BILL PAYMENT AGGREGATION SERVICE

• US 20090089193A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Paintin, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,679,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• 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

Tools for providing bill aggregation and/or payment services. In an aspect, such tools aggregate all payments over a given period of time, allowing a user to make a single payment to ensure that all appropriate bills are paid in timely fashion. In another aspect, the tools determine, without requiring user input, an amount due on each bill, as well, in some cases, of a due date for each payment. Optionally, the tools can provide a consolidated statement to inform the user of payments to be made over a given period. Such statements can provide a varying level of detail, depending on the implementation and/or on user preferences. In some cases, a consolidated statement might provide line items and/or detailed support for each payment to be made. In other cases, the consolidated statement might simply provide a single consolidated payment amount.

Claims

1. A method of providing bill payment aggregation services for a user, the method comprising:

receiving, at a host computer operated by a bill aggregator, identification of a plurality of billing entities for which bills should be consolidated, the plurality of billing entities comprising a first billing entity and a second billing entity;

receiving, at the host computer, a first set of billing information for the first billing entity, the first set of billing information comprising a first billing identifier for the user;

receiving, at the host computer, a second set of billing information for the second billing entity, the second set of billing information comprising a second billing identifier for the user;

notifying the first billing entity that the bill aggregator should be a recipient of bills from the first billing entity;

notifying the second billing entity that the bill aggregator should be a recipient of bills from the second billing entity;

receiving, from the first billing entity, notification of a first amount due to the first billing entity, wherein the first amount due corresponds to the first billing identifier and has a first due date;

receiving, from the second billing entity, notification of a second amount due to the second billing entity, wherein the second amount due corresponds to the second billing identifier and has a second due date;

providing a consolidated statement to the user, the consolidated statement comprising a payment notification;

receiving, at the host computer, confirmation from the user that at least a portion of the consolidated statement should be paid;

receiving, from the user and via a money transfer transaction, funds sufficient to pay the at least a portion of the first amount due and/or the second amount due;

transferring, via a first host-to-host transaction on or shortly before the first due date, a first amount of funds to a first financial institution associated with the first billing entity, the first amount of funds corresponding to the first amount due; and

transferring, via a second host-to-host transaction on or shortly before the second due date, a second amount of funds to a second financial institution associated with the second billing entity, the second amount of funds corresponding to the second amount due.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bill aggregator is a registered money transfer service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment notification provides notification of one or more values selected from the list consisting of the first amount due, the second amount due, and a consolidated amount due;

wherein the consolidated amount due comprises a sum of the first amount due and the second amount due.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving confirmation from the user that the consolidated statement should be paid comprises receiving confirmation without requiring the user to individually approve the first amount due and the second amount due.

5. In a relationship between a bill aggregator and a user, a method of providing bill payment aggregation services for the user, the method comprising:

receiving, at a host computer operated by or for the bill aggregator, an identification of a plurality of billing entities for which bills should be consolidated, the plurality of billing entities comprising a first billing entity and a second billing entity;

receiving, at the host computer, a first set of billing information for the first billing entity, the first set of billing information comprising a first billing identifier for the user;

receiving, at the host computer, a second set of billing information for the second billing entity, the second set of billing information comprising a second billing identifier for the user;

determining a first amount due to the first billing entity, wherein the first amount due corresponds to the first billing identifier;

determining a second amount due to the second billing entity, wherein the second amount due corresponds to the second billing identifier;

receiving funds from the user;

paying, from the host computer, funds sufficient to satisfy at least a portion of at least one amount due, the at least one amount due being selected from the first amount due and the second amount due.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user does not maintain a deposit account with the bill aggregator.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein paying funds sufficient to satisfy at least a portion of at least one amount due comprises:

paying, from the host computer, a first amount of funds corresponding to the first amount due; and

paying, from the host computer, a second amount of funds corresponding to the second amount due.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein paying a first amount of funds comprises at least one operation selected from the group consisting of:

transferring, via a first host-to-host transfer on or shortly before the first due date, a first amount of funds to a first financial institution associated with the first billing entity, the first amount of funds corresponding to the first amount due;

generating a negotiable instrument in the first amount of funds and providing for the negotiable instrument to be mailed to the first billing entity;

transmitting, to the first billing entity, information sufficient to allow the first billing entity to print a negotiable instrument payable, from an account associated with the user, to the first billing entity;

transmitting, to the first billing entity, information sufficient to allow the first billing entity to print a negotiable instrument payable, from an account associated with the bill aggregator, to the first billing entity; and

initiating a funds transfer transaction, via an automated clearinghouse;

9. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving funds from the user comprises receiving funds to pay the first amount due.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein determining a first amount due to the first billing entity comprises determining the first amount due without receiving input from the user regarding the first amount due.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein determining a first amount due to the first billing entity comprises:

receiving an authorization from the user to receive notification from the first billing entity;

notifying the first billing entity of the authorization; and

receiving from the first billing entity notification of the first amount due to the first billing entity.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising notifying the user of the first amount due to the first billing entity and the second amount due to the second billing entity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein notifying the user of the first amount due and the second amount due comprises providing a consolidated statement to the user, the consolidated statement being capable of notifying the user of the first amount due to the first billing entity and the second amount due to the second billing entity.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein notifying the user of the first amount due and the second amount due comprises providing at least one notification selected from the group consisting of a web page, a paper statement, an electronic mail message, a text message, a notification at a kiosk, a notification at an automated teller machine, a telephone call from a live caller, a telephone call comprising a prerecorded message, a telephone call comprising an automated voice message, and a notification from a telephonic voice response unit.

15. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving, at the host computer, confirmation from the user, that at least a portion of the first amount due and/or the second amount due should be paid.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving confirmation from the user comprises receiving a notification selected from the group consisting of a notification received from a web page, a written statement, an electronic mail message, a text message, a kiosk, an automated teller machine, a telephone call to a live operator, and a telephonic voice response unit.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein the first billing entity is an entity selected from the group consisting of a public utility, a telecommunications provider, a lender, a brokerage, an insurance company, an education institution, a educational savings plan, a charitable organization, and a financial institution.

18. The method of claim 5, further comprising charging a fee for the payment aggregation service, wherein the fee comprises at least one fee selected from the group of fees consisting of a one-time fee to the user, an ongoing fee to the user, a one-time fee to one or more of the billing entities, and an ongoing fee to one or more of the billing entities.

19. In a relationship between a bill aggregator and a user, a computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a communication interface in communication with the processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium having encoded thereon a computer program comprising a set of instructions executable by the processor to cause the computer system to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising;

instructions for receiving, via the communication interface, identification of a plurality of billing entities for which bills should be consolidated, the plurality of billing entities comprising a first billing entity and a second billing entity;

instructions for receiving a first set of billing information for the first billing entity, the first set of billing information comprising a first billing identifier for the user;

instructions for receiving a second set of billing information for the second billing entity, the second set of billing information comprising a second billing identifier for the user;

instructions for determining a first amount due to the first billing entity, wherein the first amount due corresponds to the first billing identifier;

instructions for determining a second amount due to the second billing entity, wherein the second amount due corresponds to the second billing identifier;

instructions for receiving funds from the user; and

instructions for paying funds sufficient to satisfy at least a portion of at least one amount due, the at least one amount due being selected from the first amount due and the second amount due.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication interface comprises a web server interface, wherein the instructions for receiving identification of a plurality of billing entities comprise instructions for receiving the identification via the web server interface, and wherein the instructions for receiving funds from the user comprise instructions for receiving, via the web server interface, information from the user regarding a source of the funds.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the web server interface comprises an interface with a web server separate from the computer system.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication interface comprises an interface providing communication via at least one communication device selected from the group consisting of a user kiosk, a mobile device interface for communicating with a mobile device, an automated teller machine, an agent terminal, a telephone, and a telephonic voice response unit, wherein the instructions for receiving an identification of a plurality of billing entities comprise instructions for receiving the identification via at least one of the one or more communication devices, and wherein the instructions for receiving funds from the user comprise instructions for receiving, via the at least one communication device, information from the user regarding a source of the funds.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication interface comprises a host-to-host interface, and wherein the instructions for paying a first amount of funds comprise instructions to transfer the first amount of funds, via the host-to-host interface, to a financial institution associated with the first billing entity.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication interface comprises an interface for providing communication with an automated clearinghouse, and wherein the instructions for paying a first amount of funds comprise instructions to initiate a transaction via the automated clearinghouse.

25. In a relationship between a bill aggregator and a user, a computer readable medium having encoded thereon a computer program comprising a set of instructions executable by a computer system to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving an identification of a plurality of billing entities for which bills should be consolidated, the plurality of billing entities comprising a first billing entity and a second billing entity;

instructions for receiving a first set of billing information for the first billing entity, the first set of billing information comprising a first billing identifier for the user;

instructions for receiving a second set of billing information for the second billing entity, the second set of billing information comprising a second billing identifier for the user;

instructions for determining a first amount due to the first billing entity, wherein the first amount due corresponds to the first billing identifier;

instructions for determining a second amount due to the second billing entity, wherein the second amount due corresponds to the second billing identifier;

instructions for receiving funds from the user; and

instructions for paying funds sufficient to satisfy at least a portion of at least one amount due, the at least one amount due being selected from the first amount due and the second amount due.