U.S. patent application number 14/221762 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-07 for online payment system and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Hitesh Bajaj, Christopher G. Gagliardo, Abla L. Hamilton, Charmaine Klein, Peter Nies.
Application Number | 20140222681 14/221762 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46020557 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140222681 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Klein; Charmaine ; et
al. |
August 7, 2014 |
ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
Abstract
System, method, and computer program product are provided for a
user to send and receive P2P payments using the Internet. Through
the use of a network, a user may access accounts the user has at a
financial institution and direct payments to other individuals or
entities using the other individuals or entities alias. In this
way, the user may ensure a secure payment to a third-party through
the network associated with a financial institution. The payments
may be directed to individuals the user may input into the system
by providing the user's alias. A user's alias may be a unique
identifier of the user and tied to a financial account of that
user. In this way, the sender of the P2P payments may input the
recipient's alias and transfer funds via the P2P payment system
without having to input the recipient's account information.
Inventors: |
Klein; Charmaine;
(Charlotte, NC) ; Bajaj; Hitesh; (Duluth, GA)
; Gagliardo; Christopher G.; (Charlotte, NC) ;
Nies; Peter; (San Francisco, CA) ; Hamilton; Abla
L.; (San Francisco, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION |
Charlotte |
NC |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Charlotte
NC
|
Family ID: |
46020557 |
Appl. No.: |
14/221762 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13200471 |
Sep 23, 2011 |
8725635 |
|
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14221762 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/44 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 20/3223 20130101;
G06Q 20/40 20130101; G06Q 20/108 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/44 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 20/40 20060101
G06Q020/40 |
Claims
1. A method for online payment, the method comprising: receiving
payment instructions from a financial institution customer, wherein
the payment instructions include a payment account, a payment
amount, and an alias associated with a payment recipient;
determining, via a computing device processor, that the payment
recipient is a registered payment recipient based at least in part
on the alias associated with the payment recipient received from
the financial institution customer; communicating a payment
notification to the payment recipient based on the payment
recipient being the registered payment recipient; and transferring
the payment amount from an account associated with the financial
institution customer to an account associated with the alias of the
payment recipient.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring online
payments associated with an alias associated with the financial
institution customer, such that online payment history may be
determined and provided to the financial institution customer
through the alias associated with the financial institution
customer.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining that the
payment instructions are received by a customer not associated with
the financial institution; and providing the customer not
associated with the financial institution an opportunity to opt-in
to receive and send online payments by providing the customer not
associated with the financial institution an alias.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the payment
account of the payment recipient based on the alias associated with
the payment recipient.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the alias comprises personal
identification information about the payment recipient, such that
the alias is unique to the payment recipient, wherein the alias
comprises at least one of a mobile phone number, an email address,
or social network identification information of the payment
recipient.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring of the payment
amount from the account associated with the financial institution
customer to an account associated with the alias of the payment
recipient is based at least in part on the payment
notification.
7. A computer program product for online payment, the computer
program product comprising a computer-readable medium having
computer-executable instructions for performing: receiving payment
instructions from a financial institution customer, wherein the
payment instructions include a payment account, a payment amount,
and an alias associated with a payment recipient; determining, via
a computing device processor, that the payment recipient is a
registered payment recipient based at least in part on the alias
associated with the payment recipient received from the financial
institution customer; communicating a payment notification to the
payment recipient based on the payment recipient being the
registered payment recipient; and transferring the payment amount
from an account associated with the financial institution customer
to an account associated with the alias of the payment
recipient.
8. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising
monitoring online payments associated with an alias associated with
the financial institution customer, such that online payment
history may be determined and provided to the financial institution
customer through the alias associated with the financial
institution customer.
9. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:
determining that the payment instructions are received by a
customer not associated with the financial institution; and
providing the customer not associated with the financial
institution an opportunity to opt-in to receive and send online
payments by providing the customer not associated with the
financial institution an alias.
10. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising
determining the payment account of the payment recipient based on
the alias associated with the payment recipient.
11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the alias
comprises personal identification information about the payment
recipient, such that the alias is unique to the payment recipient,
wherein the alias comprises at least one of a mobile phone number,
an email address, or social network identification information of
the payment recipient.
12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the
transferring of the payment amount from the account associated with
the financial institution customer to an account associated with
the alias of the payment recipient is based at least in part on the
payment notification.
13. A system for online payment, the system comprising: a computer
apparatus including a processor and a memory; and an online payment
module stored in the memory, executable by the processor and
configured to: receive payment instructions from a financial
institution customer, wherein the payment instructions include a
payment account, a payment amount, and an alias associated with a
payment recipient; determine that the payment recipient is a
registered payment recipient based at least in part on the alias
associated with the payment recipient received from the financial
institution customer; communicate a payment notification to the
payment recipient based on the payment recipient being the
registered payment recipient; and transfer the payment amount from
an account associated with the financial institution customer to an
account associated with the alias of the payment recipient.
14. The system of claim 13 further comprising monitoring online
payments associated with an alias associated with the financial
institution customer, such that online payment history may be
determined and provided to the financial institution customer
through the alias associated with the financial institution
customer.
15. The system of claim 13 further comprising: determining that the
payment instructions are received by a customer not associated with
the financial institution; and providing the customer not
associated with the financial institution an opportunity to opt-in
to receive and send online payments by providing the customer not
associated with the financial institution an alias.
16. The system of claim 13 further comprising determining the
payment account of the payment recipient based on the alias
associated with the payment recipient.
17. The system of claim 13, wherein the alias comprises personal
identification information about the payment recipient, such that
the alias is unique to the payment recipient, wherein the alias
comprises at least one of a mobile phone number, an email address,
or social network identification information of the payment
recipient.
18. The system of claim 13, wherein the transferring of the payment
amount from the account associated with the financial institution
customer to an account associated with the alias of the payment
recipient is based at least in part on the payment notification.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119
[0001] This Non-provisional patent application claims priority to
Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 13/200,471 titled
"Online Payment System and Method" filed Sep. 23, 2011, which, in
turn, claims priority to Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
61/410,087 titled "Online Payment System and Method" filed on Nov.
4, 2010, assigned to the assignee hereof and herby expressly
incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] With the wide adoption of credits cards, debit cards,
electronic payment devices, online shopping systems, and online
banking systems, very few people today carry a lot of cash or write
many checks. However, people still need to transfer money to each
other for all sorts of reasons. For example, a person may want to
pay a friend back for money recently borrowed from the friend, or a
person may want to send money to a relative as a gift. Giving or
lending money to another person, however, can be difficult when you
don't have cash on hand and/or if the person is not physically
present. The process may need to involve going to an automated
teller machine (ATM) or mailing the person a check, both of which
can be time consuming and inconvenient depending on the
situation.
[0003] Money can be transferred from one person to another using
electronic banking systems, but these systems traditionally require
that the sender know account information for the receiver in order
to instruct the bank to transfer money to the proper account. Most
people do not know the account numbers of their friends, nor do
most people want to widely publicize their account numbers for
security reasons.
[0004] Some third party service providers try to facilitate
payments from one person to another, but many people do not like
these systems because they require opening yet another account with
another online entity, remembering yet another username and
password, and disclosing confidential financial institution account
information to these other companies. In addition to the
inconvenience and the security concerns, these systems generally
take time set up and are not user-friendly.
