Direct payment with token

• US 7,003,493 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated), Western Union
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Weichert, Margaret M., Mascavage, John J. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Daniel L.
• Application Number:
  US10/350,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 705/44, 705/39, 235/379
• US Class Current: 705/39
• 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 20/10 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 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• 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 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

According to the invention, a method for transferring funds from a sender to one or more recipients using a wide-area computer network is disclosed. In one step, transfer information is received from the sender with the wide area computer network to transfer credit to from the sender to a recipient. The transfer information includes at least an identifier and a credit amount. The identifier is generated by the sender. The identifier is unique to the recipient. It is determined if the transfer information is complete. A message is sent to the recipient. Transfer of a transfer amount related to the credit amount is paused based, at least in part, on the transfer information being incomplete. The transfer of the transfer amount is completed after the transfer information is complete.

Claims

1. A method for transferring funds from a sender to one or more recipients using a wide-area computer network, the method comprising:

receiving transfer information from the sender with the wide area computer network to transfer credit to from the sender to a recipient, wherein;

the transfer information includes at least an identifier and a credit amount,

the identifier is generated by the sender, and

the identifier is unique to the recipient;

determining if the transfer information is complete;

sending a message to the recipient to request any missing transfer information, wherein the sending step comprises a step of providing electronic notification to the recipient that notifies the recipient that the transfer of funds is paused;

pausing transfer of a transfer amount related to the credit amount if the transfer information is incomplete;

receiving at least some information from the recipient to complete the transfer information; and

completing transfer of the transfer amount after the transfer information is complete.

2. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

determining if the recipient is required to authenticate an identity of the recipient; and

pausing transfer of the transfer amount based, at least in part, on the second-listed determining step.

3. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an e-mail address of the recipient.

4. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the completing step comprises steps of:

determining a first handler chosen by the sender;

requesting at least the transfer amount from the first handler;

receiving at least the transfer amount from the first handler;

determining a second handler chosen by the recipient; and

sending at least the transfer amount to the second handler associated with the recipient.

5. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 4, wherein the first and second handlers include at least one of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, an agent location, a stored value fund, an airline mileage program, a gift certificate issuer, an electronic gift certificate issuer, or a money order issuer.

6. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the completing transfer step comprises a step of transferring the transfer amount in a single transfer between a first account associated the sender and a second account associated with the recipient.

7. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the identifier is related to a merchant identifier and a payee identifier,

the merchant identifier is determined by someone or something other than the sender, and

the payee identifier is determined by the sender.

8. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises automatically receiving a file comprising the transfer information.

9. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the sending step comprises a step of sending a message using at least one of a web page, an instant message, an e-mail message, a pager message, a voice mail message, or a wireless phone message.

10. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the credit amount corresponds to at least one of:

currency, monetary value, coupon credit, airline mileage, promotional program points, gift certificate credit, or commodities.

11. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the completing step comprises at least one of the following steps:

sending the transfer amount to a bank account;

sending the transfer amount to a credit card or debit card;

sending the transfer amount in a check or money order;

sending the transfer amount to an agent location;

sending the transfer amount in an electronic or a tangible gift certificate;

or

sending the transfer amount to a promotional program.

12. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

receiving a trigger condition for a stored value fund of the recipient; and

automatically transferring at least the transfer amount from the stored value fund when the trigger condition is satisfied.

13. The method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 12, wherein the trigger condition is selected from at least one of the following:

receipt of the transfer amount from a particular sender;

a credit balance in the stored value fund meeting a monetary threshold;

or

detection of a time event.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for transferring funds from the sender to one or more recipients using the wide-area computer network, the computer-readable medium comprising code for:

receiving transfer information from the sender with the wide area computer network to transfer credit to from the sender to a recipient, wherein;

the transfer information includes at least an identifier and a credit amount,

the sender generates the identifier, and

the identifier is unique to the recipient;

determining if the transfer information is complete;

sending a message to the recipient to request any missing transfer information, wherein the sending step comprises a step of providing electronic notification to the recipient that notifies the recipient that the transfer of funds is paused;

pausing transfer of a transfer amount related to the credit amount if the transfer information is incomplete;

receiving at least some information from the recipient to complete the transfer information; and

completing transfer of the transfer amount after the transfer information is complete.

