Isolated payment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9324062-B2
Application number	US-201514794385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Aug 7, 2014
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A payment company separate from a retailer runs a payment application having credentials on a server computer. There are wireless personal portable interfaces belonging to the payment company but located in real and virtual retail, showrooms. The retailer agrees to the credentials of the payment company, which include prespecified real and virtual currencies for remittance. Credentials also include rules regarding limitations on acceptance of remittance in virtual currencies. A customer having a personal portable device enters a showroom and selects merchandise to purchase. She selects a payment company who remits payment to the retailer according to the credentials.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A payment system comprising:
a server computer running a payment application having credentials;
a plurality of wireless portable device interfaces connected to said server computer via a plurality of real or virtual showrooms owned by a plurality of retailers, which are visited by customers having portable devices;
a wireless user interface attached to said server computer;
payment system accounts stored in a database accessible by said payment application and wherein said payment system accounts allow payment in pre-specified virtual currencies;
a shipping subsystem accessible by said payment application, running on said server computer; and
wherein said payment application is configured to receive acceptance of said credentials from said retailers, and to remit payment to said retailers based on interaction with one of said customer portable devices via said portable device interfaces or said user interface.

2. The payment system of claim 1 , wherein said virtual currencies are any type of e-currency, including Bitcoins.

3. A method of handling payments to a retailer for retail merchandise, comprising the steps of:
connecting a plurality of wireless portable device interfaces to a server computer via a plurality of real or virtual showrooms owned by a plurality of retailers, said device interfaces and server owned by a payment company separate from said retailers;
customers having portable devices visiting said showrooms;
said payment company running a payment application having credentials and user accounts, on said server computer;
providing a wireless user interface attached to said server computer;
said payment company running a shipping subsystem accessible by said payment application, on said server; and
said payment application receiving acceptance of said credentials from said retailers, and remitting payment in virtual currencies to said retailers based on interaction with one of said customer portable devices via said portable device interfaces or said user interface.

4. The payment method of claim 3 , wherein said virtual currencies are any type of e-currency, including Bitcoins.

5. The payment system of claim 3 , wherein one of said user accounts is an investment account having investments owned by one of said customers.

6. The payment system of claim 5 , wherein said investment account includes an investment in a virtual currency.

7. The payment method of claim 6 , wherein said currency is any e-currency, including Bitcoins.

8. A computer program product for operating a payment company, said computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage device;
first program instruction means for connecting a plurality of wireless portable device interfaces to a server computer via a plurality of real or virtual showrooms owned by a plurality of retailers, said device interfaces and server owned by a payment company separate from said retailers;
second program instruction means for detecting customers having portable devices visiting said showrooms;
third program instruction means for said payment company running a payment application having credentials and user accounts, on said server computer;
fourth program instruction means for providing a wireless user interface attached to said server computer;
fifth program instruction means for said payment company running a shipping subsystem accessible by said payment application, on said server; and
sixth program instruction means for said payment application receiving acceptance of said credentials from said retailers, and remitting payment to said retailers based on interaction with one of said customer portable devices via said portable device interfaces or said user interface; and wherein
all said program instruction means are recorded on said device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein said remitting payment includes payment in a virtual currency.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein said virtual currency is any type of e-currency, including Bitcoins.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Schwartz Robyn R

Classifications

• G06Q20/3821

  Electronic credentials · CPC title

• G06Q20/227

  characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer · CPC title

• G06Q20/322

  Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices] · CPC title

• G06Q20/405

  Establishing or using transaction specific rules · CPC title

• G06Q20/12 Primary

  specially adapted for electronic shopping systems · CPC title