Method and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce transactions using electronic tokens
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce using electronic tokens are described. The electronic tokens are issued and maintained by a vendor, who also provides products and services that can be purchased or rented using the electronic tokens. The electronic tokens may be purchased from the vendor either on-line, using a credit card, or off-line, using a check, money order, purchase order, or other payment means. Because the vendor is the issuer of the electronic tokens, there is no need for transactions to be handled by a third party, such as a bank or other organization. This reduces the overhead involved in conducting electronic commerce, and provides the vendor with a greater amount of control. Additionally, the vendor maintains total control over the price of the electronic tokens at any time. For vendors who offer software products for sale or rental, use of electronic tokens makes a variety of rental arrangements practical. Additionally, a user registers and purchases electronic tokens at the vendor. The user may purchase products at any other vendors who conduct electronic commerce using electronic tokens.
1. A method for conducting electronic commerce comprising:
providing a first web server at a first vendor that accepts electronic tokens of a first type;
providing a second web server at a second vendor that accepts electronic tokens of a second type;
providing a mall service provider server that communicates with the first web server and the second web server to facilitate electronic commerce therebetween;
issuing a plurality of electronic tokens of the first type from the mall service provider server to the first web server, the electronic tokens adapted for use in electronic transactions for purchase or rental of products or services from the first web server or the second web server;
issuing a subset of the plurality of tokens of the first type to a user;
maintaining a first database in the mall service provider server, the first database including account information for the first web server; and
for electronic transactions conducted at the second web server of the second vendor using electronic tokens of the first type to purchase products or services, transferring compensation from the first web server to the second web server of the second vendor in an amount equal to the value of the electronic tokens of the second type.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a second database in the mall service provider comprising records of electronic transactions involving use of the electronic tokens of the second type.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first database further includes account information for the user.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the subset of the plurality of tokens allotted to the user is based upon purchase of electronic tokens at a predetermined rate of exchange.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the subset of the plurality of tokens allotted to the user is provided as an incentive to reward customer loyalty.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein issuing the plurality of electronic tokens of the first type from the mall service provider server to the first web server further comprises issuing manufacturer's tokens adapted for use at only predetermined ones of a plurality of other web servers.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising maintaining a second database in the mall service provider server that includes a listing of products and services that the manufacturer's tokens may be used to purchase or rent.
8. The method of claim 6 further comprising reimbursing one of the plurality of other web servers for electronic tokens received during an electronic transaction.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein issuing the plurality of electronic tokens of the first type from the mall service provider server further comprises issuing gift certificate tokens to the first web server.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein issuing the plurality of electronic tokens of the first type from the mall service provider server further comprises issuing a plurality of electronic tokens adapted for use in electronic transactions involving competitive bidding for products or services.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a second database in the mall service provider server that includes a listing of which ones of a plurality of other web servers accept electronic tokens issued to the first web server.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first web server further permits purchase or rental of products or services from the first web server using the electronic tokens of the first type.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein issuing a plurality of electronic tokens of the first type from the mall service provider server further comprises issuing a first group of the electronic tokens to a vendor server that oversees electronic transactions using the first group of the electronic tokens through point of sale terminals.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the first database in the mall service provider server further comprises maintaining a record indicating how many of the plurality of electronic tokens of the first type are available for use.
15. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording a royalty transaction.
16. A server operated by a mall service provider comprising:
a network interface through which the server communicates a first web server of a first vendor and a second web server of a second vendor, wherein the first web server accepts electronic tokens of a first type and the second web server accepts electronic tokens of a second type;
a database;
a memory;
a processor that executes software stored in the memory, the software including one or more programmed routines, the programmed routines comprising:
a routine for issuing a plurality of electronic tokens of a first type from the mall service provider server to the first web server, the electronic tokens adapted for use in electronic transactions for purchase or rental of products or services from the first web server or the second web server;
a routine for issuing a subset of the plurality of tokens of the first type to a user;
a first database routine for updating records relating to the electronic tokens issued to the first web server; and
a routine for transferring compensation from the first web server to the second web server of the second vendor in an amount equal to the value of the electronic tokens of the second type, for electronic transactions conducted at the second web server of the second vendor.
17. The server of claim 16 further comprising a second database routine for updating records of electronic transactions involving use of the electronic tokens at a plurality of other web servers.
18. The server of claim 16 wherein the user is registered and having an account with the first web server.
19. The server of claim 18 wherein the first database routine further comprises updating account information for the user.
20. The server of claim 16 wherein the subset of the plurality of tokens of the first type is based upon purchase of electronic tokens at a predetermined exchange rate.
21. The server of claim 16 wherein the subset of the plurality of tokens of the first type is provided as an incentive to reward customer loyalty.
22. The server of claim 16 wherein the routine for issuing the plurality of electronic tokens of the first type further comprises issuing manufacturer's tokens adapted for use at only to purchase or rent the manufacturer's products and services.
23. The server of claim 16 wherein the programmed routines further comprise a second database routine that updates a listing of the products and services that the manufacturer's tokens may be used to purchase or rent.
24. The server of claim 16 wherein the programmed routines further comprise a routine that records a reimbursement to one of the first web server and the second web server for electronic tokens received during an electronic transaction.
25. The server of claim 16 wherein the routine for issuing the plurality of electronic tokens of the first type further comprises issuing gift certificate tokens to the first web server.
26. The server of claim 16 wherein the routine for issuing the plurality of electronic tokens of the first type further comprises issuing a plurality of electronic tokens adapted for use in electronic transactions involving competitive bidding for products or services.
27. The server of claim 16 wherein the programmed routines further comprise a second database routine that records a listing of which one of a plurality of other web servers accept electronic tokens issued to the first web server.
28. The server of claim 16 wherein the first web server further permits purchase or rental of products or services from the first web server using the electronic tokens.
29. The server of claim 16 wherein the routine for issuing the plurality of electronic tokens of a first type further comprises issuing a first group of the electronic tokens to a vendor server that oversees electronic transactions using the first group of the electronic tokens through point of sale terminals.
30. The server of claim 16 wherein the first database routine further comprises maintaining a record indicating how many of the plurality of electronic tokens of the first type are available for use.
31. The server of claim 16 further comprising a second database routine that records a number of electronic tokens exchanged in each electronic transaction.
32. The server of claim 16 further comprising a routine for recording a royalty transaction for each electronic transaction conducted.