Methods and systems for processing electronic disbursements

• US 10,096,008 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kimberg, Deborah, Hagmeier, Shawn, DuCharme, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Eric T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Poe, Kevin T
• Application Number:
  US13/608,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,220 Days
• Field of Search: 705 42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A disbursement module (DM) computer device is provided for processing an electronic disbursement. The DM computer device includes a memory device and a processor. The processor is programmed to register a payor with a disbursement service provided by the DM computer device and to receive a disbursement command from the payor. The disbursement command instructs a disbursement to be made to a payee and includes payee contact information, payee verification data, and a disbursement amount. The processor is further programmed to receive a disbursement request message that includes a payee identifier from the payee requesting that the disbursement be made, and to verify the payee by matching the payee identifier to the payee verification data. The processor is further programmed to electronically transfer funds from a bank account associated with the payor to a bank account associated with the payee.

Claims

1. A disbursement module (DM) computer device for processing an electronic disbursement, said DM computer device comprising:

a memory device for storing data; and

a processor in communication with said memory device, said processor programmed to;

register a payor with a disbursement service provided by said DM computer device using payor registration data received from a payor computer device associated with the payor;

upload computer code to the payor computer device, the computer code, when executed by the payor computer device, configured to display a graphical control element on an internal website displayed on the payor computer device, wherein the graphical control element includes a disbursement command button;

receive a disbursement request command from the payor computer device generated by selection of the disbursement command button at the payor computer device, wherein the disbursement request command instructs a disbursement notification message to be sent from said DM computer device to a payee, the disbursement request command including payee contact information, payee verification data, and a disbursement amount to be paid to the payee, and wherein the payee verification data includes a payee identifier;

generate the disbursement notification message including the payee identifier and a payor link configured to direct the payee to a payor website when selected by the payee, the payor website configured to receive disbursement request messages from one or more payees;

automatically transmit the disbursement notification message to a payee computer device associated with the payee;

register, via an electronic wallet application associated with said DM computer device, the payee in response to selection by the payee of an electronic wallet application link displayed on the payor website, by receiving, from the payee computer device, an identification of at least one bank account associated with the payee for receiving the disbursement;

receive a disbursement request message from the payee requesting that the disbursement be made to the payee, the disbursement request message including a candidate payee identifier;

verify the payee by matching the candidate payee identifier to the payee identifier received with the payee verification data; and

electronically transfer, in response to the registration and the verification, funds from a bank account associated with the payor to the bank account associated with the payee.

2. A DM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said DM computer device is in communication with a payment card network, wherein the disbursement request command is one of a plurality of disbursement request commands, and wherein said DM computer device is further programmed to:

receive a batch file including the plurality of disbursement request commands;

select the disbursement request command, further comprising identifying payee verification data for the payee from within the batch file; and

generating the disbursement notification message including the payee identifier and the payor link.

3. A DM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said DM computer device is further programmed to:

display a disbursement document on a payor computer device;

prompt the payor to input data into the disbursement document; and

transmit the disbursement document with the disbursement request command to said DM computer device.

4. A DM computer device in accordance with claim 3, wherein said DM computer device is further programmed to:

automatically transmit a disbursement notification message to the payee upon the payor selecting the disbursement command button, wherein the message is sent to the payee by at least one of email, text message, and push alert.

5. A DM computer device in accordance with claim 1, further programmed to:

prompt the payee to register for a prepaid payment card to receive the funds.

6. A DM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said DM computer device is further programmed to:

request the disbursement funds from an issuing bank associated with the payor;

transmit an authorization request message to a receiving bank associated with the payee, the authorization request message requesting verification of a good-standing payee bank account;

receive an authorization response message from the receiving bank, the authorization response message including one of an affirmation and a denial of the authorization request;

transmit the authorization response message to the issuing bank; and

instruct the issuing bank to disburse funds to one of a receiving bank account, a retail location for payee pickup, and a prepaid payment card upon receiving an affirmation authorization response message.

7. A DM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the payor is an insurance provider and the payee is a policyholder of the insurance provider, said DM computer device is further programmed to:

receive the disbursement request command from the insurance provider, the disbursement request command instructing the disbursement notification message to be sent from the disbursement service to the policyholder, the disbursement request command including policyholder contact information, an insurance claim identifier, and the disbursement amount to be paid to the policyholder;

automatically transmit the disbursement notification message to the policyholder in response to the disbursement request command, the disbursement notification message including the insurance claim identifier and the payor link directing the policyholder to an insurance provider website to obtain the disbursement when the payor link is activated by the policyholder;

receive the disbursement request message from the policyholder requesting that the disbursement be made to the policyholder, the disbursement request message including the policyholder identifier; and

verify the policyholder by matching the insurance claim identifier received from the policyholder to the insurance claim identifier provided by the insurance provider.

