METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PAYING DIRECTLY AT BILLER WEBSITES FROM WITHIN A BILL PAY WEBSITE

• US 20110276414A1
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paymentus Corp.
• Original Assignee: Billeo
• Inventors: REGULAGADDA, SUNIL, SUBBARAO, MURALI B., CHITTOOR, SHANKAR A., LOBO, ALLWYN B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,433,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.73
• 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 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A method and a system for performing an online payment related activity using a browser application. The browser application interfaces a bill pay website with one or more biller websites to which the online payment needs to be made. When a user logs-in to the bill pay website, the browser application is activated. The user then selects a biller from a list of billers pre-stored at the bill pay website. The browser application automatically navigates the user to a biller website of the selected biller, while concurrently maintaining a communication link to the bill pay website. The browser application then enters payment information on the one or more payment related web pages displayed at the biller website. After the online payment related activity is completed, and the user is navigated back to the bill pay website without the need for a user input.

Claims

1. A method for performing an online payment related activity, the online payment related activity being facilitated by a browser application, the browser application interfacing a bill pay website with one or more biller websites, the browser application being associated with the bill pay website, the method comprising the steps of:

a. activating the browser application when a user logs-in to the bill pay website;

b. selecting a biller from a list of billers pre-stored at the bill pay website, the list of billers comprising a plurality of billers;

c. automatically navigating the user to a biller website of the selected biller;

d. displaying one or more payment related web pages on the biller website;

e. entering payment information in the one or more payment related web pages without a user input;

f. completing the online payment related activity; and

g. navigating the user back to the bill pay website without a user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically navigating the user to the biller website further comprises:

a. displaying an emblem of the bill pay website on the biller website; and

b. displaying a messages panel for communicating information to the user on the biller website, the information assisting the user in performing the online payment related activity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of communicating information to the user on the biller website further comprises communicating information based on one or more web pages displayed on the biller website, wherein the one or more web pages comprise at least one of a user authentication web page, a web page for making an online payment, and a web page for confirming the online payment.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of displaying one or more promotional messages to the user on the messages panel.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of rendering Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the bill pay website and the one or more biller websites, the GUI being determined based on the context of the browser.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a plurality of information data-points corresponding to each of the one or more biller websites.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically navigating the user to the biller website further comprises:

a. displaying a user authentication web page on the biller website, the user authentication web page requesting user authentication information; and

b. entering the user authentication information on the user authentication web page without a user input, the entering being performed by the browser application, wherein entering the user authentication information facilitates authenticating the user with the biller website based on the user authentication information.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

a. monitoring if the user enters new user authentication information on the user authentication web page, the monitoring being performed by the browser application; and

b. storing the new user authentication information, the storing being performed by the browser application, wherein the new user authentication information facilitates the biller website to authenticate the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment information corresponds to at least one of credit card information, ACH information, debit card information, and prepaid card information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of completing the online payment related activity further comprises:

a. extracting a plurality of attributes associated with the online payment related activity dynamically from the one or more payment related web pages, the extraction being performed by the browser application; and

b. storing the plurality of attributes.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of attributes comprises at least one of amount paid, date paid, a payment account number, a card type, a payment reference issued by the biller, the scheduled future date of payment, a bank account number, a bank account type, and a routing number.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of capturing a copy of the one or more payment related web pages, wherein the copy is stored in a predefined format.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing a receipt of a completed online payment related activity, wherein the receipt is stored in a predefined format.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of navigating the user back to the bill pay website without a user input further comprises maintaining at the browser application a communication link to the bill pay website.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of de-activating the browser application when the user logs-out of the bill pay website.

16. A browser application for interfacing a bill pay website with one or more biller websites for performing an online payment related activity, the browser application communicating with a bill pay server of the bill pay website over a network, the browser application comprising:

a. a user activity monitor configured to activate the browser application when a user logs-in to the bill pay website;

b. a navigation manager configured to automatically navigate the user to a biller website of a biller, the biller being selected by the user from a list of billers pre-stored at the bill pay website, the list of billers comprising a plurality of billers, wherein the navigation to the biller website facilitates the display of one or more payment related web pages by the biller website to the user; and

c. a web form filler configured to enter payment information in the one or more payment related web pages without a user input to complete the online payment related activity.

17. The browser application of claim 16, wherein the user activity monitor is further configured to determine the context of the browser.

18. The browser application of claim 16 further comprising a Graphical User Interface (GUI) manager configured to render GUI on the bill pay website and the one or more biller websites.

19. The browser application of claim 16 further comprising a messaging module configured to communicate information to the user on the one or more biller websites, the information assisting the user in performing the online payment related activity.

