Method and system to create and distribute excess funds from consumer spending transactions

• US 6,112,191 A
• Filed: 04/27/1995
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Every Penny Counts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Every Penny Counts Incorporated
• Inventors: Burke, Bertram V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tkacs, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US08/429,758
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/376, 235/379, 235/380, 705/1, 705/14, 705/15, 705/16, 705/17, 705/18, 705/21, 705/24, 705/30, 705/34, 705/39, 705/40, 705/41, 705/42, 705/43, 705/44, 902/4, 902/8, 902/20, 902/21, 902/22, 902/24, 902/25, 902/41
• US Class Current: 705/41
• 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 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

An improved system for consumer payors to save and donate whenever they use cash at a point of sale terminal, write a check, use an ATM machine, or use a credit or debit card. The POS system is a network composed of subscriber/payors, neutral merchant/collectors, a central clearinghouse, and provider accounts. The Rounder system is a network composed of subscriber/payors, payees, account managers, and provider services. The systems together provide subscriber/payors with a seamless way to save/donate every time they spend.

Claims

1. A method of accumulating credits in payor surplus accounts from financial transactions between a payor and a payee, comprising:

entering a demanded amount due the payee into a station of a network controlled by the payee;

entering an additional amount offered by the payor into a station of a network controlled by the payee; and

transmitting data of the additional amount to a separate station forming part of a network controlled by other than the payee, and within the separate station. apportioning the data of at least a part of the additional amount into one or more of the payor surplus accounts determined by the payor.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the data of the additional amount includes the step of the payee crediting the additional amount to the one or more of the payor surplus accounts in the separate station of the network, wherein the separate station is in the hands of a central clearing entity, so that the payee remains neutral to the additional amounts.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising the step of printing out the status of said surplus accounts.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein said one or more of said other payor surplus account includes sub accounts identifying a plurality of charities, banks, and other sub accounts and the step of transmitting data of the additional amount includes assigning predetermined portions of the one or more of said payor surplus accounts to said sub accounts.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of entering an additional amount includes calculating the additional amount from predetermined data associated with the one or more of the payor surplus accounts.

6. A method as in claim 5, further comprising the step of printing out the status of said surplus account.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein said one or more of the payor surplus accounts includes sub accounts identifying a plurality of charities, banks, and other sub accounts and the step of transmitting the additional amount includes assigning predetermined portions of the one or more of said surplus accounts to said sub accounts.

8. A system for accumulating credits in surplus accounts from financial transactions between a payor and a payee, comprising:

a network;

an entry receiving device in the network for receiving entries of an amount due the payee and an additional amount offered by the payor; and

an additional-amount depositing station in the network, containing one of said surplus accounts, and coupled to the entry receiving device for depositing the additional amount in the one of the payor surplus account;

said entry device being controlled by entities which include the payee, and said depositing device being controlled by entities other than the payee.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein the depositing station includes payee crediting means for the payee crediting the additional amount to the one of the payor surplus account in the hands of a central clearing entity, so that the payee remains neutral to the additional amounts.

10. A system as in claim 9, further comprising a status printer responsive to the status of said surplus account.

11. A system as in claim 9, wherein said surplus account includes sub accounts identifying a plurality of charities, bank, and other financial institutions and the depositing station assigns predetermined portions of said surplus account to said sub accounts.

12. A system as in claim 8, wherein said entry device includes calculating means for calculating the additional amount from predetermined data associated with the surplus account.

13. A system as in claim 12, further comprising a status printer responsive to the status of said surplus account.

14. A system as in claim 12, wherein said surplus account includes sub accounts identifying a plurality of charities, banks, and other financial institutions and said the depositing station assigns predetermined portions of said surplus account to said sub accounts.

15. A system, comprising:

a network;

entry means coupled to said network for entering into the network an amount being paid in a transaction by a payor;

identification entering means in said entry means and coupled to said network for entering an identification of the payor;

said network including computing means having data concerning the payor including an excess determinant established by the payor for the accounts;

said computing means in said network being responsive to said data and said identification entering means for determining an excess payment to the basis of the determinant established by the payor, and

said computing means in said network being responsive to the excess payment for apportioning at least a part of the excess payment among said accounts on the basis of the excess determined and established by the payor and on the basis of commands established by the payor and controlled by other than the payee.

16. A system as in claim 15, wherein said entry means includes change making means for returning any remains from the excess payment as cash.

17. A system as in claim 16, wherein said entry means includes a display for displaying the excess payment.

18. A system as in claim 16, wherein said excess payment is apportioned to an account.

19. A system as in claim 16, further comprising printout means prints out the status of each of the accounts.

20. A system as in claim 16, wherein said network includes means for entering changes in the calculating formulas.

21. A system as in claim 16, wherein said network includes means for entering changes in the apportionment.

22. A system as in claim 15, wherein said entry means prints out the status of each of the accounts.

23. A system as in claim 15, wherein said entry means is responsive to entries for entering changes in the allocations.

24. A system as in claim 15, wherein said computing is responsive to the apportioning for allocating a portion of the excess to charity donee accounts with each apportionment.

25. A system as in claim 24, wherein said computing means is responsive to the apportioning for transferring the portion of the excess for the charity donee account directly to the charity donee with each apportionment.

26. A system as in claim 15, wherein said computing means includes;

data for storing the names of qualified charities;

data with the names of banks;

data storing numbers of client accounts;

said entry means serving for entering the names of charities and;

said computer means being responsive to said entry means for comparing the entered names with the stored and numbers names to determine if the entered name matches a stored name;

said computer means being responsive to said entry means for assigning a charity, bank, financial institution, purchasing account to an account when a client has selected the charity or the bank;

said entry means being responsive to entries for recording money entries into said accounts and storing the entries in said computer means; and

allocating said computer means being responsive to the excess by said entry means for registering an allocation of parts of any monies recorded into any accounts among the charities and banks.

27. A system as in claim 15, wherein said calculating means serves for applying predetermined calculations to the face amount of account entries for the purpose of creating an excess payment.

28. A point of sale operating method, comprising:

entering an amount corresponding to a price of a product into a cash register;

entering an amount corresponding to cash being paid;

determining any excess payment;

entering a card number;

transmitting data of the excess payment to a separate station and in said separate station apportioning at least a part of the amounts of excess cash payment to one or more predetermined accounts selected on the basis of the card number and controlled by other than the payee;

crediting the excess paid to the selected accounts to the card number.

29. A method as in claim 28, wherein said apportioning step includes making change for returning any remains from the excess payment, after apportionment, as cash.

30. A method as in claim 28, wherein said printout step includes printing out the status of each of the accounts.

31. A method as in claim 28, wherein said step of apportioning includes entering changes in the apportionment.

32. A method as in claim 28, wherein said step of apportioning includes allocating a portion of the excess to accounts with each apportionment.

33. A method as in claim 28, wherein said apportionment step includes:

storing of a plurality of qualified charities;

storing names of a number of banks;

storing number of other accounts;

entering the names of one of charities, banks, and other accounts so as to define an entered name for each entry of a name,

comparing each entered with a stored name to determine if the entered name matches the stored name;

assigning one of said accounts to an account when a charity, bank, or other account has been entered;

recording money entries into set accounts;

registering an allocation of parts of monies recorded into accounts among charities, banks, or other accounts entered for that account.

34. A method as in claim 28, wherein said step of apportioning includes allocating the excess to accounts with each apportionment.