Method of billing a purchase made over a computer network

Abstract

A method of effecting a sale over a computer network in which it is determined whether a user passes fraud control before effecting a sale over a computer network. Information associated with a method of payment, such as credit card information, debit card information, checking account information, a telephone service account, a cable television account, a utility service account, or an Internet service provider account, is requested from the user after the user passes the fraud control. Information associated with the method of payment is received from the user in real time. Method-of-payment information is communicated to a payment authorization database, which can be located locally or remotely. The method-of-payment information includes the received information associated with the method of payment. Payment authorization information associated with the method of payment is received from the payment authorization database. A sale transaction is completed when the payment authorization information is affirmative. Sale charge information associated with the sale effected over the computer network is transmitted to the payment authorization database when the sale transaction is complete. The sale charge information includes information for charging the method of payment an amount representing a charge for the sale.

I/We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of effecting a sale over a computer network, the method comprising the steps of: 
 determining whether a user passes fraud control before effecting the sale over a computer network by receiving computer-network address information associated with a user, the computer-network address information being received from the computer network;    receiving computer-network address information from the user;    comparing the computer-network address information received from the computer network to the computer-network address information received from the user;    requesting information associated with a method-of-payment from the user when the computer-network address information received from the computer network matches the computer-network address information received from the user;    receiving the information associated with the method-of-payment from the user; and    completing a sale transaction based on the received information associated with the method-of-payment.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 communicating method-of-payment information to a payment authorization database, the method-of-payment information including the received information associated with the method of payment;    receiving payment authorization information associated with the method-of-payment from the payment authorization database; and    completing the sale transaction when the payment authorization information is affirmative.    
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising the step of transmitting sale charge information associated with the sale effected over the computer network to the payment authorization database when the sale transaction is complete, the sale charge information including information for charging the method of payment an amount representing a charge for the sale.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the payment authorization database is located locally.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the payment authorization database is located at a remote site.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the remote site is a banking institution.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the remote site is a credit card agency.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment includes credit card information.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment includes debit card information.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment includes checking account information.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment includes electronic funds transfer information.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment includes a telephone number.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment relates to a cable television account.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment relates to a utility service account.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment relates to an Internet service provider account.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information associated with the method-of-payment includes method of payment information selected by the user.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether a user passes fraud control further includes the steps of: 
 receiving information associated with the user;    accessing a database; and    comparing the received information associated with the user with information stored in the database, and    wherein the step of requesting information associated with the method-of-payment from the user is performed when the received information associated with the user matches the comparison with the information stored in the database.    
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: receiving information associated with the user; 
 accessing a database; and    comparing the received information associated with the user with information stored in the database, and    determining whether to complete the sale transaction based upon a result of the step of comparing the received information associated with the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the step of comparing the received information associated with the user with information stored in the database verifies an identity of the user.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of limiting an amount of the sale based on a frequency of sales to the user during a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of limiting an amount of the sale based on an amount of money spent by the user during a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of blocking the sale based on an amount of money spent by the user during a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the received information associated with the user includes a computer-network address for the user, 
 the method further comprising the step of blocking the sale based on a comparison of the computer-network address for the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the received information associated with the user includes a computer-network address for the user, 
 the method further comprising the step of limiting an amount of the sale based on a comparison of the computer-network address for the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the received information associated with the user includes an identification of the user, 
 the method further comprising the step of blocking the sale based on a comparison of the identification of the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the received information associated with the user includes an identification of the user, 
 the method further comprising the step of limiting an amount of the sale based on a comparison of the identification of the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the received information associated with the user relates to credit account information associated with the user, 
 the method further comprising the step of blocking the sale based on a comparison of the credit account information with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the credit account information includes credit card information.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the credit account information includes debit card information.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the credit account information includes checking account information.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the credit account information includes electronic funds transfer information.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the credit account information includes a telephone number.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the credit account information relates to a cable television account.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the credit account information relates to a utility service account.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the credit account information relates to an Internet service provider account.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the received information associated with the user relates to credit account information associated with the user, 
 the method further comprising the step of limiting an amount of the sale based on a comparison of the credit account information with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the credit account information includes credit card information.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the credit account information includes debit card information.  
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the credit account information includes checking account information.  
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the credit account information includes electronic funds transfer information.  
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the credit account information includes a telephone number.  
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the credit account information relates to a cable television account.  
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the credit account information relates to a utility service account.  
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the credit account information relates to an Internet service provider account.  
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 18 , the received information associated with the user includes a billing address, 
 the method further comprising the step of blocking the sale when the received information associated with the user does not pass fraud control based on a user billing address.    
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 18 , the received information associated with the user includes a billing address, 
 the method further comprising the step of limiting an amount of the sale when the received information associated with the user does not pass fraud control based on a user billing address.    
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 18 , the received information associated with the user includes personal information of the user, 
 the method further comprising the step of blocking the sale when the received information associated with the user does not pass fraud control based on personal information of the user.    
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein the personal information of the user includes at least a portion of at least one of a driver's license number, a social security number, a mother's maiden name, a password and a digital certificate.  
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 18 , the received information associated with the user includes personal information of the user, 
 the method further comprising the step of limiting an amount of the sale when the received information associated with the user does not pass fraud control based on personal information of the user.    
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 49 , wherein the personal information of the user includes at least a portion of at least one of a driver's license number, a social security number, a mother's maiden name, a password and a digital certificate.  
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the database is a shared database.  
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the database is located locally.  
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the database is located at a remote site.  
     
     
         54 . A method of effecting a sale over a computer network, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving computer-network address information associated with a user, the computer-network address information being received from the computer network;    receiving computer-network address information from the user;    comparing the computer-network address information received from the computer network with the computer-network address information received from the user;    requesting information associated with a method-of-payment from the user when the computer-network address information received from the computer network matches the computer-network address information received from the user;    receiving the information associated with the method-of-payment from the user; and    completing a sale transaction based on the received information associated with the method-of-payment.