APPORTIONING SHARED FINANCIAL EXPENSES

• US 20150120344A1
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rose, Cody
• Granted Patent: US 9,721,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• 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 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A determination can be made that a first user is available for a card-less payment transaction with a merchant restaurant. Data describing a booking for a shared financial expense to be incurred at the merchant restaurant can be obtained. The data can describe a second user participating in the group transaction. A total amount due for the shared financial expense can be obtained. A determination can be made that the second user is contributing to the shared financial expense. A respective electronic bill for the first and second users can be generated. Each respective electronic bill can be for an apportioned amount due for the shared financial expense. Data describing the respective electronic bill for the apportioned amount due for the shared financial expense can be sent to the first and second users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

determining that a host user has checked in at a merchant restaurant;

obtaining data describing one or more users that were identified by the host user in an electronic reservation, waitlist, or purchase order;

receiving, from a merchant device of the merchant restaurant, data describing a total amount due for a shared financial expense incurred at the merchant restaurant by the host user and the one or more identified users;

generating an electronic bill using the total amount due for the shared financial expense;

providing data describing the generated electronic bill to the host user and each of the one or more identified users through a respective user device of the host user and each of the one or more identified users;

receiving, from the user device of the host user, instructions to apportion the electronic bill between one or more of the host user and at least one of the one or more identified users;

in response to receiving, from the user device of the host user, instructions to apportion the electronic bill between one or more of the host user and at least one of the one or more identified users,

identifying, from the host user and the one or more identified users, one or more contributing users that are contributing to the total amount due for the shared financial expense;

generating, for each contributing user that is contributing to the total amount due, a respective electronic bill for an apportioned amount due for the shared financial expense; and

providing, to each contributing user that is contributing to the total amount due, a respective electronic bill for the apportioned amount due for the shared financial expense.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying, from the host user and the one or more identified users, one or more users that are contributing to the total amount due for the shared financial expense further comprises:

identifying, from the one or more identified users, a group of one or more users that have checked in at the merchant restaurant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying, from the host user and the one or more identified users, one or more users that are contributing to the total amount due for the shared financial expense further comprises:

identifying, from the one or more identified users, a group of one or more users that have checked in at the merchant restaurant; and

selecting, from the group of users, one or more users that have authorized a card-less payment transaction for payment of the apportioned amount due for the shared financial expense.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating, for each identified user that is contributing to the total amount due, a respective electronic bill for an apportioned amount due for the shared financial expense comprises:

dividing the total amount for the shared financial expense equally among the identified users.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating, for each identified user that is contributing to the total amount due, a respective electronic bill for an apportioned amount due for the shared financial expense comprises:

dividing the total amount for the shared financial expense in respective portions specified by the host user.

6. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

identifying a first user that is available for a card-less payment transaction with a merchant restaurant;

obtaining data describing a booking created by the first user for a shared financial expense at the merchant restaurant, wherein the booking identifies a second user that is participating at the merchant restaurant;

obtaining a total amount due for the shared financial expense;

determining that the second user is contributing to the shared financial expense;

generating, based on the total amount due and on the determination that the second user is contributing to the shared financial expense, respective electronic bills for the first and second users, each respective electronic bill being for an apportioned amount of the shared financial expense; and

sending, to the first and second users, data describing the respective electronic bill for the apportioned amount.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying a first user that is available for a card-less payment transaction with a merchant restaurant comprises:

determining that the first user has checked in with the merchant restaurant using a user device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining data describing a booking created by the first user for a shared financial expense at the merchant restaurant, wherein the booking identifies a second user that is participating in the shared financial expense comprises:

obtaining data describing an electronic reservation that was created by the first user and is for the merchant restaurant, the electronic reservation identifying the second user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining data describing a booking created by the first user for a shared financial expense at the merchant restaurant, wherein the booking identifies a second user that is participating in the shared financial expense comprises:

obtaining data describing an electronic waitlist in which the first user enrolled and is for the merchant restaurant, the electronic waitlist identifying the second user.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining data describing a booking created by the first user for a shared financial expense at the merchant restaurant, wherein the booking identifies a second user that is participating in the shared financial expense, comprises:

obtaining data describing an electronic purchase order that was placed by the first user and is for the merchant restaurant, the electronic purchase order identifying the second user.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining a total amount due for the shared financial expense comprises:

receiving, from a merchant device of the merchant restaurant, data describing the total amount due for the shared financial expense.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein determining that the second user is contributing to the shared financial expense comprises:

determining that the second user has authorized a card-less payment transaction with the merchant restaurant.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein determining that the second user is contributing to the shared financial expense comprises:

determining that the second user is available for a card-less payment transaction with a merchant restaurant.

14. The method of claim 13, where determining that the second user is available for a card-less payment transaction with a merchant restaurant comprises:

determining that the second user has checked in with the merchant restaurant from a user device of the second user.

15. The method of claim 13, where determining that the second user is available for a card-less payment transaction with a merchant restaurant comprises:

determining that the second user has been checked in with the merchant restaurant from a user device of the first user.

16. The method of claim 13, where determining that the second user is available for a card-less payment transaction with a merchant restaurant comprises:

determining that the second user has been checked in with the merchant restaurant from a merchant device of the merchant restaurant.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the second user is available for a card-less payment transaction; and

in response to determining that the second user is available for a card-less payment transaction, performing respective card-less payment transactions for the first and second users for the apportioned amount due for the shared financial expense.

18. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the second user is does not have a user account for performing a card-less payment transaction; and

in response to determining that the second user is does not have a user account for performing a card-less payment transaction, communicating, to a user device of the second user, a message for downloading software that allows the second user to create a user account to perform the card-less payment transaction.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein the booking is an electronic reservation, waitlist, or purchase order.

20. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving, from a payment system, data describing an electronic bill for a shared financial expense that was incurred at a restaurant by a group of users, wherein the data describes a total amount due for the shared financial expense, one or more items that were purchased from the restaurant as part of the shared financial expense, respective amounts due for each of the one or more items, and each user in the group of users;

sending, to the payment system, a request for apportioning the total amount due for the shared financial expense;

receiving, from the payment system, data describing an apportioned electronic bill for the shared financial expense; and

sending, to the payment system, authorization to pay the apportioned electronic bill through a card-less payment transaction with the restaurant.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the users in the group of users are identified from an electronic reservation that was made for the restaurant by a user in the group of users.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the users in the group of users are identified from an electronic waitlist for the restaurant in which a user enrolled in the group of users.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein users in the group of users are identified from a shared electronic purchase order for the restaurant that was made by a user in the group of users.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the apportioned electronic bill is for an amount that is apportioned among each of the one or more users in the group of users.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the apportioned electronic bill is for an amount that is apportioned among some of the one or more users in the group of users.