Patent ID: 7103570

Claim:
A computer-controlled system for configuring a point-of-sale terminal for use in connection with a merchant account during an on-line session with an applicant for the merchant account, comprising: a network accessible acquirer Internet server that generates a network accessible merchant account activation application user interface online for access by an applicant for a merchant account via an online session with the applicant accessing the acquirer Internet server; a master account file for storing information corresponding to the merchant account; and an electronic connection to one or more point-of-sale terminals; wherein the acquirer Internet server: displays the merchant account activation application user interface to the applicant during the online session with the applicant; receives information input by the applicant to the merchant account activation application user interface; displays information via the user interface relating to one or more selectable point-of-sale terminals for selection by the applicant; receives information input by the applicant to the merchant account activation application user interface selecting a point-of-sale terminal for use in connection with the merchant account; determines terms and conditions applicable to the applicant's merchant account based on the received information; displays determined terms and conditions relaring to the administration of the merchant account to the applicant via the user interface; receives an indication of acceptance of the terms and conditions from the applicant input by the applicant to the merchant account activation application user interface; responsive to the indication of acceptance of the terms and conditions from the applicant during the on-line session, generates identification information associated with the merchant account and the point-of-sale terminal, the identification information comprising a merchant ID (MID) and a terminal ID (TID); stores information generated and received during the online session, including the identification information, in the aster account file for use in administration of the merchant account; and configures the selected point-of-sale terminal by loading the identification information from the master account file via the electronic connection to the selected point-of-sale terminal.