CN1304513A

CN1304513A - Gigital cash and method of commerce

Info

Publication number: CN1304513A
Application number: CN99807038A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 迈克尔·J·P·穆尼; 布赖恩·奥尼尔; 艾万·麦克唐纳
Original assignee: Cd - Cash (usa) Ltd By Share Ltd
Current assignee: Cd - Cash (usa) Ltd By Share Ltd
Priority date: 1999-04-05
Filing date: 1999-12-03
Publication date: 2001-07-18
Also published as: WO2000060512A9; BR9911189A; LT4811B; KR20010078728A; NO20006158D0; EE200000722A; PL344639A1; EP1082689A4; SK18532000A3; CA2333733A1; IL140050A0; EP1082689A1; AU2352000A; IS5750A; LV12651B; LT2000112A; JP2002541562A; SI20558A; LV12651A; TR200003627T1

Abstract

A method of electronic commerce using an optical disc (10) as a medium of exchange. The optical disc (10) is encoded with data representing a monetary value. The monetary value is reduced by an operator (40) involved in an electronic exchange between a buyer (30) and a seller (20). The optical disc (10) may further be encoded with data representing a second monetary value representing a discount or incentive. The optical disc (10) may further include data representing a consumer product such as music or software.

Description

Digital cash and method of commerce

Invention field

The present invention is mainly used in e-commerce field, is in the transaction medium in this field specifically, particularly employed transaction medium and method when carrying out business transaction by network.

Background of invention

Commercial at first easily finishing in the objects system, in this individual system, equivalent commodity are directly exchanged.This traditional transaction system has tangible limitation, so a lot of transaction medium of simplifying the transaction exchange process arises at the historic moment.Initial transaction medium is a token.Token the earliest is the material object that inherent value is arranged, as jewel or shell.Afterwards, the coin of casting with precious metal such as gold, silver etc. had also occurred.At last, the economic worth of currency representative has surpassed its inherent value.As, the value that has overbalanced the itself metal of the coin representative of the U.S..Coin itself also has a lot of restrictions, and it is very inconvenient also to seem when carrying out a large amount of exchanges, and like this, the currency of symbol has produced.The currency of symbol such as bank note or cashier's check can be represented the monetary value of arbitrary number and need not carry out the exchange of currency itself.The currency of symbol is to have the currency of inherent value directly corresponding with some of other place at first, as for many years, dollar is exactly to lean on the gold of Fort Knox to support.Along with the disappearance of price of gold standard, what modern symbol currency leaned on is its publisher and end user's prestige.

Now, most of coml turnover clearing are to be kept by the record of authoritative institution, and it has represented account's number of setting up with user's name.The conversion of these electronic transaction amounts is normally finished in the electronics mode.Electronic account comprises debit and credit entry.Concrete these cashier's checks of execution, debit card and credit card have reflected the clearing of electronic account.Account's system of debtor and creditor is operation effectively in decades, but it has some defective, and the development of overslaugh digitalized electron commercial affairs more and more seriously.

Though the part that the networking of world's commercial affairs is still very little, growth momentum are very violent.Concerning the commercial affairs of this part networking, existing currency or coin are no longer suitable.The debt-credit account has implemented networking, still, sets up, safeguards and use the cost of network account to limit ecommerce, the development of particularly little turnover commercial affairs.In addition, for contract of commodatum account better, avoid the generation of fraud, user's identity must be believable on the network.Can be so, the user does not just have the right of privacy to have sayed in transaction.So, because the not confidentiality of network itself just makes the client be reluctant to provide very much the information of borrowing or lending money the account then and there when checking out.These restrictions impel the inventor to study a kind of new medium that is used for online transaction and method.

