Cash payment for remote transactions

• US 8,584,934 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2012
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Hansen, Kurt, Stoutenburg, Earney E., Sayor, Thomas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/647,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20130036056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/382, 235/388, 235/462.46, 235/472.02, 705/39, 705/40, 705 66- 72
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• 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: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted

Abstract

Methods coordinate payment for a remote transaction with a first party. An identification of the first party is received at a host system. Acknowledgment of receipt of a cash payment from a second party is received. The cash payment is associated with the identification of the first party. A money transfer corresponding to the cash payment to the control of the first party is executed with a request for the first party to perform on previously agreed terms of the remote transaction.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party, the method comprising:

receiving, at a host system, an identification of a desired purchase by a second party from the first party;

receiving, at the host system, a selection of a cash payment option by the second party;

sending, from the host system, a transaction identifier for receipt by the second party;

receiving, at the host system, the transaction identifier and acknowledgment of receipt of a cash payment from the second party; and

associating, with the host system, the cash payment with the identification of the desired purchase by the second party from the first party.

2. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein receiving the identification of a desired purchase comprises:

receiving instructions for an online purchase.

3. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein sending the transaction identifier comprises:

sending a money-transfer transaction identifier.

4. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein sending the transaction identifier comprises:

sending affirmation of a transaction identifier generated by the second party.

5. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 4, wherein the transaction identifier comprises:

a phone number of the second party.

6. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein receiving the transaction identifier and acknowledgment of receipt of the cash payment from the second party comprises:

receiving acknowledgment of receipt of the cash payment at a local branch of a money-transfer service.

7. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein receiving the transaction identifier and acknowledgment of receipt of the cash payment from the second party comprises:

receiving acknowledgment of receipt of the cash payment at a retail location.

8. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein receiving the transaction identifier and acknowledgment of receipt of the cash payment from the second party comprises:

receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the cash payment at a self-service kiosk.

9. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein associating the cash payment with the identification of the desired purchase by the second party from the first party comprises:

determining the desired purchase is associated with the transaction identifier.

10. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

notifying the second party that the first party is prepared to provide a good or service according to agreed terms of the remote transaction.

11. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 10, wherein notifying the second party that the first party is prepared to provide a good or service comprises:

providing the good or services to the second party.

12. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 10, wherein notifying the second party that the first party is prepared to provide a good or service comprises:

initiating shipment of the good to the second party.

13. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 10, wherein notifying the second party that the first party is prepared to provide a good or service comprises:

sending, from the host system, a message that the first party is to provide the good or service to the second party.

14. The method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, at the host system, a query of an amount due from the second party associated with the transaction identifier;

sending, from the host system, the amount due; and

displaying to a clerk the amount due.

15. A non-transitory machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party, the instructions executable by a processor for at least:

receiving an identification of a desired purchase by a second party from the first party;

receiving a selection of a cash payment option by the second party;

sending a transaction identifier for receipt by the second party;

receiving the transaction identifier and acknowledgment of receipt of a cash payment from the second party; and

associating the cash payment with the identification of the desired purchase by the second party from the first party.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein sending the transaction identifier comprises:

sending a money-transfer transaction identifier.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein receiving the transaction identifier and acknowledgment of receipt of the cash payment from the second party comprises:

receiving acknowledgment of receipt of the cash payment at a local branch of a money-transfer service.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor for at least:

receiving a query of an amount due from the second party associated with the transaction identifier; and

sending the amount due for display to a clerk.

19. A system for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party, the system comprising:

a host system, the host system configured to;

receive an identification of a desired purchase by a second party from the first party;

receive a selection of a cash payment option by the second party;

send a transaction identifier for receipt by the second party;

receive the transaction identifier and acknowledgment of receipt of a cash payment from the second party; and

associate the cash payment with the identification of the desired purchase by the second party from the first party.

20. The system for coordinating payment for a remote transaction with a first party of claim 19, the system further comprising:

a branch system, the merchant system configured to;

receive, from the second party, the transaction identifier;

send, to the host system, the transaction identifier;

receive, from the host system, an amount due; and

send, to the host system, the acknowledgment of receipt of the cash payment.