Method and system to charge an account

Abstract

The present invention provides an account charging method used for charging a user account over a network, including: establishing an intermediary account; saving a second user's charging amount sent by a first user in the intermediary account; and if a confirmation message of receiving a payment is received from the first user, transferring the said charging amount to an account of the second user. The invention facilitates and expedites the charging process, and thereby improves the account charging efficiency, fully utilizes network resources, and greatly reduces the cost of account charging. The intermediary account of the invention can ensure the security and integrity of the account charging process, and thus eliminates the bottleneck of too few online banking users and low maximum payment limitation of the public edition of online banking, increases network usage efficiency, and takes full advantages of speed, convenience and low cost of online transactions. This enables mass users to charge their accounts without having to activate online banking and without any limitation to maximum amount of payment.

1 . An account charging method, used for charging a user account over a network, characterized in that the method comprises:
 establishing an intermediary account;   saving a second user's charging amount sent by a first user in the intermediary account; and   if a confirmation message of receiving a payment is received from the first user, transferring the said charging amount to an account of the second user.   
     
     
         2 . The account charging method as recited in  claim 1 , characterized in that the method further comprises:
 establishing an online charging store which provides charging information and user information.   
     
     
         3 . The account charging method as recited in  claim 2 , characterized in that, before the first user sends the second user's charging amount, the method further comprises:
 sending identifying information of the second user to the first user after the second user has determined the charging amount through the online charging store.   
     
     
         4 . The account charging method as recited in  claim 1 , characterized in that the method further comprises:
 notifying the second user upon receiving the second user's charging amount sent by the first user.   
     
     
         5 . The account charging method as recited in  claim 4 , characterized in that the method further comprises: receiving a notification message indicating that the second user has made the payment. 
     
     
         6 . The account charging method as recited in  claim 5 , characterized in that the method further comprises:
 setting a time limit for confirmation after receiving notification message indicating that the second user has made the payment; and   determining whether a confirmation message or a cancellation message of the first user's receiving the payment has been received within the time limit, and if not, assuming that the confirmation message of the first user's receiving the payment has been received.   
     
     
         7 . The account charging method as recited in  claim 5 , characterized in that the method further comprises:
 setting a time limit for payment after receiving the charging amount sent by the first user; and   determining whether a confirmation message or a cancellation message of the second user's making the payment has been received within the time limit for payment, and if not, terminating charging process.   
     
     
         8 . The account charging method as recited in  claim 1 , characterized in that the charging amount is an amount of an electronic business account, an amount of a communication account, or an amount of a user score account. 
     
     
         9 . An account charging system, used for charging a user account over a network, characterized in that the system comprises:
 an account module used for establishing an intermediary account, and for receiving and managing charging information including receiving and saving a second user's charging amount sent from a first user; and   a charging module used for controlling account charging process, including, upon receiving a confirmation message confirming that the first user has received payment, transferring the said charging amount saved in the intermediary account to a charge account of the second user.   
     
     
         10 . The account charging system as recited in  claim 9 , characterized in that, the charging module controlling account charging process further includes:
 recording the charging amount confirmed by the second user; and   notifying the first user and providing information of the charge account of the second user.   
     
     
         11 . The account charging system as recited in  claim 9 , characterized in that, the system further comprises a user module used for storing user identifying information, which identifying information is passed on when the first user sends the charging amount and when the first user sends a confirmation message confirming receiving payment. 
     
     
         12 . The account charging system as recited in  claim 10 , characterized in that, the system further comprises a user module used for storing user identifying information, which identifying information is passed on when the first user sends the charging amount and when the first user sends a confirmation message confirming receiving payment.