Methods for Processing a Payment Authorization Request Utilizing a Network of Point of Sale Devices

• US 20090164327A1
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Saunders, Peter D., Bishop, Fred A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,814,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/207 Tax processing
• 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 20/403 Solvency checks

Abstract

A point of sale (POS) device may be configured to locate a payment system and transmit a payment authorization request from a remote location to a payment system, either directly, or via a payment system directory and/or a SSL Gateway. The invention also includes inserting third party account information into an encrypted portion of the payment request, so the payment request appears as a normal request to the issuing bank, but the third party account information may be used by the third party to bill the customer. The payment system directory is further configured to determine one or more payment processors to direct a payment authorization request, such that a single transaction may me allocated among multiple payment processors for authorization. Moreover, the payment system directory is able to format alternative payment methods into a format that is able to be processed over existing payment networks.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a transaction at a first point of sale (POS) device, said method including:

querying, by a second POS device, a payment system directory to locate a candidate payment system for processing at least a portion of said transaction associated with said first POS device, wherein said candidate payment system receives payment information related to said transaction at said first POS device;

transmitting a payment authorization request related to said transaction from said first POS device to said candidate payment system;

receiving payment authorization from said candidate payment system; and

,

sending said payment authorization to said first POS device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein locating said candidate payment system further comprises acquiring an allocation rule associated with said payment information and locating said payment system directory based on said allocation rule.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a tax rate relating to said transaction which was imposed by a taxing authority based on said payment information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first POS device, said second POS device, said payment processor and said candidate payment system determines a taxing authority capable of imposing a tax on said purchase, from a plurality of tax authorities stored within said tax information system, by evaluating said purchase information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first POS device, said second POS device, said payment processor and said candidate payment system request a tax rate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said candidate payment system transmits said payment information to a third party biller, and said third party biller bills a consumer for said transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said payment information includes a proxy account number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a proxy account number is associated with more than one transaction account, and wherein said proxy account number is authorized to be used for multiple transactions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said candidate payment system is an Automated Clearing House (ACH).

10. The method of claim 1, further including facilitating said transaction wherein said second POS device is programmed to receive said encrypted payment information from said first POS device, wherein said second POS device is programmed to authenticate a signed token and allow a relay of encrypted payment information to a controller in response to said encrypted payment information being authenticated, wherein said controller is programmed to receive said encrypted payment information from said second POS device, decrypt said encrypted payment information, determine an acquirer network for said payment information, and transmit said payment information to said acquirer network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS device is configured to periodically broadcast a message comprising POS device information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said signed token is used to at least one of identify and authenticate said payment information.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS device is configured to encrypt said payment information.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS device is configured to store routing information within a memory structure.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS device is configured to store routing information relating to said second POS device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS device is configured to communicate directly with said second POS device through at least one of a wireless and wireline connection.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS device is configured to communicate with a second POS device via multiple POS devices.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS device is configured to provide an identity of at least one of said payment system directory or an SSL gateway, and wherein said second POS device routes said payment authorization request to said at least one of payment system directory or an SSL gateway based on access information stored at said second POS device.

19. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, said plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions to query a payment system directory to locate a candidate payment system for processing at least a portion of said transaction associated with a first POS device, wherein said candidate payment system receives payment information related to said transaction at said first POS device;

instructions to transmit a payment authorization request related to said transaction from said POS device to said candidate payment system;

instructions to receive payment authorization from said candidate payment system; and

instructions to send said payment authorization to said second POS device.

20. A second point of sale (POS) device configured to:

query a payment system directory to locate a candidate payment system for processing at least a portion of said transaction associated with a first POS device, wherein said candidate payment system receives payment information related to said transaction at said first POS device;

transmit a payment authorization request related to said transaction from said second POS device to said candidate payment system;

receive payment authorization from said candidate payment system; and

,

send said payment authorization to said first POS device.