System and method for securely registering a recipient to a computer-implemented funds transfer payment network

• US 10,078,821 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Early Warning Services, LLC
• Original Assignee: Early Warning Services, LLC
• Inventors: Bouey, Kevin, Muthu, Sri Saravana, Pearce, Brian M., Vancini, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Fu, Hao
• Application Number:
  US13/735,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,080 Days
• Field of Search: 705 39- 40, 705 1421, 705 42- 44, 705 76, 705 17, 455466, 708206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules

Abstract

A computer-implemented payment processing method includes storing, by a computer system, information regarding a recipient in an account information directory, the account information directory being implemented in a data storage system, the information including a public identifier identifying the recipient, the public identifier including an e-mail address and/or a telephone number assigned to the recipient when the public identifier is stored in the account information directory; receiving, by the computer system, a funds transfer request identifying the recipient by the public identifier, the funds transfer request being received via a computer network; determining, by the computer system, a private identifier for the recipient based on the public identifier; and transmitting, by the computer system, a funds transfer message via a computer network to cause funds to be transferred from a sender to the recipient, the funds transfer message being generated using the private identifier.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented payment processing method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system over a computer network, a first public identifier associated with a recipient, the computer network comprising the Internet, the recipient having a recipient account at a first financial institution, the first public identifier being able to assist with contacting the recipient regarding payment transactions, and the first public identifier comprising a first email address of the recipient;

receiving from the first financial institution over the computer network, by the computer system, a private profile identifier generated by the first financial institution, the private profile identifier being a unique identifier associated with a database entry for the recipient in a first information directory at the first financial institution, the database entry for the recipient in the first information directory associating the private profile identifier with the first public identifier and an account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution, the private profile identifier not being shared with the recipient, the private profile identifier being stored by the first financial institution, the account number of the recipient account not being shared with the computer system, and the private profile identifier providing an additional level of security to facilitate secure communications over the computer network;

performing a validation of the first public identifier by confirming that the first public identifier is useable to contact the recipient;

storing, by the computer system, a record including the first public identifier and the private profile identifier in a second information directory, the private profile identifier stored in the record not including the account number of the recipient account, and the second information directory being implemented in a data storage system;

receiving, by the computer system over the computer network, a first funds transfer request from a first sender, the first funds transfer request identifying the recipient by the first public identifier, the first funds transfer request not including the account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution or the private profile identifier, and the first funds transfer request to transfer first funds from an account of the first sender at a second financial institution to the recipient account at the first financial institution;

determining, by the computer system, the private profile identifier for the recipient based on the first public identifier in the first funds transfer request and using the record stored in the second information directory; and

providing the private profile identifier, by the computer system over the computer network in response to receiving the first funds transfer request, to the second financial institution to facilitate a first transfer of the first funds from the account of the first sender at the second financial institution to the first financial institution using an automatic clearing house (ACH) network, the private profile identifier not being shared with the first sender, and the private profile identifier being provided to the second financial institution to enable the second financial institution to associate the first transfer of the first funds with the private profile identifier such that the first financial institution uses the first information directory to identify the account number of the recipient account based on the private profile identifier to receive the first transfer of the first funds and deposit the first funds into the recipient account, wherein the account number of the recipient account is not shared with the first sender or the second financial institution,

wherein;

the computer system is operated by an entity that is different from the first financial institution and the second financial institution.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a graphical user interface to the first sender, the graphical user interface comprising at least one display screen, the at least one display screen displaying the first public identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a selection of the recipient from the first sender, wherein the first sender selects the recipient using the first public identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the private profile identifier is useable to uniquely identify the recipient in account information directories of a plurality of financial institutions comprising the first financial institution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transfer of the first funds is initiated at the first financial institution.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transfer of the first funds is initiated at the second financial institution to cause the first funds to be transferred from the first sender to the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising managing, by the computer system, accounts respectively associated with the recipient and a plurality of other users, the accounts comprising checking and credit card accounts held by the recipient at the first financial institution.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a request to the recipient over the computer network to accept the first funds from the first sender, the request to accept the first funds being directed to the recipient using the first public identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the first sender, by the second financial institution, a second funds transfer request, the second funds transfer request identifying the recipient by the first public identifier, the second funds transfer request being received after the private profile identifier was sent to the second financial institution in response to receiving the first funds transfer request, the second funds transfer request not including the account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution or the private profile identifier, and the second funds transfer request to transfer second funds to the recipient;

determining, by the second financial institution, whether the second financial institution has previously stored the private profile identifier associated with the first public identifier; and

