ENHANCED INVITATION PROCESS FOR ELECTRONIC BILLING AND PAYMENT SYSTEM

• US 20110184868A1
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BILL Operations LLC (Bill Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bill.com, Inc. (Bill.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lacerte, René, Lam, Robert S., Chan, Eric, Orttung, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,043,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• 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 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies

Abstract

Enhanced systems and methods for processing invoices, payments, and money transfers are described. One aspect of the invention is a computer-implemented method (and corresponding system and computer program product) for inviting an entity to open an account at a billing and payment system, the method comprising: issuing a check payable to the entity, wherein a checkbox for opening an account at the billing and payment system is printed on an endorsement section of the check along with a reference to additional information regarding additional information related to the account opening; receiving an image of the endorsement section of the check after the check is cleared; determining whether the checkbox is checked in the image; and responsive to a determination that the checkbox is checked, opening an account for the entity at the billing and payment system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for inviting an entity to open an account at a billing and payment system, the method comprising:

issuing a check payable to the entity, wherein a checkbox for opening an account at the billing and payment system is printed on an endorsement section of the check along with a reference to additional information regarding additional information related to the account opening;

receiving an image of the endorsement section of the check after the check is cleared;

determining whether the checkbox is checked in the image; and

responsive to a determination that the checkbox is checked, opening an account for the entity at the billing and payment system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the endorsement section further comprises a line for the entity to provide an address of the entity, and the method further comprises:

recognizing the address provided by the entity along the line in the image of the endorsement section of the check; and

sending a message to the recognized address regarding opening the account for the entity at the billing and payment system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the endorsement section further comprises a section for the entity to sign in order to open the account at the billing and payment system, and the method further comprises:

determining whether the section comprises a signature of the entity in the image of the endorsement section of the check,

wherein opening the account for the entity at the billing and payment system is further responsive to a determination that the section comprises a signature of the entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference to additional information comprises a Uniform Resource Locator associated with a web page comprising the additional information related to the account opening.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the check is issued on behalf of a second entity, and the entity can receive subsequent electronic payments from the second entity through the opened account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the endorsement section further comprises deposit information identifying a bank account of the entity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the deposit information comprises at least one of the following:

an American Bankers Association (ABA) number, a routing number, an account number, and a name of the issuer.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable computer program code for inviting an entity to open an account at a billing and payment system, the computer program code comprising program code for:

issuing a check payable to the entity, wherein a checkbox for opening an account at the billing and payment system is printed on an endorsement section of the check along with a reference to additional information regarding additional information related to the account opening;

receiving an image of the endorsement section of the check after the check is cleared;

determining whether the checkbox is checked in the image; and

responsive to a determination that the checkbox is checked, opening an account for the entity at the billing and payment system.

9. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the endorsement section further comprises a line for the entity to provide an address of the entity, and the computer program code further comprises program code for:

recognizing the address provided by the entity along the line in the image of the endorsement section of the check; and

sending a message to the recognized address regarding opening the account for the entity at the billing and payment system.

10. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the endorsement section further comprises a section for the entity to sign in order to open the account at the billing and payment system, and the computer program code further comprises program code for:

determining whether the section comprises a signature of the entity in the image of the endorsement section of the check,

wherein opening the account for the entity at the billing and payment system is further responsive to a determination that the section comprises a signature of the entity.

11. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the reference to additional information comprises a Uniform Resource Locator associated with a web page comprising the additional information related to the account opening.

12. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the check is issued on behalf of a second entity, and the entity can receive subsequent electronic payments from the second entity through the opened account.

13. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the endorsement section further comprises deposit information identifying a bank account of the entity.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the deposit information comprises at least one of the following:

an American Bankers Association (ABA) number, a routing number, an account number, and a name of the issuer.

15. A computer system for inviting an entity to open an account at a billing and payment system, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable computer program code for;

issuing a check payable to the entity, wherein a checkbox for opening an account at the billing and payment system is printed on an endorsement section of the check along with a reference to additional information regarding additional information related to the account opening;

receiving an image of the endorsement section of the check after the check is cleared;

determining whether the checkbox is checked in the image; and

responsive to a determination that the checkbox is checked, opening an account for the entity at the billing and payment system.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the endorsement section further comprises a line for the entity to provide an address of the entity, and the storage medium is further encoded with executable computer program code for:

recognizing the address provided by the entity along the line in the image of the endorsement section of the check; and

sending a message to the recognized address regarding opening the account for the entity at the billing and payment system.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the endorsement section further comprises a section for the entity to sign in order to open the account at the billing and payment system, and the storage medium is further encoded with executable computer program code for:

determining whether the section comprises a signature of the entity in the image of the endorsement section of the check,

wherein opening the account for the entity at the billing and payment system is further responsive to a determination that the section comprises a signature of the entity.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the reference to additional information comprises a Uniform Resource Locator associated with a web page comprising the additional information related to the account opening.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the check is issued on behalf of a second entity, and the entity can receive subsequent electronic payments from the second entity through the opened account.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the endorsement section further comprises deposit information identifying a bank account of the entity.