Electronic Billing with required viewing of supplemental information

• US 7,302,411 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Checkfree Services Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Checkfree Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ganesan, Ravi, Hobday, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Jagdish
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dass; Harish T.
• Application Number:
  US09/798,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,457 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 705/37, 705/39, 385/1.15
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, system, and article of manufacture for presenting information via a network. Multiple information identifiers, each associated with information to be directed to a network user, are received and stored. A notice of availability of the information, as well as one of the information identifiers, are transmitted to the network user. Only after the network user views the information associated with the transmitted information identifier, another information identifier is transmitted to the network user to allow the network user to view the information associated with the other information identifier.

Claims

1. A method for electronic bill presentment and payment, comprising:

transmitting bill information and forced-to-view information associated with a bill, wherein the forced-to-view information is associated with supplemental information that must be accessed prior to accepting a payment request for the bill;

subsequent to transmission of the first information and second information, receiving a message that the supplemental information has been accessed; and

accepting a payment request for the bill only after the message has been received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the bill information and the forced-to-view information;

and

storing an indicator that the supplemental information has been accessed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, prior to accepting the payment request, an indication that payment of the bill is available.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bill information includes at least a portion of bill summary information or a link to bill detail.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the forced-to-view information comprises a link to supplemental information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the bill information prior to transmitting the bill information and the forced-to-view information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information is a special announcement, a promotional offer, a regulatory notice, or a notice associated with an account.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting web page data, wherein web page data is configured to render an icon, wherein the selection of the forced-to-view information is associated with the presentation of the ion.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the selection of the icon results in the access of the supplemental information.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein selection of the icon causes the receipt of the message that the supplemental information has been accessed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the icon is a pay bill icon, and wherein selection of the pay bill icon causes the payment request for the bill to be submitted.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selection of the pay bill icon further causes the receipt of the message that the supplemental information has been accessed.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information is bill detail.

13. A system for electronic bill presentment and payment, comprising a computer-readable storage medium having one or more computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the one or more computer-readable program code portions comprising at least one executable portion operable to:

transmit bill information and forced-to-view information associated with a bill, wherein the forced-to-view information is associated with supplemental information that must be accessed prior to accepting a payment request for the bill;

subsequent to transmission of the bill information and the forced-to-view information, receive a message that the supplemental information has been accessed; and

accept a payment request for the bill only after the message has been received.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one memory, and at least one executable portion operable to:

store the bill information and the forced-to-view information in the memory; and

store an indicator that the supplemental information has been accessed.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one executable portion operable to:

transmit, prior to accepting the payment request, an indicator that payment of the bill is available.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the bill information includes at least a portion of bill summary information or a link to bill detail.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the forced-to-view information comprises a link to supplemental information.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one executable portion operable to:

receive the bill information, prior to the transmission of the bill information and the forced-to-view information.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the supplemental information is a special announcement, a promotional offer, a regulatory notice, or a notice associated with an account.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one executable portion operable to transmit web page data, wherein web page data is configured to render an icon, wherein the selection of the forced-to-view information is associated with the presentation of the ion.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the selection of the icon results in the access of the supplemental information.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein selection of the icon causes the receipt of the message that the supplemental information has been accessed.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the icon is a pay bill icon, and wherein selection of the pay bill icon causes the payment request for the bill to be submitted.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein selection of the pay bill icon further causes the receipt of the message that the supplemental information has been accessed.

27. The system of claim 13, wherein the supplemental information is bill detail.

25. A method of electronic bill presentment and payment, comprising:

transmitting bill information and forced-to-view information associated with a bill, wherein the forced-to-view information includes supplemental information that must be accessed prior to accepting a payment request for the bill;

subsequent to transmitting the bill information and the forced-to-view information, receiving a message that the forced-to-view information has been accessed; and

accepting a payment request for the bill only after the message has been received.