Bar coded bill payment system and method

• US 6,993,507 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PayScan America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pacific Payment Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Meyer, John, Krouse, Lou
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, JAGDISH
• Application Number:
  US09/737,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.1, 235/380, 235/375, 705/35, 705/39, 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• 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 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A bill payment system consistent with the invention comprises a biller generating at least one invoice for at least one customer, the invoice comprising a unique bar code comprising data identifying at least the customer and the biller, and a scanning apparatus configured to scan the bar code and, based on the identifying data of the bar code, to effect payment to the biller in a predetermined amount. In method form, a bill payment method consistent with the invention comprises: generating an invoice for at least one customer, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising data identifying at least said customer and said biller; and permitting a third party to scan said bar code and, based on the identifying data of said bar code, to effect payment to said biller in a predetermined amount. In another embodiment, a bill payment network consistent with the invention comprises a plurality of billers, each biller generating an invoice for at least one customer, the invoice comprising a unique bar code comprising data identifying at least the customer and the biller, and a plurality of third parties in communication with the billers, each third party capable of scanning the bar code and, based on the identifying data of the bar code, effecting payment to the biller in a predetermined amount.

Claims

1. A bill payment system comprising:

an invoice-generating device corresponding to a biller, said invoice-generating device generating at least one invoice for at least one customer of said biller, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising data identifying at least said customer and said biller, wherein said bar code alone, without additional information, embodies an algorithmic signature identifying said bar code as being proprietary to said bill payment system; and

a scanning apparatus in communication with said bill payment system, said scanning apparatus configured to permit a cashier to scan said bar code, said scanning apparatus further being capable, based on the identifying data of said bar code and payment data corresponding to the entry into said bill payment system of a payment made to said cashier by said customer in person, of effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of funds to an account corresponding to said biller in a predetermined amount and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of at least a portion of said payment data to a computer of said biller.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said funds are transmitted or transferred as an electronic funds transfer.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said funds are transmitted or transferred via the Automated Clearing House.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said bar code comprises a plurality of validation levels.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said payment data comprises the date and time said customer makes said payment or the place said payment is made.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said scanning apparatus is integrated into a point-of-sale system.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said scanning apparatus is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

grocery store, convenience store, supermarket, chain store, post office, drug store, government office, location where goods are sold, location where services are sold, and retail store.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said bar code is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

on the front of said invoice, on the reverse of said invoice, detachably printed on said invoice, and on a separate piece of paper from said invoice.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data identifying said biller is assigned by a central registry authority.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said scanning apparatus is configured to print a receipt evidencing said payment.

11. A bill payment method comprising:

generating an invoice for at least one customer, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising data identifying at least said customer and said biller, wherein said bar code alone, without additional information, embodies an algorithmic signature identifying said bar code as being proprietary to said bill payment method;

receiving, via a scanning device operated by a third party who scanned said bar code using said device, the identifying data of said bar code and payment data corresponding to a payment made by said customer in person to said third party; and

effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of funds to an account corresponding to said biller in a predetermined amount based on the identifying data of said bar code and said payment data and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of at least a portion of said payment data to a computer of said biller.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said funds are transmitted or transferred as an electronic funds transfer.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said funds are transmitted or transferred via the Automated Clearing House.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein said bar code comprises a plurality of validation levels.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein said payment data comprises the date and time said customer makes said payment or the place said payment is made.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising using a biller computer comprising accounts receivable software to apply said payment made by said customer against said invoice as of said date and time said customer makes said payment.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein said scanning is performed by said third party at a point-of-sale system.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein said scanning is performed by said third party in a location selected from the group consisting of:

grocery store, convenience store, supermarket, chain store, post office, drug store, government office, location where goods are sold, location where services are sold, and retail store.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein said bar code is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

on the front of said invoice, on the reverse of said invoice, detachably printed on said invoice, and on a separate piece of paper from said invoice.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein said data identifying said biller is assigned by a central registry authority.

