Method and system for processing invoices
First Claim
1. ) A method for electronically presenting and granting payment of invoices comprising:
- a) generating an invoice at a biller;
b) making the invoice electronically available to a customer entity;
c) enabling a first user associated to the customer entity to approve the invoice;
d) enabling a second user associated to the customer entity to authorize payment of the invoice, the second user being distinct from the first user;
e) transmitting over a network from the first user to the biller a data element indicating that payment of the invoice has been approved;
f) transmitting over a network from the second user to the biller a data element indicative that payment of the invoice has been authorized;
g) detecting granting of payment of the invoice at the biller when payment of the invoice has been approved and authorized.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for electronically presenting and granting payment of invoices offering multi-stage invoice handling capability is provided. An invoice is generated at a biller entity and is made electronically available to a customer entity. Users associated to the customer entity are enabled to complete respective stages of a multi-stage invoice handling process. The users transmit data elements indicating that respective stages of the multi-stage invoice handling process have been completed. Granting of payment of the invoice is detected at the biller when the data elements are received at the biller and indicate that the multi-stage invoice handling process has been completed.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. ) A method for electronically presenting and granting payment of invoices comprising:
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a) generating an invoice at a biller;
b) making the invoice electronically available to a customer entity;
c) enabling a first user associated to the customer entity to approve the invoice;
d) enabling a second user associated to the customer entity to authorize payment of the invoice, the second user being distinct from the first user;
e) transmitting over a network from the first user to the biller a data element indicating that payment of the invoice has been approved;
f) transmitting over a network from the second user to the biller a data element indicative that payment of the invoice has been authorized;
g) detecting granting of payment of the invoice at the biller when payment of the invoice has been approved and authorized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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13. ) A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:
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a) storing an invoice at a biller entity;
b) making the invoice electronically available to a customer entity;
c) enabling a first user associated to the customer entity to approve the invoice;
d) enabling a second user associated to the customer entity to authorize payment of the invoice, the second user being distinct from the first user;
e) transmitting from the first user to the biller entity a data element indicative that payment of the invoice has been approved;
f) transmitting from the second user to the biller entity a data element indicative that payment of the invoice has been authorized;
g) detecting granting of payment of the invoice at the biller entity when payment of the invoice has been approved and authorized.
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17. ) A method for granting payment of an invoice over a network, the invoice having been issued by a biller entity to a customer entity, said method comprising:
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a) transmitting a first data element indicating that payment of the invoice has been approved by a first user associated to the customer entity to the biller;
b) transmitting a second data element indicating that payment of the invoice has been authorized by a second user associated to the customer entity to the biller entity;
payment of the invoice being granted by the customer entity when the first data element and the second data element have been transmitted to the biller, indicating that the invoice has been approved and authorized.
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27. ) A method for handling an invoice over a network, the invoice having been issued by a biller entity to a customer entity, said method comprising:
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a) receiving over the network at a biller entity a first instruction data element for modifying an approval status data element associated to the invoice;
b) receiving over the network at a biller entity a second instruction data element for modifying an authorization status data element associated to the invoice,;
c) detecting granting of payment of the invoice at the biller entity when;
i) the approval status data element is indicative of payment approval; and
ii) the authorization status data element is indicative of payment authorization.
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35. ) A computer readable medium comprising a program element suitable for execution by a computing apparatus for processing an invoice over a network, the invoice being issued by a biller entity to a customer entity, said computing apparatus comprising:
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a) a memory unit;
b) a processor operatively connected to said memory unit, said program element, when executing on said processor, being operative for;
i) receiving a first data element associated to the invoice, the first data element indicating that payment of the invoice has been approved;
ii) receiving a second data element associated to the invoice, the second data element indicating that payment of the invoice has been authorized;
iii) detecting granting of payment of the invoice when the first data element and the second data element have been received, indicating that the invoice has been approved and authorized.
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41. ) An electronic invoice presentment and payment remittance system including a network, a biller computing unit with computer-readable medium, a first customer computing unit with computer readable medium, a second customer computing unit with computer readable medium, the computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for:
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a) operatively linking the biller computing unit and customer computing unit to the network;
b) generating an invoice at the biller computing unit;
c) making the invoice electronically available to the first customer computing unit over the network;
d) facilitating entry of approval instructions at the first customer computing unit and following said entry, routing the approval instructions to the biller computing unit;
e) making the invoice electronically available to the second customer computing unit over the network;
f) facilitating entry of authorization instructions at the second customer computing unit and following said entry, routing the authorization instructions to the biller computing unit;
g) detecting granting of payment of the invoice at the biller entity when the following conditions are satisfied;
i) the approval instructions from the first customer computing unit indicate that the invoice has been approved; and
ii) the authorization instructions from the second customer computing unit indicate that the invoice has been authorized. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 47)
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45. ) A system for electronically presenting and granting payment of invoices, said system comprising:
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a) means for generating an invoice at a biller;
b) means for making the invoice electronically available to a customer entity;
c) means for enabling a first user associated to the customer entity to approve the invoice;
d) means for enabling a second user associated to the customer entity to authorize payment of the invoice, the second user being distinct from the first user;
e) means transmitting from the customer entity back to the biller entity a data element indicative that payment of the invoice has been approved;
f) means for transmitting from the customer entity back to the biller entity a data element indicative that payment of the invoice has been authorized;
g) means for detecting granting of payment of the invoice at the biller when payment of the invoice has been approved and authorized.
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46. ) A method for electronically presenting and granting payment of invoices comprising:
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a) generating an invoice at a biller;
b) making the invoice electronically available to a customer entity;
c) enabling a plurality of users associated to the customer entity to complete respective stages of a multi-stage invoice handling process;
d) transmitting to the biller from said plurality of users data elements indicating that respective stages of the a multi-stage invoice handling process have been completed;
e) detecting granting of payment of the invoice at the biller when the data elements, indicative that respective invoice processing stages have been completed, are received at the biller and indicate that the multi-stage invoice handling process has been completed.
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Specification