Money transfer notification systems and methods

• US 20050119969A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lapkin, Margaret, Thompson, Mark, Michelsen, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/987,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119969A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/407 Cancellation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A method of transferring funds from a sender to a recipient includes receiving, at a transfer location, a transfer request from the sender. The transfer request includes a notification request to notify the sender when the recipient receives the funds. The method also includes sending the transfer request to a host computer system, receiving, at a transfer location, a request from the recipient to receive the funds, receiving a message at the host computer system that the recipient received the funds, and sending from the host computer system a notification to the sender that the recipient received the funds.

Claims

1. A method of transferring funds from a sender to a recipient, comprising:

receiving at a transfer location a transfer request from the sender, wherein the transfer request includes a notification request to notify the sender when the recipient receives the funds;

sending the transfer request to a host computer system;

receiving at a transfer location a request from the recipient to receive the funds;

receiving a message at the host computer system that the recipient received the funds; and

sending from the host computer system a notification to the sender that the recipient received the funds.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification to the sender comprises a selection from the group consisting of email, text message, letter, and telegram.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification to the sender comprises a telephone call.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the telephone call is not received by the sender, the method further comprising attempting to contact the sender a plurality of times over a specified period of time.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising leaving a message on a voice message system of the sender.

6. A method of transferring funds from a sender to a recipient, comprising:

receiving at a transfer location a transfer request from the sender, wherein the transfer request includes a notification request to notify the recipient that funds are available for pick up;

sending the transfer request to a host computer system;

sending a message from the host computer system to the recipient that the funds are available for pick up.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the message to the recipient includes a selection for the recipient to opt out of future notifications.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the message to the recipient comprises a selection from the group consisting of email, telephone call, text message, letter, and telegram.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving at a transfer location a request from the recipient to receive the funds;

receiving a message at the host computer system that the recipient received the funds; and

sending from the host computer system a message to the sender that the recipient received the funds.

10. A system for notifying parties to a transfer of value, comprising:

a host computer system configured to receiving a request to transfer value from a sender to a recipient, wherein the request includes information that identifies the recipient, the form of value, and instructions to notify a party to the transaction when an event has occurred;

a notification unit configured to comply with the notification request; and

a least one transfer location configured to receive value from a sender and remit value to a recipient.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the value comprises a selection from the group consisting of money, airline miles, credits, long distance time, wireless telephone minutes, movie rentals, and customer loyalty points.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the transfer location comprises a selection from the group consisting of point-of-sale device, personal computer, automated teller machine, and multi-purpose kiosk.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the notification unit is configured to:

place a telephone call to one of the parties;

leave a message if a voice mail system answers the call;

place multiple calls until a person or a voice mail system answers; and

provide an automated human voice message to an answering party.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the value comprises money and the notification request comprises a request from the sender to be notified when the recipient receives the money.

15. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving a value transfer request from a sender;

storing at least a portion of the request as a transfer;

receiving a message that a recipient has received the value; and

notifying a party to the transaction regarding the progress of the transaction.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein notifying a party to the transaction regarding the progress of the transaction comprises notifying the recipient that value is available for receipt.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein notifying a party to the transaction regarding the progress of the transaction comprises notifying the sender that the recipient received the value.

18. A method of transferring value, comprising:

at a first transfer location, receiving a request to transfer value, wherein the request comprises information that identifies the recipient, the form of value, and instructions to notify a party to the transaction when an event has occurred;

sending at least a portion of the information to a host computer system;

at a second transfer location, receiving a request from the recipient to receive the value;

fulfilling the receive request; and

complying with the notification instruction.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein complying with the notification instruction comprises notifying the recipient that value is available for receipt.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein complying with the notification instruction comprises notifying the sender that the recipient received the value.

21. A method of providing one or more notifications to one or more parties related to a transaction, comprising:

at a first point-of-sale, receiving transaction initiation information from a first party to the transaction;

sending the transaction initiation information to a host computer system;

creating a record at the host computer system relating to the transaction;

at a second point-of-sale, receiving transaction settlement information from a second party, wherein the transaction settlement information may be used to settle at least a portion of the transaction;

sending the transaction settlement information to the host computer system; and

updating the record at the host computer system;

wherein either the transaction initiation information or the transaction settlement information comprises a notification request, the method further comprising;

storing information relating to the notification request in the record at the host computer system; and

complying with the notification request.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first party and the second party comprise the same party.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein storing information relating to the notification request in the record at the host computer system comprises storing a multimedia file created by either the first party or the second party.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein complying with the notification request comprises a selection from the group consisting of:

sending a message to a sender that a recipient has picked up money;

sending a message to a recipient that a sender has deposited money for the recipient to pick up;

sending information to a third party relating to the transaction;

sending a message to a card holder that a balance is below a pre-determined threshold;

sending a message to an account holder that a balance is below a pre-determined threshold;

sending transaction activity information to a party; and

sending a personalized message from one of the parties to another of the parties.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the transaction basis comprises a measure of value selected from the group consisting of money, airline miles, credits, long distance time, wireless telephone minutes, movie rentals, and customer loyalty points.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein complying with the notification request comprises sending a notification in a form selected from the group consisting of email, telephone call, text message, letter, and telegram.