21. A method according to claim 11, further comprising printing a receipt evidencing said payment.

22. A bill payment network comprising:

at least one invoice-generating device corresponding to at least one of a plurality of billers, said invoice-generating device generating an invoice for at least one customer of at least one said biller, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising data identifying at least said customer and said biller, wherein said bar code alone, without additional information, embodies an algorithmic signature identifying said bar code as being proprietary to said bill payment network; and

at least one scanning device in communication with said bill payment network, said scanning device corresponding to at least one of a plurality of third parties, said scanning device capable of scanning said bar code and, based on the identifying data of said bar code and payment data corresponding to a payment made by said customer in person to one of said third parties, of effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of funds to an account corresponding to said biller in a predetermined amount and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of at least a portion of said payment data to a computer of said biller.

23. A network according to claim 22, wherein said funds are transferred or transmitted as an electronic funds transfer.

24. A network according to claim 22, wherein said funds are transferred or transmitted via the Automated Clearing House.

25. A network according to claim 22, wherein said bar code comprises a plurality of validation levels.

26. A network according to claim 22, wherein said payment data comprises the date and time said customer makes said payment or the place said payment is made.

27. A network according to claim 22, wherein said scanning device is integrated into a point-of-sale system.

28. A network according to claim 22, wherein said scanning device is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

grocery store, convenience store, supermarket, chain store, post office, drug store, government office, location where goods are sold, location where services are sold, and retail store.

29. A network according to claim 22, wherein said bar code is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

on the front of said invoice, on the reverse of said invoice, detachably printed on said invoice, and on a separate piece of paper from said invoice.

30. A network according to claim 22, wherein said data identifying said biller is assigned by a central registry authority.

31. A network according to claim 22, wherein said scanning device is configured to print a receipt evidencing said payment.

32. A bill payment method comprising:

receiving an invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising data identifying at least a customer and a biller, wherein said bar code alone, without additional information, embodies an algorithmic signature identifying said bar code as being proprietary to said bill payment method;

scanning said bar code by means of a computer coupled to a scanning apparatus, said computer in communication with a computer-implemented payment network;

receiving a payment from said customer in person;

inputting payment data regarding said payment into said computer; and

based on the identifying data of said bar code and said payment data, using said computer for effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of funds to an account corresponding to said biller in a predetermined amount and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of at least a portion of said payment data to a computer of said biller.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said funds are transferred or transmitted as an electronic funds transfer.

34. A method according to claim 32, wherein said funds are transferred or transmitted via the Automated Clearing House.

35. A method according to claim 32, wherein said bar code comprises a plurality of validation levels.

36. A method according to claim 32, wherein said payment data comprises the date and time said customer makes said payment or the place said payment is made.

37. A method as claimed in claim 36, further comprising using a biller computer comprising accounts receivable software to apply said payment made by said customer against said invoice as of said date and time said customer makes said payment.

38. A method according to claim 32, wherein said scanning is performed at a point-of-sale system.

39. A method according to claim 32, wherein said scanning is performed in a location selected from the group consisting of:

grocery store, convenience store, supermarket, chain store, post office, drug store, government office, location where goods are sold, location where services are sold, and retail store.

40. A method according to claim 32, wherein said bar code is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

on the front of said invoice, on the reverse of said invoice, detachably printed on said invoice, and on a separate piece of paper from said invoice.

41. A method according to claim 32, wherein said data identifying said biller is assigned by a central registry authority.

42. A method according to claim 32, further comprising printing a receipt evidencing said payment.

43. A method of providing for payment of bills by customers to billers, comprising:

making available to one or more billers a standard format for representing on a printed document data including biller identification and a biller account identifier corresponding to a customer;

permitting one of said billers to generate a document having data in said standard format printed thereon;

providing at one or more locations of one or more third parties one or more scanning apparatus adapted to read data in said standard format, each said apparatus having stored thereon third-party identification data comprising the identity of the third party to which said scanning apparatus corresponds and/or the location of said scanning apparatus;

receiving, by electronic transmission from one of said scanning apparatus, (i) scanned information from said document comprising said biller identification arid said biller account identifier, (ii) payment information entered by said third party corresponding to a payment made by said customer to said third party, and (iii) said stored third-party identification data; and

providing said received information to a computer-implemented payment network to effect or initiate transmission or transfer of funds from an account corresponding to said third party via an intermediate aggregation account to an account of one of said billers identified by said biller identification in an amount identified by said payment information and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of said payment information to a computer of said biller;

wherein the only personal information of the customer used in said transfer or transmission of funds is said biller account identifier.

