METHOD FOR INITIATING PAYMENT OF BILL

• US 20090090768A1
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne, Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,891,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• 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 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42

Abstract

A method for initiating payment of a bill via a printed billing form. The form contains information relating to a payment and coded data printed as a collection of tags. Each tag identifies a bill identity and a location of the tag on the bill. The method comprises the steps of: (i) interacting with the printed billing form by operatively positioning an optically imaging pen relative to the form; (ii) imaging a tag on the form; (iii) generating indicating data regarding the identity of the form and a position of the pen relative to the form; and (iv) transmitting the indicating data to a computer system. Payment of the bill is initiated in the computer system using a payment parameter identified from the indicating data.

Claims

1. A method for initiating payment of a bill via a printed billing form containing information relating to a payment and coded data printed as a collection of tags, each tag identifying a bill identity and a location of the tag on the bill, said method comprising the steps of:

interacting with said printed billing form by operatively positioning an optically imaging pen relative to the form;

imaging at least one tag on the form;

generating indicating data regarding the identity of the form and at least one position of the pen relative to the form; and

transmitting the indicating data to a computer system, thereby initiating payment of the bill in the computer system using at least one payment parameter identified from the indicating data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of printing the billing form on demand.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said pen has a nib and said method further comprises the step of:

computing the position of the nib from an observed perspective distortion on the imaged tag and a known spatial relationship between the nib, contained in the pen'"'"'s physical axis, and the pen'"'"'s optical axis, wherein said axes are different from each other.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of:

entering handwritten information onto said billing form using said pen, wherein said indicating data indicates movement of the pen relative to the bill.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one parameter is associated with at least one zone of the billing form.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameter is an action parameter of the requested payment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the action parameter of the requested payment is selected from the group consisting of:

requesting that payment be made;

specifying the payment amount; and

resetting the bill to an original state.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the parameter is an option parameter of the requested payment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

a cardholder name;

a payment method; and

a credit card type.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the parameter is a text parameter of the requested payment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer system converts the handwritten text data to computer text.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a cardholder name;

an amount paid; and

a card expiry date.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the handwritten entry is a handwritten signature, and wherein said parameter is an authorization parameter of the requested payment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the computer system verifies that the signature is a particular person'"'"'s signature.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said pen contains a pen identity, said method further comprising the step of:

transmitting said pen identity to said computer system.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said pen comprises a retractable nib coupled to a force sensor, said method comprising the step of:

detecting, using said force sensor, that said pen is interacting with said billing form.

17. A method for initiating payment of a bill, said system comprising:

(A) a printed billing form containing information relating to a payment and coded data printed as a collection of tags, each tag identifying a bill identity and a location of the tag on the bill; and

(B) an optically imaging pen for interacting with said printed billing form, said pen comprising;

an optical sensor for imaging at least one tag on the form;

a processor configured for generating indicating data using the imaged tag, said indicating data identifying the identity of the form and at least one position of the pen relative to the form; and

communication means for transmitting the indicating data to a computer system, thereby initiating payment of the bill in the computer system using at least one payment parameter identified from the indicating data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said pen comprises a nib for contacting said billing form, and said processor is configure for computing the position of the nib from an observed perspective distortion on the imaged tag and a known spatial relationship between the nib, contained in the pen'"'"'s physical axis, and the pen'"'"'s optical axis, wherein said axes are different from each other.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said pen comprises a retractable nib coupled to a force sensor, and where said processor is configured for detecting, using said force sensor, that said pen is interacting with said billing form.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said pen contains a pen identity.