System for electronic re-allocation of a transaction amount to an investment

Abstract

This system may include a system for electronically reallocating any portion of a transaction by maintaining a user account at a user institution; maintaining a vendor account at a vendor institution; maintaining a user account at a trust institution; initiating a transaction for the transaction amount; electronically distributing the transaction amount from said user account to said vendor account; and electronically distributing at least a portion of the transaction amount from the vendor account to the user account at the trust institution, wherein the portion of the transaction amount in the user account at the trust institution is placed in an investment vehicle. The system of the present invention may further comprise providing an interactive information source between the user and the trust institution, whereby the trust institution can provide information (current or historical) to the user regarding the portion of the transaction amount placed in the investment vehicle.

1 . A method for electronically reallocating a portion of a transaction amount in a transaction between a user and a vendor, comprising the steps of:
 A. Providing a system having
 (1). at least one user account controlled by a purchaser of goods and/or services; 
 (2) at least one vendor account, which includes information relating to a pre-arrangement for sale of goods and/or services to said user account, wherein said pre-arrangement provides a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, applicable to said sale of said goods and/or services to said user account; and 
 (3) at least one user trust account for the benefit of said purchaser, a beneficiary of said purchaser or a designee of said purchaser; 
   B. Initiating a transaction by said purchaser access of said vendor account, pursuant to said pre-arrangement between said purchaser and said vendor, for purchase of goods and/or services for said user account, whereby a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, is electronically calculated, and the amount of said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof thereafter transferred or credited, to said trust account;   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, is transferred or credited, from said vendor account to said trust account. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, is transferred or credited, from said user account to said trust account. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said system includes a pre-arrangement which provides said user account payment for said purchases by means of cash or electronic payment, wherein said payment means is selected from the group consisting essentially of cash, wire transfer, debit card, credit card, charge card and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said system includes a pre-arrangement which provides for access of said purchaser to said vendor account, based upon said purchaser affiliation with an entity selected from the group consisting essentially of a professional organization, a political organization, a religious organization, a governmental organization, an employer and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said system includes a pre-arrangement which provides said trust account to be affiliated with said payment means. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said trust account is maintained by a company which services said credit card. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said trust account is maintained by a company which services said debit card. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said trust account is maintained by a company which services said charge card. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said trust account is professionally managed by an investment company or advisor or mutual fund. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said system includes means for electronic verification of identity of an individual having access to said user account and/or to said trust account, said electronic verification means selected from the group consisting of a personal identification number (PIN), a biometrically unique characteristic of said user and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method for electronically reallocating a portion of a transaction amount in a transaction between a user and a vendor, comprising the steps of:
 A. Providing a system having
 (1). at least one user account, which is controlled by a purchaser of goods and/or services, which account includes a pre-arrangement relating to purchase of goods and/or services from a vendor, wherein said pre-arrangement provides a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, applicable to said sale of said goods and/or services to said user account from said vendor; 
 (2) at least one vendor account which, pursuant to a pre-arrangement with a user account, accords a purchaser a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, for purchase of said goods and/or services for said user account; and 
 (3) at least one user trust account for the benefit of said purchaser, a beneficiary of said purchaser or a designee of said purchaser; 
   B. Initiating a transaction, pursuant to said pre-arrangement, between a purchase and vendor, for purchase of goods and/or services for said user account, whereby a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, is electronically calculated, and the amount of said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof thereafter transferred or credited, to a said trust account;   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the amount of said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, is transferred or credited, from said vendor account to said trust account. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the amount of said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, is transferred or credited, from an account of said user to said trust account. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said system includes a pre-arrangement which provides for said user account payment for said purchases by means of cash or electronic payment, wherein said payment means is selected from the group consisting essentially of cash, wire transfer, debit card, credit card, charge card and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said system includes a pre-arrangement which provides for access of said purchaser to said user account, based upon said purchaser affiliation with an entity selected from the group consisting essentially of a professional organization, a political organization, a religious organization, a governmental organization, an employer and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said system includes a pre-arrangement which provides said trust account to be affiliated with said payment means. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said trust account is maintained by a company which services said credit card. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said trust account is maintained by a company which services said debit card. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said trust account is maintained by a company which services said charge card. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said trust account is professionally managed by an investment company or advisor. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said system includes means for electronic verification of identity of an individual having access to said user account and/or to said trust account, said electronic verification means selected from the group consisting of a personal identification number (PIN), a biometrically unique characteristic of said user and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A system for electronically reallocating a portion of a transaction amount in a transaction between a user and a vendor, comprising:
 A. A user account having accessible transaction information, specific for said user, for effecting purchase of goods and/or services, by interaction with a vendor account;   B. A vendor account having accessible transaction information, (1) specific for goods and/or services of said vendor, and (2) which identifies purchasers to whom said vendor accords a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, for purchase of said goods and/or services, from said vendor account;   C. Means for initiation of a transaction by a purchaser between said user account and said vendor account for purchase of goods and/or services from said vendor account for said user account;   D. Means for vendor account computation of a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, based upon accessible information in said user account, for said user account purchase of goods and/or services from said vendor account; and   E. Means for electronically calculating said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, based upon accessible transaction information within said vendor account, and, thereafter, transferring or crediting a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, to a said trust account, based upon said transaction information in said user account and said   wherein said at least one of
 (1) said interacting between said user account and said vendor account, 
 (2) said calculating of said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, based upon transaction information within said vendor account and/or 
 3) transferring or crediting said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, to a said trust account, for benefit of a purchaser, his beneficiary or his designee, 
 is effected by means of an electronic transaction processing unit associated with said user account, by an electronic transaction processing unit associated with said vendor account and/or by an electronic transaction processing unit associated with said trust account. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein an electronic transaction processing unit within said user account, includes information relative to a pre-arrangement relating to purchase of goods and/or services from a vendor, wherein said pre-arrangement provides a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, applicable to said sale of said goods and/or services, to said user account from said vendor, 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein an electronic transaction processing unit within said vendor account, includes information relative to a pre-arrangement relating to goods and/or services for sale to said user account, wherein said pre-arrangement provides a rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, applicable to said sale of said goods and/or services to said user account. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein an electronic transaction processing unit within said trust account, includes information relative to management of said rebate, discount, credit or cash equivalent thereof, in accordance with user account investment objectives. 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein said user account transaction information includes data relative to said user account payment for purchases by means of cash or electronic payment, wherein said payment means is selected from the group consisting essentially of cash, wire transfer, debit card, credit card, charge card and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein said user account transaction information includes data relative to said purchaser affiliation with an entity selected from the group consisting essentially of a professional organization, a political organization, a religious organization, a governmental organization, an employer and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 21 , including means for electronic verification of identity of an individual having access to said user account and/or to said trust account, said electronic verification means selected from the group consisting essentially of a personal identification number (PIN), a biometrically unique characteristic of said user and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         28 . A point of sale system, which includes the automatic transfer of funds to a designated savings account of a purchaser, or his beneficiary or his designee, based upon the cost and/or price of said goods and/or services, wherein said system comprises:
 a. A pre-arrangement between a purchaser and a provider of said goods and/or services, wherein said purchaser is to receive a discount, rebate and/or credit, at the time of purchase, based upon a unit price, value of sale, number of units of said purchased of goods and services, and any combination thereof;   b. Means for effecting a transaction by said purchaser with a provider of said goods and/or services at a specified price, unit volume and any combination thereof;   c. Means for calculating a cash equivalent of a discount, rebate and/or credit, based upon said price to said purchaser, in accordance with said pre-arrangement between said purchaser and said provider, based upon a unit price, value of sale, number of units of said purchased of goods and services, and any combination thereof; and   d. Means for transfer of said cash equivalent of a discount, rebate and/or credit to a managed account for the said purchaser or his designee or his beneficiary.   
     
