Methods and apparatus for processing electronic checks
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving account data;
parsing the account data to determine a bank routing number, whereinthe account data includes MICR line data;
comparing the bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment;
determining if there has been a transposition of a first digit of the parsed bank routing number with a second digit of the parsed bank routing number; and
upon determining that one transposition exists, automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods according to the invention include accepting e-check data input from a payer, parsing the data to determine the bank routing number and the ostensible checking account number, determining the correct number of checking account digits based on the bank routing number, determining whether the ostensible checking account number has the correct number of digits, and prompting the payer to re-enter the checking account number with the correct number of digits if necessary. In addition, the methods include automatically pre-pending and/or appending zero digits where necessary to correct the number of digits in the checking account number. In cases where the payer includes the check number as part of the account number, the methods include removing the check number from the account number by prompting the payer to enter the check number so that it can be deleted from the account number. The methods also reduce NSF returns by comparing account numbers to a negative list to determine whether the account has a history of NSF returns and by automatically re-presenting NSF returns on the next four business days following the return.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving account data; parsing the account data to determine a bank routing number, wherein the account data includes MICR line data; comparing the bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment; determining if there has been a transposition of a first digit of the parsed bank routing number with a second digit of the parsed bank routing number; and upon determining that one transposition exists, automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method, comprising:
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receiving account data; parsing the account data to determine a bank routing number, wherein comparing the parsed bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment; determining if the number of digits in the parsed bank routing number and the previously submitted bank routing number differ by no more than one; and upon determining that the number of digits in the parsed bank routing number and the previously submitted bank routing number differ by no more than one, automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, comprising:
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receiving account data; parsing the account data to determine a bank routing number comparing the parsed bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment; determining if more than a preset percentage of the string of digits of the parsed bank routing number and the string of digits of the previously submitted bank routing number match; and upon determining that more than a preset percentage of the string of digits of the parsed bank routing number and the string of digits of the previously submitted bank routing number match, automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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receiving account data; parsing the account data to determine a bank routing number, wherein said step of parsing is performed without separating the account data into fields based on the placement of at least one non-numeric character; comparing the parsed bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment; determining if the number of digits in the parsed bank routing number and the previously submitted bank routing number differ by no more than one; and upon determining that the number of digits in the parsed bank routing number and the previously submitted bank routing number differ by no more than one, automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for receiving account data; means for parsing the account data to determine the bank routing number, wherein the account data is the MICR line data means for comparing the parsed bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment; means for determining if there has been a transposition of a first digit of the parsed bank routing number with a second digit of the parsed bank routing number; and means for automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number upon determining that one transposition exists. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for receiving account data; means for parsing the account data to determine a bank routing number, wherein means for comparing the parsed bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment; means for determining if the number of digits in the parsed bank routing number and the previously submitted bank routing number differ by no more than one; and means for automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number, upon determining that the number of digits in the parsed bank routing number and the previously submitted bank routing number differ by no more than one. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for receiving account data; and means for parsing the account data to determine a bank routing number means for comparing the parsed bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment; means for determining if more than a preset percentage of the string of digits of the parsed bank routing number and the string of digits of the previously submitted bank routing number match; and means for automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number upon determining that more than a preset percentage of the string of digits of the parsed bank routing number and the string of digits of the previously submitted bank routing number match. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for receiving account data; means for parsing the account data to determine a bank routing number, wherein said means for parsing operates without separating the account data into fields based on the placement of at least one non-numeric character; means for comparing the parsed bank routing number to a previously submitted bank routing number, wherein the previously submitted bank routing number is associated with a successful payment; means for determining if the number of digits in the parsed bank routing number and the previously submitted bank routing number differ by no more than one; and means for automatically replacing the parsed bank routing number with the previously submitted bank routing number upon determining that the number of digits in the parsed bank routing number and the previously submitted bank routing number differ by no more than one. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method, comprising:
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receiving account data including an account number and a bank routing number; determining the number of digits in the account number as being the length of the account number; comparing the account number to a previously submitted account number, wherein the previously submitted account number is associated with a successful payment; determining if the number of digits in the account number and the previously submitted account number differ by no more than one; and upon determining that the number of digits in the account number and the previously submitted account number differ by no more than one, automatically replacing the account number with the previously submitted account number. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. An apparatus, comprising:
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input means for receiving account data including an account number and a bank routing number; means for determining the number of digits in the account number as being the length of the account number; means for comparing the account number to a previously submitted account number, wherein the previously submitted account number is associated with a successful payment; means for determining if the number of digits in the account number and the previously submitted account number differ by no more than one; and means for automatically replacing the account number with the previously submitted account number upon determining that the number of digits in the account number and the previously submitted account number differ by no more than one. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. An apparatus, comprising:
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an input adapted to receive account data including an account number and a bank routing number; a digit counter adapted to count the number of digits in the account number and indicate the number as being the length of the account number; means for comparing the account number to a previously submitted account number, wherein the previously submitted account number is associated with a successful payment; means for determining if the number of digits in the account number and the previously submitted account number differ by no more than one; and means for automatically replacing the account number with the previously submitted account number upon determining that the number of digits in the account number and the previously submitted account number differ by no more than one. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A method, comprising:
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receiving account data including an account number and a bank routing number; comparing the account number to a previously submitted account number, wherein the previously submitted account number is associated with a successful payment; determining if more than a preset percentage of the string of digits of the account number and the string of digits of the previously submitted account number match; and upon determining that more than a preset percentage of the string of digits of the account number and the string of digits of the previously submitted account number match, automatically replacing the account number with the previously submitted account number.
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48. An apparatus, comprising:
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input means for receiving account data including an account number and a bank routing number; means for comparing the account number to a previously submitted account number, wherein the previously submitted account number is associated with a successful payment; means for determining if more than a preset percentage of the string of digits of the account number and the string of digits of the previously submitted account number match; and means for automatically replacing the account number with the previously submitted account number upon determining that more than a preset percentage of the string of digits of the account number and the string of digits of the previously submitted account number match.
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49. An apparatus, comprising:
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an input adapted to receive account data including an account number and a bank routing number; means for comparing the account number to a previously submitted account number, wherein the previously submitted account number is associated with a successful payment; means for determining if there is no more than one digit of the account number different than the previously submitted account number; and means for automatically replacing the account number with the previously submitted account number upon determining that there is no more than one digit of the account number different than the previously submitted account number.
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Specification