On Dec 31st, 1996, be signed and issued to people's such as Chen No. 5590197 patents in the U.S.; Be signed and issued to people's such as Gomm No. 5753899 patents on May 19th, 1998, and on January 5th, 1999 No. 5857079 patent disclosures signing and issuing cash substitute transaction system, it is aimed at the e-commerce transaction exploitation of digital Age.This system is based on those smart card that small-sized microprocessor and internal memory are arranged exploitations, as debit card, credit card etc.Although these systems make standard debit/use the card system to be improved by dirigibility and security are provided, they have still kept the shortcoming that cost is high and customer privacy can not get protecting, so are not the best modes of online transaction.

Similarly, be signed and issued to No. 5748737 patents of Dagger and be signed and issued to that disclosed system has the function of stored value card in people's such as Williams No. 5815657 patents on September 29th, 1998 on May 5th, 1998.This stored value card is one a plurality of portable sets that can gather account information, can finish the digitizing interface of electronic transaction.But this system is also owing to the first-selection of reasons such as its cost and confidentiality rather than internet business.

On October 6th, 1998, No. 5816917 patents that are signed and issued to Kelmer in the U.S. are a kind of devices that are used for bingo, and this device uses a kind of floppy disk or smart card of buying at the dealer place in advance, and this device has predetermined credit settlement function.This device is subject to by in the predefined application of dealer.In addition, use this device that high risk is arranged, because the economic worth relevant with the user is coded in the itself.

On January 20th, 1998, the U.S. is signed and issued to people's such as Christensen No. 5710886 patents, is a kind of system that distributes coupon with disk or CD-ROM software.The user makes a phone call so that this software can be printed the coupon of commercial value for the telemarketing personnel.This system can only be used for totally digitilized environment.

On September 1st, 1998, No. 5802497 patents that the U.S. is signed and issued to Manasse be a kind of by middle man and/or dealer on the net distributing electronic version inventory finish the method for commercial affairs.This this electronic inventory provides the project of goods and services for the user in network trading.Although this method is based on totally digitilized Environment Design, must be the transaction medium with the electronic inventory.Because electronic inventory must be stored in consumer's the computer, and will transmit by network, so the possibility of being deleted or misreading is arranged by mistake.

Above-mentioned patent at this as a reference.According to the needs and the existing methods limitation of development network economy, one of purpose of the present invention is to provide a kind of exchange media for online business.Another object of the present invention provides a kind of online trading method.The 3rd purpose of the present invention provide a kind of exchange media of online transaction and a kind of security that can guarantee transaction and confidentiality, for the very economical method of little trading.

Summary of the invention

These and other objects of the present invention are realized by a kind of transaction medium.This transaction medium comprises a CD and is encoded in the data of representing amount of money on the CD.In addition, the present invention has also realized a kind ofly carrying out transaction method by the Internet, and this method step is as follows: operation side links together first monetary value and CD; The buyer obtains CD; The buyer obtains the information of relevant article from the seller by the Internet; The buyer will represent that by the Internet data of CD and price send to operation side; The operation square tube is crossed the Internet provides the affirmation form to the buyer; The buyer sends to the seller by the Internet and confirms notice; The seller crosses the reliability that above-mentioned affirmation notice is confirmed in the Internet with the operation square tube; Sell the direction buyer article are provided.

Brief Description Of Drawings

Fig. 1 shows the CD that is used as exchange media in the present invention.

The step that Fig. 2 shows the method according to this invention when carrying out electronic transaction.

Fig. 3-9 appears at the image on buyer's the computer screen when showing and carrying out electronic transaction according to the present invention.

Figure 10-12 shows when the price in the CD in buyer's controlling chart 1, the image that occurs on this buyer's computer screen.

Figure 13 shows when the buyer is listing among Fig. 1 in the CD historical record of price, the image that occurs on this buyer's computer screen.

