US6038548A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for conducting electronic commerce in a computer network using a cashier desk payment framework
Assignee: PayPal Inc
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Filing: 1997-11-26
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Granted: 2000-03-14
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Expires: 2017-11-26
Abstract
Abstract In a computer network, a system and method that provides electronic commerce services using replaceable and extensible, object-oriented software components, in one form, implemented in the Java programming language. The communication network includes a plurality of user workstations coupled to a network server containing a collection of replaceable and extensible object-oriented software components in a framework that accepts payment requests from users; processes payment requests and performs other transactions using the services of a Cashier component; CashierDesk component; Register component; a TaxCalculator component; a Ledger component for temporarily storing payment transactions; and a Safe for permanently storing transactions. Each component is either an abstract class or an interface, allowing a merchant to vary the implementation of one or more components without affecting the operation of the remaining components of the system in processing transactions. The transactions may be accomplished in a secure environment using a digital container.
Inventors
- 👤 Julian I. Kamil
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:13
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06Q40/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
In a computer network that includes a plurality of user workstations coupled to a network server containing a collection of replaceable and extensible object-oriented software components that interoperate to provide back-end services, a system for conducting electronic commerce between a user and an electronic commerce merchant, comprising: a) means for initiating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Cashier component to process payment requests by employing a number of replaceable software components or tools; b) means for generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented CashierDesk component that provides the Cashier component access to instances of other classes used in processing a transaction; and c) means for entering a transaction into the Cashier component for processing for payment and issuing of a receipt for the transaction using the CashierDesk components.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
In a computer network that includes a plurality of user workstations coupled to a network server containing a collection of replaceable and extensible object-oriented software components that interoperate to provide back-end services, a system for conducting electronic commerce between a user and an electronic commerce merchant, comprising: a) means for initiating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Cashier component to process payment requests by employing a number of replaceable software components or tools; b) means for generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented CashierDesk component that provides the Cashier component access to instances of other classes used in processing a transaction; and c) means for entering a transaction into the Cashier component for processing for payment and issuing of a receipt for the transaction using the CashierDesk components.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for generating an implementation of an abstract interface Register, which defines a family of object-oriented software components that can be used to authorize and capture electronic payments.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for generating an implementation of an abstract interface TaxCalculator, which defines a family of object-oriented software components that can be used to calculate sales tax and other charges related to a transaction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for generating a Journal component, which contains instances of the abstract Journal Item component, that can be used to store transactions temporarily.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Safe component, which defines a family of object-oriented software components that can be used to store transactions permanently.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for generating an implementation of an abstract Invoice component that can be used to specify the details of a payment request.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for generating an implementation of an abstract Transaction component that can be used to record the status of an ongoing electronic commerce transaction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for generating an implementation of an abstract interface Payment, which defines a family of object-oriented software components that can be used to submit payments to a software cash register.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for generating an implementation of an abstract Receipt component that can be used to indicate if a payment request has been authorized and captured.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means enabling each component to use the interfaces and abstract methods of other components such that varying the implementation of a component will not affect the operation of the remaining components in the system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising: a) means for conducting the transactions in a secure environment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the Cashier component and its related classes and objects provides a framework in which multi-vendor functional components can be substituted in the framework for like functional components without affecting the operation of the system in conducting electronic commerce.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
128 words
In a computer network that includes a plurality of user workstations coupled to a network server containing a collection of replaceable and extensible object-oriented software components that interoperate to provide back-end services, a method for conducting electronic commerce between a user and an electronic commerce merchant, comprising the steps of: a) generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Cashier Component to process payment requests by employing a number of replaceable software components or tools in a framework; b) generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented CashierDesk component that provides the Cashier component access to instances of other classes used in processing a transaction; and c) entering a transaction into the Cashier component for processing for payment and issuing of a receipt for the transaction using the CashierDesk components.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
128 words
