Systems and methods for accessing reconcilement information
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for determining whether to access additional positive pay information in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction, the method comprising:
- electronically receiving, by a check authentication system, a request from a check-cashing entity for positive pay status information for a check presented in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction;
identifying, by the check authentication system, at least one source of positive pay information by accessing a table indicating the external location of the positive pay information;
accessing, by the check authentication system, positive pay information from at least said one of said external location positive pay information sources;
electronically storing the accessed positive pay information;
accessing, by the check authentication system, additional information about at least one of the set consisting of;
characteristics of the proposed check-cashing transaction, characteristics of the identified positive pay information sources, and preferences of the check-cashing entity; and
electronically determining, by the check authentication system, whether to access additional positive pay information, based at least in part on at least one of the set consisting of;
the accessed positive pay information and the accessed additional information,wherein the above elements are performed by one or more computers associated with the check authentication system.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for assisting a check-cashing entity to efficiently and accurately locate relevant positive pay information or other reconcilement information regarding a check or other negotiable instrument that has been presented to a check-cashing entity in association with a request to cash, deposit, use as payment or other otherwise accept the check or negotiable instrument. In various embodiments, when a plurality of potentially useful sources of reconcilement information are identified for querying in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction, a decision regarding how many of the sources to query and/or how long to continue to query may be based at least in part on factors relating to the transaction, factors relating to characteristics of the information sources, and factors relating to preferences on the part of the check-cashing entity.
63 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for determining whether to access additional positive pay information in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction, the method comprising:
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electronically receiving, by a check authentication system, a request from a check-cashing entity for positive pay status information for a check presented in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction; identifying, by the check authentication system, at least one source of positive pay information by accessing a table indicating the external location of the positive pay information; accessing, by the check authentication system, positive pay information from at least said one of said external location positive pay information sources; electronically storing the accessed positive pay information; accessing, by the check authentication system, additional information about at least one of the set consisting of;
characteristics of the proposed check-cashing transaction, characteristics of the identified positive pay information sources, and preferences of the check-cashing entity; andelectronically determining, by the check authentication system, whether to access additional positive pay information, based at least in part on at least one of the set consisting of;
the accessed positive pay information and the accessed additional information,wherein the above elements are performed by one or more computers associated with the check authentication system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A check authentication system, comprising:
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a data interface configured to receive a request from a check-cashing entity for positive pay authentication in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction, wherein the request comprises information about characteristics of the proposed check-cashing transaction; a computer-accessible storage medium configured to store additional information about characteristics of one or more positive pay information sources including external location information as to where the positive pay information is accessible and information about preferences expressed by the check-cashing entity; and a processor configured to query at least one positive pay information source in its external location for positive pay information associated with the proposed check-cashing transaction, the processor further configured to determine thereafter whether to query at least one additional positive pay information source, based at least in part on at least one of the set consisting of the information about characteristics of the proposed check-cashing transaction, at least one positive pay authentication status report received in response to a query, and the stored additional information. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer implemented method for reducing risk associated with accepting a check offered at a check-cashing transaction, the process comprising the acts of:
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electronically entering into an agreement with a check authentication system in which the check authentication system agrees to perform positive pay check authentications; informing the check authentication system of preferences associated with positive pay check authentications; electronically transmitting information associated with a positive pay authentication request for a proposed check-cashing transaction to the check authentication system wherein the check authentication system includes location information about the location of positive pay information that is external to the check authorization system; electronically accessing the external source of positive pay information to obtain a positive pay information result; electronically determining whether to access an additional external source of positive pay information based at least in part on one of (i) the preferences associated with positive pay check authentications or (ii) the positive pay information accessed from the external source; electronically receiving from the check authentication system data indicative of a positive pay authentication result, wherein the positive pay authentication result is based at least in part on information electronically obtained from at least one positive pay information source selected based at least in part on the transmitted information associated with the proposed check-cashing transaction and on the preferences associated with positive pay authentications; and electronically determining whether to accept the check offered at the proposed check-cashing transaction, based at least in part on the positive pay authentication result, wherein the above acts are performed by one or more computers.
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17. A check-cashing entity configured to transmit to a check authentication system information associated with a proposed check-cashing transaction, the check-cashing entity further configured to transmit preferences regarding positive pay authentications to be carried out by the check authentication system, wherein the information and the preferences enable the check authentication system to determine, after querying at least one source of positive pay information external to the authorization system, whether to query at least one additional source of positive pay information.
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18. A computer implemented method for obtaining positive pay information associated with a proposed check-cashing transaction, the method comprising:
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electronically providing a check authentication system with information about preferences regarding positive pay-information searches performed by the check authentication system, wherein the provided information enables the check authentication system to determine whether to continue querying positive pay information sources external to the authorization system in searches for positive pay information that are associated with proposed check-cashing transactions; electronically transmitting a request to the check authentication system for positive pay information associated with a proposed check-cashing transaction, wherein the transmitted request triggers the check authentication system to locate and query a positive pay information source external to the check authorization system for positive pay information associated with the proposed check cashing transaction and wherein the electronically transmitted request thereafter triggers a determination about whether to continue querying positive pay information sources in a search for positive pay information associated with the proposed check-cashing transaction; and
electronically obtaining from the check authentication system positive pay information associated with the proposed check-cashing transaction,wherein the above elements are performed by one or more computers.
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19. A system for determining whether to continue a search for positive pay information, comprising:
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means for receiving a request from a check-cashing entity for positive pay status information for a check presented in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction; means for identifying at least one source of positive pay information that is external to the means for receiving a request; means for accessing positive pay information from at least one of the identified sources; means for accessing additional information about at least one of the set consisting of;
characteristics of the proposed check-cashing transaction, characteristics of the identified positive pay information sources, and preferences of the check-cashing entity; andmeans for determining whether to access additional external positive pay information source, based at least in part on at least one of the set consisting of;
the accessed positive pay information and the accessed additional information.
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Specification