Hosted payment service system and method

A system for providing a hosted payment service, the system comprising:

• a server system comprising one or more computers;
• and
• a service code executed by said server system, said service code configured to:
• generate a transaction display module in response to a request from a computing device of a user, the request generated in response to user selection of a first control as displayed on a web page of a merchant web site, the first control configured to enable users to invoke the hosted payment service from the merchant web site to purchase items, wherein the request is for performing a purchase transaction in which payment is collected by the hosted payment service on behalf of a merchant, said transaction display module operative to cause a transaction display object to display on the user computing device within a display object of the web page, said transaction display object including a second control that is selectable by the user such that the user can complete the purchase transaction without navigating away from the web page, wherein the transaction display module is configured to display a default account setting within the transaction display object and to enable the user to review and edit the default account setting before completing the purchase transaction and without navigating away from the web page, said default account setting comprising one or more of a default shipping address and a default payment method, said display object configured to overlay other content of the web page such that said content is not visible when the display object is displayed;
• at a first point in time, receive a browser cookie from the user computing device, the browser cookie provided to the computing device of the user by the server system prior to the generation of the transaction display module;
• recognize the user as having an account with the hosted payment service at least in part based on receipt of the browser cookie;
• at a second point in time later than the first point in time, determine whether the user is authorized to complete the purchase transaction using the second control;
• wherein the user can complete the purchase transaction using the transaction display module such that the browser cookie is not exposed to the merchant,
• further wherein the display object provides an interface that enables a user to interact with the hosted payment service to select payment and shipping options and to complete payment for the items selected for purchase,
• further wherein the display object enables the user to complete the transaction using an instant checkout option, wherein the display object does not display the default account setting when the user selects the instant checkout option, and
• further wherein the web page comprises a main portion defined by a first document and a nested portion defined by a second document, the second document served at least in part by a server of the hosted payment service, the display module referenced by the second document, the display object displayed at least in part within the nested portion, wherein the nested portion is included in the web page using an iFrame html element.

A computer-implemented method of providing a hosted payment service, the method comprising:

• generating and communicating web page coding to a computing device of a user that causes a transaction display object to display within a display object of a merchant web page on the user computing device, the transaction display object including a control that is selectable by the user, said display object configured to overlay other content of the web page such that said content is not visible when the display object is displayed;
• receiving an indication of a user selection of the control;
• at a first point in time, receiving a browser cookie from the user computing device, the browser cookie provided to the user computing device by a server of the hosted payment service;
• recognizing the user as having an account with the hosted payment service at least in part based on receipt of the browser cookie;
• at a second point in time later than the first point in time, determining that the user is authorized to complete a purchase transaction using the control;
• and
• causing payment to be collected for a the purchase transaction on behalf of the merchant in response to user selection of the control and said determining that the user is authorized to complete the purchase transaction, such that the user is not re-directed away from the web page,
• wherein the transaction display object displays a default account setting and enables the user to review and edit the default account setting before completing the purchase transaction and without being re-directed away from the web page, said default account setting comprising one or more of a default shipping address and a default payment method,
• wherein said method is performed without exposing the browser cookie to the merchant,
• further wherein the display object provides an interface that enables a user to interact with the hosted payment service to select payment and shipping options and to complete payment for the items selected for purchase,
• further wherein the display object enables the user to complete the transaction using an instant checkout option, wherein the display object does not display the default account setting when the user selects the instant checkout option, and
• further wherein the web page comprises a main portion defined by a first document and a nested portion defined by a second document, the second document served at least in part by a server of the hosted payment service, the display object displayed at least in part within the nested portion, wherein the nested portion is included in the web page using an iFrame html element,
• said method performed by one or more computers.

A computer implemented method of providing a hosted payment service, comprising:

• generating a code segment, the code segment configured to add a first control that enables users to invoke the hosted payment service from a web site of a merchant after the code segment is added to web page coding of the web site, such that the users can use the hosted payment service to purchase items;
• receiving a request generated in response to user selection of the first control as displayed on a web page of the web site, the request for performing a purchase transaction in which payment is collected by the hosted payment service;
• responding to the request by generating and returning web page coding that causes a transaction display object to display within a display object of the web page, the transaction display object including a second control that is selectable by the user such that the user can complete the purchase transaction without navigating away from the web page, said display object configured to overlay other content of the web page such that said content is not visible when the display object is displayed;
• at a first point in time, receiving a cookie from a computing device of the user, the cookie provided to the user computing device prior to said receiving a request;
• recognizing the user as having an account with the hosted payment service based on receipt of the cookie;
• and
• at a second point in time later than the first point in time, determining whether the recognized user is authorized to complete the purchase transaction using the second control,
• wherein the transaction display object is configured to display a default account setting and to enable the user to review and edit the default account setting before completing the purchase transaction and without navigating away from the web page, said default account setting comprising one or more of a default shipping address and a default payment method,
• wherein said method is performed without exposing the cookie to the merchant,
• further wherein the display object provides an interface that enables a user to interact with the hosted payment service to select payment and shipping options and to complete payment for the items selected for purchase,
• further wherein the display object enables the user to complete the transaction using an instant checkout option, wherein the transaction display object does not display the default account setting when the user selects the instant checkout option, and
• further wherein the web page comprises a main portion defined by a first document and a nested portion defined by a second document, the second document served at least in part by a server of the hosted payment service, the display object displayed at least in part within the nested portion, wherein the nested portion is included in the web page using an iFrame html element,
• said method performed by one or more computers.