System and method for distributing personal identification numbers over a computer network

1. A method of distributing a personal identification number (PIN) from a remote server to a client terminal, the method being performed on a first remote server which is coupled to the client terminal via a host connection manager and which is in operative communication with a second remote server, the first remote server having a processor running software which causes the first remote server perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving, by the first remote server, a request for a PIN from the host connection manager, wherein the PIN is associated with a particular monetary value;

determining, by the first remote server, an inability to fulfill the request for the PIN using a database of the first remote server containing an inventory of PINs;

requesting, by the first remote server, a second remote server inventory's PIN associated with the particular monetary value from the second remote server;

receiving, by the first remote server, in response to the request for the second remote server inventory's PIN, the second remote server inventory's PIN associated with the particular monetary value from the second remote server;

sending, by the first remote server, the second remote server inventory's PIN associated with the particular monetary value to the client terminal via the host connection manager;

receiving, by the host connection manager, a client request generated and transmitted from the client terminal via a first network in accordance with a first communication protocol, said client request indicative of the particular monetary value;

generating, by the host connection manager, the request for the PIN in response to the receiving of the client request by the host connection manager;

transmitting, by the host connection manager, the request for the PIN to the first remote server via a second network in accordance with a second communication protocol, wherein the host connection manager transforms the client request from the first communication protocol into the second communication protocol;

receiving, by the host connection manager, the second remote server inventory's PIN from the first remote server; and

sending, by the host connection manager, the second remote server inventory's PIN to the client terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating the request for the PIN is in advance of the receiving the client request by the host connection manager.

3. The method of claim 2 , further including:

storing, by the host connection manager, the PIN in a PIN cache; and

retrieving the PIN from the PIN cache in response to the receiving of the client request at the host connection manager.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network and the second network comprise a single common network.

5. A system for providing a personal identification number (PIN) from a remote server to a user, comprising:

a first remote server coupled to a client terminal via a host connection manager and coupled to a second remote server, the first remote server having a database containing an inventory of PINs associated with a plurality of available products and services, the first remote server having a processor running software which causes the first remote server to:

receive a request for a PIN from the host connection manager, wherein the PIN is associated with a particular monetary value;

determine, by the first remote server, an inability to fulfill the request for the PIN using the database of the first remote server;

request from a second remote server a second remote server inventory's PIN associated with the particular monetary value;

receive, by the first remote server, the second remote server inventory's PIN from the second remote server;

transmit the second remote server inventory's PIN to the client terminal via the host connection manager in response to the request for the PIN, wherein the host connection manager is coupled, via a first network, to the first remote server and coupled, via a second network, to the client terminal, the host connection manager configured to:

generate the request for the PIN, wherein the PIN is associated with a particular monetary value;

transmit the request for the PIN via the first network from the host connection manager to the first remote server in accordance with a first communication protocol;

receive the second remote server inventory's PIN front the first remote server; and

send, via the second network, the second remote server inventory's PIN to the client terminal in response to receiving a client request from the client terminal via the second network in accordance with a second communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol requires different formatting from the second communication protocol, wherein the client request is indicative of the particular monetary value.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein host connection manager is configured to:

generate the request for the PIN in response to receiving the client request from the client terminal; or

generate the request for the PIN in advance of receiving the client request from the client terminal.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the host connection manager includes a PIN cache and is configured to transmit the request for the PIN in advance of receiving the client request from the client terminal and store the PIN in the PIN cache.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the host connection manager does not store an inventory of PINS.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the PIN on a display of the client terminal.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising printing the PIN at the client terminal.

11. The system of claim 5 wherein the host connection manager comprises:

a server connection module configured to request, from the first remote server, a plurality of PINs, wherein the first remote server is coupled to a database containing PINs associated with a plurality of available products and services;

a terminal connection module configured to receive, from the client terminal, a client request for a PIN wherein the request indicates user selection of a selected one of the products and services; and

a controller coupled to the terminal connection module and the server connection module, wherein the controller is configured to initiate transmission of a requested PIN to the client terminal in response to the client request.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the host connection manager includes a PIN cache for storing PINs wherein the controller is configured to retrieve the requested PIN from the PIN cache.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to retrieve the requested PIN from the first remote server in response to the PIN cache not having the requested PIN.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the controller is configured to initiate a connection with the first remote server, in advance of the client terminal requesting the PIN, in order to receive a quantity of PINS associated with the plurality of available products and services and store the quantity of PINS in the PIN cache.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the server connection module is configured to communicate with the first remote server in accordance with a first communication protocol and the terminal connection module is configured to communicate with the client terminal in accordance with a second communication protocol.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the host connection manager does not store an inventory of PINS.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client terminal does not store an inventory of PINS.

18. The system of claim 5 , wherein the client terminal does not store an inventory of PINS.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting the request for the PIN from the second remote server to a third remote server;

receiving, from the third remote server, the PIN into the second remote server's inventory.