Method and apparatus for facilitating online purchase of regulated products over a data network

US7801772B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ip Venture, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Franklin Goodhue Woodward · Orinda, US
• James Connell Mills · Rockville, US
• Randolph A. Hodge · Mountain View, US
• Andrew Miller · San Mateo, US
• Joyo Wijaya · Menlo Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 8, 2006
• Grant date: Sep 21, 2010
• Expiry date: Aug 12, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0641
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A technique is disclosed for implementing electronic commerce transactions via a data network. A regulated item selected by a customer is identified. The regulated item may correspond to an item which satisfies predetermined criteria, indicating that the regulated item is prohibited from being purchased by the customer. Action is then taken to prohibit the purchase of the selected item, via the data network, by the customer. According to one embodiment, the action taken to prohibit the purchase of the regulated item is automatically implemented at a server system configured to implement electronic commerce transactions between an on-line merchant and the customer. According to a specific implementation, the predetermined criteria correspond to regulations which restrict sales of the regulated items to persons in a particular jurisdiction based upon certain criteria such as, for example, time of day, day of week, age of the customer, type of product being sold, etc.