System and method for facilitating electronic transfer of funds

• US 7,110,980 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Standard Chartered UK Holdings Limited (Standard Chartered PLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Bank Limited (Standard Chartered PLC)
• Inventors: Krishnan, Subramaniam, Fernandez, Joseph, Crespo, Gabriela, Aponte, Steven, Eckstein, Nina, Madhavan, Ramaswamy, Bruni, Gennaro, Kreiner, George, Couto, Luiz C., Wolfe, Colleen, Almonte, Eddy, Joost, Gordon, Dasari, Nageswararao, McGrath, Arthur, Gilbert, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M.
• Application Number:
  US10/358,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20030236726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 705 39- 43
• US Class Current: 705/39
• 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 20/10 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 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A system for facilitating electronic transfer of funds includes a transfer administrator in communication with a transferor institution, one or more intermediary institution, and a transferee institution, the transferor institution having an account at the one or more intermediary institution. The transfer administrator may be configured to receive an incoming payment request designating said transferor institution, a quantity of funds to be transferred, and the transferee institution. The transfer administrator generates and issues a translated payment order based at least in part on the incoming payment request and configured to accomplish a transfer among the transferor institution, the one or more intermediary institution, and the transferee institution. Finally, the transfer administrator may facilitate processing of a balancing payment among the transferor institution, the one or more intermediary institution, and the transferee institution.

Claims

1. A data processing system for facilitating electronic transfer of funds, said data processing system comprising:

a processor for processing digital data;

a memory coupled to said processor for storing digital data;

means, coupled to said memory, for inputting digital data; and

a transfer administrator configured as an application program, said application program stored in said memory and accessible by said processor for directing processing of digital data by said processor;

said transfer administrator configured to perform the steps of;

receiving an incoming exempt payment request designating a transferor institution, a quantity of funds to be transferred, and a transferee institution, wherein said payment request includes a first transfer protocol;

generating a translated and participating payment order by translating said first transfer protocol to a second transfer protocol, wherein said translated and participating payment order is based at least in part on said incoming exempt payment request, and wherein said translated and participating payment order includes said second transfer protocol; and

facilitating communication of said translated and participating payment order to said transferee institution, whereby funds are electronically transferred from said transferor institution to said transferee institution.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said incoming exempt payment request is configured in accordance with a Fedwire funds transfer protocol.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said translated and participating payment order is configured in accordance with a SWIFT messaging system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said incoming payment request is received directly from said transferor institution.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said incoming payment request is received from an intermediary institution.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said transferor institution is in a first nation and wherein said transferee institution is in a second nation distinct from said first nation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said transfer administrator is further configured to perform said step of acquiring relationship information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said relationship information comprises an algorithm for determining fees to be assessed in connection with said electronically transferred funds.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said transfer administrator is further configured to perform said step of initiating payment among an affiliated institution and an intermediary institution in accordance with said incoming exempt payment request and an exempt electronic funds transfer protocol.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said transfer administrator is further configured to perform said step of facilitating processing of a balancing payment among an account of said transferor institution and an account of said intermediary institution.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said transfer administrator is further configured to perform said step of debiting an outgoing payment queue of said intermediary institution and crediting an account of said transferee institution.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said transfer administrator is further configured to perform said step of facilitating processing by debiting said account of said intermediary institution and crediting said account of said transferor institution, said account of said transferor institution configured to accommodate electronic transfer of funds in accordance with a participating electronic funds transfer protocol.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said transfer administrator is further configured to perform said step of debiting a participating demand account of said transferor institution, crediting an outgoing payment queue of an intermediary institution, and crediting a demand account of said transferor institution in accordance with said relationship information, said demand account configured to accommodate electronic transfer of funds in accordance with a participating electronic funds transfer protocol.

14. A system for facilitating electronic transfer of funds, said system comprising:

a transfer administrator in communication with a transferor institution, an intermediary institution, and a transferee institution;

said transferor institution having an account at said intermediary institution;

said transfer administrator configured to perform the steps of;

receiving an incoming exempt payment request designating said transferor institution, a quantity of funds to be transferred, and said transferee institution, wherein said incoming exempt payment request includes a first transfer protocol;

generating a translated and participating payment order by translating said first transfer protocol to a second transfer protocol, wherein said translated and participating payment order is based at least in part on said incoming exempt payment request, and wherein said translated and participating payment order includes said second transfer protocol; and

facilitating communication of said translated and participating payment order to said transferee institution, whereby finds are electronically transferred from said transferor institution to said transferee institution.

15. A method for facilitating electronic transfer of funds comprising:

receiving an incoming exempt payment request designating a transferor institution, a quantity of funds to be transferred, and a transferee institution, wherein said payment request includes a first transfer protocol;

generating a translated and participating payment order by translating said first transfer protocol to a second transfer protocol, wherein said translated and participating payment order is based at least in part on said incoming exempt payment request, and wherein said translated and participating payment order includes said second transfer protocol; and

facilitating communication of said translated and participating payment order to said transferee institution, whereby funds are electronically transferred from said transferor institution to said transferee institution.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of said steps of receiving said incoming exempt payment request includes receiving said incoming exempt payment request configured in accordance with a Fedwire funds transfer protocol and said generating said translated and participating payment order includes generating said translated and participating payment order configured in accordance with a SWIFT messaging system.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising converting a currency of said payment request.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a rebate to at least one of said transferor institution and said transferee institution.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of generating said translated and participating payment order comprises generating said translated payment order at an intermediary institution to facilitate payment to said transferee institution.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of generating said translated and participating payment order comprises generating said translated payment order at an intermediary institution to facilitate payment to said transferee institution using at least one of a Fedwire, SWIFT and CHIPS transfer protocol.