{
  "patent_number": "US 7865399",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How a Centralized Broker Handles Online Shopping Transactions",
  "original_title": "Distributed electronic commerce system with centralized point of purchase",
  "summary": "A system where a third-party broker handles payments and shipping logistics for online merchants, allowing customers to checkout without entering payment details on every individual site.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent describes a central broker system that acts as an intermediary between a customer and an online merchant. When a customer is ready to buy, the merchant sends a description of the shopping cart to the customer's device, which then forwards that data to the broker. The broker then takes over the checkout process, presenting the user with shipping and payment options, calculating the final total, and charging the customer directly. Finally, the broker notifies the merchant of the completed transaction so the goods can be shipped. This allows the broker to manage the financial and logistical details while the merchant focuses on the product catalog.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover direct merchant-to-customer transactions where the merchant processes the payment themselves.",
    "Does not cover systems where the merchant retains full control over the payment processing and tax calculation.",
    "Does not cover peer-to-peer payment systems that lack a centralized broker coordinating with a merchant's inventory."
  ],
  "filed": "2005-04-22",
  "granted": "2011-01-04",
  "expires": "2025-04-22",
  "status": "expired",
  "holder": "Google LLC",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/google-llc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Timothy M. Dierks",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/timothy-m-dierks"
    },
    {
      "name": "Louis Vincent Perrochon",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/louis-vincent-perrochon"
    },
    {
      "name": "Arturo E. Crespo",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/arturo-e-crespo"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 9,
  "tags": [
    "ecommerce",
    "software",
    "finance"
  ],
  "abstract": "An electronic commerce system includes a broker that enables customers to purchase items from merchants. A customer interacts with the merchant to identify items to purchase, and the merchant directs the customer to the broker in order to complete the transaction. The broker receives a description of a virtual shopping cart generated by the merchant and presents the customer with an interface allowing the customer to select shipping and other options for the purchase. The broker calculates a total amount for the transaction based on the shopping cart description and the options selected by the customer. The broker informs the merchant of the purchase and coordinates the shipment of the purchased items from the merchant to the customer.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7865399/distributed-electronic-commerce-system-with-centralized-point-of-purchase",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7865399/distributed-electronic-commerce-system-with-centralized-point-of-purchase/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US7865399",
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}