INTER-NETWORK FINANCIAL SERVICE

• US 20100017332A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Checkfree Services Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Checkfree Services Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dreyer, Hans, Hobday, D. Kenneth JR., Ganesan, Ravi, Kight, Peter, Lewis, Matt
• Granted Patent: US 8,595,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• 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 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Systems and methods for making a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee are provided. A request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee is received at a first payment service provider. The first payment service provider supports a first payment network within a plurality of payment networks that each include a respective plurality of payers and payees. The payer is one of the plurality of payers and payees associated with the first payment network, and the payor is not one of the plurality of payers and payees associated with the first payment network. A second payment network within the plurality of payment networks with which the payee is associated is identified by the first payment service provider. A payment instruction to make the payment to the payee is transmitted by the first payment service provider to a second payment service provider associated with the second payment network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first payment service provider, a request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee, wherein the first payment service provider supports a first payment network within a plurality of payment networks that each comprise a respective plurality of payers and payees, wherein the payer is associated with the first payment network and the payee is not associated with the first payment network;

identifying, by the first payment service provider, a second payment network within the plurality of payment networks with which the payee is associated; and

transmitting, by the first payment service provider to a second payment service provider associated with the second payment network, a payment instruction to make the payment to the payee,

wherein the above steps are performed by one or more computers associated with the first payment service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a second payment network comprises:

transmitting, by the first payment service provider, a request to determine another payment network within the plurality of payment networks with which the payee is associated; and

receiving, at the first payment service provider responsive to the transmitted request, information indicating that the payee is associated with the second payment network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the request to determine another payment network is communicated to one of (i) an inter-network directory server or (ii) one or more payment service providers associated with other networks within the plurality of payment networks.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the received information includes a unique identifier which identifies the payee to the second payment service provider, and

wherein the transmitted payment instruction includes the unique identifier.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee comprises a first request to make a first payment on behalf of a first payer, wherein the payment instruction is a first payment instruction, and further comprising:

storing the received information indicating that the payee is associated with the second payment network;

receiving, at the first payment service provider subsequent to storing the received information indicating that the payee is associated with the second payment network, a second request to make a second payment to the payee;

accessing, in response to the received second request, the stored information indicating that the payee is associated with the second payment network; and

transmitting, by the first payment service provider to the second payment service provider, a second payment instruction to make the second payment to the payee,

wherein the above steps are performed by the one or more computers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second request to make a second payment to the payee is a request to make a payment on behalf of one of the first payer or a second payer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the second payment network as a candidate payment network with which the payee may be associated;

transmitting a request to the second payment service provider to determine if the payee is associated with the second payment network; and

receiving, from the second payment service provider, an indication that the payee is associated with the second payment network,

wherein the above steps are performed by the one or more computers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of candidate payees for the payment, wherein the plurality of candidate payees are associated with the second payment network; and

determining, prior to transmitting the payment instruction, that the payee is one of the identified plurality of candidate payees,

wherein the above steps are performed by the one or more computers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second payment network comprises:

identifying one or more candidate payment networks within the plurality of payment networks; and

selecting, prior to transmitting the payment instruction, the second payment network from among the identified one or more candidate payment networks.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the second payment service provider requires secured communication; and

accessing a certificate authority for an encryption key associated with the second payment service provider, wherein the encryption key is utilized to encrypt transmissions communicated to the second payment service provider,

wherein the above steps are performed by the one or more computers.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, by the one or more computers associated with the first payment service provider, information associated with each of the plurality of payment networks, wherein the respective stored information for each of the plurality of payment networks comprises at least one of (i) information indicating a country in which a payment service provider associated with the payment service network is located, (ii) information identifying a network path over which to communicate with the associated payment service provider, (iii) information indicating types of financial transactions supported by the associated payment service provider, (iv) information indicating secured communications requirements of the associated payment service provider, (v) information identifying a treasury service provider associated with the associated payment service provider, (vi) information identifying a deposit account associated with the associated payment service provider, (vii) information identifying a processing model associated with the associated payment service provider, or (viii) information identifying a settlement method associated with the associated payment service provider.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing, by the one or more computers associated with the first payment service provider from an inter-network directory server, respective stored information associated with each of the plurality of payment networks.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the accessed information comprises at least one of (i) information indicating a country in which a payment service provider associated with the payment service network is located, (ii) information identifying a network path over which to communicate with the associated payment service provider, (iii) information indicating types of financial transactions supported by the associated payment service provider, (iv) information indicating secured communications requirements of the associated payment service provider, (v) information identifying a treasury service provider associated with the associated payment service provider, (vi) information identifying a deposit account associated with the associated payment service provider, (vii) information identifying a processing model associated with the associated payment service provider, or (viii) information identifying a settlement method associated with the associated payment service provider.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment is one of a payment of a bill, a payment of an invoice, a gift payment, a person-to-merchant payment, or a person-to-person payment.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at an account associated with the first payment service provider, funds from an account associated with the payer; and

transferring at least a portion of the received funds to an account associated with the second payment service provider,

wherein the above steps are performed by the one or more computers.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, from the first payment service provider to the second payment service provider, remittance advice associated with the payment,

wherein the second payment service provider transmits the remittance advice to the payee.