     
         29 . A point of sale system, which includes the automatic transfer of funds to a designated savings account of a purchaser, or his beneficiary or his designee, based upon the cost and/or price of said goods and/or services, wherein said system comprises:
 a. A pre-arrangement between a purchaser and a source of funds for effecting a transaction between a purchaser and a vendor of goods and/or services;   b. Means for effecting a transaction by said purchaser with a vendor of said goods and services, at a specified price, unit volume and any combination thereof;   c. Calculating a cash equivalent of a mark-up to said price of said goods and services to said purchaser, based upon a unit price and/or cost of said goods and/or services, which is paid for by said purchaser and/or debited to a charge, or credit account of said purchaser; and   c. Means for transfer of said cash equivalent of said mark-up to a managed account for said purchaser of or his designee or his beneficiary.   
     
     
         30 . A point of sale system, which includes the automatic transfer of funds to a designated saving account of a purchaser, or his beneficiary or his designee, based upon the cost and/or price of said goods and/or services, wherein said system comprises:
 a. A pre-arrangement between a purchaser and at least one third party to a commercial transaction, for the purchase of goods and/or services from a vendor, wherein said third party is selected from the group consisting of a vendor of goods and/or services, a source of funds for payment of said vendor for such goods and/or services and any combination thereof;   b. Means for effecting a transaction by said purchaser with a vendor of said goods and services, so as to generate a cash equivalent of a discount, rebate, credit and/or mark-up in favor of said purchaser, based upon a unit price and/or cost of said goods and/or services, which is paid for by said purchaser and/or debited to a charge, or credit account of said purchaser;   c. Means for transfer of said cash equivalent of a discount, rebate, credit and/or mark-up to a managed account for said purchaser of or his designee or his beneficiary.