44. A method as claimed in claim 43, wherein said payment information comprises the date and time said payment is made.

45. A bill payment system comprising:

an invoice-generating device corresponding to a biller, said invoice-generating device generating at least one invoice for at least one customer, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising at least biller identification data and a biller account identifier corresponding to said customer, wherein said bar code alone, without additional information, embodies an algorithmic signature identifying said bar code as being proprietary to said bill payment system; and

a scanning apparatus configured to scan said bar code, said scanning apparatus being capable, based on the identifying data of said bar code and payment data corresponding to the entry into said payment system of a payment made by said customer, of effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of funds to an account corresponding to said biller in a predetermined amount and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of at least a portion of said payment data to a computer of said biller;

wherein the only personal information of the customer used in said transfer or transmission of funds is said biller account identifier.

46. A system according to claim 45, wherein said funds are transmitted or transferred as an electronic funds transfer.

47. A system according to claim 45, wherein said funds are transmitted or transferred via the Automated Clearing House.

48. A system according to claim 45, wherein said bar code comprises a plurality of validation levels.

49. A system according to claim 45, wherein said payment data comprises the date and time said customer makes said payment or the place said payment is made.

50. A system according to claim 45, wherein said scanning apparatus is integrated into a point-of-sale system.

51. A system according to claim 45, wherein said scanning apparatus is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

grocery store, convenience store, supermarket, chain store, post office, drug store, government office, location where goods are sold, location where services are sold, and retail store.

52. A system according to claim 45, wherein said bar code is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

on the front of said invoice, on the reverse of said invoice, detachably printed on said invoice, and on a separate piece of paper from said invoice.

53. A system according to claim 45, wherein said data identifying said biller is assigned by a central registry authority.

54. A system according to claim 45, wherein said scanning apparatus is configured to print a receipt evidencing said payment.

55. A bill payment method comprising:

generating an invoice for at least one customer, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising at least biller identification data and a biller account identifier corresponding to said customer, wherein said bar code alone, without additional information, embodies an algorithmic signature identifying said bar code as being proprietary to said bill payment method;

receiving, via a scanning device operated by a third party who scanned said bar code using said device, the identifying data of said bar code and payment data corresponding to a payment made by said customer; and

effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of funds to an account corresponding to said biller in a predetermined amount based on the identifying data of said bar code and said payment data and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of at least a portion of said payment data to a computer of said biller;

wherein the only personal information of the customer used in said transfer or transmission of funds is said biller account identifier.

56. A method according to claim 55, wherein said funds are transmitted or transferred as an electronic funds transfer.

57. A method according to claim 55, wherein said funds are transmitted or transferred via the Automated Clearing House.

58. A method according to claim 55, wherein said bar code comprises a plurality of validation levels.

59. A method according to claim 55, wherein said payment data comprises the date and time said customer makes said payment or the place said payment is made.

60. A method according to claim 55, wherein said scanning is performed by said third party at a point-of-sale system.

61. A method according to claim 55, wherein said scanning is performed by said third party in a location selected from the group consisting of:

grocery store, convenience store, supermarket, chain store, post office, drug store, government office, location where goods are sold, location where services are sold, and retail store.

62. A method according to claim 55, wherein said bar code is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

on the front of said invoice, on the reverse of said invoice, detachably printed on said invoice, and on a separate piece of paper from said invoice.

63. A method according to claim 55, wherein said data identifying said biller is assigned by a central registry authority.

64. A method according to claim 55, further comprising printing a receipt evidencing said payment.

65. A bill payment network comprising:

at least one invoice-generating device corresponding to at least one of a plurality of billers, said invoice-generating device generating an invoice for at least one customer of at least one said biller, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising at least biller identification data and a biller account identifier corresponding to said customer, wherein said bar code alone, without additional information, embodies an algorithmic signature identifying said bar code as being proprietary to said bill payment network; and

at least one scanning device in communication with said bill payment network, said scanning device corresponding to at least one of a plurality of third parties, said scanning device capable of scanning said bar code and, based on the identifying data of said bar code and a payment made by said customer, of effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of funds to an account corresponding to said biller in a predetermined amount and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of data to a computer of said biller;

wherein the only personal information of the customer used in said transfer or transmission of funds is said biller account identifier.