Detailed description of the present invention

The inventor has developed a kind of online trading method of novelty, that this method has been utilized a kind of uniqueness but the exchange media be familiar with for the people again in the digitizing working environment.Exchange media among the present invention is a kind of optical data storage medium such as CD 10 as shown in Figure 1, is loaded with the code of the data of reflection dealing money on this medium.Toward the CD identifying recording layer and from the CD the method for reading of data be that the optical data carrier field is known.The title of the CD 10 shown in Fig. 1 is CD CASH, and the people that assigns who is this invention is a unregistered name indicating that some aspect of the present invention is used.

Provided the method for carrying out online transaction with CD shown in Figure 1 among Fig. 2.The network of concluding the business can be any public or private system that is used for telecommunications, as telephone system, and satellite communication network or the Internet.Fig. 2 is a series of communications of carrying out in the buyer 30, the seller 20 and 40 of operation sides.The seller 20 can be any one tissue or individual of being desirable to provide product or service item.The buyer 30 may be any one tissue or individual of wanting to obtain by network the vendor products project.Operation side 40 is the third parties between 30 of the seller 20 and the buyeies, plays the effect of concluding the business of assisting.

The first step 1 of concluding the business is that operation side 40 provides one writing down the CD 10 of having represented the dealing money data for the buyer 30, thus realized dealing money from the buyer 30 to operation side 40 transferase 12.This step is possibly by mail system or preferably directly carry out money transaction between the commission merchant/dealer of the buyer 30 and operation side 40.Owing to be money transaction, the buyer's identity just needn't be revealed.

Before providing the step 1 of CD 10 for the buyer 30, operation side 40 must write an amount arbitrarily for 10 li toward CD.Writing the data of representing dealing money in the CD and/or the identification code of CD 10 is embodied on computer readable.Operation side 40 can comprise a data processing equipment, as computing machine 12, wherein the storage have with CD 10 in the record the relevant data message of amount of money value.CD 10 preferably indicates the mark of original number, as shown in fig. 1 20 dollars.CD 10 also comprises an observable identification code 14 of energy.Identification code 14 be hidden at first under the packing of CD 10 or a kind of in lottery ticket commonly used scraping read in the coating.After purchase has the disk 10 of latent type sign code word 14, the price that the original buyer 30 of CD 10 just guarantees CD 10 be marked on CD 10 lip-deep initial value and equate.If the sign code word 14 on CD 10 surfaces can be directly visible when buying, just buyer 30 can find vigilantly that the current value of CD 10 may be less than being marked at its lip-deep initial price.

After in case the buyer has obtained CD 10, step 3 as shown in Figure 2, buyer 30 will receive the information about the seller's 20 goods from network.In step 4, the seller 20 also may pass to 30 1 online order form of the buyer.Order form has been indicated the seller's goods and corresponding marked price.Step 4 comprises that also operation side 40 transmits a software to the seller 20.This software is used to finish the enforcement of business transaction.A software on buyer's computer is tentatively checked, and is that the form of the identification code 14 of and the buyer 30 inputs that provide by operation side 40 is correct to guarantee CD 10.For the buyer, above-mentioned software is just in its CD of buying 10.

In step 5, the software in buyer's computing machine passes to 40 1 the unique encrypted codes in operation side from CD 10, and the code of the printed order form that provided of sign code word 14 and the seller.After operation side 40 confirmed that CDs 10 have the enough amount of money to pay the bill, in step 6, one in the computing machine that operation side can return to the buyer 30 was confirmed number or other affirmation is notified.After the buyer 30 confirms price, in step 7, will send confirmation to the seller 20.

For preventing commercial swindle, the seller 20 can issue 40 1 CDs 10 in operation side in step 8 specific enciphered message is used for last affirmation.Then, operation side 40 sets up a credit entry for the seller 20, for CD 10 is set up a debit.In step 9, send and confirm to be notified to the seller 20.The seller 20 finishes transaction for the buyer 30 provides required goods.Above-mentioned institute all can finish by network such as the Internet in steps.Although in Fig. 1, provided 3 independent entity,, only need both parties just can finish and concluded the business if the seller 20 bears the work of operation side 40.This embodiment is very cost-effective for the seller of a black volume.Similarly, the seller 20 also can use other CD transaction medium of oneself signing and issuing of representing the dealing money password that indicates in transaction.Like this, the seller 20 just can both accept the transaction medium of the side of operation and conclude the business, and can accept the transaction medium of oneself again and conclude the business.

