Method for ordering goods, services, and content over an internetwork using a virtual payment account

• US 7,249,097 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stripe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: eCharge Corporation
• Inventors: Hutchison, Robin B., Llewellyn, Robert J., Viljoen, Andre F., Griffiths, David, Birch, David, Begg, Iain M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US10/663,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 705/39, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• 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 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 30/0603 : Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 : Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 : Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 : Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A virtual payment system for ordering and paying for goods, services and content over an internetwork is disclosed. The virtual payment system comprises a commerce gateway component (52) and a credit processing server component (53). The virtual payment system is a secure, closed system comprising registered sellers and buyers. A buyer becomes a registered participant by applying for a virtual payment account. Likewise, a seller becomes registered by applying for a seller account. A buyer can instantly open an account on-line. That is, the credit processing component (53) immediately evaluates the buyer'"'"'s virtual payment card application and assigns a credit limit to the account. Once an account is established, a digital certificate is stored on the registered participant'"'"'s computer. The 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 (52), which in turn notifies the credit processing server that 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 that have additional limitations imposed on the owners of the sub-accounts.

Claims

1. A method for purchasing a product from a seller computer using a virtual payment account, comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a buyer computer to purchase a product from a seller computer using a virtual payment account;

(b) in response to said purchase request, determining whether said buyer computer is verified as associated with said virtual payment account by;

(i) transmitting an authentication request from said buyer computer to a commerce gateway;

(ii) determining at said commerce gateway whether said virtual payment account is associated with said buyer computer;

(iii) transmitting an account identification container to said buyer computer in response to determining that said buyer computer is associated with said virtual payment account;

(iv) transmitting an alternate authentication request from said buyer computer to a commerce gateway;

(v) sending an alternate authentication message from said commerce gateway to a buyer authentication device;

(vi) retrieving said alternate authentication message;

(vii) verifying said alternate authentication message with said commerce gateway; and

(viii) in response to verifying said alternate authentication message, determining that said buyer computer is associated with said virtual payment account;

(c) in response to determining that said buyer computer is verified as associated with said virtual payment account, applying a cost of said product to said virtual payment account; and

(d) providing said product to a buyer associated with said buyer computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining at said commerce gateway whether said virtual payment account is associated with said buyer computer further comprises determining at said commerce gateway whether said virtual payment account is valid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication request comprises a digital certificate.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising retrieving said digital certificate from a secure token.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying a cost of said product to said virtual payment account comprises:

receiving said account identification container at said seller computer;

transmitting said account identification container and said cost of said product from said seller computer to said commerce gateway;

determining whether said virtual payment account may be charged for said cost of said product; and

in response to determining that said virtual payment account may be charged for said cost of said product, transmitting a valid transaction authorization from said commerce gateway to said seller computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual payment account comprises a main account and at least one sub-account.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said sub-account is operative to accept charges from only a predetermined list of seller computers.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a spending limit may be set by said buyer for said sub-account.