ELECTRONIC BILL PAYMENT WITH VARIABLE PAYMENT OPTIONS

• US 20100042537A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MoneyGram International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MoneyGram International Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Gordon, Canetto, Matt, Gordon, Emiko, Wallace, Terry
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• 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 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A system for third party bill payment services is provided. CONFORM TO BROAD CLAIM

Claims

1. A system for third party bill payment services used by a payer to pay a biller with whom a payer has an account, comprising:

a third party computer system for accessing biller data, the biller data for the payer comprising at least one account identifier, an amount due, and a nominal bill due date;

a payment option generator for developing at least one payment option wherein the payment specified is responsive to a difference between a proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date;

a payer interface for presenting the at least one payment option to the payer and for accepting a payer option selection and a payment funding confirmation; and

a payment execution controller responsive to the payer option selection and funding confirmation, for initiating payment to a biller account on behalf of the payer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the payment option generator determines the difference between the proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date and defines a payment that is more favorable for early payment than later payment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the payment option generator determines the difference between the proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date and a discount is applied to an amount billed as due when the difference preceding the bill payment due date exceeds a predetermined value.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a biller fee management portal by which a biller may modify payment option rules accessed by the payment option generator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the payment option generator determines the difference between the proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date and wherein, when the proposed payment date is after the nominal bill due date, a payment option generated waives a late fee.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the payer interface is an agent terminal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the payer interface is a computer connected to a global network.

18. The computer readable medium encoded with computer program instructions of claim 1, wherein the instruction module for the payment option generator determines the difference between the proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date and wherein, when the proposed payment date is after the nominal bill due date, a payment option generated waives a late fee.

19. The computer readable medium encoded with computer program instructions of claim 1, wherein the instruction module for the payer interface is an agent terminal.

20. The computer readable medium encoded with computer program instructions of claim 1, wherein the instruction module for the payer interface is a computer connected to a global network.

8. A method for third party bill payment services used by a payer to pay a biller with whom a payer has an account comprising:

receiving from a payer at a third party computer system information including at least a biller identification, a proposed payment amount, a proposed payment date, and a nominal bill due date;

verifying at least a portion of the received information against payer account records;

calculating a difference between the proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date; and

generating and presenting to the payer at least one payment option in which the payment required is responsive to the calculated difference and stored payment option rules for the biller.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a selection of a payment option from a payee.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising confirming receipt of a payment from the payer to find the selected payment option.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising crediting payment to a biller account, the credited payment comprising an amount computed based on predetermined fee and settlement rules.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the biller is notified of the payer'"'"'s payment at a time substantially commensurate with the third party computer system receiving confirmation of payment from the payer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein delivering payment to the biller is done at a time separate from receiving payment from the payer as determined by predetermined fee and settlement rules.

14. A computer readable medium encoded with computer program instructions for a third party computer system for performing third party bill payment services to pay a biller with whom a payer has an account, comprising:

an instruction module for accessing biller data, the biller data for the payer comprising at least one account identifier, an amount due, and a nominal bill due date;

an instruction module for a payment option generator for developing at least one payment option wherein the payment specified is responsive to a difference between a proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date;

an instruction module for a payer interface for presenting the at least one payment option to the payer and for accepting a payer option selection and a payment funding confirmation; and

an instruction module for a payment execution controller responsive to the payer option selection and funding confirmation, for initiating payment to a biller account on behalf of the payer.

15. The computer readable medium encoded with computer program instructions of claim 14, wherein the instruction module for the payment option generator determines the difference between the proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date and defines a payer fee that is more favorable for early payment.

16. The computer readable medium encoded with computer program instructions of claim 14, wherein the instruction module for the payment option generator determines the difference between the proposed payment date and the nominal bill due date and a discount is applied to an amount billed as due when the difference preceding the bill payment due date exceeds a predetermined value.

17. The computer readable medium encoded with computer program instructions of claim 14, further comprising computer program instructions for a biller fee management portal by which a biller may modify payment option rules.

21. A computer-implemented method for third party bill payment services for a payer wishing to pay a biller comprising:

accessing payer account data of the biller using a third party computer system, the payer account data comprising for the payer at least one account identifier, amount due and bill payment due date;

accessing a set of payment rules defined for the biller and accessible to the third party computer system; and

controlling a payment option generator for developing at least one payment option wherein the payment option is responsive to a computed difference between a proposed payment date and a nominal bill due date.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

controlling a payer interface for presenting the at least one payment option to the payer and for accepting a payer option selection and a payment funding confirmation; and

controlling a payment execution controller responsive to the payer option selection and funding confirmation, for initiating payment to a biller account on behalf of the payer.