17. A system, comprising:

a network interface operable to receive, at a first payment service provider, a request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee, wherein the first payment service provider supports a first payment network within a plurality of payment networks that each comprise a respective plurality of payers and payees, wherein the payer is associated with the first payment network, and wherein the payee is not associated with the first payment network; and

a processor associated with the first payment service provider and operable to (i) identify a second payment network within the plurality of payment networks with which the payee is associated, and (ii) direct the network interface to transmit, to a second payment service provider associated with the second payment network, of a payment instruction to make the payment to the payee.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the network interface is further operable to (i) transmit a request to determine another payment network within the plurality of payment networks with which the payee is associated, and (ii) to receive, responsive to the transmitted request, information indicating that the payee is associated with the second payment network, and

the processor is operable to identify the second payment network based at least in part on the received information.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the request to determine another payment network is communicated to one of (i) an inter-network directory server or (ii) one or more payment service providers associated with other networks within the plurality of payment networks.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the received information includes a unique identifier which identifies the payee to the second payment service provider, and

wherein the transmitted payment instruction includes the unique identifier.

21. The system of claim 18, further comprising at least one memory operable to store the received information indicating that the payee is associated with the second payment network, wherein:

the request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee comprises a first request to make a first payment on behalf of a first payer,

the payment instruction is a first payment instruction,

the network interface is further operable to receive, subsequent to the storage of the received information indicating that the payee is associated with the second payment network, a second request to make a second payment to the payee, and

the processor is further operable to (i) access, responsive to the receipt of the second request, the stored information indicating that the payee is associated with the second payment network, and (ii) direct the network interface to transmit, to the second payment service provider, a second payment instruction to make the second payment to the payee.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second request to make a second payment to the payee is a request to make a payment on behalf of one of the first payer or a second payer.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the processor is further operable to (i) identify the second payment network as a candidate payment network with which the payee may be associated and (ii) direct the network interface to transmit a request to the second payment service provider to determine if the payee is associated with the second payment network, and

the network interface is further operable to (i) transmit the request to the second payment service provider and (ii) receive, from the second payment service provider, an indication that the payee is associated with the second payment network.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further operable to (i) identify, for the payment, a plurality of candidate payees associated with the second payment network and (ii) determine, prior to directing the transmission of the payment instruction, that the payee is one of the identified plurality of candidate payees.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is operable to identify the second payment network by (i) identifying one or more candidate payment networks within the plurality of payment networks and (ii) select, prior to transmitting the payment instruction, the second payment network from among the identified one or more candidate payment networks.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further operable to (i) determine that the second payment service provider requires secured communication and (ii) facilitate the accessing of a certificate authority for an encryption key associated with the second payment service provider, wherein the encryption key is utilized to encrypt transmissions communicated to the second payment service provider.

27. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one memory associated with the first payment service provider and operable to store information associated with each of the plurality of payment networks, wherein the respective stored information for each of the plurality of payment networks comprises at least one of (i) information indicating a country in which a payment service provider associated with the payment service network is located, (ii) information identifying a network path over which to communicate with the associated payment service provider, (iii) information indicating types of financial transactions supported by the associated payment service provider, (iv) information indicating secured communications requirements of the associated payment service provider, (v) information identifying a treasury service provider associated with the associated payment service provider, (vi) information identifying a deposit account associated with the associated payment service provider, (vii) information identifying a processing model associated with the associated payment service provider, or (viii) information identifying a settlement method associated with the associated payment service provider.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the processor is further operable to facilitate the access of respective stored information associated with each of the plurality of payment networks from an inter-network directory server.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the accessed information comprises at least one of (i) information indicating a country in which a payment service provider associated with the payment service network is located, (ii) information identifying a network path over which to communicate with the associated payment service provider, (iii) information indicating types of financial transactions supported by the associated payment service provider, (iv) information indicating secured communications requirements of the associated payment service provider, (v) information identifying a treasury service provider associated with the associated payment service provider, (vi) information identifying a deposit account associated with the associated payment service provider, (vii) information identifying a processing model associated with the associated payment service provider, or (viii) information identifying a settlement method associated with the associated payment service provider.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the payment is one of a payment of a bill, a payment of an invoice, a gift payment, a person-to-merchant payment, or a person-to-person payment.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein:

funds are received at an account associated with the first payment service provider from an account associated with the payer, and

the processor is further operable to direct the transfer of at least a portion of the received funds to an account associated with the second payment service provider.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further operable to direct the transmission of remittance advice associated with the payment to the second payment service provider.

33. A system, comprising:

means for receiving, at a first payment service provider, a request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee, wherein the first payment service provider supports a first payment network within a plurality of payment networks that each comprise a respective plurality of payers and payees, wherein the payer is associated with the first payment network and the payee is not associated with the first payment network;

means for identifying, by the first payment service provider, a second payment network within the plurality of payment networks with which the payee is associated; and

means for transmitting, by the first payment service provider to a second payment service provider associated with the second payment network, a payment instruction to make the payment to the payee.