Proxy for multiple payment mechanisms

• US 9,922,321 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Aaron, Paul, Henderson, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawley, Talia F
• Application Number:
  US14/145,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20150112822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3572 Multiple accounts on card

Abstract

Various embodiments are related to apparatuses and methods for paying for a financial transaction using a proxy object. The proxy object can be associated with multiple payment accounts, for example accounts associated with credit cards and debit cards. A consumer can present the object to a payee to make a payment, and the payee can use a device to obtain information from the object. For example, when the proxy object is a proxy card similar to a credit card, the payee can use a card reader to read information from the magnetic stripe of the proxy card. The information can be transmitted to a financial system, and the financial system can communicate with a computer system that can select a payment account associated with the proxy card to use for the payment. The financial system can process the payment using the selected payment account.

Claims

1. A method for processing a payment associated with a purchase transaction, the method comprising:

receiving, from a transaction processing system and by a computer system, transaction information associated with a purchase transaction after the transaction processing system has determined to send the transaction information to the computer system based on payment object meta-data that was obtained from a proxy card by a card reader associated with a point of sale (POS) system,

the purchase transaction involving a payment initiated by a consumer via a swipe of the proxy card through the card reader,

the proxy card being associated with a plurality of payment accounts, each of the payment accounts associated with one of a credit card, a debit card, or a gift card,

wherein the payment object meta-data includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a phone number, or other identifier associated with the computer system;

receiving, from the transaction processing system and by the computer system, proxy card information obtained from the proxy card by the card reader,

the proxy card information associated with a plurality of payment accounts;

accessing, by the computer system and based on the proxy card information, a database to obtain payment account information;

selecting, by the computer system, a first payment account based on the payment account information;

sending, by the computer system for delivery to the POS system, an authorization for the payment to complete the purchase transaction and to prompt the POS system to generate, for delivery to the consumer, a purchase receipt for the purchase transaction, the authorization for the payment being sent prior to obtaining an approval authorization for funds for the payment from a financial business entity that manages the first payment account including managing funds in or available to the first payment account;

sending a first process signal, by the computer system, to a first business entity computer, to initiate a first process to cause funds for the payment to be transferred from the first payment account to an account associated with the merchant;

receiving a payment interrupt signal, by the computer system, from a personal computing device associated with the consumer, and after the sending of the authorization for the payment, wherein the payment interrupt signal indicates a selection by the consumer of a second payment account from which funds for the purchase transaction are to be obtained, the second payment account being managed by a second financial business entity;

based on the payment interrupt signal, sending a first process interrupt signal, by the computer system, to the first business entity computer, to interrupt the first process and to prevent the funds for the payment to be transferred from the first payment account; and

sending a second process signal, by the computer system, to a second business entity computer, to cause the funds for the payment to be transferred from the second financial business entity, based on the second payment account, to the account associated with the merchant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment interrupt signal was sent by the personal computing device based on a selection made by the consumer using the personal computing device, the method further comprising:

causing, prior to receiving the payment interrupt signal, information associated with the payment accounts to be displayed on the personal computing device associated with the consumer to facilitate the selection made by the consumer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the first payment account is based on a prioritization of the payment accounts previously made by the consumer.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the first business entity computer and the second business entity computer are one of a) a same computer, b) a first computer of a first business entity and a second computer of a second business entity, or c) computers of a particular business entity.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first business entity computer and the second business entity computer are both financial system computers that facilitate payment processing for a financial system.

4. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system and from a transaction processing system, transaction information associated with a purchase transaction after the transaction processing system has determined to send the transaction information to the computer system based on meta data that enables identification of the computer system and that was obtained from a payment object by a card reader coupled to a point of sale (POS) system,

the transaction information including payment object information and transaction information associated with the purchase transaction,

the purchase transaction involving a payment made by a consumer using the payment object;

accessing, by the computer system, a database that includes stored association information representing an association between the payment object and a plurality of payment accounts of the consumer;

selecting, by the computer system, a first payment account associated with the payment object information based on the association information, for use in processing the payment;

accessing, by the computer system, the database to obtain credit trustworthiness data;

determining, by the computer system, to send an authorization for the payment based on the credit trustworthiness data;

sending, by the computer system and for delivery to the POS system, the authorization for the payment to complete the purchase transaction and to prompt the POS system to generate a purchase receipt for the purchase transaction, the authorization for the payment being sent prior to obtaining an approval authorization for funds for the payment from a financial business entity that manages the first payment account including managing funds in or available to the first payment account; and

sending a message, by the computer system, to cause the funds for the payment to be obtained from the financial business entity based on the first payment account.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the payment is to a payee,

and wherein the sending of the message causes the funds for the payment to be transferred from the first payment account to an account associated with the payee in association with the payment.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the payment is to a payee, further comprising:

receiving a payment interrupt signal, from a personal computing device associated with the consumer and after sending the authorization for the payment, that indicates a selection of a second payment account associated with the object information;

based on the payment interrupt signal, sending a process interrupt signal, by the computer system, to prevent the funds for the payment to be obtained based on the first payment account; and

sending a second message to cause the funds for the payment to be transferred from the second payment account to an account associated with the payee.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the payment interrupt signal was sent by the personal computing device based on a selection made by the consumer using the personal computing device, the method further comprising:

causing, prior to receiving the payment interrupt signal, information associated with the payment accounts to be displayed on the personal computing device associated with the consumer to facilitate the selection made by the consumer.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the payment object is any one of a magnetic stripe card, a smart card, a proximity card, or an optical code.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the payment accounts is an account associated with any one of a credit card, a charge card, an automated teller machine (ATM) card, a debit card, a pre-paid gift card, or a fleet card.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the payment accounts is a loyalty program.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system and from a transaction processing system, transaction information after the transaction processing system has determined to send the transaction information to the computer system based on payment object meta-data,