In a computer network that includes a plurality of user workstations coupled to a network server containing a collection of replaceable and extensible object-oriented software components that interoperate to provide back-end services, a method for conducting electronic commerce between a user and an electronic commerce merchant, comprising the steps of: a) generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Cashier Component to process payment requests by employing a number of replaceable software components or tools in a framework; b) generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented CashierDesk component that provides the Cashier component access to instances of other classes used in processing a transaction; and c) entering a transaction into the Cashier component for processing for payment and issuing of a receipt for the transaction using the CashierDesk components.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: a) providing an implementation of an abstract payment method in the Cashier abstract class by extending the Cashier class with a concrete implementation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of: a) generating an abstract Invoice class; and b) validating an Invoice object and ensuring that it is of an expected type.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of: a) transforming the Invoice object into a Transaction object and saving the Transaction object temporarily in an instance of a Journal component.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: a) calculating taxes for the transaction using an instance of a TaxCalculator Component.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: a) creating a suitable Payment object representing the transaction and submitting the object to an instance of a Register component.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: a) creating an instance of a Receipt object returned by a Register component and transforming the instance into a suitable Receipt object for the transaction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: a) determining the status of the transaction as `PENDING`, `COMPLETED`, or `DENIED`.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: a) updating an instance of a Journal component with a new status of the transaction; b) saving the Journal component into an instance of a Safe component, in effect saving all transactions permanently into the Safe component; and c) returning an appropriate Receipt component to a component caller, whereby varying the implementation of a component will not affect the operation of the remaining system.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: a) using a digital container to conduct the transaction in a secure environment.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
156 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a computer readable program code embodied on a computer network for conducting electronic commerce between a user and an electronic commerce merchant in a system that includes a plurality of user workstations coupled to a network server containing a collection of replaceable and extensible object-oriented interface software components that interoperate to provide back-end services, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising: computer programming code which generates an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Cashier Component to process payment requests by employing a number of replaceable software components or tools in a framework; computer programming code generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Cashier Desk component that provides the Cashier component access to instances of other classes used in processing a transaction; and computer programming code entering a transaction into the Cashier component for processing for payment and issuing a receipt for the transaction using the CashierDesk components.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
156 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a computer readable program code embodied on a computer network for conducting electronic commerce between a user and an electronic commerce merchant in a system that includes a plurality of user workstations coupled to a network server containing a collection of replaceable and extensible object-oriented interface software components that interoperate to provide back-end services, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising: computer programming code which generates an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Cashier Component to process payment requests by employing a number of replaceable software components or tools in a framework; computer programming code generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Cashier Desk component that provides the Cashier component access to instances of other classes used in processing a transaction; and computer programming code entering a transaction into the Cashier component for processing for payment and issuing a receipt for the transaction using the CashierDesk components.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code for generating an implementation of an abstract interface Register, which defines a family of object-oriented software components that can be used to authorize and capture electronic payments.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
43 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code for generating an implementation of an abstract interface TaxCalculator which defines a family of object-oriented software components that can be used to calculate sales tax and other charges related to a transaction.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code for generating a Journal component, which contains instances of the abstract Journal item component, that can be used to store transactions temporarily.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code for generating an implementation of an abstract, object-oriented Safe component, which defines a family of object-oriented software components that can be used to store transactions permanently.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code for generating an implementation of an abstract Invoice component that can be used to specify the details of a payment request.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code for generating an implementation of an abstract transaction component that can be used to record the status of an ongoing electronic commerce transaction.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
39 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code for generating an implementation of an abstract interface Payment which defines a family of object-oriented software components that can be used to submit payments to a software CashRegister.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
35 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code for generating an implementation of an abstract Receipt component that can be used to indicate if a payment request has been authorized and captured.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
44 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising computer programming code enabling each component to use the interface and abstract methods of other components such that during the implementation of a component will not affect the operation of the remaining components in the system.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising the computer programming code for conducting transactions in a secure environment.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
54 words
Computer programming code of claim 23 further comprising a computer programming code generating a Cashier component and its related classes and objects, the Cashier component providing a framework in which multi-vendor functional components can be substituted in the framework for like functional components without affecting the operation of the system in conducting electronic commerce.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-14 | 2003-09-13 | 2004-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-14 | 2007-09-13 | 2008-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-14 | 2011-09-13 | 2012-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |