641- 2644, 705/26.5, 705 2661- 2664, 705/26.7, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/26.82, 705/26.9, 705/27.1, 705/27.2
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing one or more programs configured for execution, the one or more programs for monitoring, transmitting, and recording usage of a computer or mobile device connected to a network, the one or more programs including instructions for establishing a first account, the settings of the first account being stored in a database; establishing a second account, the settings of the second account being stored in the database, wherein the second account includes a wish-list; linking the first and second accounts such that control settings of the second account are determined through the first account; and making a purchase from the wish-list of the second account consistent with the control settings of the second account.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of establishing an online account for a prospective Internet user, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium including a program and a computer executable program code, the method comprising:

establishing, at a server computer, a first account, settings of the first account being stored in a database in the server computer;

establishing, at the server computer, a second account by a user associated with the first account, settings of the second account being stored in the database, the second account comprising a wish-list, the wish-list comprising items from a plurality of service requesters who have been authorized by the user of the first account;

linking the first and second accounts such that the settings of the second account are determined through the first account; and

selecting at least one wish-list item,

wherein the settings of the second account do not allow item selection from one of the plurality of service requesters websites when a service requester'"'"'s website is not authorized, but item selection may be later authorized by a custodian of the first account.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising searching for one or more contributors stored within the database.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, further comprising deleting one or more contributors to the database.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising adding one or more contributors to the database.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 4, further comprising authorizing one or more contributors to access the wish-list.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the authorizing includes sending an invitation to one or more contributors with an authentication code and a link to a sign-up screen.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6, wherein the sent invitation includes one of an email and SMS.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, further comprising purchasing an item from the wish-list by one or more contributors.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, further comprising removing the purchased item from the wish-list.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, further comprising notifying a second contributor that the selected item for purchase was previously purchased by a first contributor without removing the purchased item from the wish-list.

11. The method of providing the settings for the second account for a prospective Internet user according to claim 1, wherein a user associated with the second account makes selections for the wish-list consistent with the settings of the second account.

12. The method of providing the settings for the second account for a prospective Internet user according to claim 11, wherein the user selects a plus (+) symbol from a dashboard screen, and selects an item available for purchase from one of the plurality of service requesters websites.

13. The method of providing the settings for the second account for a prospective Internet user according to claim 1, wherein account information for the first and second accounts is stored in a secure database.

14. A system for allowing the purchase of goods and services, providing control preferences for a prospective Internet user having a non-transitory computer readable medium including a program and a computer executable program code, comprising:

a plurality of server computers;

a database hosted on at least one of the server computers, the database storing information for a first account which is a custodian account, and a second account, which includes a user'"'"'s wish-list;

the second account including control settings established through the first account, such that purchases made from the wish-list of the second account are consistent with the control settings, the control settings including a list of service requesters authorized by the first account; and

the wish-list including items that may be purchased from a service requester who has been authorized by the first account,

wherein the control settings of the second account do not allow item selection from the service requester'"'"'s website when the service requester'"'"'s website is not authorized, but item selection may be later authorized by a custodian of the first account.

15. The system providing control preferences for a prospective Internet user according to claim 14, wherein account information for the first and second accounts is stored in a secure database.

16. The system providing control preferences for a prospective Internet user according to claim 14, wherein one or more contributors is authorized to access the wish-list of the second account.

17. The system providing control preferences for a prospective Internet user according to claim 16, wherein the authorized contributors are sent an invitation with an authentication code and a link to a sign-up screen.

18. The system providing control preferences for a prospective Internet user according to claim 17, wherein the sent invitation includes one of an email and SMS.

19. The system providing control preferences for a prospective Internet user according to claim 14, wherein the user selects a plus (+) symbol from a dashboard screen, and selects an item available for purchase from the service requester'"'"'s website to add it into the user'"'"'s wish-list.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing one or more programs configured for execution, the one or more programs for monitoring, transmitting, and recording usage of a computer or mobile device connected to a network, the one or more programs comprising instructions to:

establish a first account with settings of the first account being stored in a database;

establish a second account with settings of the second account being stored in the database, wherein the second account includes a wish-list;

link the first and second accounts such that the settings of the second account are determined through the first account;

select wish-list items from a plurality of service requesters who have been authorized by a user of the first account; and

make a purchase from the wish-list of the second account consistent with the control settings of the second account,

wherein the control settings of the second account do not allow item selection from a service requester'"'"'s website when the service requester'"'"'s website is not authorized, but item selection may be later authorized by a custodian of the first account.

21. A method of accessing an online account of an Internet user, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server computer, via a website providing an application programming interface (API) within an Internet application running on a client computer, a username and password associated with a secondary account at the server computer;

accessing, based on verification of the username and password by the server computer, the secondary account, the secondary account comprising a wish-list, the wish-list comprising items from a plurality of service requesters who have been authorized by a user of a primary account, the verification including verifying that the website corresponds to a service requester who has been authorized by the user of the primary account; and

adding at least one item from the website to the wish-list,

wherein settings of the primary account are stored in a database in the server computer,

wherein the first and second accounts are linked such that the settings of the secondary account are determined through the primary account,

wherein, upon selection of the at least one wish-list item for purchase, settings of the primary account are sent to the website to complete the purchase, and

wherein the control settings of the second account do not allow item selection from a service requester'"'"'s website when the service requester'"'"'s website is not authorized, but item selection may be later authorized by a custodian of the first account.