Method for electronically issuing and settling bills

• US 20040249750A1
• Filed: 04/05/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Granzer, Hermann
• Application Number:
  US10/491,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249750A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

The invention provides the possibility of issuing and settling a bill in a paperless manner in connection with any commercial order (mail-order commerce, other markets) provided that the customer has e-mail access and uses home banking. According to the invention, the bill is issued in the form of an e-mail. Once the customer has established his home banking connection (with the security mechanisms provided to that effect) using a software that is either installed in the PC or is additionally supplied with the e-mail and if the customer so wishes, the bill is then forwarded to his or her bank in order to transfer the billed amount to the issuer of said bill.

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A method for electronically issuing and settling bills, comprising:

providing a communication network that exchanges messages between the customer and issuer of the bill;

sending a message to a customer from an issuer of a bill, the message comprising a bill produced by the issuer of the bill and a link;

establishing a connection between the customer and a bank server in accordance with the information contained in programs; and

settling the bill by the bank server.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the message sent by the issuer of the bill is in an e-mail.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8, the message sent by the issuer of the bill is a SMS message.

11. A method in accordance with claim 8, the message sent by the issuer of the bill is an instant message.

12. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the programs are installed at the customer end as software programs.

13. A method in accordance with claim 8, the programs are formed as Java Applets.

14. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the link is inserted into the message in a billing server.

15. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the programs are installed at the customer end as software programs.

16. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the programs are installed at the customer end as software programs.

17. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein to programs are installed at the customer end as software programs.

18. A method in accordance with claim 9, the programs are formed as Java Applets.

19. A method in accordance with claim 10, the programs are formed as Java Applets.

20. A method in accordance with claim 11, the programs are formed as Java Applets.

21. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the link is inserted into the message in a billing server.

22. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the link is inserted into the message in a billing server.

23. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the link is inserted into the message in a billing server.

24. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the link is inserted into the message in a billing server.

25. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the link is inserted into the message in a billing server.