Abstract:
A method for embedding a socially conscious donation, contribution, payment into a transaction at the point of sale or purchase using any payment platform that accepts, debit, credit, cash, financing, donations, contributions, financial service transactions, etc. and facilitates, separates, and keeps track of the process and the transaction, including the giveback. The system and method also handles contributions to any beneficiary which could be the person making the purchase or sale or barter. The system and method utilizes a human key to make and take requests, record payments, take and certify payments between a user or plurality of users, a merchant/business, and a charity of designated beneficiary. Whereby a set amount by the parties, user, purchaser, seller, and beneficiary can be used for a donation, contribution, or payment to a beneficiary determined at the point of sale, purchase, or barter.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from and is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/459,353, entitled “Method and mechanism for protection, sharing, storage, accessing, authentication, certification, attachment and tracking anything in an electronic network”, filed on Jun. 29, 2009, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention generally relates to the field of data processing systems. More specifically the present invention relates to providing financial donations to third parties and tracking the financial details of the transactions. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In an effort to support communities and garner positive public opinion, many companies are offering consumer the ability to donate money during a point of sale transaction. In an effort to increase donations, many charities are partnering with companies offering point of sale donations. From home supplies to fast food, consumers, when paying with a credit/debit card have the ability to donate some amount of money, typically a dollar, to a charity through their purchase of product or services with a company. Additionally, online transaction companies also enable Charities to establish accounts and incorporate electronic donation buttons that allow website users to visit their website or third party websites and donate money directly to the charity via the transaction system. Finally, credit card companies allow users to donate their accumulated reward points and donate them to a charity of choice where the reward points are converted into a monetary amount for donation to the charity. 
         [0006]    Unfortunately, many consumers dislike constantly being asked to donate to a charity while making purchases and many consumers feel a disconnect between the company requesting the donation and the charity in which they support. Many of the larger corporations provide these transaction donation services in support of larger, national, or multi-national charities. 
         [0007]    What is missing is a method and process for creating local campaigns and presenting consumers with a less invasive means for purchasing products or supporting retailers and other merchants who are working directly, at the local level, to support charities or projects where the customer is not making a separate donation, but is purchasing a service or product where part of the price is specifically set aside for supporting a specific charity or event. 
         [0008]    Additionally, many consumers dislike not being able to track or keep track of the success of a project or charity to which they have donated. What is need is a system that provides for making a donation during a financial transaction where the details of the transaction are tracked and can be reviewed. 
         [0009]    The present invention teaches a method for providing donations to third parties during a financial transaction and tracking the details of the financial transactions for donation, contributors, and recipients. 
       DEFINITIONS 
       [0010]    A “human key” is a software identification file that enables a user to verify themselves to another user or a computer system. The software file of the human key enables a user to be verified and/or authenticated in a transaction and also provides tracking of the financial transaction by associating the transaction to one or more human keys which identify and authenticate a user in the system. 
         [0011]    A “QR Code”, abbreviated from and also know as “Quick Response Code”, is defined as a type of matrix barcode, or two-dimensional code, used for commercial tracking, entertainment and transport ticketing, product marketing, and in-store product labeling. 
         [0012]    A “software application” is a program or group of programs designed for end users. Application software can be divided into two general classes: systems software and applications software. Systems software consists of low-level programs that interact with the computer at a very basic level. This includes operating systems, compilers, and utilities for managing computer resources. In contrast, applications software (also called end-user programs) includes database programs, word processors, and spreadsheets. Figuratively speaking, applications software sits on top of systems software because it is unable to run without the operating system and system utilities. 
         [0013]    A “software module” is a file that contains instructions. “Module” implies a single executable file that is only a part of the application, such as a DLL. When referring to an entire program, the terms “application” and “software program” are typically used. 
         [0014]    A “software application module” is a program or group of programs designed for end users that contains one or more files that contains instructions to be executed by a computer or other equivalent device. 
         [0015]    A “website”, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet address known as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). All publicly accessible websites collectively constitute the World Wide Web. 
         [0016]    A “web page”, also written as webpage is a document, typically written in plain text interspersed with formatting instructions of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML, XHTML). A web page may incorporate elements from other websites with suitable markup anchors. 
         [0017]    Web pages are accessed and transported with the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which may optionally employ encryption (HTTP Secure, HTTPS) to provide security and privacy for the user of the web page content. The user&#39;s application, often a web browser displayed on a computer, renders the page content according to its HTML markup instructions onto a display terminal. The pages of a website can usually be accessed from a simple Uniform Resource Locator (URL) called the homepage. The URLs of the pages organize them into a hierarchy, although hyperlinking between them conveys the reader&#39;s perceived site structure and guides the reader&#39;s navigation of the site. 
         [0018]    A “mobile device” is a generic term used to refer to a variety of devices that allow people to access data and information from where ever they are. This includes cell phones and other portable devices such as, but not limited to, PDAs, Pads, smartphones, and laptop computers. 
         [0019]    “NFC” is an acronym for “Near Field Communication” which allows for simplified transactions, data exchange, and wireless connections between two devices in proximity to each other, usually by no more than a few centimeters. NFC is expected to become a widely used system for making payments by smartphone in the United States. Many smartphones currently on the market already contain embedded NFC chips that can send encrypted data a short distance (“near field”) to a reader located, for instance, next to a retail cash register. Shoppers who have their credit card information stored in their NFC smartphones can pay for purchases by waving their smartphones near or tapping them on the reader, rather than using the actual credit card. 
         [0020]    “Social network sites” are web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. The nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site. While we use the terms “social network”, “social network pages”, and “social network site” to describe this phenomenon, the term “social networking sites” also appears in public discourse, and the variation of terms are often used interchangeably. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The present invention teaches embedding a socially conscious donation, contribution, payment into a transaction at the point of sale or purchase using any payment platform that accepts, debit, credit, cash, financing, donations, contributions, financial service transactions, etc. and facilitates, separates, and keeps track of the process and the transaction, including the giveback. The system and method also handles contributions to any beneficiary with could be the person making the purchase or sale or barter. The system and method utilizes a human key to make and take requests, record payments, take and certify payments between a user or plurality of users, a merchant/business, and a charity or designated beneficiary. A set amount of the transaction can be set aside by the parties, user, purchaser, seller, and beneficiary to be used for a donation, contribution, or payment to a beneficiary at the point of sale, purchase, or barter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification exemplify the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain and illustrate principles of the inventive technique. Specifically: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a flow chart illustrating the payment module and user connectivity of the method of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating the computerized process takes place at the time of the payment and or transaction; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a simulated smart phone application which illustrates the method as practiced on a machine; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a simulated website form which illustrates the method as practiced on a machine; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating the method of the present invention for a transaction; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating the interaction between consumers, charities, and business with the payment module connected to the human key of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating the method as applied to a 501c3 charity; 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating the method of the payment delivery and management transaction module of the present invention; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is a series of simulated websites showing the use of the QR codes and the payment module connected to the human key. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]    In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the accompanying drawing(s), in which identical functional elements are designated with like numerals. The aforementioned accompanying drawings show by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, specific embodiments and implementations consistent with principles of the present invention. These implementations are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and it is to be understood that other implementations may be utilized and that structural changes and/or substitutions of various elements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be construed in a limited sense. Additionally, the various embodiments of the invention as described may be implemented in the form of a software running on a general purpose computer, in the form of a specialized hardware, or combination of software and hardware. 
         [0033]    The method of the present invention is embodied by a software program containing executable instruction of the method and/or process claimed by the present invention. The software program embodying the present invention is executable on a particular machine or apparatus. “Particular machine” or “apparatus” is defined as a desktop computer, laptop computer, personal data assistance (PDA), IPAD, tablets, table computers, IPHONE, mobile phone, smart phone, or any other equivalent electronic device which is capable of running a set of executable instructions embodied by software and providing a display of the result of those instructions. These electronic devices used to define a particular machine or apparatus function tie the method of the present invention to a particular machine or apparatus. The present invention is a method and payment process that uses a computer or mobile device to make or request, and to take or fulfill requests, of socially conscious donations for connecting users, businesses and charities together. 
         [0034]    The present is directed to the giving of a contribution, donation, or payment to a third party beneficiary at the point of purchase, sale, or barter using a human key to allow the purchases and or seller to designate where a portion of the transaction goes (third party beneficiary). The “human key” is a software identification file that enables a user to verify themselves to another user or a computer system. The software file of the human key enables a user to be verified and/or authenticated in a transaction and also provides tracking of the financial transaction by associating the transaction to one or more human keys which identify and authenticate a user in the system. 
         [0035]    The purpose of the present invention is to embed the giving or directing of a piece of the transaction to a designated beneficiary. For example, this method could be used for a socially conscious purpose, a sole entity, charity, campaign, or even into the purchasers account. In essence, if a purchase is being made, the discount, rebate, or piece of the transaction that the seller is willing to contribute or give could go back to the purchasers designated account or into a special account such as a college education fund, retirement account, Christmas account, family trip, or to make payment for a mortgage, loan, auto, installment, or anything that has been financed that requires a payment. The money can also be able to go into an investment, group investment, loan, or group loan. 
         [0036]    Now referring to  FIG. 1 , a computer system with a payment module connected to a human key  101  would keep track of the process where a user registers their preferences for where they want the money to go  102 , such as their local community, charity, campaign, themselves, or whoever the beneficiary is and include loans, investments, gifts, and or payments, contributions, and donations. A charity registers with the computer system and chooses how they want to pay businesses and how they want to accept payments  103 . Businesses register with the computer system and choose how they want to accept payments, and how they want to pay other businesses  104 . 
         [0037]    The computerized process takes place at the time of the payment and or transaction, although transactions can occur online or offline. The user or consumer making the payment would authorize the transaction on a computer screen, terminal, payment platform, credit/debit module, any payment process connected to a networked computer terminal, display screen or electronic payment platform system so the system is recording the transaction. Now referring to  FIG. 2 , the system records the transaction  200  by tracking the transaction  201 , registering the transaction  202 , including the parties invested  203 , the amount involved  204 , and separating the contribution, gift, donation, payment, etc.  205  from the goods or services purchased amount  206  at the time of the transaction with a date, time, and place receipt  207  generated to all parties, which typically includes the user/customer  208 , seller/business  209 , and charity/beneficiary  210  involved in the transaction  200 . 
         [0038]    The computer system keeps track of and aggregate all transaction information including what may be tax deductible  211  in the transaction to the customer/buyer  208 , seller/business  209 , and charity/beneficiary  210 . The system will hold the information and supply receipts to all parties involved. The system will also generate supporting tax documentation for all parties. 
         [0039]    These contributions/deductions embedded into transactions online and offline at points of purchase, sales, and barters should provide for contributions, donations, and payments toward loans, payments toward equity, payments toward credit or debit cards, credits towards making more purchases (rewards programs), savings accounts, financial service transactions or go into an investment pool/account that could be leveraged to make loans, adding additional interest to the portfolio and or equity to the portfolio. 
         [0040]    For example, if a school in a local community needs a new building, and enough people in a community designate their contribution to go to that school and that project, then when $100,000 or one million come in, they would use the funds to borrow ten times that amount from a bank and not need to do a bond issue. This is a new financing technique created and supported by the present invention. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the system embodying the method would separate the money to be donated, contributed, loaned, etc at the time of the transaction so the merchant/business would not be burdened with the paperwork and fulfillment of the transaction. The system aggregates this information and provides receipts to all parties for the transaction. The system would allow for a group or plurality of people to do this together or as individuals. The system would assign a QR code to the deal and the transactions. This QR code might be the receipt. The system would use the human key for identification and security of the transaction for recording, tracking, authenticating, and certifying the transaction. The system would connect users, businesses, and charities together including those in need with those who can give. 
         [0042]    Now referring to  FIG. 3 , a simulated smart phone application is shown for enabling a user to start a campaign. The smart phone display  301  provides input means where a user can elected to list donate by first selecting how they want to pay  302 , selecting what they want to do from a drop down list  303 , selecting when they would like it to occur from a drop down calendar  304 , entering their zip code  305 , selecting when they will make a decision from a drop down calendar  306 , selecting who they want to donate to from a drop down list of campaigns, charities, or by entering a specific user  307 . A user can also enter an image  308 , browse campaigns, charities, and users  309 , or submit their donation  310 . 
         [0043]    The system would incorporate search, including local zip code search to help benefit local communities. The search would encompass all users that need money with the merchants and business users offering deals or are willing to give a piece of the transaction to a designated beneficiary. So, if someone wants to buy something, they can browse and sort by what they want and those merchants who are offering to give something back. 
         [0044]    In another embodiment, the present invention is incorporated into auctions. 
