System and method of tracking and encoding electronic transactions

• US 8,504,428 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul Ward Houghtaling
• Original Assignee: Paul Ward Houghtaling
• Inventors: Houghtaling, Paul Ward
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US12/035,070
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists

Abstract

A system of tracking, identifying, and encoding an electronic transaction. The system includes a portal soliciting electronic transactions, an encoder in communication with the portal, a processor in communication with the encoder and a processing network, and a report module in communication with the processor. The encoder accepts electronic transaction data from the portal, forms a code based on the electronic transaction data, and appends the code to the electronic transaction data to provide encoded electronic transaction data. The processing network authorizes the encoded electronic transaction data to provide authorized encoded electronic transaction data, and the processor receives the authorized encoded electronic transaction data. The report module forms a report based on authorized encoded electronic transaction data.

Claims

1. A system of tracking, identifying, and encoding an electronic transaction, the electronic transactions presentable in a financial report, comprising:

a portal soliciting electronic transactions, the portal forming electronic transaction data for each of the electronic transactions, the electronic transaction data using a predetermined data format, the electronic transaction data including at least

a submitted amount,

a transaction type, and

a date of transaction;

an encoder in communication with the portal and being remote from the portal, the encoder accepting the electronic transaction data from the portal, forming a code for each of the electronic transactions based on the transaction type and the date of transaction of each of the electronic transaction data, and appending the code into the respective electronic transaction data to provide encoded electronic transaction data by using predetermined data fields of the electronic transaction data without changing the predetermined data format;

a processor in communication with the encoder and a processing network which authorizes the encoded electronic transaction data to provide authorized encoded electronic transaction data, the processor providing to the processing network the encoded electronic transaction data received from the encoder during a predetermined period of time and receiving from the processing network the authorized encoded electronic transaction data based on the provided encoded electronic transaction data received during the predetermined period of time; and

a report module in communication with the processor and receiving from the processor the authorized encoded electronic transaction data for the predetermined period of time, the report module forming a report based on the authorized encoded electronic transaction data, the report allowing a user to reconcile the report with the financial report of the electronic transactions, the report including

a portion of the code, and

a total submitted amount for each transaction type so as to compare the total submitted amount with a total received amount to identify a difference between the total submitted amount and the total received amount.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic transaction data comprises credit card transaction data.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the report includes the total authorized encoded electronic transactions on a particular day for a particular credit card type.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic transactions comprises donations.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the donation comprises political donations.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a gateway in communication with the encoder, the gateway receiving the encoded electronic transaction data and submitting the encoded electronic transaction data for processing.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the report further includes a date of providing the encoded electronic transaction data to the processing network transaction.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein a data amount of the predetermined data fields of the predetermined data format is not changed by the appending of the code.

7. A system of tracking, identifying, and encoding electronic transactions, the electronic transactions presentable in a financial report, comprising:

a computer configured for obtaining electronic transaction data for a plurality of electronic transactions from a portal, the electronic transaction data using a predetermined data format, the electronic transaction data including a transaction type and a date of transaction for each of the plurality of electronic transactions, for forming a code based on the transaction type and the date of transaction of the electronic transaction data, and for appending the code into each of the plurality of electronic transactions of the electronic transaction data to form encoded electronic transaction data by using predetermined data fields of the electronic transaction data without changing the predetermined data format; and

a report module in communication with the computer, the report module forming a report based on the authorized electronic transaction data, the report allowing a user to reconcile the report with the financial report of the electronic transactions, the report including;

a transaction date and time,

at least a portion of the code that identifies one of the plurality of transaction types,

a batch identification number associated with a plurality of authorized transactions submitted for settlement,

a batch submission date and time, and

total authorized electronic transactions on a particular day for each one of the plurality of transaction types.

20. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code is in a particular data field of the authorized electronic transaction data.

10. A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon machine executable instructions for reconfiguring a computing platform to perform the steps of:

receiving from a second computing platform electronic transaction data including a plurality of electronic transactions, the electronic transactions presentable in a financial report, each of the plurality of electronic transactions using a predetermined data format, each of the electronic transactions including at least a transaction amount, a transaction type, and a date of transaction, the second computing platform being remote from the computing platform;

forming a code for each of the plurality of electronic transactions based on the transaction type and the date of transaction;

appending the code into each of the plurality of electronic transactions, the plurality of electronic transactions with appended codes forming an encoded electronic transaction data by using predetermined data fields of the electronic transactions without changing the predetermined data format;

transmitting the encoded electronic transaction data to a third computing platform for processing;

receiving from the third computing platform completed encoded electronic transactions;

storing data based on the completed encoded electronic transactions;

retrieving the stored data;

interpreting the stored data; and

forming a report based on the stored data, the report allowing a user to reconcile the report with the financial report of the electronic transactions, the report including

a portion of the appended code, and

a total transaction amount for each transaction type so as to compare the total transaction amount with a total received amount from each transaction type to identify a difference between the total submitted amount and the total received amount.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the electronic transaction data comprises credit card transaction data.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the machine executable instructions reconfigures the computing platform to further perform the step of submitting the encoded electronic transaction data to a credit card processing network.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the machine executable instructions reconfigures the computing platform to further perform the step of inserting the code into a particular field of the electronic transaction data.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the report further includes a date of providing the encoded electronic transaction data to the third computing platform.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein a data amount of the predetermined data fields of the predetermined data format is not changed by the appending of the code.

16. An apparatus for tracking, identifying, and encoding an electronic transaction received from a portal, the electronic transactions presentable in a financial report, comprising:

means for obtaining electronic transaction data for a plurality of electronic transactions from the portal, the electronic transaction data using a predetermined data format, the electronic transaction data including a transaction type and a date of transaction for each of the plurality of electronic transactions;

means for forming a code based on the transaction type and the date of transaction of the electronic transaction data;

means for appending the code into each of the plurality of electronic transactions of the electronic transaction data to form encoded electronic transaction data by using predetermined data fields of the electronic transaction data without changing the predetermined data format;

means for submitting the encoded electronic transaction data for processing;

means for storing data based on authorized encoded electronic transactions;

means for interpreting the stored data; and

means for forming a report based on the stored data, the report allowing a user to reconcile the report with the financial report of the electronic transactions, the report including

a portion of the code, and

a total amount for each transaction type so as to compare the total amount with a total received amount to identify a difference between the total submitted amount and the total received amount.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the electronic transaction data comprises at least one of credit card transaction data, electronic check transaction data, and debit transaction data.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising means for manipulating the encoded electronic transaction data so that it is formatted for processing.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the encoded electronic transaction data is submitted to a credit card processing network.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the report further includes a date of submitting the encoded electronic transaction data for processing.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a data amount of the predetermined data fields of the predetermined data format is not changed by the appending of the code.