66. A network according to claim 65, wherein said funds are transferred or transmitted as an electronic funds transfer.

67. A network according to claim 65, wherein said funds are transferred or transmitted via the Automated Clearing House.

68. A network according to claim 65, wherein said bar code comprises a plurality of validation levels.

69. A network according to claim 65, wherein said payment data comprises the date and time said customer makes said payment or the place said payment is made.

70. A network according to claim 65, wherein said scanning device is integrated into a point-of-sale system.

71. A network according to claim 65, wherein said scanning device is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

grocery store, convenience store, supermarket, chain store, post office, drug store, government office, location where goods are sold, location where services are sold, and retail store.

72. A network according to claim 65, wherein said bar code is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

on the front of said invoice, on the reverse of said invoice, detachably printed on said invoice, and on a separate piece of paper from said invoice.

73. A network according to claim 65, wherein said data identifying said biller is assigned by a central registry authority.

74. A network according to claim 65, wherein said scanning device is configured to print a receipt evidencing said payment.

75. A bill payment method comprising:

receiving an invoice from a biller, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising at least biller identification data and a biller account identifier corresponding to said customer, wherein said bar code alone, without additional information, embodies an algorithmic signature identifying said bar code as being proprietary to said bill payment method;

receiving, via a scanning device operated by a third party who scanned said bar code using said device, the identifying data of said bar code and payment data corresponding to a payment made by said customer; and

effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of funds to an account corresponding to said biller in a predetermined amount based on the identifying data of said bar code and said payment data and concomitantly effecting or initiating transmission or transfer of at least a portion of said payment data to a computer of said biller;

wherein the only personal information of the customer used in said transfer or transmission of funds is said biller account identifier.

76. A method according to claim 75, wherein said funds are transferred or transmitted as an electronic funds transfer.

77. A method according to claim 75, wherein said funds are transferred or transmitted via the Automated Clearing House.

78. A method according to claim 75, wherein said bar code comprises a plurality of validation levels.

79. A method according to claim 75, wherein said payment data comprises the date and time said customer makes said payment or the place said payment is made.

80. A method according to claim 75, wherein said scanning is performed at a point-of-sale system.

81. A method according to claim 75, wherein said scanning is performed in a location selected from the group consisting of:

grocery store, convenience store, supermarket, chain store, post office, drug store, government office, location where goods are sold, location where services are sold, and retail store.

82. A method according to claim 75, wherein said bar code is in a location selected from the group consisting of:

on the front of said invoice, on the reverse of said invoice, detachably printed on said invoice, and on a separate piece of paper from said invoice.

83. A method according to claim 75, wherein said data identifying said biller is assigned by a central registry authority.

84. A method according to claim 75, further comprising printing a receipt evidencing said payment.

85. A method of including additional data in an Automated Clearing House funds transfer, said method comprising the steps of:

in an Automated Clearing House electronic funds transfer, inserting one or more data elements into one or more of a customer name field and a user designated discretionary field corresponding to the formal data format specification for a remitted payment record;

remitting said payment record, including said inserted data elements, to the Automated Clearing House for processing, and effecting said processing of said payment record, thereby producing a processed payment record that includes said inserted data elements; and

extracting, from said processed payment record, at a receiving computer system, at least one of said inserted data elements;

wherein said data elements comprise one or more of;

a local retail transaction number providing traceback information either as a reference link back to a store transaction log or as a reference link back to an electronic transaction database; and

the place and/or date and/or time a payment is made.

86. A method of including additional data in an electronic funds transfer, said method comprising the steps of:

in an electronic funds transfer, inserting one or more data elements into a customer name field corresponding to the formal data format specification for a remitted payment record in a payment network;

remitting said payment record, including said inserted data elements, to said payment network for processing, and effecting said processing of said payment record, thereby producing a processed payment record that includes said inserted data elements; and

extracting, from said processed payment record, at a receiving computer system, at least one of said inserted data elements;

wherein said data elements comprise one or more of;

a local retail transaction number providing traceback information either as a reference link back to a store transaction log or as a reference link back to an electronic transaction database; and

the place and/or date and/or time a payment is made.