Abstract:
A system and method for purchasing a money order via the internet including the steps of providing an internet based money order system capable of generating money orders upon the receipt of a purchase request by a prospective buyer via the internet for a predetermined amount of funds. The prospective buyer transmits information to the money order system. via the internet, which information is required to purchase the money order. The money order is then remotely generated by the money order system and is delivered to an intended recipient of the money order.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 11/424,206, filed Jun. 14, 2006, which is a continuation application of Ser. No. 09/307,485, filed May 10, 1999, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an internet-based money order system, and more particularly, to an internet-based money order system which is implemented in conjunction with financial transactions conducted via the internet. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Auctions for sale of products have proven to be very popular and the success of the systems involve two major features. Typically with auction systems, there is the possibility to obtain the product at a very competitive price. In addition, there is the excitement and skill of the buyer who participates in the auction process and makes fast decisions whether to continue to participate or to recognize the price has become too high. The auction process, traditionally, has been a relatively fast process which changes quickly. The standard auction process involves users bidding for a particular product, and the product is sold to the highest bidder. 
         [0004]    The dynamic nature of the auction process, in its traditional form, is attractive to a certain number of participants, but it is also an obstacle to a further group of participants who do not wish to rush their decision process. For this reason, there are other variations of the auction process where the time period for the auction is much longer and the feedback of information tends to be slower. Some auction processes do not provide any real time feedback, such as a silent auction process, where users merely submit their bid, which is confidential. 
         [0005]    A further variation of the auction process is a reverse auction where the price of the product decreases in a set manner during the time period of the auction and each participant is provided with the current price, the quantity on hand and the time remaining in the auction. This type of auction, typically, takes place over a very short period of time and there is a flurry of activity in the last portion of the auction process. The actual auction terminates when there is no more product to be sold or the time period expires. 
         [0006]    The auction process for the sale of products has also been used on the internet with great success. In this case, the various users send messages to the auction site with details of their bid and identity. Details of the bid are posted on the auction site computer and are available to other participants. The auction process typically has a time period of several days or weeks, and the product is allocated to the highest bidders. 
         [0007]    However, one of the disadvantages of this system is the remittance of payment between the seller and awarded purchaser. For instance, since the seller is typically a private individual, the only way for the seller to securely obtain the finds for the sale is through a money order sent from an awarded buyer. This is because it is not advisable for a seller to rely on personal checks, and the seller typically does not have the resources available to process credit card transactions and other types of automatic debit transactions. Moreover, it is typically inconvenient for the awarded buyer to purchase a money order, since this usually involves going to a bank, post office or financial store to do so, which mitigates the convenience of the internet transaction. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method and system for purchasing a money order from a money order system via the internet in response to goods being purchased from an internet-based auction transaction. 
         [0009]    The method preferably includes first awarding a bid to a buyer for goods to be purchased from a seller from an auction process conducted between a buyer and seller, via the internet, on an internet auction site. The awarded buyer then contacts the internet site for the money order system, preferably via the internet, after the bid is awarded to the buyer. The buyer then preferably transmits information to the money order system, via the internet, in order to purchase the money order required for the sale of the awarded goods. Such information preferably includes at least the buyers identification, an identification of the seller and a financial amount for the money order. After this information is received by the money order system, a money order is generated by the money order system. This money order is then delivered from the money order system to the seller to complete the sale of goods between the buyer and seller. The seller may then ship the goods to the buyer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0010]    The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawings and in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an overview of the money order system as implemented in the internet; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  depicts the system components of the money order system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart o the steps taken by the money order system of  FIG. 1  to generate a money order via the internet. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is an overview of the present invention system implementing the electronic money order system, designated generally by  100 , as used with an internet based auction system  10 . It is to be appreciated, that such auction sites are well known and thus will not be described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention of integrating the electronic money ordering system  100  with an auction site  10 , via preferably the internet  12 . 
         [0015]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a host of users  14  are shown connected to the internet  12 . Also shown connected to the internet  12  is an auction site  10 , money order system  100  and billing server  16 . Each user  14  preferably has a computer terminal with the appropriate software for accessing the internet  12 . It is to be appreciated that a detail description of the internet auction site  12  is not provided as they are well known in the art. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,138 to Gordon et at, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the money order system  100  is shown to preferably include a server  102 , computer processor  106 , money order dispenser  108  and database  110 . The server  102  connects the money order system  100  to the internet  12 . It is noted that the server  102  is preferably connected to a firewall  104  so as to prevent any user from accessing any of the components behind the firewall  104 . In this way, the users have access to the money order system server computers  102 , but only have access to the database  110  through the firewall  104 . 
         [0017]    The database  110  preferably includes the user&#39;s information, if any, and the money order dispensing apparatus  108  which is operative to generate money orders purchased via the internet  12 . With returning reference to  FIG. 1 , the money order system  100  is shown to be preferably coupled to a billing server  16 . The billing server  16  is operative to process credit card transactions on behalf of the money order system  100 , as will be described further below. For example, when a user desires to purchase a money order from the money order system  100 , the user may do so via a credit card, in which the user provides the necessary information (e.g., credit card type, number, billing address, etc.) to the money order system  100 . The money order system  100  then transmits this credit card information to the billing server  16  which processes and authorizes the sale of the money order to the user. After which, the billing server  16  transmits the authorized funds from the user&#39;s credit card bank to the bank associated with the money order system, which financial transactions are typically accomplished via an Automated Clearing House (ACH)  20 . 
