Abstract:
Providing proof of purchase via a mobile phone or other portable device by a seller to an anonymous buyer who preferably has a mobile phone-camera.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a non-provisional application of provisional application Ser. No. 60/539,747 filed Jan. 27, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0002]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to the field of electronic commerce, particularly financial transactions carried out by electronic means, such as the buying or selling of products/services using mobile wireless electronic means. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing proof of purchase via a mobile phone or other portable device by a seller to an anonymous buyer who preferably has a mobile phone-camera.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Background Art  
         [0005]     In recent times many products and services can be purchased by users equipped with mobile wireless phones that have the capability of data communication with servers connected to the Internet. As an example, mobile game packages and services can be directly ordered from game service providers by using web-enabled mobile phones. One particular business model for selling of products and services involves mobile sales persons who can transact with buyers in field and complete sales by using their mobile phones as the principal means of effecting transactions with a web-based sales site. A basic problem in such sales is the requirement for providing the purchaser with a confirmation and proof of purchase in terms of a receipt or transaction identifier (ID). Keeping this problem in view, solutions to providing a confirmation to the purchaser are the subject matter of the present invention.  
         [0006]     Many inventions involving methods and systems for completing transactions with wireless phones have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Patent applications 20030149662, 20020023027, 20030163384, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,512,919 and 6,335,753 are illustrative of such prior art. However, none of the prior art invention involves the selling of products and services by a vendor equipped with a wireless phone and the capturing of receipt information so the purchaser can confirm purchases.  
         [0007]     The subject matter of U.S. Patent Application 20030149662 provides apparatus, systems and methods to wirelessly pay for purchases, electronically interface with financial accounting systems, and electronically record and wirelessly communicate authorization transactions using wireless communication devices. The invention also provides means for making service and/or sale service charge payments, where the amount of the transaction is for a small amount of money.  
         [0008]     In the U.S. Patent Application 20020023027, a method of providing a purchaser with a confirmation of a transaction that includes providing the purchaser with an electronic machine-readable image such as bar code is described. The machine-readable image on the display screen of a hand-held device may be used by the user for obtaining products and services after verification through a transaction validation device that preferably includes an optical scanner for reading the barcode image from the display.  
         [0009]     A disclosure wherein receipt data corresponding to a purchase of predetermined goods or a service are downloaded to a mobile handset and displayed as a bar code is embodied in the U.S. patent application 20030163384. The receipt data from the handset is received by a vending delivery station and the provision of the purchased goods or service to the customer is enabled.  
         [0010]     In the U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,919, an electronic shopping system that facilitates purchase transactions via a wireless videophone is described. An integral digital camera attached to the wireless telephone is used to facilitate the selection of items to be purchased. The digital camera is controlled via a purchase transaction program to function as a bar code or product icon image capture device. The bar or icon code image is translated into an appropriate item identifier by a character or pattern recognition software.  
         [0011]     The use of a digital camera to capture a received video image, and transmitting the captured digital image to a microprocessor in a wireless communication video telephone system is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,753. While image capture using a digital camera in association with a video telephone is involved in this invention, there is no reference to electronic commerce involving a vendor, customers and an E-commerce server.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     In accordance with one broad method aspect of the present invention, a method for confirming the purchase of a commodity such as a product or service by an anonymous customer from an e-commerce provider via an Internet server, the purchase being transacted between the customer and a vendor having access to the server, the vendor possessing a supply of pre-printed receipts each with a unique transaction identifier and the vendor having access to the e-commerce server via an web-enabled mobile phone with a visual display, includes: (a) upon payment by the customer of a purchase price for the commodity to the vendor: transmitting to the server by the vendor, via the mobile phone, both vendor account information and purchase information including the commodity and the unique transaction identifier from one of the pre-printed receipts corresponding to the purchase price; and transmitting from the server sale confirmation information to the mobile phone for display on the visual display; and (b) delivering by the vendor to the customer the pre-printed receipt corresponding to the transaction identifier so that the pre-printed receipt with the transaction identifier may subsequently be used by the customer for delivery of the commodity from the provider.  
         [0013]     In accordance with another broad method aspect of the present invention, a method for confirming the purchase of a commodity such as a product or service by an anonymous customer from an e-commerce provider via an Internet server, the purchase being transacted between the customer and a vendor having access to the server via an web-enabled mobile phone with a visual display, includes; (a) upon the customer paying a purchase price for the commodity to the vendor, transmitting to the server by the vendor, via the mobile phone, both vendor account information and purchase information including the commodity and the purchase price; (b) confirming by the server the sale of the commodity by the vendor using the vendor account information and the purchase information; (c) sending sale confirmation information to the vendor from the server via the mobile phone for display on the visual display; and (d) capturing the sale confirmation information on the visual display using a camera. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     A more complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained from consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the vendor of a commodity such as a product or service is supplied with pre-printed receipts each having a unique transaction identifier;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram depicts the process for controlling the devices depicted in  FIG. 1  so as to confirm the purchase of a commodity by a customer;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the vendor of a commodity supplies purchase information to the customer via a visual display on a web-enabled mobile phone and a copy of the display is captured by a camera controlled by the customer;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram depicts the process for controlling the devices depicted in  FIG. 3  so as to confirm the purchase of a commodity by a customer;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the vendor of a commodity supplies purchase information to the customer via a visual display on a web-enabled mobile phone and a camera controlled by the vendor captures a copy of the display and a hard-copy is printed for the customer;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram depicts the process for controlling the devices depicted in  FIG. 5  so as to confirm the purchase of a commodity by a customer. 
