Prepaid Micropayments Solution

Abstract

An infrastructure and method for making online payments without the use of a credit card is disclosed. The infrastructure includes a prepaid technology module for receiving information related to a purchased pre-paid card. The prepaid technology module stores at least one of a PIN number and a serial number associated with a plurality of pre-paid cards. The infrastructure also includes a interface for receiving information from the consumer, related to the purchased pre-paid card, and a digital settlement network for receiving a purchase request from a consumer, the digital settlement network further for authenticating the purchased pre-paid card.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for allowing online purchases with a prepaid card, the system comprising:
 a computer implemented infrastructure comprising a prepaid technology module, a payment gateway and a digital settlement network;   the prepaid technology module to receive information related to a purchased pre-paid card, the prepaid technology module to store a number associated with the purchased pre-paid card, wherein the prepaid card is purchased at a retailer;   an interface to receive an online purchase request from a consumer, the online purchase request identifying a product requested for purchase using the purchased pre-paid card;   the payment gateway in communication with the interface to couple the prepaid technology module and the interface;   the digital settlement network to receive the online purchase request from the consumer through the payment gateway, the digital settlement network further to authenticate the purchased pre-paid card based on predetermined business rules associated with the online purchase request and to determine the online purchase request is of a type that is permitted to be purchased using the purchased pre-paid card;   wherein the prepaid technology module, the interface, the payment gateway, and the digital settlement network are part of the computer implemented infrastructure separate from a content provider of the product requested for purchase and the retailer;   wherein the payment gateway comprises a commerce router for interfacing between a website of the content provider and the payment gateway;   wherein the content provider has access to the digital settlement network;   wherein the purchased pre-paid card is not redeemable at the retailer; and   wherein the purchased pre-paid card is redeemable only at the website of the content provider.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an accounting module for settling accounts between the consumer and the content provider.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , where in the prepaid technology module comprises a database for storing numbers associated with a plurality of pre-paid cards. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the purchased pre-paid card comprises one of a music card, a game card, a media card, and an article card. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the content provider comprises a plurality of separate content providers, wherein one of the plurality of separate content providers is a music provider, a game provider, a media provider, and an article provider. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the prepaid technology module receives the information related to the purchased pre-paid card from the retailer that sold the purchased pre-paid card. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the prepaid technology module authenticates the purchased pre-paid card by mapping the information related to the purchased pre-paid card with information stored in a database. 
     
     
         8 . A system for allowing online purchases with a prepaid card, the system comprising:
 a computer implemented infrastructure comprising a prepaid technology module, a payment gateway and a digital settlement network;   the prepaid technology module to receive information related to a purchased pre-paid card, the prepaid technology module to store a number associated with the purchased pre-paid card, wherein the prepaid card is purchased at a retailer;   an interface to receive an online purchase request from a consumer, the online purchase request identifying a product requested for purchase using the purchased pre-paid card;   the payment gateway in communication with the interface to couple the prepaid technology module and the interface;   the digital settlement network to receive the online purchase request from the consumer through the payment gateway, the digital settlement network further to authenticate the purchased pre-paid card based on predetermined business rules associated with the online purchase request and to determine the online purchase request is of a type that is permitted to be purchased using the purchased pre-paid card;   a portal for allowing the consumer to access a website of a content provider of the product requested for purchase;   wherein the prepaid technology module, the interface, the payment gateway, and the digital settlement network are part of the computer implemented infrastructure separate from the content provider and the retailer;   wherein the payment gateway comprises a commerce router for interfacing between the website of the content provider and the payment gateway;   wherein the portal interfaces with the digital settlement network and the website of the content provider has access to the digital settlement network;   wherein the content provider has access to the digital settlement network;   wherein the purchased pre-paid card is not redeemable at the retailer; and   wherein the purchased pre-paid card is redeemable only at the website of the content provider.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an accounting module for settling accounts between the consumer and the content provider.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , where in the prepaid technology module comprises a database for storing numbers associated with a plurality of pre-paid cards. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the purchased pre-paid card comprises one of a music card, a game card, a media card, and an article card. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the content provider comprises a plurality of separate content providers, wherein one of the plurality of separate content providers is a music provider, a game provider, a media provider, and an article provider. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the prepaid technology module receives the information related to the purchased pre-paid card from the retailer that sold the purchased pre-paid card. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the prepaid technology module authenticates the purchased pre-paid card by mapping the information related to the purchased pre-paid card with information stored in a database. 
     
     
         15 . A method for approving an online payment with a pre-paid card, the method comprising:
 activating a purchased pre-paid card in an online payment infrastructure, wherein the purchased pre-paid card is purchased at a retailer;   receiving first identification information relating to the purchased pre-paid card;   receiving second identification information from a consumer through an interface and a payment gateway of the online payment infrastructure, the second identification information relating to a product requested for purchase using the purchased pre-paid card;   determining if a balance associated with the purchased pre-paid card is sufficient to pay for the product requested for purchase;   determining if the product requested for purchase is of a type that is permitted, in accordance with predetermined business rules associated with the purchased pre-paid card, to be purchased using the purchased pre-paid card; and   approving purchase of the product requested if the balance associated with the purchased pre-paid card is sufficient to pay for the product requested for purchase and the product requested for purchase is of a type that is permitted, in accordance with the predetermined business rules associated with the purchased pre-paid card, to be purchased using the purchased pre-paid card;   wherein the online payment infrastructure is separate from a content provider of the product requested for purchase and a retailer associated with the purchased pre-paid card;   wherein the content provider has access to the online payment infrastructure;   wherein the purchased pre-paid card is not redeemable at the retailer; and   wherein the purchased pre-paid card is redeemable only at a website of the content provider.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising updating a transaction record to reflect that the product requested for purchase has been purchased. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising denying access to the product requested for purchase upon a determination that the purchased pre-paid card is not authentic. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the determining if a balance associated with the purchased pre-paid card is sufficient to pay for the product requested for purchase comprises matching the received second information with information stored at the online payment infrastructure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the activating comprises submitting information related to the purchased pre-paid card to the online payment infrastructure.