15. A method for transferring funds from a sender to a plurality recipients using a wide-area computer network, the method comprising:

receiving transfer information from the sender with the wide area computer network to transfer credit from the sender to a plurality of recipients, wherein the transfer information for one of the plurality of recipients includes at least a unique identifier and a credit amount;

determining if the one is required to authenticate an identity of the one;

sending a message to the one to request authentication the identity of the one, wherein the sending step comprises a step of providing electronic notification to the one that notifies the one that the transfer of funds is paused;

pausing transfer of a transfer amount related to the credit amount until the one authenticates the identity of the one;

authenticating the one; and

completing transfer of the transfer amount after any pause related to the pausing step.

16. The method for transferring funds from the sender to the plurality recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in 15, further comprising steps of:

determining if the transfer information is complete for the one; and

pausing transfer of the transfer amount based, at least in part, on the second-listed determining step.

17. The method for transferring funds from the sender to the plurality recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in 15, wherein the unique identifier is generated by the sender.

18. The method for transferring funds from the sender to the plurality recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in 15, further comprising one or more of the following steps:

requiring the one have an account with a payment enabler;

or

requiring the one provide a user name and password to authenticate the identity, whereby authentication allows access to the account of the one.

19. The method for transferring funds from the sender to the plurality recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in 15, wherein:

the unique identifier is related to a merchant identifier and a payee identifier,

the merchant identifier is determined by someone or something other than the sender, and

the payee identifier is determined by the sender.

20. The method for transferring funds from the sender to the plurality recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in 15, further comprising steps of:

receiving a trigger condition for a stored value fund of the one; and

automatically transferring at least the transfer amount from the stored value fund when the trigger condition is satisfied.

21. The method for transferring funds from the sender to the plurality recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in 20, wherein the trigger condition is selected from at least one of the following:

receipt of the transfer amount from a particular sender;

a credit balance in the stored value fund meeting a monetary threshold;

or

detection of a time event.

22. A method for transferring funds from a sender to a plurality recipients using a wide-area computer network, the method comprising:

receiving transfer information from the sender with the wide area computer network to transfer credit from the sender to a plurality of recipients, wherein the transfer information for one of the plurality of recipients includes at least an unique identifier and a credit amount;

determining if the transfer information is complete for one of the plurality of recipients;

determining if the one is required to authenticate an identity of the one;

electronically sending a message to the one to request at least one of any missing transfer information or authentication of the identity of the one;

pausing transfer of a transfer amount related to the credit amount until at least one of;

the transfer information is completed by the one, or

the one authenticates the identity of the one;

completing transfer of the transfer amount after any pause related to the pausing step, wherein the completing step comprises at least one of a following six steps;

sending the transfer amount to a bank account,

sending the transfer amount to a credit card or debit card,

sending the transfer amount in a check or money order,

sending the transfer amount to an agent location,

sending the transfer amount in an electronic or a tangible gift certificate, or

sending the transfer amount to a promotional program; and

further comprising one or more of a following two steps;

requiring the one have an account with a payment enabler, or

requiring the one provide a user name and password to authenticate the identity, whereby authentication allows access to the account of the one.

23. The method for transferring funds from the sender to the plurality recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in 22, wherein the unique identifier is generated by the sender.

24. The method for transferring funds from the sender to the plurality recipients using the wide-area computer network as recited in 22, wherein:

the identifier is related to a merchant identifier and a payee identifier,

the merchant identifier is determined by someone or something other than the sender, and

the payee identifier is determined by the sender.