This system can be used for a large sum of money or little trading.Expense when credit side's consume and processing credit side apply for makes the card transaction of borrowing/borrow of traditional approach seem uneconomical for the transaction of little trading volume.For example, when the permission of the copyright material of selling a single page, its economic worth is extremely low.Because the cost of conventional transaction is very high, so do not develop such mode of doing business in digital economy.And buyer 30 for buy outs money that CD 10 shifts to an earlier date in transaction system of the present invention without any consume.In addition, the present invention is also without any the cost of handling credit applications, and for operation side, also untapped remaining sum is actually a kind of time value in the CD 10, and this time value can also further reduce use cost of the present invention.In the system shown in Figure 2, also be economic and practical for little transaction to several cents.

Using optical medium is the data that can also write other on the CD 10 as another benefit of transaction medium, as current Transaction Information etc.The buyer 30 can see some information of concluding the business on the computing machine of oneself.As a kind of encouragement of the buyer 30 being read Transaction Information, can also be on the CD 10 with the second-cash value that can directly be read by the buyer 30.Except can with CD 10 from the seller 20 buy first goods, as shown in Figure 2, when the buyer 30 reads Transaction Information, obtaining second and be worth or article.For example, when the buyer 30 is carrying out some computer-readable code on the CD 10, can obtain the another kind of monetary value of discount or returning form.These code informations that are stored on the CD 10 comprise that some provide discounting or preferential advertiser's tabulation to the buyer 30.These advertisements help the ecommerce of this form and squeeze into traditional market.

The buyer of the buyer 30 or other CDs 10 can use the current value of the Internet decision CD 10.Software on the CD 10 is used for carrying out communication by the Internet with operation side 40, provides the current monetary value of the CD 10 in the buyer's 30 computers simultaneously.This is an important process, because initial monetary value may the side of being operated be revised in the 40 former transaction in the CD 10.After carrying out a business transaction, operation side 40 just writes an amended new goods value of money to CD 10.The new goods value of money may be the function of initial monetary value and the former commodity of purchasing.Second-cash value may be for the first time monetary value deduct the price of goods purchased.Perhaps, operation side 40 can also deduct the money that purchase CD 10 is spent, as the cost of concluding the business.On the contrary, the relation of initial monetary value and second-cash value is a kind of relation that adds function, and promptly after the buyer 30 deposited money in for CD 10 once more, second-cash value just might be than the monetary value height.By the Internet, the buyer 30 can inform the credit card number of oneself to operation side 40, finish the process of saving with this.Similarly, the buyer 30 can increase the monetary value in the CD 10 by using the market information on the CD 10.

Operation side 40 provides other service in the mode that a website is provided to the buyer 30 and the seller 20.The buyer 30 is except can obtaining the purchaser record of a certain concrete CD 10 with the current monetary value in the above-mentioned method affirmation CD 10.Perhaps, these information also can be stored in the buyer 30 the computing machine.When same CD 10 used on a plurality of computing machines, it may be inaccurate that the buyer 30 will be apprised of local canned data.The website of operation side 40 can also adopt the seller 20 of this payment method to link with other.

The information that also comprises other type on the CD 10 is as music or software.By the code of representative money value and the code of other products are write in the same CD 10, can reduce the initial cost of the ecommerce of this form.In addition, the CD 10 that has other consumer goods can reduce the price of consumer products.This is a kind of reward voucher of electronic form concerning the product that the user bought.

