Secure, anonymous authentication for electronic purchasing with dynamic determination of payment pricing and terms and cross vendor transaction resolution

US7844551B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Patent Investments of Texas, LLC · US

Inventors

• Keith Charles Bottner · Lafayette, US
• David Halpin · Richardson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 2, 2003
• Grant date: Nov 30, 2010
• Expiry date: May 30, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0613
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Micro-payments for electronic sales transactions are securely and anonymously enabled by a central payment agent maintaining declining balance accounts for users and separately authenticating and authorizing customer and vendor transaction requests and payment upon confirmation of delivery. No personal billing information for the customer need be provided to the vendor, maintaining anonymity of the vendor. The vendor may electively set a pricing and terms policy allowing the price of the goods or services to dynamically vary across a series of transactions or transaction portions based on events such as quantity, bandwidth, or aggregate amount paid. A transaction may involve goods or services from multiple vendors in an apparent single transaction, with payment resolved among all participating vendors.