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 claim:  
     
         1 . A method of effecting a sale over a computer network, the method comprising steps of: 
 determining whether a user sale transaction will be permitted based on method-of-payment information associated with the user being contained in a negative database relating to payment history associated with the user; and    completing said sale transaction over the computer network if said step of determining determines to permit said sale transaction.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of receiving method-of-payment information from the user for the sale transaction.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of receiving a request from the computer network for the sale transaction.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the negative database includes information relating to at least one of a delinquent payment of a credit account charge, an insufficient payment of a credit account charge, a refusal of payment relating to a disputed charge from a previous purchase of a product, and a refusal of payment relating to a disputed charge from a previous purchase of a service.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining is further based on method-of-payment information associated with the user, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 communicating the method-of-payment information to a payment authorization database;    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.    
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising a 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.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the payment authorization database is located locally.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the payment authorization database is located at a remote site.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the remote site is one of a banking institution and a credit card agency.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the step of receiving payment authorization includes a step of verifying information relating to at least a portion of one of an expiration date of a credit card, a billing address of the user, a date of birth of the user, a driver's license number of the user, a social security number of the user, a password of the user, a personal identification number of the user, a digital certificate of the user, a maiden name of the user's mother, a telephone number of the user, a cable television account number of the user, a utility service account number of the user, an Internet Service Provider account of the user, and electronic wallet information associated with the user.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method-of-payment information includes one of credit card information, debit card information, checking account information, electronic funds transfer information, a telephone number, a cable television account, a utility service account, an Internet service provider account, and method-of-payment information selected by the user.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method-of-payment information is received as packetized data.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining is further based on information associated with the user, 
 wherein the information associated with the user includes computer-network address information for the user, and    wherein the step of determining further includes steps of: 
 receiving computer-network address information associated with the user from the computer network;  
 receiving the computer-network address information for the user from the user; and  
 comparing the computer-network address information received from the computer network to the computer-network address information received from the user.  
   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the step of determining is further based on information associated with the user; and 
 wherein the step of determining further includes steps of: 
 accessing a database; and  
 determining whether the information associated with the user matches information stored in the database.  
   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the step of determining is further based on information associated with the user, and 
 wherein the step of determining further comprises steps of: 
 accessing a database; and  
 comparing the information associated with the user with information stored in the database.  
   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the user is received as packetized data.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of comparing the information associated with the user with information stored in the database verifies information relating to at least a portion of at least one of an identity of the user, a checking account number associated with the user, a credit card number associated with the user, a debit card number associated with the user, a zip code of the user, an expiration date of a credit card, a billing address of the user, a date of birth of the user, a driver's license number of the user, a social security number of the user, a password of the user, a personal identification number of the user, a digital certificate of the user, a maiden name of the user's mother, a telephone number of the user, a cable television account number of the user, a utility service account number of the user, an Internet Service Provider account of the user, a fingerprint of the user, a thumbprint of the user, a voiceprint of the user, a portrait image of the user, and electronic wallet information of the user.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising a step of limiting an amount of the sale based on a frequency of sales to the user during a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising a step of limiting an amount of the sale based on an amount of money spent by the user during a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising a step of blocking the sale based on an amount of money spent by the user during a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising a step of limiting the sale based on a time of day.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising a step of blocking the sale based on a time of day.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the user includes a computer-network address for the user, 
 the method further comprising a 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 15 , wherein the information associated with the user includes a computer-network address for the user, 
 the method further comprising a 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 15 , wherein the information associated with the user includes a geographical location for the user, 
 the method further comprising a step of blocking the sale based on a comparison of the geographical location for the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the user includes a geographical location for the user, 
 the method further comprising a step of limiting the sale based on a comparison of the geographical location for the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the user includes an identification of the user, 
 the method further comprising a step of blocking the sale based on a comparison of the identification of the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the user includes an identification of the user, 
 the method further comprising a step of limiting an amount of the sale based on a comparison of the identification of the user with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the user relates to credit account information associated with the user, 
 the method further comprising a step of blocking the sale based on a comparison of the credit account information with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the credit account information includes information relating to at least one of credit card information, debit card information, checking account information, electronic funds transfer information, a telephone number, a cable television account, a utility service account, an Internet service provider account, a credit card expiration date, an address of the user, a zip code of the user, a billing address of the user, a date of birth of the user, a driver's license number of the user, a social security number of the user, a personal identification number of the user, a password, a digital certificate associated with the user, a maiden name of the user's mother, and electronic wallet information.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the credit account information is received from a cookie associated with the user.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the received information associated with the user relates to credit account information associated with the user, 
 the method further comprising a step of limiting an amount of the sale based on a comparison of the credit account information with information stored in the database.    
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the credit account information includes information relating to at least one of credit card information, debit card information, checking account information, electronic funds transfer information, a telephone number, a cable television account, a utility service account, an Internet service provider account, credit card expiration date for the user, an address for the user, a zip code of the user, a billing address for the user, a date of birth of the user, a driver's license number of the user, a social security number of the user, a personal identification number of the user, a password, a digital certificate associated with the user, a maiden name of the user's mother, and electronic wallet information.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the credit account information is received from a cookie associated with the user.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 15 , the information associated with the user includes a billing address, 
 the method further comprising a step of blocking the sale if said step of determining denies said sale based on a user billing address.    
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 15 , the information associated with the user includes a billing address, wherein said step of determining is based on said billing address, 
 the method further comprising a step of limiting an amount of the sale in response to said step of determining.    
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 15 , the information associated with the user includes personal information relating to the user, 
 the method further comprising a step of blocking the sale if said step of determining denies said sale based on personal information of the user.    
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , 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, a digital certificate, a personal identification number, a cookie associated with the user, a fingerprint of the user, a thumbprint of the user, a voice print of the user, and a portrait of the user.  
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 15 , the received information associated with the user includes personal information of the user, and wherein said step of determining is based on said personal information, 
 the method further comprising the step of limiting an amount of the sale in response to said step of determining.    
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , 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, a digital certificate, a personal identification number (PIN), a cookie associated with the user, a fingerprint of the user, a thumbprint of the user, a voice print of the user and a portrait of the user.  
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the database is a shared database.  
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the database is located locally.  
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the database is located at a remote site.