Patent•
System and method for electronically providing customer services including payment of bills, financial analysis and loans
25 Jul 1991-
TL;DR: In this paper, a computerized payment system by which a consumer may instruct a service provider by telephone, computer terminal, or other telecommunications means to pay various bills without the consumer having to write a check for each bill.
Abstract: A computerized payment system by which a consumer may instruct a service provider by telephone, computer terminal, or other telecommunications; means to pay various bills without the consumer having to write a check for each bill. The system operates without restriction as to where the consumer banks and what bills are to be paid. The service provider collects consumers' information, financial institutions' information and merchant information and arranges payment to the merchants according to the consumers' instructions based on a financial risk analysis.
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30 Sep 2010TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a secure content distribution method for a configurable general-purpose electronic commercial transaction/distribution control system, which includes a process for encapsulating digital information in one or more digital containers, a process of encrypting at least a portion of digital information, a protocol for associating at least partially secure control information for managing interactions with encrypted digital information and/or digital container, and a process that delivering one or multiple digital containers to a digital information user.
Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem, wherein it is impossible for an electronic content information provider to provide commercially secure and effective method, for a configurable general-purpose electronic commercial transaction/distribution control system. SOLUTION: In this system, having at least one protected processing environment for safely controlling at least one portion of decoding of digital information, a secure content distribution method comprises a process for encapsulating digital information in one or more digital containers; a process for encrypting at least a portion of digital information; a process for associating at least partially secure control information for managing interactions with encrypted digital information and/or digital container; a process for delivering one or more digital containers to a digital information user; and a process for using a protected processing environment, for safely controlling at least a portion of the decoding of the digital information. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
7,643 citations
Patent•
11 Sep 1998TL;DR: In this paper, a method and system for placing an order to purchase an item via the Internet is described, where an order is placed by a purchaser at a client system and received by a server system.
Abstract: A method and system for placing an order to purchase an item via the Internet. The order is placed by a purchaser at a client system and received by a server system. The server system receives purchaser information including identification of the purchaser, payment information, and shipment information from the client system. The server system then assigns a client identifier to the client system and associates the assigned client identifier with the received purchaser information. The server system sends to the client system the assigned client identifier and an HTML document identifying the item and including an order button. The client system receives and stores the assigned client identifier and receives and displays the HTML document. In response to the selection of the order button, the client system sends to the server system a request to purchase the identified item. The server system receives the request and combines the purchaser information associated with the client identifier of the client system to generate an order to purchase the item in accordance with the billing and shipment information whereby the purchaser effects the ordering of the product by selection of the order button.
1,828 citations
Patent•
10 Dec 1990
TL;DR: In this paper, a practical system and method for the remote distribution of financial services (e.g., home banking and bill-paying) involves distributing portable terminals to a user base.
Abstract: A practical system and method for the remote distribution of financial services (e.g., home banking and bill-paying) involves distributing portable terminals to a user base. The terminals include a multi-line display, keys “pointing to” lines on the display, and additional keys. Contact is established between the terminals and a central computer operated by a service provider, preferably over a dial-up telephone line and a packet data network. Information exchange between the central computer and the terminal solicits information from the terminal user related to requested financial services (e.g., for billpaying, the user provides payee selection and amount and his bank account PIN number). The central computer then transmits a message over a conventional ATM network debiting the user's bank account in real time, and may pay the specified payees the specified amount electronically or in other ways as appropriate. Payments and transfers may be scheduled in advance or on a periodic basis. Because the central computer interacts with the user's bank as a standard POS or ATM network node, no significant software changes are required at the banks' computers. The terminal interface is extremely user-friendly and incorporates some features of standard ATM user interfaces so as to reduce new user anxiety.
1,711 citations
Patent•
[...]
24 Oct 1995
TL;DR: In this article, a network-based sales system includes at least one buyer computer for operation by a user desiring to buy a product, a merchant computer, and a payment computer.
Abstract: A network-based sales system includes at least one buyer computer for operation by a user desiring to buy a product, at least one merchant computer, and at least one payment computer. The buyer computer, the merchant computer, and the payment computer are interconnected by a computer network. The buyer computer is programmed to receive a user request for purchasing a product, and to cause a payment message to be sent to the payment computer that comprises a product identifier identifying the product. The payment computer is programmed to receive the payment message, to cause an access message to be created that comprises the product identifier and an access message authenticator based on a cryptographic key, and to cause the access message to be sent to the merchant computer. The merchant computer is programmed to receive the access message, to verify the access message authenticator to ensure that the access message authenticator was created using the cryptographic key, and to cause the product to be sent to the user desiring to buy the product.
1,697 citations
Patent•
14 Jun 2016
TL;DR: Newness and distinctiveness is claimed in the features of ornamentation as shown inside the broken line circle in the accompanying representation as discussed by the authors, which is the basis for the representation presented in this paper.
Abstract: Newness and distinctiveness is claimed in the features of ornamentation as shown inside the broken line circle in the accompanying representation.
1,500 citations
References
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Patent•
29 Sep 1987
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a system for interactive on-line electronic communications and processing of business transactions between a plurality of different types of independent users including at least a plurality sellers, and a plurality buyers, as well as financial institutions, and freight service providers.