CD 10 other parts have also comprised many xcopies of having encrypted, reducing CD 10 because of the out of use possibility of physical damage.If the information in the original position on the CD 10 can't read, corresponding software reads controlling computer on the CD 10 other xcopy on it.For preventing that the user from guesing out password, in the limiting time section, only allow the limited number of times of examination input password.Misapplied for anti-locking system, Fig. 2 gives other safeguard measure scheme, yet, be on the initial monetary value of CD 10 to the maximum temptation of potential appropriator.Since the initial value of CD 10 is less than 20 dollars, the possibility of usurping has not just almost had.Because the security of system inherence, and the buyer 30 paid money for CD 10 in advance, and dealer 20 is actually and is ready to accept this payment method.At present a lot of information all provide free on the net, because the economic worth of their related every transactions is very little.Transaction medium of the present invention itself is effectively, and can be used to these microtransactions, is considered to lack the great market of economic worth before therefore flourishing.

Just as true money, CD 10 is lost or expired not using up is not compensation.CD 10 is effectively in certain time limit, and as 6 months, this can the side of simplifying the operation 40 needs the financial records of record, and the while can guarantee that also the advertising message of being put down in writing on the CD 10 is up-to-date.In addition, the buyer 30 can use by selectional restriction CD 10, as, can get in touch the back with operation side 40 and add password for a certain CD 10.Equally, the buyer 30 can allow operation decrease the categories of websites that restriction is paid the bill, as, can prevent that children from buying article or service with CD 10 from the adult website.

The operating cost of the described network business of Fig. 2 is preferably born by dealer 20.Only need operation side 40 from the client's of dealer account, to deduct corresponding commission or usage charges get final product.Because CD 10 is payment in advances, and above-mentioned economical and practical advantage is arranged, its required expense is wanted much less compared with present credit card trade.In addition, CD 10 is lost and expired the use will further be reduced the expense that dealer must bear.

Fig. 3-the 9th, when carrying out network trading according to Fig. 2, the image on the buyer's 30 computer screens.Fig. 3 is that the buyer 30 is visiting the webpage that can carry out method of commerce of the present invention, demonstrates the CD-CASH mark on the screen.As the part of website, dealer 20 can make the buyer's 30 computer screens as shown in Figure 4, has shown the list of games that can buy by network here.Screen allows the buyer 30 to select the kind of recreation, the number of times of recreation and comprise Payment Methods with CD-CASH etc.In case order is issued, will inquire from the software that the seller 20 receives whether the buyer 30 agrees the price and the payment method of commodity, as shown in Figure 5.After receiving affirmation, the buyer 30 will import the identification code 14 in the CD 10, as Fig. 6, then CD 10 be inserted in the computing machine.After operation side 40 confirmed that the amount of money on the CD 10 is enough paid the bill, notice buyer 30 sent shopping and confirms instruction, as Fig. 7.Confirm as shown in Figure 7 to pay the bill behind the amount of money, the buyer 30 is described like that just as the 7th step of Fig. 2, and the affirmation instruction that is provided by operation side 40 is provided to the seller 20.After The bargain is closed as shown in Figure 8, the buyer 30 had just obtained the right to use of the recreation of purchasing, as Fig. 9 institute not.

Figure 10 is the current amount of money number how the explanation buyer 30 confirms CD 10.The webpage that Figure 10 has also marked operation side 40 to be provided carries out multinomial selection to allow the buyer 30, comprises the amount of money of checking CD 10, saves for 10 li toward CD, inquires about more detailed information and is linked to other webpage that the seller 20 of this payment method of acceptance is provided.Figure 11 is the screen display that the buyer 30 checks the amount of money in the CD 10.The screen prompt buyer 30 imports CD 10 identification codes 14 and CD 10 is inserted in the CD-ROM drives.Figure 12 is that operation side 40 is just providing the current amount of money in the CD 10 on screen.

Figure 13 is operation side 40 is just showing a certain particular optical disk 10 on the buyer 30 computer screen a consumption data record.

