SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NON-CREDIT CARD BILLERS TO ACCEPT CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS

• US 20110093387A1
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fuerstenberg, Zack, McCalden, Gordon, Purves, Thomas, Weiner, Brian
• Application Number:
  US12/904,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093387A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method comprising, receiving a payment request message that includes information related to a user and a biller, determining whether the user is enrolled in a bill pay program, and if the user is enrolled in the bill pay program, modifying the payment request message according to user preferences if the user preferences are different than the information in the payment request message. The method further comprises, receiving a payment response message, and generating, using a server computer, transaction information based on the payment response message and biller information, wherein the transaction information is combined with existing reporting and billing process information for the biller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a payment request message that includes information related to a user and a biller;

determining whether the user is enrolled in a bill pay program;

if the user is enrolled in the bill pay program, modifying the payment request message according to user preferences if the user preferences are different than the information in the payment request message;

receiving a payment response message; and

generating, using a server computer, transaction information based on the payment response message and biller information, wherein the transaction information is combined with existing reporting and billing process information for the biller.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information related to the user includes a portable consumer device identifier.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the portable consumer device identifier is an account number or alias.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein user preferences include at least one preferred payment method and conditions for payment.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the payment request message includes a portable consumer device identifier and modifying the payment request message includes substituting the portable consumer device identifier with a second portable consumer device identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction information is aggregated with other transaction data and used for marketing, competitive benchmarking, or financial management.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing tools for the biller to manage its reporting and billing processes.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing tools for the user to manage user preferences.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction information includes information for transactions associated with portable consumer devices, and wherein the transaction information is combined with non-portable consumer device transaction data and provided to the biller through existing reporting and billing process information for the biller.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the server computer resides at a payment processing network.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending to the user, notification associated with the bill payment transaction.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the notification is sent to a mobile phone associated with the user.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein existing reporting and billing processing information for the biller includes one or more of Automated Clearing House transactions, Electronic Fund Transfers, EDI, and paper items processing.

14. A computer readable medium comprising:

a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to implement the method of claim 1.

15. A server computer comprising:

a processor; and

the computer readable medium of claim 14 coupled to the processor.

16. A method comprising:

providing, using a computer apparatus, user information; and

providing preferences related to bill payment wherein the user information and preferences related to bill payment can be utilized to pay bills from different merchants.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

initiating a bill payment transaction associated with a user enrolled in a bill pay program wherein a payment request message is subsequently received at a server computer that includes information related to the user and a biller, and wherein the payment request message is modified according to user preferences if the user preferences are different than the information in the payment request message and wherein a payment response message is received and transaction information is generated based on the payment response message and biller information, wherein the transaction information is combined with existing reporting and billing processes for the biller.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein user information includes a portable consumer device identifier.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the portable consumer device identifier is an account number or alias.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein preferences include at least one preferred payment method and conditions for payment.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving notification associated with the bill payment transaction.