EP0855687A2
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System and method for distributed content electronic commerce
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1998-01-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-01-07
Abstract
Abstract Distributed electronic commerce is conducted over a network by substantially separating transaction functionality from merchant content. Electronic commerce transaction functionality is provided by a commerce server having a commerce database. The commerce server stores merchant and purchaser profile data and merchant content summaries on the commerce database. The purchaser browses and searches for product and merchant information using the commerce server, and is provided with more detailed information stored at a separate merchant content server system. The purchaser selects products to purchase, and a purchase order is sent to the commerce server. The commerce server initiates the settlement of accounts between the merchant and purchaser, and initiates order fulfillment for the selected product. The separation of transaction functionality and merchant content onto separate servers under the control of a commerce service provider and a merchant, respectively, provides a more efficient and effective way of carrying out electronic commerce over a network.
Inventors
- 👤 James Mckanna Gregory
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 14:10
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/02; G06Q20/04; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/10; G06Q20/12; G06Q20/20; G06Q20/202; G06Q30/0601
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
An electronic commerce server system for carrying out
distributed electronic commerce using a network with merchant
content servers and purchasers, comprising an electronic
commerce server connected to the network and an electronic
commerce database connected to said electronic commerce server,
said commerce server associating merchant content stored on said
database with merchant content stored on a merchant content
server.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the merchant content
stored on said electronic commerce database is a merchant
content abstract summarizing the associated merchant content
stored on said merchant content server.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said merchant content
abstract comprises: a. merchant identification data; b. product identification data; and c. product price data.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
16 words
The system of claims 2 or 3, wherein said merchant
content abstract comprises an attribute/value pair.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
36 words
The system of one or more of claims 2-4, wherein said
merchant content abstract comprises: d. a time stamp indicating the time said merchant
content abstract was stored on said database; and e. a product keyword.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 3, wherein said merchant content
abstract further comprises product weight data useful in
determining the cost of shipping a product.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
32 words
The system of one or more of claims 1-6, wherein said
database stores merchant profile data; and/or wherein said database stores purchaser profile data; and/or wherein said database stores historical transaction data.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for coordinating a plurality of parties
including a merchant and a purchaser to effectuate an electronic
commerce transaction using a network, comprising the steps of: a. storing a merchant content abstract; b. receiving a request for merchant content information; c. searching a database for merchant content information
responsive to said request; d. presenting the results of said search; e. providing a reference to a merchant content server
connected to the network; f. receiving a purchase request having a selected product;
and g. initiating an electronic transaction for said
selected product.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the merchant content
abstract is received from a merchant, and/or wherein the merchant content abstract is generated
automatically by the electronic commerce server using the
results of an electronic search of the merchant content server.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
33 words
The method of claims 8 or 9, wherein storing a merchant
content abstract comprises the steps of: a. storing product identification data; b. storing merchant identification data; and c. storing product price data.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
38 words
The method of one or more of claims 8-10, wherein
storing a merchant content abstract further comprises the step
of storing a time stamp designating the time at which said
merchant content abstract is stored in the database.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
74 words
The method of one or more of claims 8-11, wherein the
step of initiating an electronic transaction comprises the steps
of: a. receiving payment vehicle selection data; b. directing that the selected payment vehicle be debited
to the sum of the net cost of the selected product; c. directing that a merchant account be credited for the
sale of the selected product; and d. directing the delivery of the selected product to its
purchaser.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
96 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of
storing a record of the electronic transaction in a database,
and/or wherein the step of receiving payment vehicle selection
data comprises the step of retrieving preregistered payment
vehicle information from a database; and/or wherein the step of receiving payment vehicle selection
data comprises the steps of accessing a purchaser profile and: a. retrieving purchaser credit card identification data; b. retrieving a purchaser credit card number; and c. retrieving a purchaser credit card expiration date;
and/or further comprising the step of storing transaction data in
the database.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of claim one or more of claims 8-13, further
comprising the step of generating a transaction report.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 14, wherein the transaction report
is generated for a merchant; and/or wherein the transaction report is generated for a
purchaser.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
104 words
An electronic commerce server system for carrying out
electronic commerce between purchasers and merchants over a
network comprising: a. computer readable storage media for storing a merchant
content abstract; b. means for receiving a request for merchant content
information; c. a computer for searching said computer readable storage
media for merchant content information responsive to
said request; d. means for presenting the results of said search; e. means for providing a reference to a merchant content
server connected to the network; f. means for receiving a purchase request having a selected
product; and g. means for initiating an electronic transaction for said
selected product.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 16, further comprising means for
generating a transaction report.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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