Patent ID: 7249097

Claim:
A method for purchasing a product from a seller computer using a virtual payment account, comprising: (a) receiving a request from a buyer computer to purchase a product from a seller computer using a virtual payment account; (b) in response to said purchase request, determining whether said buyer computer is verified as associated with said virtual payment account by: (i) transmitting an authentication request from said buyer computer to a commerce gateway; (ii) determining at said commerce gateway whether said virtual payment account is associated with said buyer computer; (iii) transmitting an account identification container to said buyer computer in response to determining that said buyer computer is associated with said virtual payment account; (iv) transmitting an alternate authentication request from said buyer computer to a commerce gateway; (v) sending an alternate authentication message from said commerce gateway to a buyer authentication device; (vi) retrieving said alternate authentication message; (vii) verifying said alternate authentication message with said commerce gateway; and (viii) in response to verifying said alternate authentication message, determining that said buyer computer is associated with said virtual payment account; (c) in response to determining that said buyer computer is verified as associated with said virtual payment account, applying a cost of said product to said virtual payment account; and (d) providing said product to a buyer associated with said buyer computer.