Apparatus and method for integrated payment and electronic merchandise transfer

A terminal for integrated payment and electronic merchandise transfer via:

• (i) a payment infrastructure, configured in accordance with a payment specification, in association with (ii) an electronic merchandise infrastructure and in conjunction with an electronic device configured according to the payment specification, said terminal comprising:
• a payment module configured according to the payment specification and configured to interrogate the electronic device to obtain an account number associated with said electronic device;
• and
• an electronic merchandise module configured according to the electronic merchandise infrastructure and coupled to said payment module to permit transfer of non-payment e-merchandise related information from said electronic merchandise module to said payment module, said electronic merchandise module being configured to facilitate processing of said non-payment e-merchandise related information;
• wherein said payment module is further configured to facilitate transfer of said non-payment e-merchandise related information to the electronic device, in a transaction between the electronic device and said payment module that is conducted in accordance with said account number and said payment specification, said non-payment related e-merchandise related information being stored on said electronic device in accordance with said payment specification.

A computer program product comprising a tangible computer readable recordable storage medium including computer usable program code for integrated payment and electronic merchandise transfer via:

• (i) a payment infrastructure, configured in accordance with a payment specification, in association with (ii) an electronic merchandise infrastructure, said computer program product including:
• computer usable program code for facilitating interrogation of an electronic device by a first terminal to obtain an account number associated with said electronic device, said electronic device being configured according to the payment specification, said first terminal having a first terminal payment module configured according to the payment specification and a first terminal electronic merchandise module configured according to the electronic merchandise infrastructure and coupled to said first terminal payment module to permit transfer of non-payment e-merchandise related information from said first terminal electronic merchandise module to said first terminal payment module, said interrogation of said electronic device being performed by said first terminal payment module;
• computer usable program code for facilitating generation of non-payment e-merchandise related information by said first terminal electronic merchandise module;
• and
• computer usable program code for facilitating transfer of said non-payment e-merchandise related information from said first terminal electronic merchandise module to said electronic device via said first terminal payment module, within a transaction between said electronic device and said first terminal payment module that is conducted in accordance with said account number and said payment specification, said non-payment e-merchandise related information being stored on said electronic device in accordance with said payment specification.

An electronic device for facilitating integrated payment and electronic merchandise transfer via:

• (i) a payment infrastructure, configured in accordance with a payment specification, in association with (ii) an electronic merchandise infrastructure, said electronic device being configured according to the payment specification, said electronic device comprising:
• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to said memory, said processor being operative to:
• facilitate interrogation of said electronic device by a first terminal to obtain an account number associated with said electronic device, said first terminal having a first terminal payment module configured according to the payment specification and a first terminal electronic merchandise module configured according to the electronic merchandise infrastructure and coupled to said first terminal payment module to permit transfer of non-payment e-merchandise related information from said first terminal electronic merchandise module to said first terminal payment module, said interrogation of said electronic device being performed by said first terminal payment module;
• facilitate generation of said non-payment e-merchandise related information by said first terminal electronic merchandise module;
• and
• facilitate transfer of said non-payment e-merchandise related information from said first terminal electronic merchandise module to said electronic device via said first terminal payment module, within a transaction between said electronic device and said first terminal payment module that is conducted in accordance with said account number and said payment specification, said non-payment e-merchandise related information being stored on said electronic device in accordance with said payment specification.