BILL PAYMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BILL SPLITTEES

• US 20170193477A1
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: BillGO, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Billhero Incorporated
• Inventors: Holt, Daniel W., Seidi, Kelly Lynn, Miller, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US15/359,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20170193477A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments

Abstract

Described herein are technologies to facilitate a bill-payment infrastructure that offers a two-part mechanism for multiple parties (herein, “splittees”) to pay their portion of an outstanding invoice/bill. One part of the mechanism handles the accounting, tracking, and notification of each splittee'"'"'s portion (e.g., how much is owed and whether it was paid in full and on-time). The second part of the mechanism handles the actual bill payment from each splittee.

Claims

1. A method that facilitates payment of bills, the method comprising:

obtaining billing information regarding a bill from a biller, wherein a plurality of splittees of a group share an obligation to pay a debt associated with the bill;

assigning a portion of the debt to each splittee, wherein a sum of the splittee'"'"'s portions is sufficient to pay the debt associated with the bill;

obtaining moneys from a funding source of each splittee;

determining whether the obtained moneys for each splittee are in an amount that is sufficient to cover each splittee'"'"'s assigned portion of the debt;

in response to a determination that the obtained moneys for each splittee are sufficient, collecting the obtained moneys into a single payment that is sufficient to pay the debt associated with the bill;

transmitting the single payment to the biller.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a funding transaction type to obtain moneys for a particular splittee, wherein the particular splittee specifies that selected funding transaction type;

obtaining a due date of the bill;

determining that a latency of the selected funding transaction type exceeds the due date of the bill;

in response to the determination that the latency of the selected funding transaction type exceeds the due date of the bill, notifying the particular splittee of that determination.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a due date of the bill;

determining that a latency of a funding transaction type to obtain moneys for a particular splittee exceeds the due date of the bill;

enabling a selection of funding transaction type other than the determined funding transaction type.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising, in response to a determination that the obtained moneys for one of the splittees are insufficient, sending a notification that indicates that determination the splittee with insufficient funding.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising, for a particular splittee:

acquiring a prioritized listing of funding sources available for the particular splittee;

selecting a highest priority funding source on the listing from which to obtain the moneys for the obtaining moneys action;

in response to a determination that the obtained moneys for the particular splittee are insufficient, selecting a next highest priority funding source on the listing from which to obtain the moneys for the obtaining moneys action.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising, with at least one of the splittees of the group, obtaining moneys from multiple funding sources.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising, with at least one of the splittees of the group, obtaining moneys from multiple differing funding sources.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the assigning the portions includes:

sending a notification to the splittees regarding their assigned portion;

receiving an approval from the splittees regarding their assigned portion.

9. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, direct the one or more processors to perform operations that facilitate a bill payment system, the operations comprising:

obtaining billing information regarding a bill from a biller, wherein a plurality of splittees of a group share an obligation to pay a debt associated with the bill, wherein the billing information includes identification of the biller, amount of the debt associated with the bill, and a date that the debt is due;

assigning a portion of the debt to each splittee, wherein a sum of the splittee'"'"'s portions is sufficient to pay the debt associated with the bill;

obtaining moneys from a funding source of each splittee, wherein moneys of at least one of the splittees are obtained from multiple funding sources;

determining whether the obtained moneys for each splittee are in an amount that is sufficient to cover each splittee'"'"'s assigned portion of the debt;

in response to a determination that the obtained moneys for each splittee are sufficient, collecting the obtained moneys into a single payment that is sufficient to pay the debt associated with the bill;

transmitting the single payment to the biller.

10. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the assigning each splittee'"'"'s portion includes a proportional allocation of the debt.

11. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the obtaining moneys for a particular splittee includes acquiring funding from a bank account associated with that particular splittee.

12. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the obtaining moneys for a particular splittee includes acquiring funding from a credit card or debit card associated with that particular splittee.

13. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a funding transaction type to obtain moneys for a particular splittee.

14. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise, for a particular splittee:

acquiring a prioritized listing of funding sources available for the particular splittee;

selecting a highest priority funding source on the listing from which to obtain the moneys for the obtaining moneys action;

in response to a determination that the obtained moneys for the particular splittee are insufficient, selecting a next highest priority funding source on the listing from which to obtain the moneys for the obtaining moneys action.

15. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, direct the one or more processors to perform operations that facilitate a payment of bills, the operations comprising:

obtaining billing information regarding a bill from a biller, wherein a plurality of splittees of a group share an obligation to pay a debt associated with the bill, wherein the billing information includes identification of the biller, amount of the debt associated with the bill, and a date that the debt is due;

assigning a portion of the debt to each splittee, wherein a sum of the splittee'"'"'s portions is sufficient to pay the debt associated with the bill;

gathering instructions from each splittee regarding how to obtain their moneys from one or more of their funding sources;

sending the gathered instructions to a bill payment system;

receiving a notification regarding whether the obtained moneys of a splittee are in an amount that is sufficient to cover that splittee'"'"'s assigned portion of the debt;

in response to a notification that the obtained moneys are insufficient, gathering additional instructions regarding how to obtain additional moneys from one or more of funding sources;

sending the gathered additional instructions to a bill payment system.

16. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the assigning each splittee'"'"'s portion includes a proportional allocation of the debt.

17. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a funding transaction type to obtain moneys for a particular splittee, wherein the particular splittee specifies that selected funding transaction type.

18. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting a funding transaction type to obtain moneys for a particular splittee, wherein the particular splittee specifies that selected funding transaction type;

obtaining a due date of the bill;

determining that a latency of the selected funding transaction type exceeds the due date of the bill;

in response to the determination that the latency of the selected funding transaction type exceeds the due date of the bill, notifying the particular splittee of that determination.

19. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining a due date of the bill;

determining that a latency of a funding transaction type to obtain moneys for a particular splittee exceeds the due date of the bill;

enabling a selection of funding transaction type other than the determined funding transaction type.

20. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the assigning the portions includes:

receiving a notification regarding a splittee'"'"'s assigned portion;

sending an approval from the splittee regarding their assigned portion.