Money transfer system and messaging system

• US 8,762,267 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Paintin, Scott, Marr, Lance, Kloosterman, Michelle, Loevenguth, Rebecca, Scott, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): RANKINS, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US13/921,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 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 method comprising:

receiving, at a first computer system, a first request for a fund transfer from a sender to a stored value account;

receiving, at the first computer system, a confirmation that a payment from the sender has been made for the fund transfer;

assigning, at the first computer system, an identifier to the fund transfer;

receiving, at the first computer system or a second computer system, a recorded voice message from the sender;

receiving, with the first computer system or the second computer system, a second request from the sender that the recorded voice message is provided to the recipient prior to activation of a financial instrument associated with the stored value account;

associating, at the first computer system or the second computer system, the recorded voice message with the stored value account;

receiving, at the first computer system or the second computer system, a third request from a recipient, wherein the third request includes the identifier; and

providing, from the first computer system or the second computer system, the recorded voice message to the recipient after receiving the third request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request for the fund transfer is received via a web page interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier assigned to the fund transfer comprises a stored value account number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded voice message from the sender is received by the first computer system or the second computer system after payment is received from the sender.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the third request is received via telephone, and the recorded voice message is provided via telephone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

activating the financial instrument in response to the third request.

7. A system comprising:

at least one computer system configured to;

receive a first request for a fund transfer from a sender to a stored value account;

receive a confirmation that a payment from the sender has been made for the fund transfer;

assign an identifier to the fund transfer;

receive a textual message from the sender;

receive a second request from the sender that the textual message is provided to the recipient prior to activation of a financial instrument associated with the stored value account;

associate the textual message with the stored value account;

cause the textual message and a financial instrument to be delivered to the recipient; and

receive a third request from a recipient, wherein the third request includes the identifier.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the textual message and the financial instrument are delivered to the recipient via mail.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one computer system is further configured to:

activate the financial instrument in response to the third request.

10. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions are executable by one or more processors to at least:

receive a first request for a fund transfer from a sender to a stored value account;

receive a confirmation that a payment from the sender has been made for the fund transfer;

assign an identifier to the fund transfer;

receive a textual message from the sender;

receive a second request from the sender that the textual message is provided to the recipient prior to activation of a financial instrument associated with the stored value account;

associate the textual message with the stored value account;

cause the textual message and a financial instrument to be delivered to the recipient; and

receive a third request from a recipient, wherein the third request includes the identifier.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first computer system, a first request for a fund transfer from a sender to a stored value account;

receiving, at the first computer system, a confirmation that a payment from the sender has been made for the fund transfer;

assigning, at the first computer system, an identifier to the fund transfer, wherein the identifier comprises a stored value account number;

receiving, at the first computer system or a second computer system, a recorded voice message from the sender;

associating, at the first computer system or the second computer system, the recorded voice message with the stored value account;

receiving, at the first computer system or the second computer system, a second request from a recipient, wherein the second request includes the identifier; and

providing, from the first computer system or the second computer system, the recorded voice message to the recipient after receiving the second request.

12. A system comprising:

at least one computer system configured to;

receive a first request for a fund transfer from a sender to a stored value account;

receive a confirmation that a payment from the sender has been made for the fund transfer;

assign an identifier to the fund transfer, wherein the identifier comprises a stored value account number;

receive a textual message from the sender;

associate the textual message with the stored value account;

cause the textual message and a financial instrument to be delivered to the recipient; and

receive a second request from a recipient, wherein the second request includes the identifier.

13. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions are executable by one or more processors to at least:

receive a first request for a fund transfer from a sender to a stored value account;

receive a confirmation that a payment from the sender has been made for the fund transfer;

assign an identifier to the fund transfer, wherein the identifier comprises a stored value account number;

receive a textual message from the sender;

associate the textual message with the stored value account;

cause the textual message and a financial instrument to be delivered to the recipient; and

receive a second request from a recipient, wherein the second request includes the identifier.