Systems and methods for preventing duplicative electronic check processing

• US 20080162320A1
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (Federal Reserve System)
• Original Assignee: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (Federal Reserve System), Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (Federal Reserve System), Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (Federal Reserve System)
• Inventors: Mueller, Randall Lee, Nori, V. Srinivas, Breeden, Benjamin T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0425 the cheque being electronic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Preventing duplicate ICL files and/or ICL file elements, including duplicate ICLs, items, and item bundles, from being processed for payment and/or presentment. A duplicate detection module can assign a predictable and repeatable unique identifier to each ICL file and/or ICL file element. The duplicate detection module can determine whether each ICL file and/or element is a duplicate by comparing the identifier associated with the ICL file and/or element with information stored in a record of already processed files/elements. In response to determining that an ICL file and/or element is a duplicate, the duplicate detection module can determine not to process the file/element for payment and/or presentment. In response to determining that the ICL file and/or element is not a duplicate, the duplicate detection module can store information regarding the file/element in the record. For example, the stored information can include the unique identifier associated with the file/element.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for preventing duplicative electronic check processing, comprising the steps of:

assigning a predictable and repeatable unique identifier to at least a portion of an ICL file;

determining whether the at least a portion of the ICL file is a duplicate by comparing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier associated with the at least a portion of the ICL file with information stored in a record; and

in response to determining that the at least a portion of the ICL file is a duplicate, determining not to process the at least a portion of the ICL file for at least one of payment and presentment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the ICL file comprises the ICL file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the ICL file comprises at least one of an ICL, an item bundle, and an item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predictable and repeatable unique identifier comprises at least one of information derived from information within the ICL file and hashed information related to the at least a portion of the ICL file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predictable and repeatable unique identifier comprises at least one objective metric of the at least a portion of the ICL file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the objective metric comprises a byte count of the at least a portion of the ICL file.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

in response to determining that the at least a portion of the ICL file is not a duplicate, storing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier assigned to the at least a portion of the ICL file in the record.

8. A computer-implemented method for preventing duplicative electronic check processing, comprising the steps of:

assigning a predictable and repeatable unique identifier to an ICL;

determining whether the ICL is a duplicate by comparing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier associated with the ICL with information stored in a record; and

in response to determining that the ICL is a duplicate, determining not to process the ICL for at least one of payment and presentment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predictable and repeatable unique identifier comprises at least one of information derived from information within the ICL and hashed information related to the ICL.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the predictable and repeatable unique identifier comprises at least one objective metric of the ICL.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the objective metric comprises a byte count of the ICL.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

in response to determining that the ICL is not a duplicate, storing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier assigned to the ICL in the record.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

in response to determining that the ICL is not a duplicate,

assigning a predictable and repeatable unique identifier to an item bundle within the ICL;

determining whether the item bundle is a duplicate by comparing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier associated with the item bundle with information stored in the record; and

in response to determining that the item bundle is a duplicate, determining not to process the item bundle for at least one of payment and presentment.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

in response to determining that the ICL is not a duplicate,

assigning a predictable and repeatable unique identifier to an item within the ICL;

determining whether the item is a duplicate by comparing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier associated with the item with information stored in the record; and

in response to determining that the item is a duplicate, determining not to process the item for at least one of payment and presentment.

15. A computer-implemented method for preventing duplicative electronic check processing, comprising the steps of:

assigning a predictable and repeatable unique identifier to an item bundle of an ICL;

determining whether the item bundle is a duplicate by comparing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier associated with the item bundle with information stored in a record; and

in response to determining that the item bundle is a duplicate, determining not to process the item bundle for at least one of payment and presentment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predictable and repeatable unique identifier comprises at least one of information derived from information within the item bundle and hashed information related to the item bundle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the predictable and repeatable unique identifier comprises at least one objective metric of the item bundle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the objective metric comprises a byte count of the item bundle.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

in response to determining that the item bundle is not a duplicate, storing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier assigned to the item bundle in the record.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

in response to determining that the item bundle is not a duplicate,

assigning a predictable and repeatable unique identifier to an item within the item bundle;

determining whether the item is a duplicate by comparing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier associated with the item with information stored in the record; and

in response to determining that the item is a duplicate, determining not to process the item for at least one of payment and presentment.

21. A computer-implemented method for preventing duplicative electronic check processing, comprising the steps of:

assigning a predictable and repeatable unique identifier to an item of an ICL;

determining whether the item is a duplicate by comparing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier associated with the item with information stored in a record; and

in response to determining that the item is a duplicate, determining not to process the item for at least one of payment and presentment.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the predictable and repeatable unique identifier comprises at least one of information derived from information within the item and hashed information related to the item.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the predictable and repeatable unique identifier comprises at least one objective metric of the item.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the objective metric comprises a byte count of the item.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

in response to determining that the item is not a duplicate, storing the predictable and repeatable unique identifier assigned to the item in the record.