         [0045]    In yet another embodiment, the machines enabling the execution of the method of the present invention and running the software which embodies it are computers, smart phones, tablets, and other smart mobile devices or mobile computing devices. 
         [0046]    Now referring to  FIG. 4 , the system allows users, using a form  400  to request that a merchant, vendor, or user participate, such as sign up to offer deals by providing a proposal preview  406 , a description of the service or prices  407 , and information on how to pay  408 , who the proposal if from  409 , and what is needed  410 . The system then sends out requests to individuals and merchants to participate using the form  400 . The system sends requests to users to designate their preferences where they want the money to go  401 , that date by when it is needed  402 , the location  403 , that date on which they will make a decision  404 , and an image option  405 . 
         [0047]    The system allows users to request a sponsor, request a need, request a charity, request an advertiser and the system turns these requests into a campaign, advertisement, or deal to be advertised or promoted, or publicized within or outside the system and as disclosed in the parent patent, these ads, campaigns, and deals can be posted on other people&#39;s websites, inside or outside the network by using the QR code to put it on someone else&#39;s site in an affiliate marketing manner by using link code  903  embedded in a website  901  for tracking payments, view, and clicks or QR codes barcodes, NFS, or RFID  904  for tacking of payment transactions in a website  902  as shown in  FIG. 9   
         [0048]    Now referring to  FIG. 5 , the system allows users to send requests  501  via the form  400  that asks another user, merchant, or business for their best price, service, and convenience terms. The system records, transmits, and stores that information  502 . The system can also ask them if they give back and what the giveback is  503 . The system sends out requests to a plurality of vendors that may want to respond  504  and the system tracks all responses  505 . The system allows users to lock in the best offer, buy, sell, or barter  506  and allows users to request financing terms from a plurality of vendors that may be interested in the transaction including the give back terms and deals  507 . The system stores the givebacks and credits until it accumulates to a designated amount  508 , then transfers it to the beneficiary which as user has chosen  509 . Buyers and sellers are matched by what the seller is willing to contribute to the transaction. In essence, the business is subsidizing the discount, give back, donation, or contribution to the beneficiary. 
         [0049]    Now referring to  FIG. 6 , one example of the method is shown for a situation where during a financial transaction, the system automatically takes a small amount of currency for purchases and stores them for a period of time until it accumulates to a given amount, and then it releases the accumulated amount for purchases  600 . A consumer chooses to have the payment module connected to the human key  602  deduct small payments from their bank account for payment to their campaign so that when their campaign gets the desired amount to buy something it is automatically purchases  601 . A charity chooses to have the payment module connected to the human key  602  track the receipt of small donations payments and when the charity gets the desired campaign amount they contact the campaign and a deduction receipt is automatically emailed and provided to the user so they can get the deduction  601 . A business uses the payment module connected to the human key  602  to establish campaigns for product and service sales with payments until fulfilled, then a user gets the product and service delivered or rendered  604 . 
         [0050]    Now referring to  FIG. 7 , the system identifies legitimate 501c3 charities  705  for the purpose of assisting in deductible donations by the user  706  or business  707 . The system server  701  stores 501c3 information in a database  702 . A payment and delivery payment module tracks all transactions and payments made in the system  703 . A payment module connected to the human key  704  delivers information to the system users, consumers, charities, and businesses, to authenticate the users in the system. 
         [0051]    The payment delivery and transaction module  800  stores credit card  801 , debit card  802 , Near Field Communication  803 , and check or cash  804  information that is authorized by the human key for a debit transaction  805 . The system processes the debit transaction  806 , post the debit to an account  807 , calculates the fees that go to the administration and beneficiary  808 , and then confirm that the funds are available  809 . If the funds are not available, the transaction is cancelled  810 . If the funds are available, the funds are transferred  811 , and the transaction is recorded and sent to the beneficiary  812  and administrator  813 . The administrator  813  is the manager of the website, owner of the business entity, or representative of the owners of the business entity. “Admin” is a nickname for the manager, owner, or authorized representative of the business entity, in this case it would be the administrator bank account. 
         [0052]    Moreover, other implementations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. Various aspects and/or components of the described embodiments may be used individually or in any combination in the computerized content filtering system. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims. 
         [0053]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the point and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. 
         [0054]    As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
         [0055]    With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0056]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.