Systems and Methods for Facilitating Cost-Splitting Transactions

• US 20090048885A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Bishop, Fred, Thomas, Tracey R., Sharma, Bansi L.
• Application Number:
  US12/242,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048885A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A financial account issuer facilitating transactions between accounts is disclosed. The invention provides sellers with an irrevocable method of receiving funds from a purchaser and for improving purchaser willingness to transact with an unknown party. The invention also includes the options of interest payments, the use of different account issuers, different financial accounts, budget transfers, spend compartmentalization, cost-splitting, adjusting credit limits, loans, gifting, intermediary facilitating the transaction, transaction tracking, rapid funds availability, confidential transfer of funds, immediate initiation of shipment by a seller, releasing funds to a seller only after approval of the goods, services, or other value, demonstrating proof of payment, and recourse against a remote seller.

Claims

1. A method for using a financial account issuer to facilitate debiting a first portion and second portion of a first amount in association with a transaction, the method comprising:

charging the first amount to a first financial account;

sending, to the financial account issuer, a first identifier associated with a first financial account, wherein the financial account issuer issued the first financial account, and wherein the financial account issuer comprises a server;

sending, to the financial account issuer, a request to debit the first portion of the first amount from the first financial account, wherein the financial account issuer determines if the request to debit the first financial account is fraudulent, and wherein the financial account issuer debits the first portion of the first amount from the first financial account if the request to debit the first financial account is not fraudulent;

sending, to the financial account issuer, a second identifier associated with a second financial account; and

,

sending, to the financial account issuer, a request to debit the second portion of the first amount to the second financial account, wherein the financial account issuer determines if the request to credit the second financial account is fraudulent, and wherein the financial account issuer debits the second portion of the first amount to the second financial account, if the request to debit the second financial account is not fraudulent.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising paying interest to the second financial account on the at least a portion of the first amount credited to the second financial account.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a second financial account issuer issued the second financial account, wherein the second financial account issuer is different from the first financial account issuer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account issuer comprises a first financial account issuer and a second financial account issuer, and wherein the first financial account issuer issued the first financial account and the second financial account issuer issued the second financial account.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an account issuer associated with at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account includes at least one of a transaction card account, an escrow account, a digital cash account, a demand deposit account, a credit line, checking account, savings account, a gift card account, a pre-paid account, a credit union account, a bank account, an investment account, or a money market account.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account issuer comprises at least one of a transaction account issuer, charge card issuer, credit card issuer, debit card issuer, gift card issuer, bank, lender, credit union, or a third party issuer under contract with the financial account issuer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving notification, at the financial account issuer, that an item associated with the first amount has been at least one of received or approved by a first party associated with the first financial account, prior to crediting at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving notification, at the financial account issuer, that an item associated with the first amount has been shipped by a second party associated with the second financial account, prior to crediting at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving notification, at the financial account issuer, that an item associated with the first amount has been at least one of received or approved by a first party associated with the first financial account, prior to crediting at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving notification, at the financial account issuer, that an item associated with the first amount has been shipped by a second party associated with the second financial account, prior to crediting at least a portion of the first amount to the second financial account.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting a credit risk analysis associated with at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking if the transaction at least partially complies with additional terms.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account issuer issues at least one of the first financial account or the second financial account in response to at least one of the request to debit or the request to credit.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first identifier or the second identifier is at least one of a proxy number, a limited-use number and a single use number.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first identifier or the second identifier includes restrictions.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first identifier or the second identifier is selected from a pool of limited use account identifiers.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first identifier or the second identifier is selected from a pool of limited use account identifiers associated with a transaction facilitator associated with the transaction, wherein the transaction facilitator acts as an intermediary between a first party and a second party.

19. A method for a financial account issuer to facilitate debiting a first portion and second portion of a first amount in association with a transaction, the method comprising:

receiving a charge of the first amount to a first financial account;

receiving, at the financial account issuer, a first identifier associated with a first financial account, wherein the financial account issuer issued the first financial account, and wherein the financial account issuer comprises a server;

receiving, at the financial account issuer, a request to debit the first portion of the first amount from the first financial account;

determining, by the financial account issuer, if the request to debit the first financial account is fraudulent;

debiting, by the financial account issuer, the first portion of the first amount from the first financial account if the request to debit the first financial account is not fraudulent;

receiving, at the financial account issuer, a second identifier associated with a second financial account;

receiving, at the financial account issuer, a request to debit the second portion of the first amount to the second financial account;

determining, by the financial account issuer, if the request to credit the second financial account is fraudulent; and

,

debiting, by the financial account issuer, the second portion of the first amount to the second financial account, if the request to debit the second financial account is not fraudulent.

20. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions for a financial account issuer to facilitate debiting a first portion and second portion of a first amount in association with a transaction, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions to receive a charge of the first amount to a first financial account;

instructions to receive, at the financial account issuer, a first identifier associated with a first financial account, wherein the financial account issuer issued the first financial account, and wherein the financial account issuer comprises a server;

instructions to receive, at the financial account issuer, a request to debit the first portion of the first amount from the first financial account;

instructions to determine, by the financial account issuer, if the request to debit the first financial account is fraudulent;

instructions to debit, by the financial account issuer, the first portion of the first amount from the first financial account if the request to debit the first financial account is not fraudulent;

instructions to receive, at the financial account issuer, a second identifier associated with a second financial account;

instructions to receive, at the financial account issuer, a request to debit the second portion of the first amount to the second financial account;

instructions to determine, by the financial account issuer, if the request to credit the second financial account is fraudulent; and

,

instructions to debit, by the financial account issuer, the second portion of the first amount to the second financial account, if the request to debit the second financial account is not fraudulent.