Methods and system for utilizing cash with online activities

• US 10,417,618 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MoneyGram International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MoneyGram International Incorporated
• Inventors: Clausen, Jason, Smith, Gordon, Hutcheson, Katie, Parvis, Joseph Anthony, Thomas, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Sara C
• Application Number:
  US13/106,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,050 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 40, 705 67, 705 39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating cash payments for online transactions are provided. In some embodiments, a transaction is initiated online with a retailer where a user indicates that payment will be made for the transaction using cash. The user may then complete payment of the transaction with a cash payment service establishment using transaction identification information given to the user. Systems and methods for retrieving funds from an online/virtual account are also provided. In some embodiments, a user is able to initiate a funds transfer from an online/virtual account which are to be received in the form of cash at a money transfer service location.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating use of cash for online transactions, the method comprising:

receiving, by a cash payment network device operating within in a cash payment network and at a cash payment service location, input corresponding to a transaction code comprising a transaction number coded to provide transaction details to said cash payment network device without communicating with an online retail establishment, wherein said transaction code is generated by the online retail establishment for an online transaction initiated by a customer, and wherein said transaction details comprise at least an amount of payment for said online transaction and information identifying said online retail establishment;

obtaining, by said cash payment network device operating within the cash payment network and at the cash payment service location, the transaction details comprising at least said amount of payment and said information identifying said online retail establishment from said transaction code, and wherein knowledge of said transaction details associated with said online transaction is first obtained from said transaction code;

determining, by said cash payment network device at the cash payment service location and operating within the cash payment network, whether the transaction details obtained from said transaction code are valid, based at least in part on communications with a retail server of the online retail establishment via a communication network, wherein determining whether the transaction details obtained from said transaction code are valid includes determining whether the online transaction has been canceled;

in response to determining that the online transaction has been canceled, determining that the online transaction is not valid, ending the online transaction, and notifying, by the cash payment network device via the communication network, said online retail establishment that the online transaction was not validated;

at least partly in response to determining that the online transaction has not been canceled, determining that the online transaction is valid, accepting from said customer at said cash payment location, cash payment for said online transaction, and notifying, by the cash payment network device via the cash payment network, a cash payment server that payment for the online transaction has been received, wherein the cash payment server notifies the retail server of the online retail establishment that payment for the online transaction has been received via the communication network;

storing, by the cash payment network device, a record associated with the cash payment for the online transaction in a database; and

providing an amount of funds corresponding to the payment for the online transaction to the online retail establishment, wherein the amount of funds is provided to the online retail establishment via one of a money transfer transaction in which a representative of the online retail establishment receives the amount of funds by visiting a particular cash payment service location and an electronic funds transfer initiated via an electronic account service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the input corresponding to said transaction code is derived from a printout from said customer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said transaction code provides information with respect to said online retail establishment and a transaction amount.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said input corresponding to said transaction code is generated based on a bar code provided by the customer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said cash payment service location is an agent location at a physical establishment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining, by said cash payment network device at the cash payment service location, whether the transaction details associated with said online transaction is valid comprises accessing a remote database administered by said online retail establishment.

7. A cash payment network system facilitating use of cash to pay for online transactions, the cash payment network system comprising:

a cash payment network device operating within a cash payment network and at a cash payment service location comprising;

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to;

receive input corresponding to a transaction code comprising a transaction number coded to provide transaction details to said cash payment network device without communicating with an online retail establishment wherein said transaction code is generated by the online retail establishment for an online transaction initiated by a customer, and wherein said transaction details of said online transaction comprise at least an amount of payment for said online transaction and information identifying said online retail establishment;

obtain the transaction details comprising at least said amount of payment and said information identifying said online retail establishment, and wherein knowledge of said transaction details associated with said online transaction is first obtained from said transaction code;

determine whether said transaction details obtained from said transaction code are valid based at least in part on communications with a retail server of said online retail establishment via a communication network, wherein determining whether the transaction details obtained from said transaction code are valid includes the processor being further configured to determine whether the online transaction has been canceled;

in response to determining that the online transaction has been canceled;

determine said online transaction is not valid;

end said online transaction; and

notify said online retail establishment that said online transaction was not validated via the communication network; and

at least partly in response to determining that said online transaction has not been canceled;

determine said online transaction is valid;

accept, from said customer at said cash payment location, cash payment for said online transaction;

notify, via the cash payment network, a cash payment server that payment for the online transaction has been received, wherein the cash payment server notifies the retail server of the online retail establishment that payment for the online transaction has been received via the communication network; and

store a record associated with said cash payment for said online transaction in a database; and

provide an amount of funds corresponding to the payment for the online transaction to the online retail establishment, wherein the amount of funds is provided to the online retail establishment via one of;

a money transfer transaction in which a representative of the online retail establishment receives the amount of funds by visiting a particular cash payment service location, and an electronic funds transfer initiated via an electronic account service.

8. The cash payment network system of claim 7, wherein said transaction code is received as said input from a printout provided by said customer.

9. The cash payment network system of claim 7, wherein said transaction code is generated based on a bar code provided by the customer.

10. The cash payment network system of claim 7, wherein said cash payment network device is located at a physical establishment corresponding to an agent location.

11. The cash payment network system of claim 7, wherein determining whether the transaction details obtained from said transaction code are valid includes the processor being configured to access a remote database administered by said online retail establishment.