if the second financial institution has previously stored the private profile identifier, using the private profile identifier stored by the second financial institution to facilitate a second transfer of the second funds from the account of the first sender at the second financial institution to the first financial institution using the ACH network, the private profile identifier enabling the second financial institution to associate the second transfer of the second funds with the private profile identifier such that the first financial institution uses the first information directory to identify the account number of the recipient account based on the private profile identifier to receive the second transfer of the second funds and deposit the second funds into the recipient account, wherein the account number of the recipient account is not shared with the first sender or the second financial institution.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining, after the second funds transfer request is received, if the first public identifier is still able to assist with contacting the recipient regarding payment transactions; and

if the first public identifier is no longer able to assist with contacting the recipient, providing the second funds transfer request to the second financial institution.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer system, a second funds transfer request from a second sender, the second sender having a second sender account at the second financial institution, the second funds transfer request being received after the private profile identifier was sent to the second financial institution in response to receiving the first funds transfer request, the second funds transfer request identifying the recipient by the first public identifier, and the second funds transfer request not including (a) the account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution or (b) the private profile identifier;

determining, by the computer system, the private profile identifier for the recipient based on the first public identifier in the second funds transfer request and using the record stored in the second information directory; and

providing the private profile identifier, by the computer system in response to receiving the second funds transfer request, to the second financial institution to facilitate a second transfer of second funds from the second sender account at the second financial institution to the first financial institution using the ACH network, the private profile identifier not being shared with the second sender, and the private profile identifier being provided to the second financial institution to enable the second financial institution to associate the second transfer of the second funds with the private profile identifier such that the first financial institution uses the first information directory to identify the account number of the recipient account based on the private profile identifier to receive the second transfer of the second funds and deposit the second funds into the recipient account, wherein the account number of the recipient account is not shared with the second sender or the second financial institution.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer system, a second funds transfer request from a second sender, the second sender having a second sender account at the second financial institution, the second funds transfer request being received after the private profile identifier was sent to the second financial institution in response to receiving the first funds transfer request, the second funds transfer request identifying the recipient by the first public identifier, and the second funds transfer request not including (a) the account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution or (b) the private profile identifier;

determining, by the computer system, if the first public identifier is no longer able to assist with contacting the recipient;

if the first public identifier is no longer able to assist with contacting the recipient, providing a message to the second sender rejecting the second funds transfer request; and

if the first public identifier is still able to assist with contacting the recipient;

determining, by the computer system, the private profile identifier for the recipient based on the first public identifier in the second funds transfer request and using the record stored in the second information directory; and

providing the private profile identifier, by the computer system in response to receiving the second funds transfer request, to the second financial institution to facilitate a second transfer of second funds from the second sender account at the second financial institution to the first financial institution using the ACH network, the private profile identifier not being shared with the second sender, and the private profile identifier being provided to the second financial institution to enable the second financial institution to associate the second transfer of the second funds with the private profile identifier such that the first financial institution uses the first information directory to identify the account number of the recipient account based on the private profile identifier to receive the second transfer of the second funds and deposit the second funds into the recipient account, wherein the account number of the recipient account is not shared with the second sender or the second financial institution.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining, by the computer system, if the first public identifier is no longer able to assist with contacting the recipient comprises attempting to contact the recipient using the first public identifier.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein determining, by the computer system, the private profile identifier for the recipient comprises determining the private profile identifier based on the first public identifier received by the graphical user interface.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer system, a second public identifier associated with the recipient, the second public identifier being able to assist with contacting the recipient regarding payment transactions;

storing the second public identifier, by the computer system, in the record stored in the second information directory;

receiving, by the computer system, a second funds transfer request from a second sender, the second sender having a second sender account at a third financial institution, the second funds transfer request identifying the recipient by the first public identifier or the second public identifier, the second funds transfer request not including the account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution or the private profile identifier;

determining, by the computer system, the private profile identifier for the recipient based on the first public identifier or the second public identifier in the second funds transfer request received from the second sender and using the record stored in the second information directory; and

providing the private profile identifier, by the computer system in response to receiving the second funds transfer request, to the third financial institution to facilitate a second transfer of second funds from the second sender account at the third financial institution to the first financial institution using the ACH network, the private profile identifier not being shared with the second sender, and the private profile identifier being provided to the third financial institution to enable the third financial institution to associate the second transfer of the second funds with the private profile identifier such that the first financial institution uses the first information directory to identify the account number of the recipient account based on the private profile identifier to receive the second transfer of the second funds and deposit the second funds into the recipient account, wherein the account number of the recipient account is not shared with the second sender or the third financial insitution.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating the record based on the validation of the first public identifier,

wherein;

storing, by the computer system, the record occurs after the first public identifier is validated.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

performing a validation of the second public identifier; and

storing the second public identifier in the record based on the validation of the second public identifier,

wherein;

storing the second public identifier in the record occurs after the second public identifier is validated.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the second public identifier comprises a second email address of the recipient that is different from the first email address of the recipient.

