Electronic identifier payment system and methods

• US 7,092,916 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hansen, Kurt, Diveley, Keith W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US09/990,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/16, 705/26, 705/34, 705/35, 705 39- 45, 705 65- 67, 705 74- 78, 235375-381, 379/114
• US Class Current: 705/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• 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 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3433 the counter having monetary units
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 : Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 : Anonymous user system
• 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 20/401 : Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 : Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 : Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 : Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0615 : Anonymizing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 : Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 : Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 : by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 : by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

A payment service method and system involve a payment service provider, a customer/payor and a consumer provider/payee. The customer/payor enrolls in the service and is provided a unique identifier that enables the customer to conduct transactions with the payment service provider. The customer/payor interfaces with the payment service provider through various forms of communication, and can facilitate payments to the consumer providers/payees through the payment service provider while remaining anonymous.

Claims

1. A payment service method, the method comprising:

a payment service provider receiving a set of identifiers from a consumer provider associated with dial tone service of the consumer provider, the set of identifiers forming a database comprising existing and future customer accounts, the set of identifiers being formatted into a customer database, the customer database being operated by the payment service provider, wherein the dial tone service is configured to provide direct and uninterrupted access to telecommunication services;

the payment service provider receiving a request from a customer of the consumer provider to pay for the dial tone service while the customer is physically present at a payment service provider location, wherein the request includes one of the identifiers and a payment;

creating an electronic record of the payment and the identifier;

communicating the electronic record to a host computer;

electronically sending the electronic record from the host computer to a telecommunication switch; and

activating the dial tone service upon receipt of the electronic record by the telecommunication switch, wherein communication of the electronic record to the telecommunication switch is configured to provide that the dial tone service is activated substantially contemporaneously with receipt of the payment by the payment service provider.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising electronically transferring the payment to a bank account of the consumer provider.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the request is entered into a terminal having a processor, and wherein the electronic record is transferred electronically from the terminal to the host computer.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the electronic record is further transmitted from the host computer to the consumer provider.

5. A method as in claim 3, wherein the set of identifiers are associated with enrollment information obtained from consumers enrolling with the consumer provider, and further comprising electronically sending enrollment information from the consumer provider to the host computer.

6. A method as in claim 5, further comprising periodically receiving updated enrollment information at the host computer.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least some part of the identifier is associated with a payment amount as determined by the consumer provider.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the activating the dial tone service comprises adding service time to an existing dial tone service associated with the customer.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one of the identifiers comprises at least a phone number associated with the customer.

10. A payment system, comprising:

a host computer operated by a payment service provider;

a database associated with the host computer, the database having a record of a set of identifiers that are associated with a dial tone phone service of a consumer provider, the set of identifiers comprising existing and future customer accounts, the database being operated by the payment service provider;

wherein the database includes an electronic record of a payment from a customer that was paid while the customer was physically present at a payment service provider location along with one of the identifiers of the set of identifiers; and

a telecommunication switch in communication with the host computer and configured to activate the dial tone service for a customer phone number upon receipt of an electronic record from the host computer, wherein the electronic record comprises an identifier from the set of identifiers, the customer phone number and payment information, and wherein the dial tone service provides for direct access to phone services from a phone associated with the customer phone number.

11. A system as in claim 10, further comprising at least one terminal having a processor that is capable of communicating with the host computer, and wherein the terminal is configured to receive the identifier, the customer phone number and the payment information and to transmit the identifier, the customer phone number and the payment information to the host computer.

12. A system as in claim 11, further comprising a printer coupled to the terminal to print a receipt showing the payment.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the activation of the activation of the dial tone service comprises adding service time to an existing dial tone service associated with the customer telephone number.