Dynamically specifying a merchant identifier in an electronic financial transaction

• US 8,396,792 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Propay USA Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Propay USA Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilkes, W. Bradley, Roper, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Hatem M
• Application Number:
  US10/660,147
• Time in Patent Office: 3,471 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

In a system where a merchant conducts transactions on behalf of more than one entity, a method is provided for dynamically selecting a merchant account name. A merchant acting on behalf of a business entity conducts a transaction with a cardholder. An acquirer receives information for processing the financial card transaction. The acquirer generates a merchant account name that identifies the entity for which the merchant is conducting the transaction. The merchant account name is specified based on transmittal information and the merchant account name is associated with the transaction.

Claims

1. In a computer system a method of dynamically specifying a particular point of interaction (POI) identifier that is associated with a particular transaction, the method comprising:

using a computer system associated with an organization;

enabling by the computer system a merchant to receive financial card information from first and second POIs using a single merchant identifier stored on the computer system, wherein the first and second POIs are different from each other, associated with distinct purposes for which the single merchant identifier is used, and identified on a per transaction basis;

receiving by the computer system financial card information for processing a first transaction between a first cardholder and the merchant from the first POI to be processed using the single merchant identifier;

identifying by the computer system a first POI identifier having at least one portion that identifies the first POI, wherein the first POI is identified based on transmittal information for the first transaction and is not identified by the merchant;

associating by the computer system the first POI identifier with the first transaction;

receiving by the computer system financial card information for processing a second transaction between a second cardholder and the merchant from the second POI to be processed using the single merchant identifier;

identifying by the computer system a second POI identifier having at least one portion that identifies the second POI, wherein the second POI is identified based on transmittal information for the second transaction and not identified by the merchant; and

associating by the computer system the second POI identifier with the second transaction, the first and second transactions using the single merchant identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising linking by the computer system a merchant card with the single merchant identifier such that the merchant card can accept other financial cards as payment for the first and the second transaction such that an available amount of the merchant card includes the payment made by the other financial cards, wherein the single merchant identifier is a single identifier for transactions conducted on behalf of more than one POI.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting by the computer system the respective first and second transaction over a network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising one or more of:

including by the computer system a network address that is associated with the particular first or second POI identifier in the transmittal information for the respective first or second transaction;

including by the computer system an IP address or a MAC address that is associated with the particular first or second POI identifier in the transmittal information for the respective first or second transaction; and

including by the computer system a unique value that is associated with the particular POI identifier in the transmittal information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting by the computer system the respective first and second transaction telephonically.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising including by the computer system a telephone number in the transmittal information for the respective first or second transaction, wherein the telephone number is associated with the particular first or second POI identifier.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the respective first or second telephonic transaction further comprises an integrated voice recognition system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying by the computer system the selected first or second POI identifier with the respective first or second transaction further comprises including by the computer system the first or second POI identifier on the respective first or second cardholder'"'"'s financial card statement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying by the computer system a first POI identifier having at least one portion that identifies the first POI further comprises one or more of:

identifying by the computer system the first POI identifier from a pre-defined list;

prompting by the computer system the first cardholder or the merchant to select the first POI identifier using an IVR system;

generating by the computer system a new POI identifier that is the first POI identifier associated with the first transaction; and

obtaining by the computer system the first POI identifier using the transmittal information included with the transaction information for the first transaction.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving by the computer system information from either the merchant or from the first cardholder that is included in the transmittal information for the first transaction and included in the first cardholder'"'"'s statement, wherein the information is a note.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented in a computer program product having computer-executable instructions for performing the method.

12. In a computer system, a method of dynamically specifying a point of interaction (POI) identifier and a business entity that is associated with a particular transaction, the method comprising:

using a computer system associated with an organization;

enabling by the computer system a merchant to receive financial card information from more than one POI using a single merchant identifier stored on the computer system, wherein each POI is different and is associated with a distinct purpose for which the single merchant identifier is used, each POI being associated with a distinct POI identifier to form a pre-determined list of POI identifiers, wherein each POI can be specified on a per transaction basis;

linking a merchant card with the single merchant identifier wherein the merchant card can accept other financial cards as payment in a transaction such that an available amount of the merchant card includes the payment made by the other financial cards;

receiving by the computer system financial card information for processing a particular transaction between a cardholder and the merchant to be processed using the single merchant identifier;

