Methods and apparatus for using assignable fee profiles to define fee structures for remittance services

• US 8,676,681 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chan, David, Lim, Samuel, Sridhar, Rama
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebersman, Bruce I
• Application Number:
  US11/951,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20080249911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 705/34, 705/35, 705/36.R, 705/37, 705/38, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• 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

Abstract

A method includes storing a plurality of service fee profiles. Each of the profiles is for associating a respective service fee level with each of a plurality of transaction amount tiers. The method further includes, after the storing step, selecting a pair of currencies. The pair of currencies includes a sender currency and a recipient currency. The method also includes assigning one of the stored service fee profiles to the selected pair of currencies to set up a service fee schedule for the selected pair of currencies.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for a financial institution to implement service fee profiles for participation in an international remittance system comprising:

storing in a computer a plurality of service fee profiles, each of the service fee profiles for associating a respective service fee level with each of a plurality of transaction amount tiers;

receiving, by the computer, user input selecting a first pair of currencies, the first pair of currencies including a first sender currency associated with a first sender country and a first recipient currency associated with a first recipient country defining a first class of remittance transactions;

receiving, by the computer, user input selecting a first service fee profile having first transaction amount tiers;

assigning, by the computer, said selected first service fee profile to the first class of remittance transactions associated with international remittance transactions that involve the selected first pair of currencies;

receiving, by the computer, user input selecting a second pair of currencies, the second pair of currencies different from said first pair of currencies and including a second sender currency associated with a second sender country and a second recipient currency associated with a second recipient country defining a second class of remittance transactions;

receiving, by the computer, user input selecting a second service fee profile from the stored service fee profiles, said second service fee profile having second transaction amount tiers different from the first transaction amount tiers of said first service fee profile

assigning, by the computer, said selected second service fee profile to the second class of remittance transactions associated with international remittance transactions that involve the selected second pair of currencies; and

applying, by the computer, the first service fee profile when an international remittance transaction occurs between the first sender country and the first recipient country involving the first pair of currencies, and the second service fee profile when an international remittance transaction occurs between the second sender country and the second recipient country involving the second pair of currencies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of said first and second transaction amount tiers is defined by (a) a respective tier start currency amount, and (b) a respective tier end currency amount.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said service fee profiles are stored in a data storage component of a computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said currencies is selected by selecting said each of said currencies from a respective pull down menu.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first sender currency is the same as the first recipient currency.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first sender currency is different from the first recipient currency.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

storing in a computer a plurality of service fee profiles, each of said service fee profiles for associating a respective service fee level with each of a plurality of transaction amount tiers;

receiving, by the computer, user input defining a first currency remittance channel, the first currency remittance channel including a first sender country, a first sender currency, a first recipient country and a first recipient currency;

receiving, by the computer, user input selecting a first one of said stored service fee profiles having first transaction amount tiers;

assigning, by the computer, said selected first service fee profile to the defined first currency remittance channel to set up a first service fee schedule for the defined first currency remittance channel, said first service fee schedule for international remittance transactions that involve the first sender currency and the first recipient currency;

receiving, by the computer, user input to define a second currency remittance channel, the second currency remittance channel different from said first currency remittance channel and including a second sender country, a second sender currency, a second recipient country and a second recipient currency;

receiving, by the computer, user input to select a second one of said stored service fee profiles, said second one of said stored service fee profiles having second transaction amount tiers different from the first transaction amount tiers of said first one of said stored service fee profiles;

assigning, by the computer, said selected second service fee profile to the defined second currency remittance channel to set up a service fee schedule for the defined second currency remittance channel, said service fee schedule for international remittance transactions that involve the second sender currency and the second recipient currency

applying, by the computer, the first service fee schedule when an international remittance transaction occurs between the first sender country and the first recipient country involving the first sender currency and the first recipient currency, and the second service fee schedule when an international remittance transaction occurs between the second sender country and the second recipient country involving the second sender currency and the second recipient currency.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

each of said first and second transaction amount tiers is defined by (a) a respective tier start currency amount, and (b) a respective tier end currency amount.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said service fee profiles are stored in a data storage component of a computer.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein defining said first currency remittance channel includes:

selecting said first sender country from a first pull down menu;

selecting said first sender currency from a second pull down menu;

selecting said first recipient country from a third pull down menu; and

selecting said first recipient currency from a fourth pull down menu.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said first sender currency is the same as the first recipient currency.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said first sender currency is different from the first recipient currency.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device in communication with the processor and storing program instructions, the processor operative with the program instructions to;

store a plurality of service fee profiles, each of said service fee profiles for associating a respective service fee level with each of a plurality of transaction amount tiers;

define a first currency remittance channel, the first currency remittance channel including a first sender country, a first sender currency, a first recipient country and a first recipient currency;

select a first one of said stored service fee profiles having first transaction amount tiers;

receive user input assigning said selected first service fee profile to the defined first currency remittance channel to set up a first service fee schedule for the defined first currency remittance channel, said first service fee schedule for international remittance transactions that involve the first sender currency and the first recipient currency;

define a second currency remittance channel, the second currency remittance channel different from said first currency remittance channel and including a second sender country, a second sender currency, a second recipient country and a second recipient currency;

select a second one of said stored service fee profiles, said second one of said stored service fee profiles having second transaction amount tiers different from the first transaction amount tiers of said first one of said stored service fee profiles;

receive user input assigning said selected second service fee profile to the defined second currency remittance channel to set up a second service fee schedule for the defined second currency remittance channel, said second service fee schedule for international remittance transactions that involve the second sender currency and the second recipient currency; and

apply the first service fee schedule when an international remittance transaction occurs between the first sender country and the first recipient country involving the first sender currency and the first recipient currency, and the second service fee schedule when an international remittance transaction occurs between the second sender country and the second recipient country involving the second sender currency and the second recipient currency.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

each of said first and second transaction amount tiers is defined by (a) a respective tier start currency amount, and (b) a respective tier end currency amount.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said service fee profiles are stored in a data storage component of a computer.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein defining said first currency remittance channel includes:

selecting said first sender country from a first pull down menu;

selecting said first sender currency from a second pull down menu;

selecting said first recipient country from a third pull down menu; and

selecting said first recipient currency from a fourth pull down menu.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first sender currency is the same as the first recipient currency.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first sender currency is different from the first recipient currency.