Electronic commerce using a transaction network

US6473740B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• QPASS, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Michael P. Cockrill · Redmond, US
• William K. Bryant · Seattle, US
• D. Chase Franklin · Seattle, US
• Mark McNeely · Mercer Island, US
• Timothy J. Ryan · Menlo Park, US
• Andrew P. Sweet · Renton, US
• Steven J. Siadek · Seattle, US
• Ronald R. Faith, Jr. · Bothell, US
• J. Mark Goris · Seattle, US
• Thor A. Malek · Sultan, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 29, 1998
• Grant date: Oct 29, 2002
• Expiry date: Nov 29, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07F9/002
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a transaction network that facilitates and simplifies purchase transactions between any number of customers and any number of merchants. The transaction network is primarily utilized in the sale and purchase of digital content via a network such as the Internet. The transaction network registers and authenticates customer purchase activities and maintains customer account data including payment information. Once registered, a customer will generally not register again for further purchase activities at participating merchant sites. Additionally, the transaction network provides a single, central authentication mechanism for all participating merchant sites using a single customer identifier and password. Further, the transaction network accumulates purchase information across all of the merchant sites and the ultimate payment processing of those purchase transactions. Payment processing generally occurs on a periodic basis, enabling the accumulation of multiple purchase transactions within a participating customer's account. The network additionally preferably provides customers with centralized, automated services for customer account managemen…