SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS FOR COMPUTER AUTOMATED ASSISTANCE FOR DISPARATE NETWORKS AND INTERNET INTERFACES

• US 20090150254A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: US Bank National Association (US Bancorp)
• Original Assignee: US Bank National Association (US Bancorp)
• Inventors: DICKELMAN, MARK
• Application Number:
  US12/323,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150254A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A variety of systems, methods and arrangements are implemented in connection with a processor-controlled routing arrangement. According to one such implementation, a computer-implemented method facilitates payment provided between disparate payment networks of buyers and sellers. The method uses a computer-arrangement to interface with a social website that has user profiles, each user profile corresponding to a user identifier, and for use with a seller website that offers products or services for purchase by users and that generates transaction data for a current user accessing the website. A current user identifier corresponding to a current user profile and the transaction data is communicates to the computer-arrangement. A buyer payment network is selected from a plurality of disparate buyer payment networks that are each associated with the current user identifier. Based upon the selection, the transaction data is formatted to facilitate payment against the selected buyer payment network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating payment being provided between disparate payment networks of buyers and sellers, the method using a computer-arrangement to interface with a social website that has user profiles, each user profile corresponding to a user identifier, and for use with a seller website that offers products or services for purchase by users and that generates transaction data for a current user accessing the website, the method comprising:

communicating, to the computer-arrangement, a current user identifier corresponding to a current user profile and the transaction data;

selecting, using the computer-arrangement, a buyer payment network from a plurality of disparate buyer payment networks that are each associated with the current user identifier; and

based upon the selection, formatting the transaction data to facilitate payment against the selected buyer payment network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating the payment against the selected buyer payment network includes a payment to a seller account held at a payment network that is disparate from the selected buyer payment network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating further includes communicating a transaction identifier, a transaction amount and a seller identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the current user identifier is verified using log-in identification and password data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the social website provides the buyer with a customizable display having information that can be viewed by selected other users of the social website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating is responsive to the buyer selecting a seller website from an advertisement provided on the social website.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of formatting the transaction data further includes accessing stored buyer profile data that includes account information for the selected buyer payment network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the seller does not receive buyer account information about the selected buyer network.

9. For use with a social network website that implements user profiles, each user profile having a user identifier, and with a transaction involving products or services for purchase by users, a processing-circuit-implemented method comprising:

communicating, from the website, a current user identifier corresponding to a current user profile;

communicating, from the website, transaction data for a purchase transaction to be made by a current user associated with the current user identifier;

associating the current user identifier with one or more disparate payment network identifiers;

verifying the identity of the current user in response to the one or more disparate payment network identifiers;

selecting a payment network from a plurality of payment networks that are each associated with the disparate network identifier in a user profile database, the payment network selected to debit the purchase amount; and

authorizing the purchase transaction in response to the selected payment network.

10. The method of claim 9, further including the step of submitting transaction data to the payment network selected to debit the purchase amount.

11. The method of claim 9, further including the step of submitting transaction data to the payment network selected to debit the purchase amount without buyer account information about the payment network being received by a seller of the products or services.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of verifying the identity of the current user includes receiving authentication data in addition to the current user identifier.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of verifying the identity of the current user includes receiving data authenticating the social network website.

14. For use with a website that implements user profiles, each user profile having a user identifier, and that offers a mechanism for users to purchase products or services, a computer-implemented method comprising:

associating a current user with a current user profile;

verifying the identity of the current user;

providing a current user identifier from the current user profile to a disparate network system;

providing transaction data to the disparate network system for a purchase transaction to be made by the current user; and

completing the purchase transaction in response to an authorization received from the disparate network system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein buyer account information, about the payment network, is not received by a seller of the products or services.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the website provides links between the user profiles in response to user-provided association data.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of completing the purchase transaction includes sending a transaction request to debit a user account held at the disparate network system.