The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 13, 2004
Filed:
May. 04, 2000
Ernest C. Coskrey, IV, Lexington, SC (US);
NCR Corporation, Dayton, OH (US);
Abstract
A retail terminal is utilized as a gateway to an electronic billing application that allows a user to gain access to the electronic billing application and thereafter tender payment for the bill. A paper bill that is sent to a user is encoded with user login information that is obtainable by the retail terminal. The retail terminal obtains the user login information from the bill and logs the user into the electronic billing application. Various peripheral devices associated with the retail terminal are configured to accept payment for the bill. In one form, the user login information is encoded as a bar code on the bill that contains a user ID and, optionally, a password. The present invention improves the usability and reliability of an electronic billing application. Further, the present invention minimizes the chance that a user will erroneously enter someone else's account number, and provide a level of security by ensuring that the user is in possession of the printed bill. The electronic billing application is configured to be accessed from the retail terminal, read the user's login information from the bill, authenticate the information, and accept payment therefor.