METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ORDERING GOODS, SERVICES AND CONTENT OVER AN INTERNETWORK USING A VIRTUAL PAYMENT ACCOUNT
First Claim
1. Computer-readable medium having executable components stored on a buyer computer, a seller computer and a commerce gateway for purchasing a product from the seller computer using a virtual payment account associated with the buyer computer, wherein the executable components purchase said product by:
- (i) in response to said seller computer receiving a request from said buyer computer to purchase said product, said seller computer returning a purchase order to said buyer computer;
(ii) in response to said buyer computer receiving said purchase order, said buyer computer identifying said virtual payment account as a payment source for said product and transmitting an authentication request to said commerce gateway, wherein said buyer computer identifies said virtual payment account as a payment source for said product by retrieving a digital certificate associated with said virtual payment account and wherein said digital certificate is included in said authentication request transmitted to said commerce gateway;
(iii) determining at said commerce gateway whether said virtual payment account is associated with said buyer computer and if said virtual payment account is valid;
(iv) in response to determining that said virtual payment account is associated with said buyer computer and that said virtual payment account is valid, said commerce gateway transmitting an account identification container to said buyer computer;
(v) in response to said buyer computer receiving said account identification container, said buyer computer transmitting a purchase confirmation including said account identification container to said seller computer;
(vi) in response to receiving said purchase confirmation, said seller computer transmitting an authorization request to said commerce gateway;
(vii) in response to said commerce gateway receiving said authorization request, said commerce gateway determining whether said virtual payment account may be used to pay for said product;
(viii) in response to said commerce gateway determining that said virtual payment account may be used to pay for said product, said commerce gateway transmitting a transaction authorization from said commerce gateway to said seller computer and charging said virtual payment account for a cost associated with said product; and
(xi) in response to said seller computer receiving said transaction authorization, said seller computer arranging for said product to be provided to a buyer associated with said buyer computer.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A virtual payment system for paying for goods, services and content ordered over an internetwork comprising a commerce gateway component and a credit processing server component (53) is disclosed. Buyers and sellers becomes registered participants by applying for virtual payment buyer and seller accounts. Once an account is established, a digital certificate is stored on the registered participant'"'"'s computer. A buyer can then order a product, i.e., goods, services or content from a seller and charge it to the virtual payment account. When the product is shipped, the seller notifies the commerce gateway component, which in turn notifies the credit processing server, which applies the charges to the buyer'"'"'s virtual payment account. The buyer can settle the charges using a prepaid account, a credit account, or by using reward points earned through use of the virtual payment card. A buyer may create sub-accounts.
112 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. Computer-readable medium having executable components stored on a buyer computer, a seller computer and a commerce gateway for purchasing a product from the seller computer using a virtual payment account associated with the buyer computer, wherein the executable components purchase said product by:
-
(i) in response to said seller computer receiving a request from said buyer computer to purchase said product, said seller computer returning a purchase order to said buyer computer; (ii) in response to said buyer computer receiving said purchase order, said buyer computer identifying said virtual payment account as a payment source for said product and transmitting an authentication request to said commerce gateway, wherein said buyer computer identifies said virtual payment account as a payment source for said product by retrieving a digital certificate associated with said virtual payment account and wherein said digital certificate is included in said authentication request transmitted to said commerce gateway; (iii) determining at said commerce gateway whether said virtual payment account is associated with said buyer computer and if said virtual payment account is valid; (iv) in response to determining that said virtual payment account is associated with said buyer computer and that said virtual payment account is valid, said commerce gateway transmitting an account identification container to said buyer computer; (v) in response to said buyer computer receiving said account identification container, said buyer computer transmitting a purchase confirmation including said account identification container to said seller computer; (vi) in response to receiving said purchase confirmation, said seller computer transmitting an authorization request to said commerce gateway; (vii) in response to said commerce gateway receiving said authorization request, said commerce gateway determining whether said virtual payment account may be used to pay for said product; (viii) in response to said commerce gateway determining that said virtual payment account may be used to pay for said product, said commerce gateway transmitting a transaction authorization from said commerce gateway to said seller computer and charging said virtual payment account for a cost associated with said product; and (xi) in response to said seller computer receiving said transaction authorization, said seller computer arranging for said product to be provided to a buyer associated with said buyer computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification