System and method for executing cash payments via a computer network

• US 20020062285A1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Lee, Garling, Barnett, Arthur, Divilek, Jaromir G., Amann, Catherine L., Nissenbaum, Eric T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00

Abstract

The invention presented comprises a system and method for executing a cash payment via a computer network. A payor computing device communicates over a computer network with payee computing devices via a P2P server. The P2P server is operative to receive a payment request from the payor computing device and process the payment by debiting a financial instrument specified by a payor utilizing the payor computing device. The payment request is transmitted from the P2P server to a cash payment server operative to receive the payment request and translate the request into the native format of an ATM control server, the native format of the P2P server and ATM control server not being interoperable. The ATM control server is operative to generate a PIN code, which is transmitted along with the received payment instructions to an ATM. The ATM receives the payment instructions and dispenses the payment upon receipt of the PIN code. Receipt data is also generated by the ATM control server, translated into the native format of the P2P server by the cash payment server, and delivered to the payor and payee via the P2P sever.

Claims

1. A system for executing a cash payment from a computer network, the system comprising:

a payor computing device for transmitting a payment request over the computer network to a P2P server, the P2P server operative to receive the payment request and debit a financial instrument specified by a user of the payor computing device, the payor computing device and P2P server communicating according to a native format of the P2P server; and

request translation software operative to receive the payment request and translate the request into the native format of an ATM control server, the ATM control server operative to generate and transmit payment instructions and a PIN code, thereby enabling an ATM to dispense the payment upon receipt of the PIN code.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the ATM receives payment instructions from the ATM control server.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the request translation software is operative to translate the payment request into a request formatted in accordance with a Z-Cash standard.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the request translation software is operative to translate the payment request into multiple native formats of a plurality of disparate ATM control servers.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein one of the multiple native formats is the Z-Cash standard.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the ATM generates and transmits a response that it has received the payment instructions.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the request translation software is operative to receive a response from the ATM control server that the ATM has received the payment instructions, to convert the response into a format that is native to that utilized by the P2P sever, and transmit the response to the P2P server.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the request translation software translates the response into a format that is native to that utilized by the P2P server.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the P2P sever transmits the response to a payee computing device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the response from the ATM control server comprises the PIN code.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the PIN code is transmitted to the payor computing device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the ATM dispenses an amount specified by the payment instructions in response to the PIN code.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising transmitting the payment instructions from the ATM control server to the ATM.

15. The method of claim 13 comprising translating the payment request into a request formatted in accordance to a Z-Cash standard.

16. The method of claim 13 comprising translating the payment request into the native format of one of multiple native formats of a plurality of disparate ATM control servers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of translating into the native format of one of multiple native formats comprises translating into a format in accordance with the Z-Cash standard.

18. The method of claim 13 comprising generating and transmitting a response at the ATM that the payment instructions have been received.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising:

receiving a response at the ATM control server from the ATM that the payment instructions have been received;

converting the response into a format that is native to that utilized by the P2P server; and

transmitting the response to the P2P server.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising translating the request into a format that is native to that utilized by the P2P server by the request translation software.

21. The method of claim 19 comprising transmitting the response to a payee computing device.

22. The method of claim 21 comprising including the PIN code in the response from the ATM control server.

23. The method of claim 22 comprising transmitting the PIN code to the payor computing device.

24. The method of claim 23 comprising the ATM dispensing an amount specified by the payment instructions in response to the PIN code.

13. A method for executing a cash payment via a computer network, the method comprising:

transmitting a payment request from a payor computing device over the computer network to a P2P server, the P2P server operative to receive and process the payment request by debiting a financial instrument specified by the user of the payor computing device, the payor computing device and P2P server in communication according to a native format of the P2P server;

executing request translation software to receive the payment request and translate the request into a native format of an ATM control server, the ATM control server operative to generate and transmit payment instructions and a PIN code; and

sending payment instructions to an ATM.

25. Computer readable media storing request translation software operative to receive a payment request formatted in a native format of a computer network and to translate the payment request into a native format of an ATM network.