Method and apparatus for providing and processing installment plans at a terminal

• US 6,336,104 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1999
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Van Luchene, Andrew S., Jorasch, James A., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US09/264,379
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 705/38, 705/30, 705/34, 705/35, 705/39, 705/40, 705/26, 705/27, 380/4, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• 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 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• 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 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 : Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 : Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 : Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 : with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 : for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 : involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 : Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 : Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 : with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 : Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 : Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 : electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 : Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A central controller receives from a POS terminal a purchase price and a financial account identifier. The financial account identifier specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The central controller, in turn, generates one or more installment plan identifiers defining installment plans for payment of the purchase price. The installment plan identifiers are based on the purchase price and/or the financial account identifier. For example, certain accounts or certain high purchase prices may merit preferred installment plans. The installment plan identifiers are transmitted to the POS terminal. A purchaser at the POS terminal selects whether he would like to pay for his purchase in installments and, if so, using which installment plan. The POS terminal generates a selection signal indicative of whether to accept any of the installment plans, and transmits the selection signal to the central controller. The central controller receives the selection signal. If the selection signal indicates acceptance of any installment plan, use of the accepted installment plan for the financial account is authorized. Thereafter, bills are generated which reflect installment charges to be paid.

Claims

1. A method for providing installment plan options at a terminal, comprising:

generating a purchase price;

generating a financial account identifier for specifying a financial account;

transmitting the purchase price and the financial account identifier;

receiving an installment plan identifier defining an installment plan for payment of the purchase price, the installment plan identifier being received in response to at least one of the transmitted purchase price and financial account identifier;

generating a selection signal indicative of whether to accept the installment plan; and

transmitting the selection signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a merchant identifier; and

transmitting the merchant identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining an upsell to offer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining the upsell to offer comprises:

receiving an upsell identifier defining the upsell to offer.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining the upsell to offer comprises:

generating an upsell identifier defining the upsell to offer, the upsell identifier being generated in dependence on at least one of the purchase price and the financial account identifier.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

displaying a signal indicative of the upsell to offer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a signal indicative of the installment plan.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving an installment plan identifier comprises:

receiving a plurality of installment plan identifiers, each defining an installment plan for payment of the purchase price, the plurality of installment plan identifiers being responsive to the transmitted purchase price and financial account identifier;

and wherein the selection signal is indicative of whether to accept any one of the plurality of installment plans.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account identifier specifies a credit card account.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether use of an installment plan for the financial account is authorized; and

if use of the installment plan is authorized,

determining a periodic payment amount defined by the installment plan, and

applying the periodic payment amount to a balance of the financial account.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

printing indicia indicative of the periodic payment amount.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

calculating a balance due by adding the periodic payment amount to a predetermined amount; and

printing indicia indicative of the balance due.

13. An apparatus for providing installment plan options at a terminal, comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor connected to the storage device,

the storage device storing

a program for controlling the processor;

the processor operative with the program to

generate a purchase price;

generate a financial account identifier for specifying a financial account;

transmit the purchase price and the financial account identifier;

receive an installment plan identifier defining an installment plan for payment of the purchase price, the installment plan identifier being responsive to at least one of the transmitted purchase price and financial account identifier;

generate a selection signal indicative of whether to accept the installment plan; and

transmit the selection signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

generate a merchant identifier; and

transmit the merchant identifier.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

determine an upsell to offer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

receive an upsell identifier defining the upsell to offer.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

generate an upsell identifier defining the upsell to offer, the upsell identifier being generated in dependence on at least one of the purchase price and the financial account identifier.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

display a signal indicative of the upsell to offer.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

display a signal indicative of the installment plan.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

receive a plurality of installment plan identifiers, each defining an installment plan for payment of the purchase price, the plurality of installment plan identifiers being responsive to the transmitted purchase price and financial account identifier;

and wherein the selection signal is indicative of whether to accept any one of the plurality of installment plans.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the financial account identifier specifies a credit card account.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

determine whether use of an installment plan for the financial account is authorized; and

if use of the installment plan is authorized,

determine a periodic payment amount defined by the installment plan, and

apply the periodic payment amount to a balance of the financial account.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a printer;

and wherein the processor is further operative with the program to;

print indicia indicative of the periodic payment amount.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a printer;

and wherein the processor is further operative with the program to;

calculate a balance due by adding the periodic payment amount to a predetermined amount; and

print indicia indicative of the balance due.