the transaction information including object information and transaction information associated with a purchase transaction involving a consumer,

the purchase transaction involving a payment made by the consumer via a point of sale (POS) system by use of a payment object of the consumer,

the object information, which includes the payment object meta-data, having been derived from the payment object by the transaction processing system,

wherein the payment object meta-data includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a phone number, or other identifier associated with the computer system;

accessing, by the computer system, a database that includes stored association information representing an association between the payment object and a plurality of payment accounts of the consumer;

causing, by the computer system, a portion of the association information to be displayed on a mobile device associated with the consumer to facilitate a selection of a first payment account;

receiving, by the computer system and from the mobile device, selection information indicating the selection of the first payment account;

sending, by the computer system, for delivery to the POS system, an authorization for the payment to complete the purchase transaction and to prompt the POS system to generate a purchase receipt for the purchase transaction, the authorization for the payment being sent prior to obtaining an approval authorization for funds for the payment from a financial business entity that manages the first payment account including managing funds in or available to the first payment account; and

sending a message, by the computer system, to cause the funds for the payment to be obtained from the financial business entity based on the first payment account.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the payment is to a payee,

and wherein the sending of the message causes the funds for the payment to be transferred from the first payment account to an account associated with the payee.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the funds for the payment are to pay a portion of the payment.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the payment is to a payee, further comprising:

receiving a payment interrupt signal, from a personal computing device associated with the consumer and after sending the authorization for the payment, that indicates a selection of a second payment account associated with the object information;

based on the payment interrupt signal, sending a process interrupt signal, by the computer system, to prevent the funds for the payment to be obtained based on the first payment account; and

sending a second message to cause the funds for the payment to be transferred from the second payment account to an account associated with the payee.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

causing, prior to receiving the payment interrupt signal, information associated with the payment accounts to be displayed on the personal computing device associated with the consumer to facilitate the selection of the second payment account.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile device and the personal computing device are a same single device.

17. A method comprising:

enabling, by a financial transaction platform implemented on a computer system, a plurality of consumers to engage in purchase transactions with a plurality of payees,

the purchase transactions including payments made by the consumers using payment cards,

the financial transaction platform processing the payments, the processing including causing a transfer of funds from accounts associated with the payment cards to accounts associated with the payees;

receiving, by the financial transaction platform and from a transaction processing system, transaction information after the transaction processing system has determined to send the transaction information to the financial transaction platform based on payment object meta-data,

the transaction information including object information and transaction information associated with a purchase transaction involving a consumer,

the purchase transaction involving a payment made by the consumer via a point of sale (POS) system by use of a payment object of the consumer,

the object information, which includes the payment object meta-data, derived from the payment object by the transaction processing system;

accessing, by the financial transaction platform, a database that includes stored association information representing an association between the payment object and a plurality of payment accounts of the consumer;

causing, by the financial transaction platform, a portion of the association information to be displayed on a computing device to facilitate a selection of a payment account;

receiving, by the financial transaction platform and from the computing device, selection information indicating the selection of the payment account;

sending, by the financial transaction platform, for delivery to the POS system, an authorization for the payment to complete the purchase transaction and to prompt the POS system to generate a purchase receipt for the purchase transaction, the authorization for the payment being sent prior to obtaining an approval authorization for funds for the payment from a financial business entity that manages the payment account including managing funds in or available to the payment account; and

sending a message, by the financial transaction platform, to cause the funds for the payment to be obtained from the financial business entity based on the first payment account.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the computing device is a mobile device associated with the consumer.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the computing device is the POS system.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the payment is to a payee,

and wherein the sending of the message causes the funds for the payment to be transferred from the payment account to an account associated with the payee.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the payment is to a payee, further comprising:

receiving a payment interrupt signal, from a personal computing device associated with the consumer and after sending the authorization for the payment, that indicates a selection of a second payment account associated with the object information;

based on the payment interrupt signal, sending a process interrupt to prevent the funds for the payment to be obtained based on the first payment account; and

causing funds to be transferred from the second payment account to an account associated with the payee in association with the payment.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

causing, prior to receiving the payment interrupt signal, information associated with the payment accounts to be displayed on the personal computing device associated with the consumer to facilitate the selection of the second payment account.

23. A computer system comprising:

a communication device through which to communicate with remote devices;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the computer system to perform operations including;

receiving, from a transaction processing system, transaction information after the transaction processing system has determined to send the transaction information to the computer system based on payment object meta-data,

the transaction information including object information and transaction information associated with a purchase transaction involving a consumer,

the purchase transaction involving a payment made by the consumer via a point of sale (POS) system by use of a payment object of the consumer,

the object information, which includes the payment object meta-data, having been derived from the payment object by the transaction processing system,

wherein the payment object meta-data includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a phone number, or other identifier associated with the computer system;

accessing a database that includes stored association information representing an association between the payment object and a plurality of payment accounts of the consumer;

causing a portion of the association information to be displayed on a computing device to facilitate a selection of a payment account;

receiving, from the computing device and via the communication device, selection information indicating the selection of the payment account;

sending, for delivery to the POS system, an authorization for the payment to complete the purchase transaction and to prompt the POS system to generate a purchase receipt for the purchase transaction, the authorization for the payment being sent prior to obtaining an approval authorization for funds for the payment from a financial business entity that manages the payment account including managing funds in or available to the payment account; and

sending a message to cause the funds for the payment to be obtained from the financial business entity based on the payment account.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the computing device is a mobile device associated with the consumer.

25. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the computing device is the POS system.