Money transfer system and messaging system

• US 8,504,473 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Paintin, Scott, Marr, Lance, Scott, Diane, Kloosterman, Michelle, Loevenguth, Rebecca
• Primary Examiner(s): RANKINS, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US11/692,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,323 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/35
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/00 Complete banking systems; Coded card-freed arrangements adapted for dispensing or receiving monies or the like and posting such transactions to existing accounts, e.g. automatic teller machines data processing equipment for bank accounting G06Q40/02

Abstract

A system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient with a recorded message is disclosed. In one step the method includes receiving a request for a fund transfer from the sender. The sender may make the request for a fund transfer at a transaction processing device. In another step a payment is received from the sender for the fund transfer and a payment confirmation is transmitted to the host computer system. An identifier may then be assigned to the fund transfer. A recorded message from the sender may be received and at least a copy of the recorded message may be transmitted to a host computer system. The recorded message may then be associated with the fund transfer. A request, including the identifier, may be received from the recipient to receive the recorded messaged. In another step the recorded message may be sent to the recipient.

Claims

1. A computerized method for transferring funds from a sender to a stored value account for a recipient with a recorded message, the method comprising:

receiving at a host computer system a request for a fund transfer from the sender to the stored value account, wherein the sender makes the request for a fund transfer at a transaction processing device;

receiving a payment from the sender through the transaction processing device for the fund transfer to the stored value account and transmitting payment confirmation to the host computer system;

assigning an identifier to the fund transfer at the host computer system;

providing the identifier to the sender through the transaction processing device;

receiving the identifier from the sender through a first communication device, wherein the first communication device is different from the transaction processing device;

receiving a recorded message from the sender through the first communication device and transmitting at least a copy of the recorded message to the host computer system;

associating the recorded message with the fund transfer to the stored value account at the host computer system using the identifier;

receiving a request from the recipient to receive the recorded message through a second communication device, wherein;

the request includes the identifier, and

the second communication device is different from the first communication device and the transaction processing device; and

providing the recorded message to the recipient through the second communication device wherein;

the recorded message includes instructions directing the recipient as to how a stored value card associated with the stored value account can be obtained by the recipient; and

the funds associated with the fund transfer request are available to the recipient only after the recorded message has been provided to the recipient.

2. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, wherein the fund transfer occurs in fixed denominations.

3. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, further comprising providing funds from the stored value account to the recipient upon receipt of the identifier.

4. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, further comprising receiving information from the sender wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of sender'"'"'s name, sender'"'"'s address, sender'"'"'s phone number, recipient'"'"'s name, recipient'"'"'s address, recipient'"'"'s phone number, and a security identifier.

5. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, wherein the recorded message is a message selected from the group consisting of an audio message, an instant message, a text message, photograph, image, illustration, and a video message.

6. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, wherein the transaction processing device is located at a money transfer service provider location.

7. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, wherein providing the recorded message to the recipient through the second communication device comprises providing an interactive voice response system for providing the recorded message to the recipient over the telephone.

8. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, wherein the recorded message is received from the sender at a retail location.

9. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, further comprising communicating a list of agent locations where funds may be received to the recipient using the second communication device.

10. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, wherein the stored value account is associated with a gift card.

11. The method of transferring funds according to claim 1, further comprising:

after providing the recorded message to the recipient through the second communication device, receiving an indication from the recipient that the funds have been declined.

12. A system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient with a recorded message, comprising:

an input device communicatively coupled with a transaction processing device, a first communication device and a second communication device, the input device being;

a storage arrangement configured to store recorded messages; and

a processor, wherein the processor comprises;

instructions to receive a fund transfer request from the sender through the transaction processing device, wherein the fund transfer request funds a stored value account associated with a stored value card;

instructions to assign an identifier to the fund transfer request that funds the stored value account, and provide the identifier to the sender through the transaction processing device;

instructions to receive a payment confirmation from a remote system;

instructions to receive the identifier and a recorded message from the sender through a first communication device and associate the recorded message with the identifier;

instructions to receive a request from the recipient through the second communication device to receive the recorded message, the request including at least the identifier; and

instructions to provide the recorded message to the recipient through the second communication device, wherein the funds associated with the fund transfer request are available to the recipient only after the recorded message has been provided to the recipient.

13. The system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient according to claim 12, wherein the host computer system comprises more than one computer system.

14. The system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient according to claim 12, wherein the host computer system comprises a vendor computer system.

15. The system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient according to claim 12, wherein the fund transfer occurs in fixed denominations.

16. The system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient according to claim 12, further comprising instructions to receive funds from the sender and provide funds to the recipient.

17. The system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient according to claim 12, wherein the recorded message is a message selected from the group consisting of an audio message, an instant message, a text message, a photograph, an image, an illustration, and a video message.

18. The system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient according to claim 12, further comprising a telephone interface, wherein the processor comprises instructions to provide the recorded message to the recipient through the telephone interface.

19. The system for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient according to claim 12, further comprising an Internet interface, wherein the processor comprises instructions to receive the recorded message from the sender through the Internet interface.

20. A method for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising:

receiving a fund transfer request from the sender at a transaction processing device, wherein the fund transfer request funds a stored value account associated with a stored value card;

providing the sender with an identifier through the transaction processing device;

subsequent thereto, receiving the identifier and an audio message from the sender through a first telephone;

subsequent thereto, receiving the identifier from the recipient through a second telephone; and

providing the audio message to the recipient through the second telephone, wherein;

the audio message is made to include directions to a nearby location where the recipient can receive the stored value card associated with the stored value account; and

the funds associated with the stored value card are available to the recipient only after the audio message has been provided to the recipient.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising receiving payment for the fund transfer from the sender through the transaction processing device.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising associating the audio message with the identifier.

23. A method for transferring funds from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising:

receiving a fund transfer request from the sender through a transaction processing device, wherein the fund transfer request funds a stored value account associated with a stored value card;

initiating a fund transfer from the sender to the recipient in accordance with the fund transfer request;

providing the sender with an identifier associated with the fund transfer through the transaction processing device;

subsequent thereto, receiving the identifier and a digital message from the sender; and

subsequent thereto, receiving the identifier from the recipient through the Internet and providing the digital message to the recipient through the Internet, wherein the funds associated with the fund transfer request are available to the recipient only after receiving the digital message.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the transaction processing device is located at a money transfer service provider location.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the digital message is provided to the recipient through a webpage.