PHONE NUMBER PAYMENTS FOR BILL PAYMENTS USERS

• US 20120197786A1
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fidelity National Information Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fidelity National Information Services Incorporated
• Inventors: BROWN, Steven T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,384,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation

Abstract

Described herein are methods and systems for registering a phone number as a payment facilitator. The phone number can be registered through a user'"'"'s Bill Pay account, which is associated to the user'"'"'s financial account. The user can specify the types of purchases that can be made using the phone number and request that a merchant processing a payment using the phone number convey customized details regarding the purchase. Purchase details associated with a purchase can then be provided to the consumer by the merchant. Also described herein are methods and systems for processing a payment using a phone number. The payment can be processed, in part, by a payment processor providing a consumer with a Bill Pay account associated with the consumer'"'"'s financial account. The payment can be processed without the use of a credit card network and, as a result, without incurring unnecessary Interchange fees.

Claims

1. A method for registering an identification number as a payment facilitator, the method comprising:

providing a user with access to a bill payment platform associated with a financial account;

prompting the user to register an identification number for use as a payment facilitator;

receiving the identification number from the user; and

associating the identification number with the financial account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification number comprises a phone number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the user with a list of merchants accepting the identification number as a payment facilitator.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing the user with an opportunity to customize the usage of the identification number as a payment facilitator.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the user with an opportunity to customize the usage of the identification number as a payment facilitator comprises allowing the user to specify one or more merchants authorized to use the identification number as a payment facilitator.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the user with an opportunity to customize the usage of the identification number as a payment facilitator comprises allowing the user to specify characteristics information associated with the transaction to be provided by a merchant processing a payment using the identification number.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the user with an opportunity to customize the usage of the identification number as a payment facilitator comprises allowing the user to limit the use of the identification number as a payment facilitator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein allowing the user to limit the use of the identification number as a payment facilitator comprises allowing the user to specify particular dates on which, times at which, products for which, or merchants for which the identification number cannot be used as a payment facilitator.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the identification number to a third party for activation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the identification number to a third party comprises transmitting the identification number to a routing partner.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the routing partner transmits the identification number to one or more merchants accepting identification numbers as a payment facilitator.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting the user-specified characteristics information associated with the transaction to one or more merchants accepting the identification number as a payment facilitator.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the user to register the identification number for use as a payment facilitator comprises directing the user to a routing partner'"'"'s website.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the routing partner receives the identification number from the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the routing partner authenticates the identification number and associates the user and a provider of the Bill Pay platform with the identification number.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, after authentication of the identification number, the routing partner transmits the identification number to the provider of the Bill Pay platform or one or more merchants accepting identification numbers as a payment facilitator.

17. A system for registering a phone number as a payment facilitator, the system comprising:

a database;

a processor coupled to the database and configured to;

prompt a user to register a phone number as a payment facilitator;

receive the phone number from the user;

transmit an authorization code to the user using the phone number;

prompting the user to provide the authorization code; and

receiving the authorization code from the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor prompts the user to register a phone number as a payment facilitator while the user is logged in to a Bill Pay account.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the Bill Pay account is associated with a financial account.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the phone number is a mobile phone number.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor transmits the authorization code to the user via a text message sent to the phone number.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor transmits the authorization code to the user via a voice message sent to the phone number.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor receives the authorization code from the user via a text message sent from the phone number.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor receives the authorization code from the user via a voice message left from the phone number.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor receives the authorization code from the user via a phone call placed from the phone number.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to encrypt the authorization code before transmitting the authorization code to the user.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to associate the phone number with a financial account after receiving the authorization code from the user.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the phone number to one or more merchants accepting phone numbers as payment facilitators, after the phone number is associated with the financial account.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor is further configured to encrypt the phone number before transmitting the phone number to one or more merchants accepting phone numbers as payment facilitators.

30. A method of processing a payment using a phone number, the method comprising:

prompting a consumer to enter a phone number as a payment facilitator;

verifying the phone number has been registered for use as a payment facilitator;

transmitting the phone number;

scheduling a withdrawal from a financial account associated with the phone number.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

transmitting purchase details to a provider of a Bill Pay account associated with the financial account.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

comparing purchase details to a record of the consumer'"'"'s preferences; and

determining whether the consumer'"'"'s preferences forbid the purchase.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

denying the use of the phone number as a payment facilitator if the consumer'"'"'s preferences forbid the purchase.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

transmitting an approval message to a merchant processing the payment after the withdrawal from the financial account has been successfully scheduled.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

after successfully processing the payment, providing details regarding the purchase in accordance with a stored record of the consumer'"'"'s requested purchase information.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein providing the consumer with pre-selected purchase details after successful processing of the payment is performed via the consumer'"'"'s Bill Pay account.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

verifying that the financial account contains sufficient funds to successfully complete the payment.