identifying by the computer system a first POI identifier from the pre-determined list of POI identifiers based on transmittal information included in the first transaction information;

determining by the computer system a first business entity associated with the first transaction from transmittal information;

associating by the computer system the first POI identifier and the first business entity with the first transaction;

receiving by the computer system financial card information for processing a second transaction between a second cardholder and the merchant to be processed using the single merchant identifier, wherein the first cardholder and the second cardholder are different from each other;

identifying by the computer system a second POI identifier from the pre-determined list of POI identifiers based on transmittal information included in the second transaction information;

determining by the computer system a second business entity associated with the second transaction from transmittal information, wherein the first POI and the second POI are different from each other and are associated with distinct purposes for which the single merchant identifier may be used; and

associating by the computer system the second identifier and the second business entity with the second transaction, the first transaction and the second transaction being conducted using the single merchant identifier.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising conducting by the computer system the respective first or second transaction over a network or a telephonic system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving by the computer system financial card information for processing the first transaction further comprises at least one of:

including by the computer system a network address in the transmittal information, wherein the transmittal information is associated with the first POI identifier;

including by the computer system a unique value in the transmittal information, wherein the unique value is associated with the first POI identifier; and

including by the computer system a domain name in the transmittal information, wherein the domain name is associated with the first POI identifier.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising including by the computer system a telephone number in the transmittal information, wherein the telephone number is associated with the first POI identifier.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving by the computer system financial card information for processing a first transaction between a cardholder and the merchant further comprises receiving by the computer system the first transaction information over an integrated voice system.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving by the computer system financial card information for processing a first transaction between a cardholder and the merchant further comprises receiving by the computer system the first transaction information over a computer network.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein associating by the computer system the respective first or second POI identifier with the respective first or second transaction further comprises including by the computer system the respective first or second POI identifier on the cardholder'"'"'s financial card statement.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying by the computer system a first POI identifier from the pre-determined list of POI identifiers based on transmittal information included in the first transaction information further comprises one or more of:

selecting by the computer system the first POI identifier from a pre-defined list;

prompting by the computer system the merchant to select the first POI identifier using an IVR system;

generating by the computer system a new POI identifier that is the first POI identifier associated with the transaction; and

obtaining by the computer system the first POI identifier using the transmittal information included with the transaction information.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the method is implemented in a computer program product having computer-executable instructions for performing the method.

21. In a computer system, a method of dynamically specifying a point of interaction (POI) identifier for a transaction, the method comprising:

using a computer system associated with an organization;

enabling by the computer system a merchant to receive payment on behalf of first and second POIs using a single merchant identifier stored on the computer system, wherein the first and second POIs are different from each other, associated with distinct purposes for which the single merchant identifier is used, and specified on a per transaction basis, and wherein the payment can be received from multiple distinct cardholders;

initiating by the computer system a transaction with a first cardholder;

obtaining by the computer system approval for the transaction by sending financial card information to an issuer, wherein the financial card information includes transmittal information inputted by a merchant using a user interface capable of specifying a particular POI identifier to associate with the transaction;

identifying by the computer system a POI identifier based on the transmittal information, the transmittal information also identifying the single merchant identifier through which the issuer should obtain approval for the transaction;

associating by the computer system a business entity identified in the transmittal information with the single merchant identifier,

selecting by the computer system the business entity associated with the single merchant identifier corresponding to the transaction using the transmittal information, wherein the business entity is one of two or more business entities associated with the single merchant identifier; and

associating by the computer system the identified POI identifier and the business entity with the transaction.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising linking a merchant card with the single merchant identifier, wherein:

the merchant card can accept other financial cards as payment in the transaction such that an available amount of the merchant card includes the payment made by the other financial cards.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmittal information is a network address.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein associating by the computer system the POI identifier with the transaction further comprises including by the computer system the POI identifier on the first cardholder'"'"'s financial card statement.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein another portion of the POI identifier is selected by the merchant from among a plurality of available POI identifiers.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting by the computer system a POI identifier further comprises one or more of:

selecting by the computer system the POI identifier from a pre-defined list;

prompting by the computer system the merchant to select the POI identifier using an IVR system;

generating by the computer system a new POI identifier that is the POI identifier associated with the transaction; and

obtaining by the computer system the POI identifier using the transmittal information included with the transaction information.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the method is implemented in a computer program product having computer-executable instructions for performing the method.