Apparatus and method for rolling payment

1. A system, the system comprising:

a user electronic device, the user electronic device being configured to accept a customer order, the customer order including a first item and a second item;

an electronic memory device, the electronic memory device storing a policy, the policy mapping item types to triggering events;

a control circuit, the control circuit being coupled to the user electronic device and the electronic memory device, the control circuit being configured to:

receive the order from the customer via the user electronic device;

parse the order to determine the first item and the second item, and determine a first item type for the first item and a second item type for the second item;

determine a first triggering event for the first item type and a second triggering event for the second item type by applying the first item type and the second item type to the policy;

subsequent to receipt of the order, send a first authorization request to a financial institution, the first authorization request including an initial amount, the initial amount including a cost of the first item and a cost of the second item, and subsequently receiving a first authorization from the financial institution for the first amount and the second amount, the first authorization including a first authorization identifier;

subsequent to receiving the first authorization, monitor for the occurrence of the first triggering event and upon detection of the occurrence of the first triggering event:

send a first capture request to the financial institution to capture the funds for the first item;

close the first authorization;

send a second authorization request to the financial institution, the second authorization request being for the initial amount minus the cost of the first item;

when the financial institution approves the second authorization request:

receive a second authorization, the second authorization including a second authorization identifier and including the cost of the second item;

subsequently monitor for the occurrence of the second triggering event and upon detection of the occurrence of the second triggering event:

send a second capture request to the financial institution to capture the funds for the second item;

close the second authorization;

wherein one or more actions occur after the order is received, the one or more actions being:

shipment of a product from a storage site causes a first electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit, the first electronic signal indicating the shipment has occurred;

download of digital content or computer software from an electronic memory storage device causes a second electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit, the second electronic signal indicating the download has occurred;

activation of a service on an electronic communication network causes a third electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit from the electronic communication network;

usage of a service on the electronic communication network causes a fourth electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit from the electronic communication network; or

when a failure notice is received from the financial institution, the control circuit sends a fifth electronic signal effective to deactivate an electronic device or service on the electronic communication network.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein occurrence of the triggering event is random and unpredictable in time.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein occurrence of the triggering event is predetermined in time.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user electronic device is a laptop, personal computer, smartphone, or tablet.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein when the financial institution rejects the second authorization request, the failure notice is received from the financial institution.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein historical data is analyzed by the control circuit and automatically used to selectively initiate authorization requests before a predetermined triggering event occurs.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein historical data is analyzed by the control circuit and an authorization request is selectively cancelled.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the order includes one or more of an order for an electronic device or an order for a service.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a sensor.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the policy is dynamic and can be changed over time.

12. A method, the method comprising:

providing a user electronic device, the user electronic device being configured to accept a customer order, the customer order including a first item and a second item;

providing an electronic memory device, the electronic memory device storing a policy, the policy mapping item types to triggering events;

at a control circuit, receiving the order from the customer via the user electronic device;

at the control circuit, parsing the order to determine the first item and the second item, and determining a first item type for the first item and a second item type for the second item;

at the control circuit, determining a first triggering event for the first item type and a second triggering event for the second item type by applying the first item type and the second item type to the policy;

at the control circuit and subsequent to receipt of the order, sending a first authorization request to a financial institution, the first authorization request including an initial amount, the initial amount including a cost of the first item and a cost of the second item, and subsequently receiving a first authorization from the financial institution for the first amount and the second amount, the first authorization including a first authorization identifier;

at the control circuit and subsequent to receiving the first authorization, monitoring for the occurrence of the first triggering event and upon detection of the occurrence of the first triggering event:

sending a first capture request to the financial institution to capture the funds for the first item;

closing the first authorization;

sending a second authorization request to the financial institution, the second authorization request being for the initial amount minus the cost of the first item;

at the control circuit and when the financial institution approves the second authorization request:

receiving a second authorization, the second authorization including a second authorization identifier and including the cost of the second item;

at the control circuit, subsequently monitoring for the occurrence of the second triggering event and upon detection of the occurrence of the second triggering event:

sending a second capture request to the financial institution to capture the funds for the second item;

closing the second authorization;

wherein one or more actions occur after the order is received, the one or more actions being:

shipment of a product from a storage site causes a first electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit, the first electronic signal indicating the shipment has occurred;

download of digital content or computer software from an electronic memory storage device causes a second electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit, the second electronic signal indicating the download has occurred;

activation of a service on an electronic communication network causes a third electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit from the electronic communication network;

usage of a service on the electronic communication network causes a fourth electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit from the electronic communication network; or

when a failure notice is received from the financial institution, the control circuit sends a fifth electronic signal effective to deactivate an electronic device or service on the electronic communication network.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein occurrence of the triggering event is random and unpredictable in time.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein occurrence of the triggering event is predetermined in time.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the user electronic device is a laptop, personal computer, smartphone, or tablet.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein when the financial institution rejects the second authorization request, the failure notice is received from the financial institution.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein historical data is analyzed by the control circuit and automatically used to selectively initiate authorization requests before a predetermined triggering event occurs.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein historical data is analyzed by the control circuit and an authorization request is selectively cancelled.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the order includes one or more of an order for an electronic device or an order for a service.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electronic device is a sensor.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electronic device is an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein the policy is dynamic and can be changed over time.

23. A system, the system comprising:

a user electronic device, the user electronic device being configured to accept a customer order, the customer order including a plurality of items;

an electronic memory device, the electronic memory device storing a policy, the policy mapping item types to triggering events;

a control circuit, the control circuit being coupled to the user electronic device and the electronic memory device, the control circuit being configured to:

receive the order from the customer via the user electronic device;

parse the order to determine each of the plurality of items in the order;

upon receipt of the order, send an initial authorization request to the financial institution, the initial authorization request having a total initial authorization amount that includes a cost of all items in the order, and responsively receiving an initial authorization with an initial authorization identifier;

for each of the plurality of items in the order, determine a type for each of the items;

for each of the plurality of items in the order, determine a triggering event by applying the determined type of item to the policy;

subsequently monitor for the occurrence of each of the determined triggering events and upon detection of the occurrence of each of the determined triggering events associated with each item in the order:

send a request to the financial institution to capture the cost for the item associated with the triggering event, and when the financial institution approves the capture request, close any existing authorization associated with the order;

send a subsequent authorization request to the financial institution, the subsequent authorization request having a subsequent authorization amount that excludes a cost of the item associated with the triggering event;

when the financial institution approves the subsequent authorization request, receive a subsequent authorization identifier in response to the subsequent authorization request;

wherein one or more actions occur after the order is received, the one or more actions being:

shipment of a product from a storage site causes a first electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit, the first electronic signal indicating the shipment has occurred;

download of digital content or computer software from an electronic memory storage device causes a second electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit, the second electronic signal indicating the download has occurred;

activation of a service on an electronic communication network causes a third electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit from the electronic communication network;

usage of a service on the electronic communication network causes a fourth electronic signal to be sent to the control circuit from the electronic communication network; or

when a failure notice is received from the financial institution, the control circuit sends a fifth electronic signal effective to deactivate an electronic device or service on the electronic communication network.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein occurrence of the triggering event is random and unpredictable in time.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein occurrence of the triggering event is predetermined in time.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein historical data is analyzed by the control circuit and automatically used to selectively initiate authorization requests before a predetermined triggering event occurs.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein historical data is analyzed by the control circuit and an authorization request is selectively cancelled.

28. The system of claim 23 , wherein the electronic device is a sensor.

29. The system of claim 23 , wherein the electronic device is an Internet of Things (IoT) device.