Patent ID: 7660765

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for processing a microtransaction, the method comprising: receiving a purchase request including one or more electronic information packets and a purchase amount, the one or more electronic information packets including purchase information of a purchase initiated by a customer using a transaction account and interacting with a merchant; accessing a microtransaction threshold amount; comparing the purchase amount to the microtransaction threshold amount using a computer processor; when the purchase amount is above the microtransaction threshold amount: classifying the purchase request as a non-microtransaction, and processing the purchase information directly through a first interchange entity having a first processing protocol for a non-microtransaction; when the purchase amount is equal to or below the microtransaction threshold amount: classifying the purchase request as a microtransaction, electronically routing the purchase information to a second interchange entity different than the first interchange entity, the second interchange entity having a second processing protocol for a microtransaction, collecting a plurality of microtransactions into a pool, forming an aggregate transaction from the plurality of microtransactions, forwarding the aggregate transaction from the second interchange entity to the first interchange entity for processing as a single transaction, and processing the purchase information through the second interchange entity to effect the microtransaction between the customer and the merchant; wherein the microtransaction includes a first set of attributes and the non-microtransaction includes a second set of attributes, the first set of attributes different from the second set of attributes, and the first set of attributes including a decreased ability to challenge charges as being incorrect when compared to the second set of attributes.