         [0018]    The server  102  of money order system  100  may also be preferably connected to a printing device  120 , telephone  130 , facsimile device  140  and pager  150 . As will be described further below, the server  102  is coupled to anyone of these devices in order to be able to send messages to both the sender and receiver of purchased money orders. For instance, after a sale is authorized, a message may be transmitted to the sender who purchased the money order stating that the money order was authorized and is being shipped to the receiver. And, likewise a message may be transmitted to the receiver that a money order was authorized for identified goods and is currently being shipped, which enables the receiver (e.g., the seller) to ship the goods to the buyer even though it has not yet received the money order but knows it is going to receive the money order since it has a message from a secure third party (i.e., money order system  100 ) affirmatively stating that the money has been authorized is being sent to the receiver. 
         [0019]    With the system components being described above, its method of operation will now be described in reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 3 . First, with a sale transaction between a buyer and seller being consummated (step  200 ), the buyer is to be obligated to financially satisfy the transaction with a money order that is to be purchased and delivered to the seller. 
         [0020]    In the preferred embodiment, this transaction is achieved via an internet-based auction transaction in which the buyer was the awarded bidder for the goods listed by the seller on the auction site  10 . However, such an internet auction transaction is not to be the only type of financial transaction between buyer and seller for implementation of the money order system  100 , but rather it may include any type of transaction between buyer and seller, wherein the buyer is obligated to deliver a money order to the seller. In this regard, it may encompass an internet-based merchant who is selling goods on the internet but does not have the capability to effect credit card transactions and thus requires money orders for goods purchased. 
         [0021]    Next, after the financial transaction is consummated between the buyer and seller (step  202 ), the buyer (e.g., user  14 ) contacts the money order system  100 , preferably via the internet  12  (step  204 ). In this regard, the aforesaid internet contact is preferably accomplished through the provision of a hyper-link to the money order system site  100 , which hyper-link is provided in the seller&#39;s web site. For instance, if it is an auction-based transaction, the auction site preferably provides a hyper-link on one of their web pages to web site of the money order system  100 . Preferably, this hyper-link is provided on the web page awarding the buyer the highest bid, thus all the awarded buyer needs to do after being awarded the bid is to click on the hyper-link connecting to the money order system  100  so as to remotely purchase a money order from the money order system  100 , which subsequently transmits that money order to the seller without requiring the buyer  14  from leaving a computer terminal. 
         [0022]    Once the buyer has contacted the money order system  100 , the buyer&#39;s request for a money order is then transmitted to the money order system  100  (step  206 ). This request preferably includes the following information: the name and address of both the buyer and seller; identification of the goods to be purchased; the buyer&#39;s credit card information and any other miscellaneous information needed to complete the financial transaction between the buyer and seller (step  208 ). Alternatively, some, or all the later information may be automatically transmitted from the site from which the buyer accessed the money order system  100 , if so programmed. For example, when the buyer receives the web page of the auction site  10  confirming the bid award, the buyer may click a hyper-link provided on this page which not only accesses the money order system site  100 , but also automatically transmits all the information necessary to purchase a money order with perhaps the exception of the buyer&#39;s credit card information. 
         [0023]    In yet another alternative embodiment of the invention, a user may establish an account with the money order system  100 . In this embodiment, the user either credits or deposits a fund amount with the money order system  100 , which is preferably stored in the database  110  of the money order system. Thus, when the user  14  desires to purchase a money order, the user need not transmit any credit card information, but rather the funds needed for the user&#39;s desired money order is subtracted from the user&#39;s account preferably stored in database  100 . This arrangement is particularly advantageous for user&#39;s who have no credit cards or desires to avoid their use. 
         [0024]    Returning to the preferred embodiment, after the user  14  transmits the aforesaid necessary information to the money order system  100  (step  208 ), this information is received by the money order system server  102  ( 210 ) which then sends the information to a computer processor  106 . The processor  106  extrapolates the credit card information from the buyer&#39;s information and preferably transmits it to the billing server  16 . The billing server  16  processes this credit card information (step  212 ) so as to authorize the money order for the requested funds. The billing server  16  then communicates with the money order system  100  to provide authorization for the requested money order (step  214 ). Once the money order system  100  receives the aforesaid authorization from the billing server  102 , processor  106  preferably instructs money order dispensing apparatus  108  to generate the requested money order (step  216 ). It is to be understood that the money order dispensing apparatus may be either automatic or manual. The money order, and any other pertinent information needed to ship the goods is sent to the buyer, preferably via the mail system (step  218 ). 
         [0025]    The money order system  100  is also preferably configured to send an e-mail message to both the buyer and seller notifying them that the money order has been ordered, authorized and sent to the seller (step  220 ). Thus, since this message is being sent by the secure third party of the money order system  100 , the buyer can trust this information and go ahead and ship the goods to the buyer without yet receiving the money order. Thus, one advantage of the system of the present invention is clearly evident in that as soon as a buyer desires to purchase goods from a seller with a money order, the seller may immediately ship the goods to the buyer (upon the aforesaid notification from the money order system  100 ) without having to wait for the money order, which may typically take up to five (5) days if transmitted by regular mail. 
         [0026]    The billing server  16  then transmits the funds to the money order system  100  that were debited from the buyer&#39;s credit card which were needed to generate the purchased money orders preferably through an Automated Clearing House (ACH)  20  (step  222 ). Of course the billing server may retain a portion of these funds for their credit card services. 
         [0027]    In summary, a money order system providing the purchase of money orders via the internet has been described. Although the present invention has been described with emphasis on a particular embodiment, it should be understood that the figures are for illustration of the exemplary embodiment of the invention and should not be taken as limitations or thought to be the only means of carrying out the invention. Further, it is contemplated that many changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed.