Method and system for bill presentment and payment

• US 6,292,789 B1
• Filed: 08/21/1998
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schutzer, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Downs, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas David
• Application Number:
  US09/137,812
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 705/34, 705/39, 705/40, 705/42
• US Class Current: 705/40
• 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 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A method and system for presentment of bills on a computer network includes a biller account hosted on a server of a bill service provider for receiving a bill file from a biller that includes bill data. The biller account automatically formats a bill for a consumer from the bill data. The bill file from which the bill is automatically formatted includes a bill template and bill content and may also include a temporary resource. A document server coupled to the bill service provider'"'"'s server receives and automatically stores the formatted bill in a storage location. The formatted bill consists of an electronic mail message, and the storage location is an electronic mailbox. The stored bill is accessed and displayed by the consumer on a consumer terminal coupled to the document server. The consumer may pay the bill through a bill payment processor.

Claims

1. A method of presenting at least one bill for a consumer from a biller on a network, comprising

preparing a bill file for at least one bill for the consumer from the biller, the bill file including data;

automatically formatting the bill for the consumer using the data from the bill file;

automatically storing the formatted bill for the consumer in a storage location;

providing access for the consumer to the storage location;

wherein preparing the bill further comprises the consumer transmitting a request for the bill;

wherein the request is communicated by the consumer to a consumer account of consumer service provider;

the consumer service provider transmitting the request to a biller;

wherein transmitting the request further comprises transmitting a request for bill presentment for the consumer to the consumer service provider;

creating the consumer account for the consumer by the consumer service provider; and

the consumer transmitting a request to the consumer service provider for transfer to a new consumer service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the consumer service provider transmitting the request to the bill service provider.

3. A system for electronic bill presentment, comprising:

a server of a bill service provider the server of the bill service provider hosting a biller account for receiving a bill file from the biller that includes bill data and for automatically formatting a bill from the bill data for a consumer;

a document server coupled to the bill service provider server, the document server receiving and automatically storing the formatted bill;

a consumer terminal coupled to the document server for accessing and displaying the stored bills;

means for receiving a request for action on the bill for the consumer;

means for generating a payment coupon for the bill;

means for storing the payment coupon for the biller by the bill service provider;

means for receiving notice of receipt of the payment coupon for the biller by the document server via the bill service provider; and

means for updating a bill payment indicator for the receipt of the payment coupon for the biller by the document server.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the consumer terminal is coupled to the document server over an electronic network connection.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the server of the bill service provider comprises a computer.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein server of the bill service provider comprises a personal computer.

7. The system of claim 3, further comprising a biller terminal coupled to the bill service provider server.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the consumer terminal is a personal computer.

9. The system of claim 3, further comprising a bill payment processor coupled to the consumer terminal for processing payment of the bill for the consumer.

10. A method of electronic bill presentment, comprising:

receiving a request for electronic bill presentment for a biller by a document server via a bill service provider;

activating electronic bill presentment service for the biller by the document server;

notifying the biller of activation of the service by the document server via the bill service provider;

receiving a bill file by the bill service provider for at least one bill for a consumer from the biller;

automatically formatting the bill for the consumer from the bill file;

automatically storing the formatted bill for the consumer in a storage location;

providing access for the consumer to the storage location;

receiving a request for action on the bill for the consumer;

generating a payment coupon for the bill;

storing the payment coupon for the biller by the bill service provider;

receiving notice of receipt of the payment coupon for the biller by the document server via the bill service provider; and

updating a bill payment indicator for the receipt of the payment coupon for the biller by the document server.

11. A method of electronic bill presentment, comprising:

receiving a bill file by a bill service provider for at least one bill for a consumer from a biller;

automatically formatting the bill for the consumer from the bill file;

automatically storing the bill for the consumer by a document server;

providing access for the consumer to the stored bill by the document server;

receiving a request for action on the bill for the consumer by a consumer service provider;

generating a payment coupon for the bill by the consumer service provider;

providing the payment coupon by the consumer service provider to a bill service provider for the biller via a document server;

storing the payment coupon for the biller by the bill service provider;

receiving notice of receipt of the payment coupon for the biller by the document server via the bill service provider; and

updating a bill payment indicator for the receipt of the payment coupon for the biller by the document server.