Staged transactions systems and methods

• US 7,184,989 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Algiene, Kenneth, Sayor, Thomas B., Hansen, Kurt L., Vialpando, Sharon K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan; James A
• Application Number:
  US10/444,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 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: 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 20/3821 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 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 : Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 : Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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

Systems and methods for accepting payments for goods and services provided by a merchant. In one embodiment, a method for accepting payments from a consumer for a good or service provided by a merchant comprises receiving a transaction request from the merchant, receiving a payment from the consumer, associating the payment with the transaction request, and sending at least a portion of the payment to the merchant. In this manner, the merchant stages the transaction, and the consumer completes the transaction by making the payment. An optional time limit feature also may be used, and the transaction may be staged by the consumer, or others.

Claims

1. A method for accepting payments from a consumer for a good or service provided by a merchant, the method comprising:

the payment service provider receiving transaction requests from the merchant, the transaction requests comprising a set of transaction identifiers, the set of identifiers forming a database comprising existing consumer purchases, the set of identifiers being formatted into a consumer database, the consumer database being operated by the payment service provider;

storing the transaction requests in the consumer database;

receiving a payment from the consumer, including receiving a transaction identifier from the consumer that corresponds to the transaction request, wherein the consumer is physically present at a payment service provider location when making the payment;

using a computer to associate the payment with the transaction request and transaction identifier and to establish a payment account with the payment service provider, wherein the computer is capable of communicating with a storage medium;

storing the payment account in the storage medium;

sending at least a portion of the payment to the merchant;

accepting the payment if receiving the payment occurs within the time limit; and

rejecting the payment if receiving the payment does not occur within the time limit.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising storing a record of the payment and the associated transaction request in a database.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an inquiry from the merchant as to whether the payment was made by the consumer; and

sending a reply to the merchant in response to the inquiry.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising providing an indication to the merchant that the payment was made by the consumer.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein sending at least the portion of the payment to the merchant comprises electronically sending at least the portion of the payment to an account of the merchant.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the transaction request comprises a consumer profile.

8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising providing a confirmation to the consumer after the receiving the payment.

9. The method as in claim 8 wherein the confirmation comprises a receipt.

10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising providing the good to the consumer on behalf of the merchant.

11. The method as in claim 10 wherein the good comprises a data package.

12. The method as in claim 1 further comprising providing the consumer with a location of at least one payment location.

7. The method as 6 further comprising verifying a consumer identity against the consumer profile.