Point of sale systems and methods for consumer bill payment
First Claim
1. A method of processing payments, the method comprising:
- receiving a purchase request from a customer, the purchase request for at least one consumer item;
receiving a payment request from the customer, the payment request for a bill associated with a vendor;
verifying, using a point-of-sale device, the vendor is included in a group of authorizing vendors;
receiving a customer identification from the customer associated with the bill;
receiving a payment amount from the customer, the payment amount associated with the bill and with a cost of the at least one consumer item;
receiving a payment authorization; and
providing a receipt to the customer.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods of processing bill payments. One such method includes receiving a payment request from a customer. The payment request is for a bill associated with a vendor. The vendor may be any number of vendors including utility companies, mortgage lenders, credit card companies, financing companies for the purchase of furniture, appliances, or automobiles, and the like. The method includes verifying, using a point-of-sale device, whether the vendor is included in a group of authorizing vendors. A customer identification and a payment amount associated with the particular bill is received from the customer. The method further includes receiving a payment authorization and providing a receipt to the customer. In this manner, the customer may use a point-of-sale device to make on-time bill payments.
133 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of processing payments, the method comprising:
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receiving a purchase request from a customer, the purchase request for at least one consumer item;
receiving a payment request from the customer, the payment request for a bill associated with a vendor;
verifying, using a point-of-sale device, the vendor is included in a group of authorizing vendors;
receiving a customer identification from the customer associated with the bill;
receiving a payment amount from the customer, the payment amount associated with the bill and with a cost of the at least one consumer item;
receiving a payment authorization; and
providing a receipt to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of facilitating bill payments by a customer, the method comprising:
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registering a customer using a computer to create a customer account;
receiving a plurality of bill information into the customer account, the bill information associated with a plurality of vendors;
calculating using the computer a total amount owed by the customer from the plurality of bill information;
providing the customer with the total amount and a transaction identifier;
receiving a payment record, the payment record including at least a portion of the total amount; and
reporting to the plurality of vendors an amount received for each of the plurality of vendors associated with the customer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for processing bill payments, comprising:
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a host computer adapted to be coupled to a point-of-sale device, the host computer having a processor and coupled to a data base having a record of a group of authorizing vendors;
wherein the host computer further comprises;
code for receiving a vendor identification from the point-of-sale device;
code for determining if the vendor identification is included in the record of the group of authorizing vendors;
code for returning a response to the point-of-sale device; and
code for receiving a payment record from the point-of sale device, the payment record comprising the vendor identification, a customer identification and a payment amount. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification