Systems and method for integrating multiple interaction arrangements

• US 7,647,246 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2004
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Timbers, Kenneth, Eldred, Eric, Rodin, Michael, Larsen, Karen, Geiger, Terra, Baumgartner, David, Crawford, Erik S., Harte, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian; Mila
• Application Number:
  US10/960,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20060100960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for executing such a bilateral action. A communication is received at a host system. A determination is made that the communication identifies a physical instrument that identifies an account of stored value. A request is transmitted to another host system to debit the account by an amount identified in the communication to support the bilateral action. A confirmation is received from the other host system that the account of stored value has been debited. An approval for the bilateral action is transmitted to an originating communications device.

Claims

1. A method of executing a bilateral action between a first party and a person, the method comprising:

receiving at a first host system associated with the first party, a communication from a communications device local to the first party, wherein the communications device is one of a plurality of communications devices that define nodes of a first network providing information pathways between the nodes of the first network and the first host system;

determining at the first host system that the communication identifies a student identification instrument issued to the person to identify the person and to identify an account of stored value for use by the person in supporting execution of bilateral actions between the person and a second party associated with nodes of a closed second network, wherein

the closed second network providing information pathways between the nodes of

the closed second network and a second host system,

the second host system is distinct from the first host system,

the second network is distinct from the first network,

the student identification instrument is issued on behalf of the second party,

the first host system and the second host system have equal status within their respective networks;

the first host system and the first network are comprised by a first interaction arrangement that administers stored value accounts,

the second host system and the second network are comprised by a second interaction arrangement that administers stored value accounts; and

transmitting a request from the first host system to the second host system to debit the account of stored value by an amount identified in the communication, the amount supporting the bilateral action;

receiving a confirmation at the first host system from the second host system that the account of stored value has been debited; and

transmitting an approval for the bilateral action from the first host system to the communications device.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the first network is a closed network.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

the request includes an identification of characteristics of the bilateral action; and

receiving the confirmation acknowledges a determination by the second host system that the characteristics are consistent with a predetermined set of requirements for bilateral actions involving the person.

4. The method recited in claim 3 wherein the predetermined set of requirements was established by someone other than the person.

5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the bilateral action comprises a financial transaction for a purchase of a product by the person from the first party.

6. The method recited in claim 5 wherein the product is a ticket for an event.

7. The method recited in claim 6 wherein the event is a sporting event.

8. The method recited in claim 6 wherein a notification is transmitted from the second host system to an operator of the event, the operator of the event being neither the first party nor the person.

9. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the account of stored value is one of a plurality of accounts of stored value identified by the physical instrument.

10. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the account is automatically replenished by a defined amount at a specified time from a specified source of value.

11. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the communication includes an offer to exchange personal property owned by the first party and the person with each other.

12. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

the physical instrument further identifies an age of the person;

the bilateral action has an age restriction;

the request includes a specification of the age of the person obtained from the physical instrument; and

receiving the confirmation acknowledges a determination by the second host system that the age of the person meets the age restriction.

13. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

the communication further includes a biometric identification of the person obtained from a physical measurement of the person;

the request includes the biometric identification; and

receiving the confirmation acknowledges a determination by the second host system that the biometric identification included in the request is consistent with a stored biometric identification of the person.

14. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the bilateral action comprises a financial transaction for making a recurrent payment by the person for services provided by the first party.

15. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the bilateral action comprises a cash advance made to the person from the first party.

16. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

the first party is a government; and

the bilateral action comprises payment of a tax refund from the first party to the person.

17. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising settling the bilateral action at a time later than transmitting the approval.

18. A method of executing a bilateral action between a first party and a second party, the method comprising:

receiving at a first host system a request directly from a second host system, wherein;

the request was initiated using a student identification instrument issued on behalf of a university;

the first host system is comprised by a first network providing information pathways between nodes of the first network and the first host system;

the second host system is comprised by a second network providing information pathways between nodes of the second network and the second host system;

the first host system is distinct from the second host system;

the first network is distinct from the second network;

the first host system and the first network are comprised by a first interaction arrangement that administers stored value accounts;

the second host system and the second network are comprised by a second interaction arrangement that administers stored value accounts;

the first host system and the second host system are equal in status in their respective networks;

the first network is a closed network;

the first network is operated on behalf of the university;

the request identifies an account of stored value to be debited by a specified amount to support the bilateral transaction; and

the account of stored value is identified with the first party to support bilateral transactions between the first party and any of a plurality of third parties associated with the nodes of the first network;

determining at the first host system that the account of stored value has value that is at least equal to the specified amount;

debiting the account of stored value by the specified amount; and

transmitting a confirmation from the first host system directly to the second host system that the account of stored value has been debited.

19. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the second network is a closed network.

20. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the request includes an identification of characteristics of the bilateral action, the method further comprising determining at the first host system that the characteristics are consistent with a predetermined set of requirements for bilateral actions involving the first party.

21. The method recited in claim 20 wherein the predetermined set of requirements was established by someone other than the first party.

22. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the bilateral action comprises a financial transaction for a purchase of a product by the first party from the second party.

23. The method recited in claim 22 wherein the product is a ticket for an event.

24. The method recited in claim 23 wherein the event is a sporting event.

25. The method recited in claim 23 further comprising transmitting a notification from the first host system to an operator of the event, the operator of the event being neither the first party nor the second party.

26. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the account of stored value is one of a plurality of accounts of stored value identified with the first party.

27. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the account is automatically replenished by a defined amount at a specified time from a specified source of value.

28. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the request further includes an offer to exchange personal property owned respectively by the first and second parties with each other.

29. The method recited in claim 18 wherein:

the account of stored value includes information identifying an age of the first party;

the bilateral action has an age restriction;

the request includes a specification of the age of the first party,

the method further comprising determining at the first host system that the age of the first party meets the age restriction prior to transmitting the confirmation.

30. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the request further includes a biometric identification of the first party, the method further comprising determining at the first host system that the biometric identification is consistent with a stored biometric identification of the first party.

31. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the bilateral action comprises a financial transaction for making a recurrent payment by the first party for services provided by the second party.

32. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the bilateral action comprises a cash advance made to the first party from the second party.

33. The method recited in claim 18 wherein:

the first party is a government; and

the bilateral action comprises payment of taxes owed from the second party to the first party.

34. The method recited in claim 18 wherein:

the second party is a government; and

the bilateral action comprises payment of a tax refund from the second party to the first party.

35. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the account of stored value is identified by a physical instrument issued to the first party.

36. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the account of stored value is identified by biometric of the first party.

37. A system for executing a bilateral action between a first party and a second party, the system comprising:

a first network comprising;

a first host system having a first processor;

a plurality of communications devices that define nodes of the first network; and

information pathways between the nodes of the first network and the first host system;

wherein the first host system and the first network are comprised by a first interaction arrangement that administers stored value accounts;

a second network comprising;

a second host system having a second processor;

a plurality of nodes of the second network, each such node being associated with at least one of a plurality of third parties; and

information pathways between the nodes of the second network and the second host system,

wherein the second host system and the second network are comprised by a second interaction arrangement that administers stored value accounts;

wherein;

the second network is distinct from the first network;

the second host system is distinct from the first host system;

the first host system and the second host system have equal status within the first network and the second network, respectively; and

the first and second processors are configured to execute programming instructions in accordance with the following;

a communication is received at the first host system from one of the communications devices;

the communication is identified at the first host system as identifying a student identification instrument issued to the second party to identify the second party and to identify an account of stored value for use by the second party in supporting execution of bilateral actions between the second party and the third parties, wherein the student identification instrument is issued on behalf of a same institution the second network is operated on behalf of;

a request is transmitted from the first host system directly to the second host system to debit the account of stored value by an amount identified in the communication to support the bilateral action;

a determination is made at the second host system that the account of stored value has value that is at least equal to the specified amount;

the account of stored value is debited by the specified amount;

a confirmation is transmitted from the second host system directly to the first host system that the account of stored value has been debited; and

an approval for the bilateral action is transmitted from the first host system to the communications device.

38. The system recited in claim 37 wherein at least one of the first and second networks is a closed network.

39. The system recited in claim 37 wherein the first and second networks are closed networks.

40. The system recited in claim 37 wherein:

the request includes an identification of characteristics of the bilateral action; and

the confirmation is transmitted from the second host system to the first host system only if the characteristics are consistent with a predetermined set of requirements for bilateral actions involving the second party.

41. The system recited in claim 37 wherein the bilateral action comprises a financial transaction for a purchase of a product by the second party from the first party.

42. The system recited in claim 37 wherein the account of stored value is one of a plurality of accounts of stored value identified by the physical instrument.

43. The system recited in claim 37 wherein:

the physical instrument further identifies an age of the second party;

the bilateral action has an age restriction;

the request includes a specification of the age of the second party obtained from the physical instrument; and

the confirmation is transmitted from the second host system to the first host system only if the age of the second party meets the age restriction.

44. The system recited in claim 37 wherein:

aq

the communication further includes a biometric identification of the second party obtained from a physical measurement of the second party;

the request includes the biometric identification; and

the confirmation is transmitted from the second host system to the first host system only if the biometric identification included in the request is consistent with a stored biometric of the second party.

45. The system recited in claim 37 wherein the bilateral action comprises a financial transaction for making a recurrent payment by the second party for services provided by the first party.

46. The system recited in claim 37 wherein the bilateral action comprises a cash advance made to the second party from the first party.

47. The system recited in claim 37 further comprising a settlement engine adapted to settle bilateral transactions executed with either or both of the first and second networks.