Computer-based funds transfer system

• US 7,194,437 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Angela C., Young, FuMing, Blakey, Adrian J., Britto, Mark J., Ringewald, Erich L., Cardwell, Aimee K., Peddy, Nicholas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin; Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campen; Kelly
• Application Number:
  US09/312,309
• Time in Patent Office: 2,867 Days
• Field of Search: 705/39, 705/38, 705/40, 705/44, 705/35, 235/379
• US Class Current: 705/40
• 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 20/04 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 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A service configured to be accessible by two or more parties to a two-sided funds transfer transaction through a computer network (e.g., the Internet) provides functionality for sending a payment request to a target payer or payee who is not yet registered with the service. Depending upon who is initiating the transaction (i.e., a payer or a payee) the payment requests may be received as requests to send payments or requests to collect payments. In the latter case, the service may be further organized to solicit a payment, for example by transmitting an e-mail message to a second party to the funds transfer transaction. When used to collect payments, the service may be further organized to process one or more responses to the above-mentioned solicitations.

Claims

1. A server system that provides a network-based service for transferring funds between users, the server system comprising:

a web-based user interface module that is adapted to be used by both payers and payees to effect funds transfer transactions, the web-based user interface module including;

a registration interface through which users register with the funds transfer service to send payments to other users and/or receive payments from other users, wherein the registration interface collects financial account information and authentication information from the users; and

a payment request interface through which a payer can generate a payment request for initiating payment to a target payee, and through which a payee can generate a payment request for requesting payment from a target payer, wherein the payment request interface enables generation of a payment request that specifies an email address of a target payer or payee who is not yet registered with the funds transfer service; and

a transaction processing engine that receives and processes the payment requests submitted via the web-based user interface module, wherein the transaction processing engine is responsive to the payment request that specifies the email address of the target user who is not registered with the funds transfer service by sending to the email address of the target user an email message specifying a URL for accessing the server system, whereby the target user may access the URL to register with the funds transfer service and supply instructions for completing an associated funds transfer transaction.

2. The server system of claim 1, wherein the transaction processing engine performs transaction-specific risk assessments in which information supplied by the payer and payee in a funds transfer transaction is analyzed prior to transaction execution.

3. The server system of claim 2, wherein the transaction processing engine further takes into consideration transaction histories of payers and/or payees in performing the transaction-specific risk assessments.

4. The server system of claim 2, wherein the transaction processing engine further takes into consideration payment amounts when performing said transaction-specific risk assessments.

5. The server system of claim 1, wherein the payment request interface further supports the generation of a payment request in which a payee requests payment from a plurality of payers.

6. The server system of claim 1, wherein the payment request interface comprises one or more web forms for composing and submitting a payment request.

7. The server system of claim 1, wherein the web-based user interface module and the transaction processing engine support the ability for a payer to make a credit card payment to a payee without exposing associated credit card account information to the payee.