     
    
       [0021]     To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]     I. One preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in high-level block diagram form in  FIG. 1 . According to this aspect of the present invention, the vendor carries pre-printed receipts. Each of the receipts has a unique transaction identifier (ID) and an amount associated with it. All of the receipts are initially registered against the vendor&#39;s account with an e-commerce provider via an e-commerce Internet server; the receipts are to be associated with the sale of a commodity such as a product or service from the service provider. The transaction steps as per this aspect of the invention are shown in the flowchart given in  FIG. 2 , including the following processes:  
         [0023]     Process  200 : A vendor having an account with an e-commerce provider finalizes a deal for sale of the commodity and obtains an agreement from the customer to proceed with completing the transaction.  
         [0024]     Process  210 : The mobile vendor uses his/her web-enabled mobile phone  150  to contact the e-commerce server  100  of the provider and sends, as depicted by upwardly directed path  151 : (a) vendor account identifier information; and (b) sale information as depicted on display  155  including a transaction identifier (ID) printed on a pre-printed receipt  160 —also shown as TRANS. ID on display  155 . The sale-related information including the transaction identifier sent by the vendor reaches the e-commerce server  100  through public land mobile network (PLMN)  140 , wireless access gateway  130 , and the Internet  110 .  
         [0025]     Process  220 : The e-commerce server  100  authenticates mobile vendor&#39;s account information and registers the sale-related information against mobile vendor&#39;s account  120 .  
         [0026]     Process  230 : The e-commerce server  100  sends sale confirmation information to the vendor&#39;s mobile phone  150 . The sale confirmation information reaches the vendor&#39;s mobile phone through the Internet  110 , wireless access gateway  130 , and PLMN  140 .  
         [0027]     Process  240 : The vendor shows the sale confirmation information  155  including the transaction identifier displayed on vendor&#39;s mobile phone  150  and hands over the pre-printed receipt  160  to the customer. The customer can then use the transaction ID to obtain the sale-related commodity from the provider through means such as a mobile phone or Internet connected computer.  
         [0028]     II. A schematic representation of a second aspect of the invention is shown in  FIG. 3 , and flowchart giving the major steps in completing a mobile phone based transaction is given in  FIG. 4 , including the following processes:  
         [0029]     Process  400 : A vendor having an account with the e-commerce provider finalizes a deal for sale of a product or service and obtains an agreement from the customer to proceed with completing the transaction.  
         [0030]     Process  410 : The mobile vendor uses his/her web-enabled mobile phone  150  to contact the e-commerce server  100  of the provider and sends (a) vendor account identifier information; and (b) sale information. The sale-related information sent by the vendor reaches the e-commerce server  100  through public land mobile network (PLMN)  140 , wireless access gateway  130 , and the Internet  110 .  
         [0031]     Process  420 : The e-commerce server  100  authenticates mobile vendor&#39;s account information and registers the sale related information against mobile vendor&#39;s account  120 .  
         [0032]     Process  430 : The e-commerce server  100  sends transaction receipt information to the vendor&#39;s mobile phone  150 . The receipt information includes details such as product/service details, transaction identifier, vendor identification, sale date, sale amount, and optionally, the customer&#39;s identification. The transaction receipt information reaches the vendor&#39;s mobile phone through the Internet  110 , wireless access gateway  130 , and PLMN  140 . The transaction receipt  155  is displayed on the vendor&#39;s mobile phone  150 .  
         [0033]     Process  440 : The customer captures an image  365  of the transaction receipt  155  displayed on vendor&#39;s mobile phone  150  by using a built-in camera  363  on the customer&#39;s mobile phone  360  or a stand-alone digital camera  370 .  
         [0034]     III. In yet another aspect of the invention, the vendor generates a receipt by using a portable digital camera and a portable printer. A schematic diagram for this aspect of the invention is shown in  FIG. 5 , and the corresponding flowchart is given in  FIG. 6 , including the following processes:  
         [0035]     Process  600 : A vendor having an account with the e-commerce provider finalizes a deal for sale of a product or service and obtains an agreement from the customer to proceed with completing the transaction.  
         [0036]     Process  610 : The mobile vendor uses his web-enabled mobile phone  150  to contact the e-commerce server  100  of the provider and sends (a) vendor account identifier information; and (b) sale information. The sale related information sent by the vendor reaches the e-commerce server  100  through public land mobile network (PLMN)  140 , wireless access gateway  130 , and the Internet  110 .  
         [0037]     Process  620 : The e-commerce server  100  authenticates mobile vendor&#39;s account information and registers the sale related information against mobile vendor&#39;s account  120 .  
         [0038]     Process  630 : The e-commerce server  100  sends transaction receipt information to the vendor&#39;s mobile phone  150 . The receipt information includes details such as product/service details, transaction identifier, vendor identification, sale date, sale amount, and optionally, the customer&#39;s identification. The transaction receipt information reaches the vendor&#39;s mobile phone through the Internet  110 , wireless access gateway  130 , and PLMN  140 . The transaction receipt  155  is displayed on the vendor&#39;s mobile phone  150 .  
         [0039]     Process  640 : The vendor captures an image of the transaction receipt  155  displayed on vendor&#39;s mobile phone  150  by using a portable digital camera  500  and prints a receipt  520  by using a portable LCD printer  510 , and hands over the receipt  520  to the customer.  
         [0040]     As the sale transactions are carried out by vendors using their mobile phones and all transactions are recorded against the accounts of vendors in the servers, business processes of this invention are easily adaptable to multi-level marketing systems, and accounts of selling agents (vendors) can be maintained in a hierarchical manner to distribute commissions associated with the sales.  
         [0041]     Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings. Thus, the previous description merely illustrates the principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those with ordinary skill in the art will be able to devise various arrangements, which although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventors to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, that is, any elements developed that perform the function, regardless of structure.  
         [0042]     In addition, it will be appreciated by those with ordinary skill in the art that the block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative circuitry, equipment, and systems embodying the principles of the invention.