Payment processing utilizing alternate account identifiers

• US 20030023552A1
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1991
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Checkfree Services Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Checkfree Services Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dreyer, Hans Daniel, Kight, Peter J.
• Application Number:
  US10/234,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023552A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A technique for making a payment for a payor is provided. The technique includes receiving a request to make a payment to a payee for the payor. An account identifier which is associated with a deposit account belonging to the payee is identified based upon processing of the received payment request. The account identifier is not a deposit account number assigned to the deposit account by the financial institution at which the deposit account is maintained. A payment is then directed to the payee'"'"'s deposit account utilizing the identified account identifier.

Claims

1. A database for storing information identifying payees for receipt of electronic payment, comprising:

a payee identifier identifying a payee; and

an account identifier associated with a deposit account of the payee, the account identifier being other than a deposit account number, stored associated with the payee identifier.

2. The database of claim 1, wherein the account identifier is a Universal Payment Identification Code.

3. The database of claim 1, wherein:

the account identifier is unknown to a payor requesting that payment be made to the payee on behalf of the payor.

4. The database of claim 1, wherein the database excludes the payee deposit account number.

5. The database of claim 1, wherein the account identifier is assigned by an entity other than a financial institution at which the deposit account is maintained or an entity maintaining the database.

6. A method for making a payment on behalf of a payor, comprising:

receiving a request to make a payment to a payee on behalf of a payor;

processing the received payment request to identify an account identifier associated with a deposit account of the payee, the account identifier being other than a deposit account number of the payee deposit account; and

directing payment to the payee deposit account based upon the identified account identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the account identifier is a Universal Payment Identification Code.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the payment request is received and processed by a payment service provider.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the deposit account number is unknown to the payment service provider.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the account identifier is unknown to the payor.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the account identifier is assigned by an entity other than a financial institution at which the deposit account is maintained or the entity receiving the request.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the payment request is received by a payment service provider.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the deposit account number is unknown to the payment service provider.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the account identifier is assigned by an entity other than a financial institution at which the deposit account is maintained or an entity receiving the request.

12. A system for making a payment on behalf of a payor, comprising:

a communications interface configured to receive a request to make a payment to a payee on behalf of a payor; and

a processor configured to identify an account identifier associated with a deposit account of the payee, the account identifier being other than a deposit account number, and to direct payment to the payee deposit account based upon the identified account identifier.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the account identifier is a Universal Payment Identification Code.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the account identifier is unknown to the payor.