Bill Payment Card Method and System
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to a system and method for managing a payment system. The method generally comprises activating a payment card, associating a value with the payment card, associating at least one third party with the bill payment card, receiving a request from a bill payment card user to transfer at least some of the value to a selected third party, the request comprising receiving an identifier associated with the payment card and receiving an indication of an amount of value to transfer, and transferring at least some of the value to the selected third party. Systems of the invention may generally comprise one or more payment cards, a database storing a plurality of records comprising information related to the payment card; one or more communication devices; and a processor in communication with the database and in selective communication with the communication device.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1-16. -16. (canceled)
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17. A method of managing a payment system to provide payment to a first pre-existing customer account with a first provider of goods or services, the system configured to facilitate the insertion of value into a plurality of pre-existing customer accounts, including the first pre-existing customer account, with a plurality of providers of goods or services, including the first provider, the system being managed among the provider, a terminal, and a central processor, the central processor being in selective communication with the provider and the terminal, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to provide payment to the first pre-existing customer account, the request comprising an identification of the first provider; determining the first pre-existing customer account and communicating with the first provider to determine a balance of and current amount due for the first pre-existing customer account; determining any fees or taxes applicable to the first pre-existing customer account with the first provider; conveying to the customer; the balance of the first pre-existing customer account; and the total amount currently due, including any determined applicable fees or taxes, for the first pre-existing customer account; receiving value from the customer; and inserting the value received from the customer into the first pre-existing customer account with the first provider. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of managing a payment system to provide payment to a first pre-existing customer account with a first provider of goods or services, the system configured to facilitate the insertion of value into a plurality of pre-existing customer accounts, including the first pre-existing customer account, with a plurality of providers of goods or services, including the first provider, the system being managed among the provider, a terminal, and a central processor, the central processor being in selective communication with the provider and the terminal, the method comprising:
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receiving at the central processor a request to activate a payment card, comprising an identifier associated with the payment card; activating the payment card by associating the first pre-existing customer account with the payment card by; receiving at the central processor information identifying the first provider and the first pre-existing customer account; and confirming that the identified first pre-existing customer account is valid by establishing selective communication between the central processor and the first provider. receiving a request to provide payment to the first pre-existing customer account, the request comprising an identification of the first provider; determining the first pre-existing customer account and communicating with the first provider to determine a balance of and current amount due for the first pre-existing customer account; determining any fees or taxes applicable to the first pre-existing customer account with the first provider based upon the type of provider of goods or services the first provider is and based upon information received at the central processor from the first provider; conveying to the customer; the balance of the first pre-existing customer account; and the total amount currently due, including any determined applicable fees or taxes, for the first pre-existing customer account; receiving value from the customer; and inserting the value received from the customer into the first pre-existing customer account with the first provider.
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Specification