Patent ID: 7353210

Claim:
A method of generating electronic means of payment, comprising: a customer selecting security features for the means of payment, security features being at least one of a necessary security question, restrictions on a usability of the means of payment for purchase of certain goods, passwords to release the means of payment, or release of the means of payment by a smartcard; the customer requesting the means of payment from a financial institution and sending the selected security features to the financial institution, wherein the means of payment is independent of any specific seller or seller banking institution; the financial institution generating the means of payment on a computer of the financial institution using the selected security features desired by the customer; transmitting the means of payment electronically to the customer, who stores the means of payment in an electronic medium; the customer transmitting the means of payment electronically to multiple sellers for payment in transactions from the electronic medium; each of the sellers verifying the means of payment with respect to the selected security features by providing the means of payment to the financial institution to confirm the usability of the means of payment for the transactions based on the selected security features; and the financial institution verifying whether the means of payment is usable and providing no personal data of the customer, making the means of payment anonymous for the customer.