Method for providing a money transfer service through a payment enabler system
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for providing a money transfer service between a first party and a second party through a payment enabler system, comprising:
- maintaining, on a memory storage device at the payment enabler system, a database of registered users that have registered with the payment enabler system, the registered users database comprising a plurality of records that include an email address and other account information including a default payment method and a default money receiving method;
maintaining, on a memory storage device at the payment enabler system, an address book database for storing address book records on behalf of a first party comprising names associated with second parties with whom the first party may initiate a money transfer, each address book record including a name and an associated email address provided by the first party;
in response to selection by the first party of an entry in the address book database of a particular second party for purposes of initiating a money transfer with the selected second party, retrieving, via a processing unit, the email address associated with the selected second party from the first party'"'"'s associated address book records in the address book database;
accessing the registered users database and determining whether the retrieved email address associated with the selected particular second party has a record in the registered users database;
in response to a determination that the second party has no entry in the registered users database, sending, via a processing unit, the second party a registration invitation email utilizing the retrieved email address to notify the second party that a transaction is pending and instructing the second party to register with the payment enabler system by accessing the payment enabler system;
in response to accessing of the payment enabler system by the second party after the registration invitation email, conducting a user registration process comprising;
receiving, via a processing unit, registration information comprising an email address of the registering user, identification information, and a default money transfer method;
in response to receiving registration information from a registering user, creating a database record in the registered users database including the registration information; and
completing the transaction between the first party and the second party by the payment enabler transferring money between the first party and the second party utilizing a determined money transfer method.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for processing person-to-person payments and money requests using a computer network. A payment enabler linked to the Internet enables an individual to register for an account through which the individual can make payments to other individuals, request money from other individuals, and access other functionality to facilitate the management of the individual'"'"'s financial transactions. At the time an individual authorizes a payment to another person or directs the payment enabler to request money from another person, the person to whom the payment or money request is directed may, but need not, have already registered for an account with the payment enabler. To communicate with individuals, the payment enabler may use both Web pages and e-mail. An intermediary typically operates the payment enabler and acts as a conduit for the money transfer from one individual (the payor) to another individual (the payee). This enables the payor to pay through a variety of different payment methods and the payee to receive payment through a variety of different methods. Individuals may make payments from and receive money transfers into a stored value account. In addition to initiating immediate money transfer and request money transactions, an individual may use the payment enabler to schedule future or recurring transactions. Address book functionality may provide users the ability to retain information on counter parties. The address book may be integrated into the money transfer and money request interfaces to allow an individual to quickly select the counter party for a transaction.
343 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A computer implemented method for providing a money transfer service between a first party and a second party through a payment enabler system, comprising:
-
maintaining, on a memory storage device at the payment enabler system, a database of registered users that have registered with the payment enabler system, the registered users database comprising a plurality of records that include an email address and other account information including a default payment method and a default money receiving method; maintaining, on a memory storage device at the payment enabler system, an address book database for storing address book records on behalf of a first party comprising names associated with second parties with whom the first party may initiate a money transfer, each address book record including a name and an associated email address provided by the first party; in response to selection by the first party of an entry in the address book database of a particular second party for purposes of initiating a money transfer with the selected second party, retrieving, via a processing unit, the email address associated with the selected second party from the first party'"'"'s associated address book records in the address book database;
accessing the registered users database and determining whether the retrieved email address associated with the selected particular second party has a record in the registered users database;in response to a determination that the second party has no entry in the registered users database, sending, via a processing unit, the second party a registration invitation email utilizing the retrieved email address to notify the second party that a transaction is pending and instructing the second party to register with the payment enabler system by accessing the payment enabler system; in response to accessing of the payment enabler system by the second party after the registration invitation email, conducting a user registration process comprising;
receiving, via a processing unit, registration information comprising an email address of the registering user, identification information, and a default money transfer method;in response to receiving registration information from a registering user, creating a database record in the registered users database including the registration information; and
completing the transaction between the first party and the second party by the payment enabler transferring money between the first party and the second party utilizing a determined money transfer method. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
8. The method of 1, wherein the registration invitation email sent to the second party by the payment enabler system includes a link that directs the second party to a registration web page associated with the payment enabler system.
Specification