A method of enabling a real entity to access a service on a communication network using a virtual entity, the method including the steps of establishing a user account including at least first data corresponding to the identity of the real entity and second data corresponding to the virtual entity and not identifying the real entity, storing the first and second data in a first database, linking between the first and second data in the first database, storing the second data at a second database, associating the second database with a communication network site, connecting the communication network site to the communication network, receiving the second data from an unidentified user on the communication network site, identifying the unidentified user as the virtual entity based on receiving the second data, and allowing the virtual entity to access the service.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A device comprising: a memory having stored therein virtual entity information defining a virtual entity configured for interaction on a communication network on behalf of a real entity, wherein said virtual entity information is not linkable, on said communication network, to the real identity of said real entity; a processor to process said virtual entity information; and a communication interface to communicate said virtual entity information with one or more sites of said communication network.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the virtual entity information includes information corresponding to one or more attributes representing the virtual entity.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the information corresponding to the one or more attributes comprises information corresponding to an image representing the virtual entity.
4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the information corresponding to the one or more attributes comprises information corresponding to an audio attribute of the virtual entity.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the virtual entity information comprises information corresponding to a virtual transaction account assigned to the virtual entity, the virtual transaction account including information sufficient to perform a transaction of monetary value at said one or more sites of the communication network, and wherein said virtual transaction account is not linkable over said communication network to the identity of said real entity.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the information corresponding to the virtual transaction account comprises information corresponding to a credit account assigned to said virtual entity.
7. The device of claim 5 comprising a display to display at least part of the information corresponding to the virtual transaction account assigned to said virtual entity.
8. The device of claim 5 , wherein the device is adapted to communicate over said communication network with a transaction processing server that is able to authorize and process said transaction of monetary value at said one or more sites based on at least part of the information corresponding to the virtual transaction account assigned to said virtual entity.
9. The device of claim 1 comprising a user interface to enable said real entity to control the interaction of the virtual entity on said communication network.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the virtual entity information includes a unique username and a password, and wherein said username and password are required to allow said real entity to access the virtual entity information.
11. The device of claim 1 comprising a display to display at least part of said virtual entity information.
12. An apparatus to enable a virtual entity to interact on a communication network on behalf of a real entity, the apparatus comprising: a memory having stored therein information defining a virtual transaction account assigned to said virtual entity, to enable said virtual entity to transact at one or more sites of said communication network on behalf of said real entity, wherein the virtual transaction account includes virtual transaction information sufficient to perform a transaction of real monetary value at said one or more sites, and wherein said virtual transaction information is not linkable over said communication network to the real identity of said real entity; and a processor to access said virtual transaction account as necessary to enable performing said transaction of monetary value.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 comprising a communication interface to communicate with said communication network and to send said virtual transaction information over said communication network.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the virtual transaction account includes a pre-paid virtual transaction account.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the virtual transaction information comprises credit account information.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising a display to display at least part of said credit account information.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the virtual credit account information is not linkable, on said communication network, to real credit account information of said real entity.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the virtual credit account information comprises a credit card number and an expiration date.
19. The apparatus of claim 12 comprising a display to display at least part of said virtual transaction information.
20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to communicate over said communication network with a transaction processing server that is able to authorize and process said transaction of monetary value at said one or more sites based on at least part of the information corresponding to the virtual transaction account assigned to said virtual entity.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 1, 2014
February 23, 2016
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.