Electronic payment system
First Claim
1. An apparatus allowing for verification of critical user data elements, comprising a user account database including at least one user record comprising a first user data element and a second user data element, wherein at least one verification mechanism exists between the first user data element and the second user data element, a verification module, wherein the verification module verifies the second user data element based on the first user data element and the verification mechanism between the first user data element and the second user data element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating payments over a computer network. The on-line payment system of the present invention can be used to facilitate person-to-person payments, person-to-business payments, and business-to-business payments. In one embodiment, the on-line payment system of the present invention leverages the viral elements of on-line payment systems to market other financial services, such as credit and/or debit card services. Other embodiments provide efficient payment protocols reducing transaction costs and fees associated with such payments. Other embodiments of the invention allow users to transfer funds to other users with a telephone number.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. An apparatus allowing for verification of critical user data elements, comprising
a user account database including at least one user record comprising a first user data element and a second user data element, wherein at least one verification mechanism exists between the first user data element and the second user data element, a verification module, wherein the verification module verifies the second user data element based on the first user data element and the verification mechanism between the first user data element and the second user data element.
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5. The apparatus of clam 3 grants permission to use the second user data element if the score of the relationship between the second user data element and the output of the verification mechanism between the first user data element and the second user data element exceeds a threshold level.
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10. A method for facilitating payments over a computer network, the computer network carrying and routing data between computers connected thereto, the computers including at least one server facilitating payments and at least one client computer associated with one or more users, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving, at the server, a payment request from a first user;
wherein the payment request designates a payment amount, a payment source, and an intended recipient;
(b) clearing funds required for the payment request; and
,(c) offering the intended recipient the funds in a pre-paid debit card account. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for facilitating payments over a computer network, the computer network carrying and routing data between computers connected thereto, the computers including at least one server facilitating the payments and at least one client computer associated with one or more users, wherein the server is operably connected to a network association database allowing for resolution of network associations corresponding to users, the network associations indicating the financial institution with which corresponding users are associated, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving, at the server, a payment request from a first user;
wherein the payment request designates a payment amount, a payment source, and an intended recipient;
wherein the first user is associated with a first financial institution;
(b) clearing funds required for the payment request;
(c) resolving the network association of the intended recipient; and
,(d) offering the intended recipient the funds on a pre-paid financial account with said first financial institution, if the network association of the intended recipient is out-of-network. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for facilitating payments over a computer network, the computer network carrying and routing data between computers connected thereto, the computers including at least one server facilitating the payments and at least one client computer associated with one or more users, wherein the server is operably connected to a network association database allowing for resolution of network associations corresponding to users, the network associations indicating the financial institution with which corresponding users are associated, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving, at the server, a payment request from a first user;
wherein the payment request designates a payment amount, a payment source, and an intended recipient;
wherein the first user is associated with a first financial institution;
(b) clearing funds required for the payment request;
(c) resolving the network association of the intended recipient; and
,(d) offering the intended recipient electronic wallet services associated with the first financial institution, if the network association of the intended recipient is out-of-network.
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30. A system allowing for payments over a computer network, comprising:
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a payment server facilitating payments between users over the computer network;
at least one financial institution server corresponding to a financial institution, a network association database allowing for resolution of the respective network associations of a plurality of users;
the network associations indicating the financial institution with which corresponding users are associated;
at least one network access device associated with at least one user, wherein the network access device is operably connected to the computer network to receive and transmit data;
wherein the financial institution server(s) transmit(s) data over the computer network to the network association database, the data relating to the network associations of users associated with the financial institution;
wherein the payment server receives requests from users at the network access device(s) and accesses the network association database to resolve the network associations of the users;
and wherein the network associations are operable to modify the operation of the payment server relative to the corresponding users. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38)
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36. A system allowing for payments over a computer network, comprising:
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a wallet server that holds and manages financial information corresponding to a plurality of users, wherein the wallet server hosts a payment application facilitating payments between users over the computer network;
at least one financial institution server corresponding to a financial institution;
the financial institution server operably connected to the computer network;
a network association database allowing for resolution of the respective network associations of a plurality of users;
the network associations indicating the financial institution with which corresponding users are associated; and
at least one network access device associated with at least one user, wherein the network access device is operably connected to the computer network to receive and transmit data;
the network access device including a wallet client that, in combination with the wallet server, augments the network access device to facilitate transactions conducted over the computer network;
wherein the financial institution server transmits data over the computer network to the network association database, the data relating to the network associations of users associated with the financial institution;
wherein the wallet server receives payment requests from users at the network access device(s), the payment request designating an intended recipient and a payment amount;
wherein the wallet server accesses the network association database to resolve the network associations of the intended recipient;
and wherein the network associations are operable to modify the operation of the wallet server relative to the corresponding intended recipients.
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39. The system of clam 36 wherein the network associations are operable to tailor the marketing embedded in the services provided to the intended recipient.
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40. A method for facilitating payments over a computer network, the computer network carrying and routing data between computers connected thereto, the computers including at least one server facilitating the payments and at least one client computer associated with one or more users, wherein the payment server is associated with an application service provider to a plurality of client financial institutions, wherein the payment server is operably connected to a network association database allowing for resolution of network associations corresponding to users, the network associations indicating the client financial institution with which corresponding users are associated, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving, at the payment server, a request from a first user, the request including a user identification;
(b) accessing a network association database to retrieve the financial institution associated with the first user;
(c) branding the services provided by the payment server to the first user according to the financial institution associated with the user identification received in step (a);
(d) receiving a payment request from the first user, wherein the payment request designates a payment amount, a payment source, and an intended recipient;
(e) resolving the network association of the intended recipient; and
,(f) tailoring the branding of services provided to the intended recipient based on the network association resolved in step (e). - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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45. An apparatus facilitating payments over a computer network, comprising
a user account database storing user account data associated with a plurality of users for which payment transactions may be processed; - the user account data including telephone numbers each associated with a corresponding user;
said apparatus being operable to process payment requests each designating an intended recipient by a telephone number;
said apparatus being operable to transfer funds to the users associated with the telephone numbers in the respective payment requests.
- the user account data including telephone numbers each associated with a corresponding user;
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50. An apparatus facilitating payments over a computer network, comprising
a user account database storing user account data associated with a plurality of users for payment transactions may be processed; -
said apparatus being operable to process payment requests each designating an intended recipient by a telephone number;
said apparatus being operable to transmit payment notifications to the respective devices associated with the telephone numbers;
said apparatus being operable to transfer funds to the users associated with the telephone numbers in the respective payment requests; and
,wherein said apparatus is operable to register intended recipients and store user account data associated with the intended recipients in the user account database. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. A method facilitating payments between users, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a payment request from a user, wherein the payment request includes a telephone number associated with the intended recipient;
(b) transmitting a payment notification to the device associated with telephone number in the payment request;
(c) receiving a response to the payment notification transmitted in step (b);
(d) prompting the intended recipient to select a payment option; and
(e) transferring funds to the intended recipient according to the payment option selected by the user. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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57. A method facilitating payments between users, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a payment request from a user, wherein the payment request includes a telephone number associated with the intended recipient;
(b) scanning a database for a user and financial account data associated with the telephone number in the payment request; and
,(c) transferring funds to a financial account corresponding to the user associated with the telephone number in the payment request.
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59. A method facilitating payments over a computer network, the computer network comprising a server facilitating payments between users and a user account database including user identifications and entities in association therewith, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving, at a server, a payment pickup request, the payment pickup request including a recipient user identification and a payment identification, wherein a payer user identification is associated with the payment identification;
(b) scanning a user account database to identify an entity associated with the recipient user identification;
(c) if the user account database includes the recipient user identification, transmitting a payment pickup page facilitating receipt of a payment associated with the payment identification;
wherein the payment pickup page is branded according to the entity associated with the recipient user identification.
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Specification