PAYMENT SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method of processing payment authorization requests for payment transactions to be conducted via a data communications network on behalf of online merchants, the payment authorization requests being conducted as a result of orders by financial instrument holders via a plurality of different online merchant systems, each of said online merchants having an online merchant identity, and each of said online merchants being associated with one of a plurality of acquiring banks,wherein the method is conducted by a trusted central intermediary system which is arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to each of a plurality of online merchant Internet Payment Service Provider (IPSP) systems,each of said merchant IPSP systems being arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to at least one of a plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems, each of said plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems being responsible for processing payment authorizations for at least one of said acquiring banks, and the method comprising:
- receiving from a first online merchant system, responsible for originating payment authorization requests for a first online merchant, a payment authorization request relating to authorization of a payment transaction, said received payment authorization request being initiated as a result of a financial instrument holder conducting an order via the first online merchant system;
in response to receiving said request;
a) generating a payment authorization request comprising transaction data including;
i) a financial instrument identity to be used in the payment transaction by the financial instrument holder; and
ii) an online merchant identity, associated with the first online merchant, as the payment transaction beneficiary; and
iii) one or more transaction details including a payment amount; and
b) retrieving transmission data to enable the transmission of payment authorization request data to a selected merchant IPSP system associated with the first online merchant; and
c) on the basis of the retrieved transmission data, transmitting said generated payment authorization request to the selected merchant IPSP system, wherefrom a further payment authorization request may be generated and transmitted to an acquiring bank payment processor system responsible for processing payment authorizations for the acquiring bank with which the first online merchant is associated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a method of processing payment authorization requests for payment transactions to be conducted via a data communications network on behalf of online merchants, the payment authorization requests are conducted as a result of orders by financial instrument holders via a plurality of different online merchant systems. Each of the online merchants has an online merchant identity. The method is conducted by a trusted central intermediary system which is arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to each of a plurality of different online merchant Internet Payment Service Provider (IPSP) systems. Each merchant IPSP system is arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to at least one of a plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems, and each of said plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems is responsible for processing payment authorizations for at least one of said acquiring banks. Embodiments of the invention enable a user to select a payment method on a per transaction basis, whilst removing the requirement for the user to provide payment details to individual online merchant systems or to their merchant IPSP systems. Thus, providing that online merchants, or their merchant IPSPs, subscribe to a service arranged to perform the method, users only have to submit their respective payment details, preferably only once, to a separate, trusted entity.
52 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of processing payment authorization requests for payment transactions to be conducted via a data communications network on behalf of online merchants, the payment authorization requests being conducted as a result of orders by financial instrument holders via a plurality of different online merchant systems, each of said online merchants having an online merchant identity, and each of said online merchants being associated with one of a plurality of acquiring banks,
wherein the method is conducted by a trusted central intermediary system which is arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to each of a plurality of online merchant Internet Payment Service Provider (IPSP) systems, each of said merchant IPSP systems being arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to at least one of a plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems, each of said plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems being responsible for processing payment authorizations for at least one of said acquiring banks, and the method comprising: receiving from a first online merchant system, responsible for originating payment authorization requests for a first online merchant, a payment authorization request relating to authorization of a payment transaction, said received payment authorization request being initiated as a result of a financial instrument holder conducting an order via the first online merchant system;
in response to receiving said request;a) generating a payment authorization request comprising transaction data including; i) a financial instrument identity to be used in the payment transaction by the financial instrument holder; and ii) an online merchant identity, associated with the first online merchant, as the payment transaction beneficiary; and iii) one or more transaction details including a payment amount; and b) retrieving transmission data to enable the transmission of payment authorization request data to a selected merchant IPSP system associated with the first online merchant; and c) on the basis of the retrieved transmission data, transmitting said generated payment authorization request to the selected merchant IPSP system, wherefrom a further payment authorization request may be generated and transmitted to an acquiring bank payment processor system responsible for processing payment authorizations for the acquiring bank with which the first online merchant is associated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A payment authorization system for processing payment authorization requests in respect of payment transactions to be conducted via a data communications network on behalf of online merchants, the payment authorization requests being conducted as a result of orders by financial instrument holders via a plurality of different online merchant systems, each of said online merchants having an online merchant identity, wherein the payment authorization system comprises:
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a trusted central intermediary system arranged to communicate with a plurality of different online merchant Internet Payment Service Provider (IPSP) systems and with a plurality of said online merchants, the trusted central intermediary system being arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to each of the plurality of different online merchant Internet Payment Service Provider (IPSP) systems, wherein each of said merchant IPSP systems is arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to at least one of a plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems, each of said plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems being responsible for processing payment authorizations for at least one of said acquiring banks, wherein, responsive to a payment authorization request relating to authorization of a payment transaction from a first online merchant system, said received payment authorization request being initiated as a result of a financial instrument holder conducting an order via the first online merchant system and the online merchant system being responsible for originating payment authorization requests for said first online merchant, the trusted intermediary system is arranged to; a) generate a payment authorization request comprising transaction data including; i) a financial instrument identity to be used in the payment transaction by the financial instrument holder; and ii) an online merchant identity, associated with the first online merchant, as the payment transaction beneficiary; and iii) one or more transaction details including a payment amount; and b) retrieve transmission data to enable the transmission of payment authorization request data to a selected merchant IPSP system associated with the first online merchant; and c) on the basis of the retrieved transmission data, transmit said generated payment authorization request to the selected merchant IPSP system, wherefrom a further payment authorization request may be generated and transmitted to an acquiring bank payment processor system responsible for processing payment authorizations for the acquiring bank with which the first online merchant is associated.
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Specification