18. A nontransitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processor, the instructions being executable to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving over a computer network a first public identifier associated with a recipient, the computer network comprising the Internet, the recipient having a recipient account at a first financial institution, the first public identifier being able to assist with contacting the recipient regarding payment transactions, and the first public identifier comprising a first email address of the recipient;

receiving over the computer network from the first financial institution a private profile identifier generated by the first financial institution, the private profile identifier being a unique identifier associated with a database entry for the recipient in a first information directory at the first financial institution, the database entry for the recipient in the first information directory associating the private profile identifier with the first public identifier and an account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution, the private profile identifier and the account number of the recipient account not being shared with the recipient, the private profile identifier being stored by the first financial institution, the account number of the recipient account not being shared with the processor, and the private profile identifier providing an additional level of security to facilitate secure communications over the computer network;

performing a validation of the first public identifier by confirming that the first public identifier is useable to contact the recipient;

storing a record including the first public identifier and the private profile identifier in a second information directory, the private profile identifier stored in the record not including the account number of the recipient account, and the second information directory being implemented in a data storage system;

receiving over the computer network a first funds transfer request from a first sender, the first funds transfer request identifying the recipient by the first public identifier, the first funds transfer request not including the account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution or the private profile identifier, the first funds transfer request to transfer first funds from an account of the first sender at a second financial institution to the recipient account at the first financial institution;

determining the private profile identifier for the recipient based on the first public identifier in the first funds transfer request and using the record stored in the second information directory; and

providing the private profile identifier over the computer network, in response to receiving the first funds transfer request, to the second financial institution to facilitate a first transfer of the first funds from the account of the first sender at the second financial institution to the first financial institution using an automatic clearing house (ACH) network, the private profile identifier not being shared with the first sender, and the private profile identifier being provided to the second financial institution to enable the second financial institution to associate the first transfer of the first funds with the private profile identifier such that the first financial institution uses the first information directory to identify the account number of the recipient account based on the private profile identifier to receive the first transfer of the first funds and deposit the first funds into the recipient account, wherein the account number of the recipient account is not shared with the first sender or the second financial institution,

wherein;

the processor is operated by an entity that is different from the first financial institution and the second financial institution.

19. A system comprising:

a processor;

a second information directory being implemented in a data storage system; and

network interface logic configured to control the processor to;

receive over a computer network a first public identifier associated with a recipient, the computer network comprising the Internet, the recipient having a recipient account at a first financial institution, the first public identifier being able to assist with contacting the recipient regarding payment transactions, and the first public identifier comprising a first email address of the recipient;

receive over the computer network from the first financial institution a private profile identifier generated by the first financial institution, the private profile identifier being a unique identifier associated with a database entry for the recipient in a first information directory at the first financial institution, the database entry for the recipient in the first information directory associating the private profile identifier with the first public identifier and an account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution, the private profile identifier not being shared with the recipient, the private profile identifier being stored by the first financial institution, the account number of the recipient account not being shared with the system, and the private profile identifier providing an additional level of security to facilitate secure communications over the computer network;

perform a validation of the first public identifier by confirming that the first public identifier is useable to contact the recipient;

store a record including the first public identifier and the private profile identifier in the second information directory, the private profile identifier stored in the record not including the account number of the recipient account;

receive over the computer network a first funds transfer request from a first sender, the first funds transfer request identifying the recipient by the first public identifier, the first funds transfer request not including the account number of the recipient account at the first financial institution or the private profile identifier, the first funds transfer request to transfer first funds from an account of the first sender at a second financial institution to the recipient account at the first financial institution;

determine the private profile identifier for the recipient based on the first public identifier in the first funds transfer request and using the record stored in the second information directory; and

provide over the computer network the private profile identifier, in response to receiving the first funds transfer request, to the second financial institution to facilitate a first transfer of the first funds from the account of the first sender at the second financial institution to the first financial institution using an automatic clearing house (ACH) network, the private profile identifier not being shared with the first sender, and the private profile identifier being provided to the second financial institution to enable the second financial institution to associate the first transfer of the first funds with the private profile identifier such that the first financial institution uses the first information directory to identify the account number of the recipient account based on the private profile identifier to receive the first transfer of the first funds and deposit the first funds in the recipient account, wherein the account number of the recipient account is not shared with the first sender or the second financial institution,

wherein;

the system is operated by an entity that is different from the first financial institution and the second financial institution.