Abstract: A system for interactive on-line electronic communications and processing of business transactions between a plurality of different types of independent users including at least a plurality of sellers, and a plurality of buyers, as well as financial institutions, and freight service providers. Each user can communicate with the system from remote terminals adapted to access communication links and the system may include remote terminals adapted for storage of a remote data base. The system includes a data base which contains user information. The data base is accessed via a validation procedure to permit business transactions in an interactive on-line mode between users during interactive business transaction sessions wherein one party to the transaction is specifically selected by the other party. The system permits concurrent interactive business transaction sessions between different users.
1,733 citations
Patent•
26 Feb 1990
TL;DR: In this article, an automated order and payment system for use by consumers to rapidly order products and services from any location at which the consumer is present at the time of ordering is presented.
Abstract: An automated order and payment system for use by consumers to rapidly order products and services from any location at which the consumer is present at the time of ordering. The system receives information about the products/services to be ordered by means of signals generated by scanning identification codes imprinted in advertising media or displayed to a consumer on a television screen. A special version of the invention is modified to accept voice command via a voice recognition means for those physically handicapped persons unable to perform manual data entry tasks. The consumer uses an optical scanning means embodied in a Order Computer Terminal to scan the identification code associated with a company and identification codes associated with the products/services desired. This product and company information is stored in the Order Computer Terminal along with credit information retrieved from a plurality of storage means used on credit cards and subsequently transmitted when desired by the consumer to a Central Computer System. The Central Computer System simultaneously receives information from multiple order computer terminals and verifies that the products or services from the desired company are in fact available. The Central Computer System also verifies the credit worthiness of the consumer by searching for such information from credit data bases. When the Central Computer System determines that the desired products/services are available and that the consumer is credit worthy, an order verification signal is sent to the individual consumer's order computer terminal whereupon the consumer verifies that he/she wishes to order the products/services communicated to the central computer system. Once the consumer verifies the order, the automated order and payment system places the order for the products/services desired and provides the appropriate credit reference to the supplier of the product/service. The automated order and payment system capabilities are more fully set forth herein.
624 citations
Patent•
30 Nov 1984
TL;DR: In this article, a pocket size data terminal (12) for use by a large number of consumers in a system with which goods or services can be conveniently and automatically ordered is presented.
Abstract: A pocket size data terminal (12) for use by a large number of consumers in a system with which goods or services can be conveniently and automatically ordered. A plurality of data terminals (12.1-12.n) which can automatically dial a local processing center (LPC) (14) are distributed among users each of whom can address the LPC with a unique user identification and an internal terminal identification. The terminal (12) is internally battery powered. Each data terminal (12) can accumulate orders for goods or services in a send memory (136) while the terminal is unencumbered by any external connector. When subsequently connected to a phone line modular jack, upon command by a user, send memory (136) contents are automatically sent to an LPC (14) in a short burst. The LPC (14) verifies the use of the terminal (12), the authorization of the requested service and format of the data as well as other items as may be included in the order. Upon verification, the LPC (14) returns an appropriate message for visual display at the terminal and processes the order to suppliers of the requested goods or services.
358 citations
Patent•
05 Mar 1987
TL;DR: In this article, the substitution of a touch-tone telephone instrument for a computer terminal and its associated video screen or teleprinter, without requirement of modification of the instrument, is discussed.
Abstract: A conventional "Touch-Tone" telephone instrument is rendered functional in the same manner and to the same extent as a computer terminal having alpha-numeric capability, as regards transmission of queries directed to computerized data bases. It is also rendered functional as a recipient of information transmitted from the data base though a telephone network to provide intelligence heretofore made available only on the video screen of the computer terminal, or through automatic printers. Disclosed is the substitution of the instrument for a computer terminal and its associated video screen or teleprinter, without requirement of modification of the instrument, so that a subscriber gains from the use of the telephone functions heretofore obtainable only by providing oneself with a computer terminal and its associated screen and/or automatic printer. The user spells out one or more words by depressing the conventional alpha-numerically marked keys of a "Touch-Tone" telephone instrument. A computer to which the telephone is connected by a telephone network decodes the numeric sequence represented by depressing keys needed to spell out the selected word or words. The computer then provides an oral response transmitted through the telephone receiver to the caller, as audible intelligence. The disclosed system interacts with the user field by field and within each field, letter by letter, enabling the user to enter only the minimum number of digits required to identify accurately a target data base entry.
280 citations
Patent•
03 Aug 1981
TL;DR: In this article, a two-way communication system is provided whereby the subscribers may each return to the central station data transmissions on a different channel or carrier frequency using single or multiple television scan lines.
Abstract: A method and system are described for communicating data from a central station to a plurality of subscribers using conventional television signal format. Individual television scan lines in a television frame are preassigned to convey data to particular subscribers. The preassignment of a television scan line may be, with respect to a portion of a line, one entire line or a multiple of scan lines, depending upon the data requirements of the respective subscribers. For address identification by these subscribers these television scan lines occupy predetermined positions in the television frame. A two-way communication system is provided whereby the subscribers may each return to the central station data transmissions on a different channel or carrier frequency using single or multiple television scan lines. The return transmissions are so timed from the several subscribers that they arrive in a predetermined sequence at the central station in synchronization with the television scan line transmissions from the central station to the subscribers. Conventional television techniques and devices may be used to form a communication system in accordance with the invention.
60 citations