Embodiments of the invention described above are used for explanation but not are used for restriction.Therefore, scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, but is limited by appended claims.

Claims

One kind the transaction medium, comprising:

CD;

Be encoded on the CD, the data of expression monetary value.
2. the transaction medium described in claim 1 is characterized in that also comprising the data of the expression market information that is encoded in the CD.
3. the transaction medium described in claim 1 is characterized in that also comprising the data of the expression second-cash value that is encoded in the CD.
4. the transaction medium described in claim 1 is characterized in that also comprising the data of the expression music that is encoded in the CD.
5. the transaction medium described in claim 1 is characterized in that also comprising the data of the expression software that is encoded in the CD.
6. the transaction medium described in claim 1 is characterized in that also comprising:

First data processor;

Be stored in information in first data processor, relevant with the data in being encoded in CD with monetary value.
7. transaction medium as claimed in claim 6 is characterized in that also comprising:

Second data processor with the first data processor communication;

The device that on second data processor, shows monetary value.
8. the transaction medium described in claim 1 is characterized in that also comprising:

Be marked on the CD identification code and

Hide the layer removed of above-mentioned identification code.
9. the transaction medium described in claim 1 is characterized in that also comprising:

Pack accordingly with CD;

Be included in the above-mentioned packing, with the corresponding identification code of CD.
10. make article for one kind, comprising:

Optical data memory;

Be stored on the optical data memory, with monetary value corresponding calculated machine readable data.
11. manufacturing article as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that also comprising:

Be stored in mechanized data on the optical data memory, relevant with advertising message.
12. manufacturing article as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that also comprising:

Be encoded in mechanized data on the optical data memory, the expression music.
13. manufacturing article as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that also comprising:

Be encoded in mechanized data on the optical data memory, expression software.
14. as claimed in claim 10 manufacturing a product is characterized in that also comprising:

Be marked at the identification code on the optical data memory; And

Hide the layer removed of above-mentioned identification code.
15. as claimed in claim 10 manufacturing a product is characterized in that also comprising:

Pack accordingly with optical data memory;

Be included in the above-mentioned packing, with the corresponding identification code of optical data memory.
16. as claimed in claim 10 manufacturing a product is characterized in that optical data memory comprises CD.
17. one kind is carried out transaction method, this method comprises:

Operation side links together first monetary value and CD;

The buyer obtains CD;

The buyer will represent that the data of CD and price send to operation side;

Direction of operating the buyer provide affirmation;

The buyer sends to the seller and confirms notice;

The seller and operation side confirm the reliability that above-mentioned affirmation is notified.
18. method as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that price is corresponding with goods, this method also comprises sells the step that the direction buyer provides goods.
19. method as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that also comprising the step that operation side links together second-cash value and CD, wherein, second-cash value is the function of first monetary value and price.
20. one kind is carried out transaction method by the Internet, this method comprises:

Operation side links together first monetary value and CD;

The buyer obtains CD;

The buyer obtains the information of relevant article from the seller by the Internet;

The buyer will represent that by the Internet data of CD and price send to operation side;

The operation square tube is crossed the Internet provides affirmation to the buyer;

The buyer sends to the seller by the Internet and confirms notice;

The seller crosses the reliability that above-mentioned affirmation notice is confirmed in the Internet with the operation square tube;

Sell the direction buyer article are provided.
21. method as claimed in claim 20 is characterized in that also comprising the step that operation side links together second-cash value and CD, wherein, second-cash value is the function of first monetary value and price.
22. an advertising method comprises:

Will with corresponding first data storage of first monetary value in a kind of computer-usable storage medium;

Will with corresponding second data storage of advertising message in above-mentioned storage medium;

Provide above-mentioned storage medium to the buyer;

Provide and corresponding first product of first monetary value or service to the buyer;

According to the operating position of the buyer, provide and corresponding second product of second-cash value or service to the buyer to second data.