8. A computer-implemented method for processing an electronic disbursement by a disbursement module (DM) computer device, wherein the DM computer device includes a memory device and a processor, said method comprising:

registering a payor with a disbursement service provided by the DM computer device using payor registration data received from a payor computer device associated with the payor;

uploading computer code to the payor computer device, the computer code, when executed by the payor computer device, configured to display a graphical control element on an internal website displayed on the payor computer device, wherein the graphical control element includes a disbursement command button;

receiving a disbursement request command from the payor computer device generated by selection of the disbursement command button at the payor computer device, wherein the disbursement request command instructs a disbursement notification message to be sent from the DM computer device to the payee, wherein the disbursement request command includes payee contact information, payee verification data, and a disbursement amount to be paid to the payee, and wherein the payee verification data includes a payee identifier;

generating the disbursement notification message including the payee identifier and a payor link configured to direct the payee to a payor website when selected by the payee, the payor website configured to receive disbursement request messages from one or more payees;

automatically transmitting the disbursement notification message to a payee computer device associated with the payee;

registering, via an electronic wallet application associated with the DM computer device, the payee in response to selection by the payee of an payor electronic wallet application link displayed on the payor website, by receiving, from the payee, an identification of at least one bank account associated with the payee for receiving the disbursement;

receiving a disbursement request message from the payee requesting that the disbursement be made to the payee, wherein the disbursement request message includes a candidate payee identifier;

matching the candidate payee identifier to the payee identifier received with the payee verification data to verify the payee; and

electronically transferring, in response to the registration and the matching, funds from a bank account associated with the payor to the bank account associated with the payee.

9. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

automatically transmitting a disbursement notification message to the payee upon the payor selecting the disbursement command button, wherein the message is sent to the payee by at least one of email, text message, and push alert.

10. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

prompting the payee to register for a prepaid payment card to receive the funds.

11. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

requesting the disbursement funds from an issuing bank associated with the payor;

transmitting an authorization request message to a receiving bank associated with the payee, the authorization request message requesting verification of a good-standing payee bank account;

receiving an authorization response message from the receiving bank, the authorization response message including one of an affirmation and a denial of the authorization request;

communicating the authorization response message to the issuing bank; and

instructing the issuing bank to disburse funds to one of a receiving bank account, a retail location for payee pickup, and a prepaid payment card upon receiving an affirmation authorization response message.

12. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for processing an electronic disbursement by a disbursement module (DM) computer device, wherein the DM computer device includes a memory device and a processor, wherein when executed by said processor, said computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

register a payor with a disbursement service provided by said DM computer device using payor registration data received from a payor computer device associated with the payor;

upload computer code to the payor computer device, the computer code, when executed by the payor computer device, configured to display a graphical control element on an internal website displayed on the payor computer device, wherein the graphical control element includes a disbursement command button;

receive a disbursement request command from the payor computer device generated by selection of the disbursement command button at the payor computer device, wherein the disbursement request command instructs a disbursement notification message to be sent from the DM computer device to a payee, the disbursement request command including payee contact information, payee verification data, and a disbursement amount to be paid to the payee, and wherein the payee verification data includes a payee identifier;

generate the disbursement notification message including the payee identifier and a payor link configured to direct the payee to a payor website when selected by the payee, the payor website configured to receive disbursement request messages from one or more payees;

automatically transmit the disbursement notification message to a payee computer device associated with the payee;

register, via an electronic wallet application associated with the DM computer device, the payee in response to selection by the payee of an electronic wallet application link displayed on the payor website, by receiving, from the payee computer device, an identification of at least one bank account associated with the payee for receiving the disbursement;

receive a disbursement request message from the payee requesting that the disbursement be made to the payee, the disbursement request message including a candidate payee identifier;

verify the payee by matching the candidate payee identifier to the payee identifier received with the payee verification data; and

electronically transfer, in response to the registration and the verification, funds from a bank account associated with the payor to the bank account associated with the payee.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 12, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause said processor to:

automatically transmit a disbursement notification message to the payee upon the payor selecting the disbursement command button, wherein the message is sent to the payee by at least one of email, text message, and push alert.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 12, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause said processor to:

request the disbursement funds from an issuing bank associated with the payor;

transmit an authorization request message to a receiving bank associated with the payee, the authorization request message requesting verification of a good-standing payee bank account;

receive an authorization response message from the receiving bank, the authorization response message including one of an affirmation and a denial of the authorization request;

transmit the authorization response message to the issuing bank; and

instruct the issuing bank to disburse funds to one of a receiving bank account, a retail location for payee pickup, and a prepaid payment card upon receiving an affirmation authorization response message.