20. The browser application of claim 19, wherein the messaging module is further configured to communicate one or more promotional messages to the user on the one or more biller websites.

21. The browser application of claim 16 further comprising a biller module configured to store a plurality of information data-points corresponding to each of the one or more biller websites.

22. The browser application of claim 16 further comprising a password manager configured to enter user authentication information on a user authentication web page without a user input, the user authentication web page being displayed on the biller website.

23. The browser application of claim 22, wherein the user activity monitor is further configured to determine if the user enters new user authentication information on the user authentication web page.

24. The browser application of claim 23, wherein the password manager stores the new user authentication information on the bill pay server.

25. The browser application of claim 16 further comprising a receipt manager configured to:

a. extract a plurality of attributes associated with the online payment related activity dynamically from the one or more payment related web pages; and

b. store the plurality of attributes on the bill pay server.

26. The browser application of claim 25, wherein the receipt manager is further configured to:

a. capture a copy of the one or more payment related web pages; and

b. store the copy of the one or more payment related web pages on the bill pay server.

27. The browser application of claim 25, wherein the receipt manager is further configured to store a receipt of a completed online payment related activity on the bill pay server.

28. The browser application of claim 16, wherein the navigation manager is further configured to navigate the user back to the bill pay website without a user input after the online payment related activity is complete, the navigation manager maintaining a communication link to the bill pay website.

29. The browser application of claim 16, wherein the user activity monitor is further configured to de-activate the browser application when the user logs-out of the bill pay website.

30. A system for performing an online payment related activity by interfacing a bill pay website with one or more biller websites, the system comprising:

a. a browser application configured to;

ii. interface the bill pay website and the one or more biller websites;

iii. assist in performing the online payment related activity at the one or more biller websites;

b. a browser application server configured to;

ii. control the browser application;

iii. store a plurality of information data-points corresponding to each of the one or more biller websites; and

c. a bill pay server configured to store user authentication information, payment information, a plurality of attributes associated with the online payment related activity, a copy of one or more payment related web pages, and a receipt of a completed online payment related activity.

31. A computer program product for use with a computer, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for performing an online payment related activity, the online payment related activity being facilitated by a browser application, the browser application interfacing a bill pay website with one or more biller websites, the browser application being associated with the bill pay website, the computer readable program code comprising:

a. a program instruction means for activating the browser application when a user logs-in to the bill pay website;

b. a program instruction means for automatically navigating the user to a biller website of a biller, the biller being selected from a list of billers pre-stored at the bill pay website, the list of billers comprising a plurality of billers;

c. a program instruction means for entering payment information in one or more payment related web pages without a user input, the one or more payment related web pages being displayed on the biller website;

d. a program instruction means for completing the online payment related activity; and

e. a program instruction means for navigating the user back to the bill pay website without a user input.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the program instruction means for automatically navigating the user to the biller website further comprises:

a. a program instruction means for displaying an emblem of the bill pay website on the biller website; and

b. a program instruction means for displaying a messages panel for communicating information to the user on the biller website, the information assisting the user in performing the online payment related activity.

33. The computer program product of claim 32 further comprising displaying a program instruction means for one or more promotional messages to the user on the messages panel.

34. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising a program instruction means for rendering Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the bill pay website and the one or more biller websites, the GUI being determined based on the context of the browser.

35. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising a program instruction means for storing a plurality of information data-points corresponding to each of the one or more biller websites.

36. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the program instruction means for automatically navigating the user to the biller website further comprises a program instruction means for entering user authentication information on a user authentication web page without a user input, the user authentication web page being displayed on the biller website, the user authentication web page requesting the user authentication information, wherein the user is authenticated by the biller website based on the user authentication information.

37. The computer program product of claim 36 further comprising:

a. a program instruction means for monitoring if the user enters new user authentication information on the user authentication web page; and

b. a program instruction means for storing the new user authentication information, wherein the user is authenticated by the biller website based on the new user authentication information.

38. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the program instruction means for completing the online payment related activity further comprises:

a. a program instruction means for extracting a plurality of attributes associated with the online payment related activity dynamically from the one or more payment related web pages, the extraction being performed by the browser application; and

b. a program instruction means for storing the plurality of attributes.

39. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising a program instruction means for capturing a copy of the one or more payment related web pages, wherein the copy is stored in a predefined format.

40. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising a program instruction means for storing a receipt of a completed online payment related activity, wherein the receipt is stored in a predefined format.

41. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the program instruction means for navigating the user back to the bill pay website without a user input further comprises a program instruction means for maintaining at the browser application a communication link to the bill pay website.

42. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising a program instruction means for de-activating the browser application when the user logs-out of the bill pay website.