Method for closed loop processing of transactions utilizing bank card association

• US 6,169,974 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1998
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paymentech LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Paymentech LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Baumgartner, James W., Smith, Cynthia M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON JR, FOREST
• Application Number:
  US09/168,470
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 705/39, 705/40, 235/380, 235/379
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems

Abstract

A procedure for tracking transactions carried out between multiple cost centers and an in-house supply facility of a business entity is carried out by setting up the supply facility to function essentially in the same manner as an independent retail merchant through the existing bank card association. Transaction information is then transferred as a batch to a merchant accounting system which transfers the information to the bank card association to the card issuer. The card issuer then provides a funds payment that is transferred through the bank card network to the merchant accounting system and finally to the merchant acquirer. The merchant acquirer, however, then transfers the funds back to the credit card issuer to cancel out the original funds transfer and thereby provide a closed loop funds transfer. Periodically, the merchant accounting system provides a comprehensive collection of the transaction information performed by the stock room to the credit card issuer who in turn generates a transaction report that is provided to the business entity for updating its general ledger. At the close of a month, the totality of transactions for the stock room of the business entity is communicated to the credit card issuer which in turn determines the amount of interchange fees it has received from the merchant acquirer and pays a corresponding amount for the interchange fees back to the merchant acquirer, thus essentially zeroing out the interchange fees in a closed loop manner.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing transactions between specific cost centers and an in-house supply facility of a business entity utilizing a bank card association functioning in conjunction with a financial entity'"'"'s computerized processor which financial entity has both a merchant acquirer and a credit card issuer, the method comprising the steps of:

generating transaction information for each transaction between said cost centers and said supply facility, said transaction information including at least data identifying the business entity cost center which initiated the transaction, the amount of the transaction, and the date of the transaction,

transmitting said transaction information to a network services host computer which provides authorization data for said transactions,

transferring said transaction information from said network services host computer to a merchant accounting system,

transferring said transaction information from said merchant accounting system to said bank card association,

transferring at least a part of said transaction information from said bank card association to said credit card issuer,

after receipt of said transaction information by said credit card issuer, transferring transaction funds, which correspond to said transaction amounts transferred from said credit card issuer to said bank card association,

transferring said transaction funds from said bank card association to said merchant accounting system,

transferring said transaction funds from said merchant accounting system to said merchant acquirer,

transferring said transaction funds from said merchant acquirer to said credit card issuer to offset said transaction funds previously transferred from said credit card issuer to said back card association,

producing a report of said transactions by said credit card issuer, said report including for each said transaction at least data indicating the transaction amount and the cost center involved in the transaction, and

providing said transaction report in an electronic form to said business entity.

2. A method for processing transactions as recited in claim 1 including the steps of:

generating an interchange fee amount, which is associated with the processing related to said transactions performed at said in-house supply facility, by said bank card association,

transferring a least a part of said transaction information from said bank card association, together with said interchange fee amount, to said merchant accounting system,

transferring said transaction information and interchange fee amount received by said merchant accounting system to said merchant acquirer,

transferring interchange fees corresponding to the interchange fee amount from said merchant acquirer to said merchant accounting system,

transferring said interchange fees from said merchant accounting system to said bank card association,

transferring said interchange fees from said bank card association to said card issuer, and

transferring said interchange fees from said card issuer to said merchant acquirer to cancel the previous transfer of interchange fees by said merchant acquirer.

3. A method for processing transactions as recited in claim 2 wherein said step of transferring said interchange fees from said card issuer to said merchant acquirer is performed at the end of a monthly cycle for all interchange fees transferred during the monthly period to the card issuer.

4. A computer-implemented method for processing transactions between specific cost centers and an in-house supply facility of a business entity utilizing a bank card association functioning in conjunction with a financial entity'"'"'s computerized processor which financial entity has both a merchant acquirer and a credit card issuer, wherein information related to the transactions is communicated to the bank card association, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving transaction information by said credit card issuer from said bank card association, said transaction information relating to said transactions and including at least data identifying the business entity cost center which initiated a transaction, the amount of each transaction, and the date of each transaction,

after receipt of said transaction information by said credit card issuer, transferring transaction funds, which correspond to said transaction amounts, to said bank card association,

receiving said transaction funds, which have been transferred through said bank card association, by said merchant acquirer,

transferring said transaction funds from said merchant acquirer to said credit card issuer to offset said transaction funds previously transferred from said credit card issuer to said bank card association,

producing a report of said transactions by said credit card issuer, said report including for each said transaction at least data indicating the transaction amount and the cost center involved in the transaction, and

providing said transaction report in an electronic form to said business entity.

5. A method for processing transactions as recited in claim 4 including the steps of:

receiving by said merchant acquirer from said merchant accounting system transaction information and an interchange fee amount, which is associated with the processing by said bank card association resulting from said transactions performed at said in-house supply facility

transferring interchange fees corresponding to the interchange fee amount from said merchant acquirer to said merchant accounting system,

receiving said interchange fees from said bank card association by said card issuer, and

transferring said interchange fees from said card issuer to said merchant acquirer to substantially cancel the previous transfer of interchange fees made by said merchant acquirer.

6. A method for processing transactions as recited in claim 5 wherein said step of transferring said interchange fees from said card issuer to said merchant acquirer is performed at the end of a monthly cycle for all interchange fees transferred during the monthly period to the card issuer.