Electronic payment clearing and check image exchange systems and methods

• US 8,725,607 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Clearing House Payments Company LLC (The Clearing House LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Clearing House Payments Company LLC (The Clearing House LLC)
• Inventors: Dunn, John P., Ledford, Stephen, Jackson, Steve H., Wood, Albert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apple, Kirsten
• Application Number:
  US10/768,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,756 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0425 the cheque being electronic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems

Abstract

A system and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a plurality of first entities (such as banks), each first entity communicatively connected to at least one distributed traffic agent (DTA), a second entity (such as a central facility) communicatively connected to a DTA, and a communication network communicatively connecting the DTAs. A payload containing a data file (such as electronic check presentment data, electronic payment data, or any other data type) is communicated from one first entity to another through their respective DTAs via the communication network. In addition, a transmittal containing control information corresponding to the payload is communicated from the one first entity to the second entity through their respective DTAs via the communication network.

Claims

1. A distributed traffic agent connected to a computer system of a host bank in an electronic check presentment (ECP) system in which ECP data are exchanged between the host bank and a plurality of other banks via packets communicated over a network, the distributed traffic agent comprising:

an input module configured to accept an outgoing ECP data file from the computer system of the host bank, the outgoing ECP data file containing ECP data destined for at least one destination bank;

an output module configured to accept an incoming ECP data file received from an originating bank, the incoming ECP data file containing ECP data,

wherein both the outgoing and incoming ECP data files comprise data arranged in the same, standard ECP data file format,

a network address module configured to obtain a network address of the at least one destination bank;

a network interface module configured to accept the outgoing ECP data file from the input module and transmit the outgoing ECP data file via the network and to receive the incoming ECP data file via the network and send the incoming ECP data file to the output module,

wherein the network interface module converts the outgoing ECP data file into packets to be transmitted according to a network protocol that is distinct from a communication protocol used by the network interface module to accept the outgoing ECP data file, and converts packets received over the network into the incoming ECP data file; and

one or more processors configured to execute at least one of the above modules.

2. The distributed traffic agent of claim 1, wherein the network address module is configured to obtain the network address of the at least one destination bank based on a routing transit number of the destination bank.

3. The distributed traffic agent of claim 2, wherein the network address module is configured to obtain the network address of the at least one destination bank from the central facility via the network.

4. The distributed traffic agent of claim 1, wherein the network address module is configured to obtain a routing transit number of the originating bank based on a network address of the originating bank.

5. The distributed traffic agent of claim 4, wherein the network address module is configured to obtain the routing transit number of the originating bank from the central facility via the network.

6. The distributed traffic agent of claim 1, wherein the ECP data in the outgoing ECP data file comprises check image data.

7. The distributed traffic agent of claim 1, wherein the ECP data in the incoming ECP data file comprises check image data.

8. The distributed traffic agent of claim 1, wherein the ECP data comprises an electronic check letter that lists check information for checks drawn on the destination bank.

9. The distributed traffic agent of claim 1, further comprising an ECP data file processing module configured to divide the outgoing ECP data file into separate single-destination outgoing ECP data files according to respective destination banks, if the outgoing ECP data file contains ECP data destined for more than one destination bank.

10. The distributed traffic agent of claim 1, wherein the network interface module transmits control data via the network to a central facility, the control data being computed from the outgoing ECP data file.

11. The distributed traffic agent of claim 10, wherein the central facility reconciles the control data computed from the outgoing ECP data file with control data received from the originating bank.

12. The distributed traffic agent of claim 10, wherein control data is included in a separately-transmitted transmittal uniquely associated with the outgoing ECP data file.

13. A distributed traffic agent connected to a computer system of a host bank in an electronic payment (EP) system in which EP data are exchanged between the host bank and a plurality of other banks via packets communicated over a network, the distributed traffic agent comprising:

an input module configured to accept an outgoing EP data file from the computer system of the host bank, the outgoing EP data file containing EP data destined for at least one destination bank;

an output module configured to accept an incoming EP data file received from an originating bank, the incoming EP data file containing EP data,

wherein both the outgoing and incoming EP data files comprise data arranged in the same, standard EP data file format,

a network address module configured to obtain a network address of the at least one destination bank;

a network interface module configured to accept the outgoing EP data file from the input module and transmit the outgoing EP data file via the network and to receive the incoming EP data file via the network and send the incoming EP data file to the output module,

wherein the network interface module converts the outgoing EP data file into packets to be transmitted according to a network protocol that is distinct from a communication protocol used by the network interface module to accept the outgoing EP data file, and converts packets received over the network into the incoming EP data file; and

one or more processors configured to execute at least one of the above modules.

14. The distributed traffic agent of claim 13, wherein the EP data file comprises data, and control data is included in a transmittal uniquely associated with the data.