Electronic purchase of goods over a communications network including physical delivery while securing private and personal information of the purchasing party

A method for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the method providing for payment to the second party and a delivery address to which the good can be delivered while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising the steps of:

• the first and second parties communicating over the network using respective devices;
• providing information from the first device directed to the second device for communicating with the second device or to order a good while securing said information of the first party;
• providing for approval or disapproval of the purchase of the good by the first party from the second party based on financial information relating to the first party, and if the purchase is approved, providing for payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party;
• and
• providing a delivery address to the second party to which the good is to be delivered, the delivery address not enabling the second party to determine said information of the first party.

A method for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the method providing payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising the steps of:

• the first and second parties communicating over the network using respective devices;
• providing information from the first device directed to the second device for communicating with the second device or to order a good while securing said information of the first party;
• and
• another party providing for approval or disapproval by at least a third party of the purchase of the good by the first party from the second party based on financial information relating to the first party accessible by the third party, and if the purchase is approved, providing for payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party.

A method for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the method providing payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising the steps of:

• the first and second parties communicating over the network using respective devices;
• altering said information from the first device directed to the second device to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party;
• and
• providing for approval or disapproval of the purchase by a first party from a second party based on (a) an account that the first party has with a third party and (b) an account that a proxy party has with a fourth party while securing said information with respect to the second party, the third party approving or disapproving the purchase based on account information relating to the first party, and the fourth party approving or disapproving the purchase based on and account information relating to the proxy party with the fourth party, and if the third and fourth parties approve the purchase, the fourth party electronically crediting the second party and electronically debiting the proxy party, and the third party electronically crediting the account of the proxy party and electronically debiting the first party.

A system for a first party using a first computer to order a good from a second party using a second computer over a communications network linking the first and second computers, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first computer, the system providing for a delivery address to which the good can be delivered while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising:

• the first computer having proxy identifying information which does not reveal said information of the first party;
• the first computer having software which
• alters information from the first computer directed to the second computer to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party, and
• provides a delivery address to the second party to which the good is to be delivered, the delivery address not enabling the second party to determine said information of the first party.

A system for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the system providing for payment to the second party and a delivery address to which the good can be delivered while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising:

• the first computer having identifying information which does not reveal said information of the first party;
• the first computer having software which
• alters information from the first computer directed to the second computer to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party, and
• provides a delivery address to the second party to which the good is to be delivered, the delivery address not enabling the second party to determine said information of the first party;
• and
• a third party computer providing for approval or disapproval of the purchase of the good by the first party from the second party based on financial information relating to the first party, and if the purchase is approved, providing for payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party.

A system for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the system providing for payment to the second party and a delivery address to which the good can be delivered while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising:

• a proxy device altering information from the first device directed to the second device to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party;
• the proxy device providing for approval or disapproval of the purchase of the good by the first party from the second party based on financial information relating to the first party, and if the purchase is approved, providing for payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party;
• and
• the proxy device providing a delivery address to the second party to which the good is to be delivered, the delivery address not enabling the second party to determine said information of the first party.

A system for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the system providing for payment to the second party and a delivery address to which the good can be delivered while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising:

• the first computer having identifying information which does not reveal said information of the first party;
• the first computer having software which alters information from the first computer directed to the second computer to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party;
• and
• a third party computer providing for approval or disapproval of the purchase of the good by the first party from the second party based on financial information relating to the first party, and if the purchase is approved, providing for payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party.

A system for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the system providing for payment to the second party and a delivery address to which the good can be delivered while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising:

• a proxy device altering information from the first device directed to the second device to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party;
• and
• (a) a third device communicating with the proxy device to provide for approval or disapproval of the purchase based on financial information relating to the first party, and if the purchase is approved, the third device electronically crediting the second party and electronically debiting the first party;
• and
• (b) a fourth device communicating with the proxy device to provide for approval or disapproval of the purchase based on financial information relating to the first party, and a fifth device to provide for approval or disapproval of the purchase based on financial information relating to the proxy device, and if the purchase is approved, the fifth device electronically crediting the second party and electronically debiting the proxy device, and the fourth device electronically crediting the proxy device and electronically debiting the first party;
• the system being configurable for operation with (a) or with (b).

A method for providing a database of a first party's transactions using a first device with a second party using a second device to purchase a good over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the method providing payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising the steps of:

• the first and second parties communicating over the network using respective devices;
• altering information from the first device directed to the second device to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party;
• providing for approval or disapproval by at least a third party of the purchase of the good by the first party from the second party based on financial information relating to the first party accessible by the third party, and if the purchase is approved, providing for payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party;
• providing at least certain communications between the first and the second parties to a third device and collecting said data at the third device while securing said information with respect to the second party;
• and
• providing a database with the collected data which is not accessible by the second device or the third party.

A system for providing a database of a first party's transactions using a first device with a second party using a second device to purchase a good over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the system also providing payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising:

• proxy software associated with first device or a proxy device or both altering information from the first device directed to the second device to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party;
• a third device coupled to the network providing for approval or disapproval by at least a third party of the purchase of the good by the first party from the second party based on financial information relating to the first party accessible by the third party, and if the purchase is approved, providing for payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party;
• means for receiving at least certain communications between the first and the second devices and means for collecting data while securing said information with respect to the second party;
• and
• means providing a database with the collected data which is not accessible by the second device or the third party.

A method for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the method providing for a delivery address to which the good can be delivered while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising the steps of:

• the first and second parties communicating over the network using respective devices;
• using a proxy device altering information from the first device directed to the second device to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party;
• and
• using a proxy device providing for approval or disapproval of the purchase of the good by the first party from the second party based on financial information relating to the first party, and if the purchase is approved, providing for payment to the second party while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party;
• and
• allowing more than one first party having unique said information to use the same first device and carrying out the altering step and the approval or disapproval and payment steps for purchases by each first party using the same first device while securing the unique information of each first party.

A method for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the method providing for delivery of the good and for return of a delivered good, if authorized, while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising the steps of:

• the first and second parties communicating over the network using respective devices;
• providing information from the first device directed to the second device for communicating with the second device or to order a good while securing said information of the first party;
• providing a delivery address to the second party to which the good is to be delivered, the delivery address not enabling the second party to determine said information of the first party;
• providing for delivery of the good to the delivery address;
• and
• where authorized, providing for return of the good from the delivery address or another address while securing said information from the second party.

A system for a first party using a first device to order a good from a second party using a second device over a communications network linking the first and second devices, the first party having information of a personal or private nature specific to the first party or the first device, the system providing for a delivery address to which the good can be delivered while securing said information of the first party with respect to the second party, comprising:

• a proxy device altering information from the first device directed to the second device to prevent the second party from determining said information of the first party;
• and
• the proxy device providing a delivery address to the second party to which the good is to be delivered, the delivery address not enabling the second party to determine said information of the first party.
• means for providing for delivery of the good to the delivery address;
• and
• where authorized, means for providing for return of the good from the delivery address or another address while securing said information from the second party.