Invoiceless trading and settlement method and system

• US 8,762,273 B1
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fast 101 Pty Ltd
• Original Assignee: Fast 101 Pty Ltd
• Inventors: Duncan, William James
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRANFORD, MICHAEL D
• Application Number:
  US14/184,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20140172698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 124 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• 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 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• 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: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention overcome the shortcomings of existing trading systems by providing an invoiceless trading system that creates incentives for customers to pay suppliers within a predetermined period of time, such as a settlement period. Specifically, the invoiceless trading system enables a customer to obtain a discount on orders placed with suppliers in return for an immediate payment (e.g., within 24 hours) by the customer. The supplier receives payment within the predetermined period of time, and the customer receives additional cash benefits by providing an early payment to the supplier. To communicate with and transfer funds between customers and suppliers, the invoiceless trading system may use an electronic gateway and a settlement bank. In addition to creating an incentive to embrace e-commerce, both customers and suppliers avoid the need to manually process orders and use invoices to complete transactions.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more bank servers configured to electronically receive one or more messages, the one or more messages relating to an order between a customer and a supplier, the one or more messages comprising supplier data and an order amount;

storage configured to store, for the order, at least some of the supplier data and the order amount;

one or more computer processors configured to determine an incentive amount based at least in part on one or more fiscal attributes of the customer; and

a payment gateway configured to electronically transfer on a first date an early payment for the order to a bank computer associated with the suppler, wherein the early payment is less than the order amount by the incentive amount, the early payment transferred within a shortened settlement period.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein on a second date, at least one of the one or more bank servers electronically debits a customer payment from a bank account associated with the customer, wherein the customer payment is one of:

no more than the order amount;

no more than the order amount plus any applicable fees;

or

not less than the early payment plus the interest amount plus any applicable fees.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the incentive amount is further based on a credit period, wherein the credit period is a period of time between the first date and the second date.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more fiscal attributes comprise one or more of:

an interest rate of the customer;

a cost of funds of the customer;

a credit rating of the customer; and

an assessed strength of the customer'"'"'s balance sheet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the shortened settlement period is one of:

2 business days;

or

within 24 hours of the customer receiving an advanced shipping notice.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the early payment is made upon confirmation of the order, wherein one or more of:

the confirmation is provided by the customer,

the confirmation confirms contents of the order,

the confirmation is an ASN confirmation,

the ASN confirmation confirms that an ASN is identical to the order, and

the ASN confirmation confirms that an ASN matches the order.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more messages comprises an authorization by the customer to transfer the early payment for the order to a bank account associated with the supplier.

8. A system comprising:

an interface configured to electronically transmit one or more messages from a customer computer to one or more bank servers, the one or more bank servers configured to electronically receive the one or more messages, the one or more messages relating to an order between a customer and a supplier, the one or more messages comprising supplier data and an order amount, wherein the at least some of the supplier data and the order amount are stored in one or more storage devices associated with at least one of the one or more bank servers, and wherein on a first date an early payment is electronically transferred to a supplier bank server associated with a bank account associated with the supplier, wherein the early payment is less than the order amount by the incentive amount, the early payment transferred within a shortened settlement period.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein on a second date, at least one of the one or more bank servers electronically debits a customer payment from a bank account associated with the customer, wherein the customer payment is one of:

no more than the order amount;

no more than the order amount plus any applicable fees;

or

not less than the early payment plus the interest amount plus any applicable fees.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the incentive amount is further based on a credit period, wherein the credit period is a period of time between the first date and the second date.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more fiscal attributes comprise one or more of:

an interest rate of the customer;

a cost of funds of the customer;

a credit rating of the customer; and

an assessed strength of the customer'"'"'s balance sheet.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the shortened settlement period is one of:

2 business days;

or

within 24 hours of the customer receiving an advanced shipping notice.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the early payment is made upon confirmation of the order, wherein one or more of:

the confirmation is provided by the customer,

the confirmation confirms contents of the order,

the confirmation is an ASN confirmation,

the ASN confirmation confirms that an ASN is identical to the order, and

the ASN confirmation confirms that an ASN matches the order.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more messages comprises an authorization by the customer to transfer the early payment for the order to the bank account associated with the supplier.

15. A payment message received by one or more bank servers, the payment message relating to an order between a customer and a supplier, the payment message comprising:

supplier data; and

an order amount, wherein upon confirmation of the order, the payment message enables the supplier to electronically receive an early payment for the order, the early payment received on a first date, wherein the early payment is less than the order amount by an incentive amount, the incentive amount determined by at least one processor based at least in part on one or more fiscal attributes of the customer, the early payment transferred within a shortened settlement period.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the payment message further enables at least one of the one or more bank servers to, on a second date, electronically debit the a customer payment from one or more bank accounts associated with the customer, wherein the customer payment is one of:

no more than the order amount;

no more than the order amount plus any applicable fees;

or not less than the early payment plus the interest amount plus any applicable fees.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the incentive amount is further based on a credit period, wherein the credit period is a period of time between the first date and the second date.

18. The payment message of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more fiscal attributes comprise one or more of:

an interest rate of the customer;

a cost of funds of the customer;

a credit rating of the customer; and

an assessed strength of the customer'"'"'s balance sheet.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the shortened settlement period is one of:

2 business days;

or

within 24 hours of the customer receiving an advanced shipping notice.

20. The payment message of claim 15, wherein one or more of:

the confirmation is provided by the customer,

the confirmation confirms contents of the order,

the confirmation is an ASN confirmation,

the ASN confirmation confirms that an ASN is identical to the order, and

the ASN confirmation confirms that an ASN matches the order.

21. The payment message of claim 15, wherein the payment message comprises an authorization by the customer to transfer the early payment for the order to a bank account associated with the supplier.