Randall Ralph Russell

US Patent:

20010047310, Nov 29, 2001

Filed:

Mar 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/819133

Inventors:

Randall Russell - Humble TX, US

International Classification:

G06F017/60

US Classification:

705/026000

Abstract:

The present invention is a method and apparatus for effectuating managed child, youth, young adult, or dependant commerce. The present invention conveniently allows parents, guardians or trustees to more effectively manage, control, and monitor the spending patterns of their dependants while simultaneously relieving the child of the burden of carrying and maintaining cash or checks. It also establishes a streamlined method for providers of goods and services to those dependants to be able to offer and provide those goods to children and for those sellers to receive payment for their services in a more effective manner than currently available. The present invention has specific functionality between parents, children, educational institutions, and goods and service providers. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention would include a central controller/trustee which manages funds provided by parents along with corresponding directives as to the manner in which the child may utilize the funds. The central controller/trustee has multiple functions, not only functioning as a vehicle for storing, managing and directing payment of funds for the child's purchases, but it also performs as a vehicle whereby information or notification regarding such purchases (either prospective or historical) may be interchanged between the sellers parents and the central controller/trustee in any combination thereof. The method and apparatus of the present invention have applications on the Internet as well as all other conventional communications systems.