[0005] For all these reasons and others, there is a need for
improved user-friendly systems and methods for transferring money
between two people and/or other entities, especially if such
systems can transfer money directly to and/or from financial
institution accounts, such as demand deposit accounts (e.g.,
checking accounts), savings accounts, and/or credit accounts.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0006] Embodiments of the present invention address these and/or
other needs by providing an innovative person-to-person (P2P)
payment system along with a user-friendly interface and process for
sending and receiving P2P payments. Advantageously, embodiments of
the invention do not necessarily require users to share
confidential account information with others in order to send and
receive payments. In fact, embodiments of the invention do not
require that the payment sender know any information about the
financial accounts of the intended payment recipient. Furthermore,
embodiments of the invention enable users to attempt to make
payments to persons that are not customers of the same financial
institution and to persons that are not customers of any financial
institution. Embodiments of the invention also create a "viral"
account opening and payment system registration process whereby one
person's use of the system encourages others to use the system.
[0007] More specifically, embodiments of the invention allow an
entity to transfer funds to another entity using a mobile telephone
number, electronic mail (email) address, and/or other alias of the
transfer recipient. The assignee of the present application
describes some embodiments of such an invention in U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 60/991,172, filed on Nov. 29, 2007, and
co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/038,177, filed on
Feb. 27, 2008, as well as in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.
12/881,071, 12/881,073, 12/881,074, and 12/881,080 continuing
therefrom. Embodiments of the present invention include and build
off of those earlier embodiments to provide an improved P2P payment
system and a more user-friendly, secure, and convenient user
interface and method.
[0008] Furthermore, embodiments of the invention include and build
off of the following applications sharing a common assignee with
the present application: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
61/410,085, filed on Nov. 4, 2010; U.S. Design Pat. application No.
29/378,420, filed on Nov. 4, 2010; and U.S. Design Pat. application
No. 29/378,418, filed on Nov. 4, 2010, and as such, herein
incorporate these applications by reference.
[0009] As described in greater detail below, the user interface can
be incorporated into the online banking website of a bank or other
financial institution. A user can authenticate her identity using
the online banking authentication system and the user's
authentication information and procedures that are already known to
the user for interacting with online banking. The user can then use
the online banking interface to register a mobile phone number,
email address, or other alias by associating the number, address,
or other alias with one of the user's financial institution
accounts. This association is then stored in a data repository that
can later be accessed by the bank and, in some cases, other
financial institutions. Some embodiments of the invention provide a
system for verifying that the alias is owned, held, or otherwise
associated with the user, the system including immediately sending
a code to the user's device using the alias (e.g., sending a code
in a text or email) and having the user enter the code into the
online banking interface shortly thereafter.
[0010] The online banking interface can also be used to initiate
transfers to others using aliases. In some embodiments of the
invention, a user can create a transfer recipient by entering the
recipient's name, alias (e.g., mobile phone number or email
address), and a descriptive name for the person, commonly referred
to as a nickname. The user can then create a transfer request by
using the online banking interface to select an account associated
with the user's online banking account, enter or select the
nickname of the saved recipient, and enter a monetary amount. The
banking system then accesses the data repository to determine
whether the alias is registered and thereby associated with a
financial institution account. If the alias is registered, the
banking system sends a transfer notification to the recipient using
the alias and/or initiates the funds transfer. If the alias is not
registered, then the banking system uses the alias to send the
transfer recipient a notification (e.g., a text message, email or
the like), the notification telling the person that there is a
pending transfer that will be processed if the person registers her
alias with an existing financial institution account and/or opens a
new financial institution account. The notification then provides a
link to the online banking website, a mobile banking website, or a
mobile banking application that allows the person to easily
register an existing account or open a new account.
[0011] Embodiments of the invention also provide a user interface
that makes it easy for users to monitor their current, future,
pending, and past person-to-person (P2P) and/or person-to-merchant
(P2M) funds transfers as well as their saved transfer recipient
list, alias registrations, incoming transfers, and/or other related
information.
[0012] Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and
computer program products for online entity to entity transfer of
payments, comprising: receiving payment instructions from a
financial institution customer, wherein the payment instructions
include a payment account, a payment amount, and an alias
associated with a payment recipient; determining that the payment
recipient is a registered payment recipient based at least in part
on the alias associated with the payment recipient; communicating a
payment notification to the payment recipient based on the payment
recipient being the registered payment recipient; and transferring
the payment amount from an account associated with the financial
institution customer to an account associated with the alias of the
payment recipient.
[0013] In some embodiments, the invention further comprises
monitoring online payments such that online payment history may be
determined and provided to the financial institution customer via
an online interface.
[0014] In some embodiments, the payment instructions from a
financial institution customer may be received from the financial
institution customer through a network. The payment instructions
may further be received by a customer not associated with the
financial institution. If the customer is not associated with the
financial institution, the customer may be provided an opportunity
to opt-in to receive and send online payments.
[0015] In some embodiments, the invention further comprises
determining that the payment recipient is an entity associated with
the financial institution. Furthermore, a determination of the
payment account of the payment recipient may be based at least in
part on the alias associated with the payment recipient. The alias
may comprise personal identification information about the payment
recipient, such that the alias is unique to the payment
recipient.
[0016] In some embodiments, the transferring of the payment amount
from the account associated with the financial institution customer
to an account associated with the payment recipient is based at
least in part on the payment notification.
[0017] It should be appreciated that at least some embodiments of
the invention provide a more convenient, user friendly, and secure
P2P payment system because it is provided by the user's bank,
through the bank's online banking system with which the user is
already familiar. In at least some embodiments, the user may not
need to share personal or confidential information, such as account
information, with people or businesses outside of the user's bank.
The user can feel more secure having P2P payment services handled
by their bank and having the convenience of being able to directly
send money from and/or receive money into the user's one or more
financial institution accounts.
[0018] The features, functions, and advantages that have been
discussed may be achieved independently in various embodiments of
the present invention or may be combined with yet other
embodiments, further details of which can be seen with reference to
the following description and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Having thus described embodiments of the invention in
general terms, reference will now be made the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a combination flowchart and block diagram of a
system and method for making P2P payments in accordance with
example embodiment of the invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the various ways
through which a customer may make P2P payments in accordance with
various embodiments of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 provides a block diagram illustrating an online
banking P2P payment system and environment in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention;
[0023] FIG. 4 provides a block diagram illustrating the first
user's personal computing device of FIG. 3, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 provides a block diagram illustrating the second
user's personal computing device of FIG. 3, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention;
[0025] FIG. 6 provides a block diagram illustrating the financial
institution's online banking system of FIG. 3, in accordance with
an embodiment of the invention;
[0026] FIG. 7 provides a block diagram illustrating the alias data
repository of FIG. 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
[0027] FIGS. 8A-8D provide flow charts illustrating a process for
sending P2P payments, in accordance with embodiments of the
invention;
[0028] FIGS. 9A-9G provide screenshots of a graphical user
interface used during the process described in FIGS. 8A-8D, in
accordance with embodiments of the invention;
[0029] FIGS. 10A-10C provide flow charts illustrating a process for
receiving P2P payments, in accordance with embodiments of the
invention;
[0030] FIGS. 11A-11F provide screenshots of a graphical user
interface used during the process described in FIGS. 10A-10C, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
[0031] FIGS. 12A-12C provide screenshots of a graphical user
interface used during the processes of accessing the list of
outbound transfer recipients and inbound transfer options, editing
a transfer recipient's information, and deleting a transfer
recipient's information, in accordance with embodiments of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0032] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described
more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which some, but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown.
Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and
should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth
herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this
disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Where
possible, any terms expressed in the singular form herein are meant
to also include the plural form and vice versa, unless explicitly
stated otherwise. Also, as used herein, the term "a" and/or "an"
shall mean "one or more," even though the phrase "one or more" is
also used herein. Furthermore, when it is said herein that
something is "based on" something else, it may be based on one or
more other things as well. In other words, unless expressly
indicated otherwise, as used herein "based on" means "based at
least in part on" or "based at least partially on." Like numbers
refer to like elements throughout.
[0033] In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the terms
"financial institution" or "financial entity" include any
organization that processes financial transactions including, but
not limited to, banks, credit unions, savings and loan
associations, investment companies, stock brokerages, asset
management firms, insurance companies and the like. In specific
embodiments of the invention, use of the term "bank," is limited to
a financial entity in which account-bearing customers conduct
financial transactions, such as account deposits, withdrawals,
transfers and the like.
[0034] Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and
method for online banking integrated person-to-person (P2P)
payments. Embodiments of the invention allow customers of a
financial entity to make payments directly from their accounts,
whether their accounts be checking, savings, line of credit, credit
card, and/or other accounts, to a payment recipient, including
financial entity customers and non-financial entity customers,
without having to share any confidential account information and
without having to know account information for the intended payment
recipient. Embodiments of the invention also allow customers and
non-customers to receive payments from others directly into their
financial institution accounts without requiring the customer to
share account information with the payment sender. It should be
noted that some embodiments of the invention allow a customer to
make payments to and/or receive payments from a merchant in the
same way that a customer can make payments to and/or receive
payments from another person. As such, as used herein, the phrase
person-to-person (P2P) is intended to include person-to-merchant
(P2M), merchant-to-merchant (M2M), and merchant-to-person (M2P)
unless specifically stated otherwise. Moreover, embodiments of the
present invention permit a sender to send money from the sender's
financial institution account directly to the recipient's financial
institution account using the alias of the recipient without the
involvement of an intermediary or a third party. This allows for
greater security as no party apart from the sender, the recipient,
and the bank is ever a part of the transfer.
[0035] FIG. 1 is a combination block diagram and flowchart
providing an overview of a system and method 100 for making P2P
payments, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the
invention. A customer 101 with an eligible account 107, e.g.,
checking (demand deposit account or "DDA"), savings, money market,
line of credit, credit card, etc., of a financial entity is be able
to register and make use of this service. During the registration
process, the customer 101 is able to set up an alias identifier
(ID) 117 (or simply an "alias") that maps back to the customer's
account. The alias 117 may be any unique identifier other than the
customer's financial institution account number. Typically, the
alias 117 is an identifier that friends, family, and/or other
members of the public uniquely associate with the customer 101. For
example, the alias 117 may be a mobile telephone number 119, an
email address 121, a social networking ID 123, and/or the like. The
embodiments of the invention described herein in the other figures
generally permit the customer 101 to use either a mobile telephone
number 119 or an email address 121 as the account alias, but it
will be appreciated that, in view of this disclosure, other
embodiments of the invention may allow use of other types of
aliases.
[0036] The information provided by the customer 101 during
registration of an alias may be verified to confirm that the
customer 101 does have access to the mobile number 119, email
address 121, social networking ID 123, or other alias 117 provided.
For example, as described in greater detail below, the financial
institution (or other entity that maintains a database of aliases
and associates them with financial institution accounts) may send a
communication to the customer 101 using the alias and require the
customer 101 confirm access to the alias by responding to the
notice in some way. For example, if the alias registered by the
customer 101 is a mobile telephone number 119, the financial
institution may send a text message to the mobile telephone number
119 with a code and then require that the customer 101 enter the
code into a mobile banking or online banking application to confirm
that the mobile telephone number is associated with the customer
101. Once the alias information is verified, then the alias is
linked to one or more of the customer's financial institution
accounts in a data repository maintained by the financial
institution or some other entity that provides an alias registry
service to the financial institution.
[0037] The customer 101 can also use embodiments of the invention
to make payments to other entity's, such as receiver 125, using an
alias of the receiver 125. In some embodiments of the invention,
the customer 101 is able to set preferences for accounts to be used
for outgoing payments, and default account(s) for incoming
payments. In some embodiments of the invention, the financial
institution places limits (e.g., maximums and/or minimums) on how
much money can be sent or received over a specified period of time
using P2P payment aliases, and such limits may be based on the
sender, the receiver, whether the receiver is a customer of the
financial institution or a partner financial institution, account
history, credit ratings, customer status, whether the customer has
registered the alias, and/or any other relevant information. In
some embodiments, the customer 101 can also establish limits on P2P
payments. For example, a customer 101 may want to set a maximum of
$1000 for P2P payments where an alias is used for the recipient as
opposed to an account number.
[0038] In some embodiments of the invention, the customer 101 may
also have an option of opening a new P2P account 109 with the
financial institution that the customer may use exclusively for
making and/or receiving P2P payments. This financial entity P2P
account 109 may be like any other account hosted at the financial
entity and so money may be moved instantly into this account 109
through the regular online banking transfer process for moving
money between a customer's accounts. This account 109 may be a type
of checking account except that it may come with certain
limitations, e.g., no checks, maximum balance limits, number of
daily transactions or the like, and may be opened by customers by
providing much less information as compared to a regular checking
account. The financial entity may, at a minimum, require customers
to provide certain information, such as name, address, date of
birth, and social security number, in order to comply with
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations. Customers 101 of the
financial entity may also have an option to set up P2P accounts 109
(i.e., sub-accounts) for minors 125, other dependents, or related
entities. Customers 101 are able to access these accounts just like
any of their other accounts. In addition, customers 101 are able to
set up an online banking access ID for the minor 125 that the minor
125 may use to sign into online banking but have access only to the
specific minor P2P account 109 set up for them. These P2P-specific
accounts and sub-accounts are described in more detail in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/038,177 filed on Feb. 27, 2008 and
entitled "Sub-Account Mechanism," which application was assigned
to, or subject to an obligation to assign to, the same assignee of
the present application at the time of filing of the present
application and at the time of conception of the inventions
described herein.
[0039] Referring again to FIG. 1, customers 101 of the financial
entity are able to make payments to other people through any of a
number of different methods. Payments may be made by a routing
number/account number 113. Payments may also be made by providing
an account number and an additional identifier, such as a zip code
115. If there is a match to an existing financial entity account in
127, then the funds are transferred instantly to that account.
Else, an error message 129 may be generated.
[0040] In accordance with embodiments of the invention, payments
may be made by providing an alias 117. In general, as described in
greater detail below, the customer 101 initiates a P2P payment
using an alias by communicating an alias 117 and an associated
payment amount to the financial institution. The financial
institution then accesses an alias database, or other type of data
repository, to determine if the entered alias 117 has been
registered by the alias holder and is, thereby, associated with a
particular financial institution account. If the alias 117 does
have a match to another customer in 131 or financial institution
account of another customer 131, then the payment may be initiated
to that person, as described in greater detail below. If there is
no match, then either an error message 129 is generated or, if
possible, the alias 117 may be used to contact the intended
recipient 125 and allow this person to register the alias 117 and
thereby associate the alias with a financial institution account.
At any time, if outgoing payments or payment notifications are not
received by a receiver (as represented by block 103), the payment
may be canceled (as represented by block 105).
[0041] In some embodiments of the invention, an alias 117 may be
associated with multiple financial institution accounts of the
alias holder. In some such embodiments, the alias holder may be a
able to establish a default account when registering the alias 117
or afterwards. Consequently, if a receiver 125 does have a default
account for incoming payments in 137, then the funds may be
transferred instantly to that account(s). If the receiver 125 has
not set up a default account in 137 but the receiver 125 does have
multiple accounts associated with the alias 117, then the funds may
be moved to a master settlement account 135 and the receiver 125
may see the payment as an incoming payment within online banking
133. The receiver 125 may then be able to use the online banking
application to move the funds instantly to any of the receiver's
others accounts. In other embodiments, however, each alias 117 is
associated only with one financial institution account and,
therefore, steps 137 and 135 are not needed and the payment is
deposited directly into the one financial institution account
associated with the alias 117.
[0042] As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the alias 117 may be a
mobile telephone number 119 and, as such, payment may be made by
the customer 101 providing a mobile phone number 119 (the mobile
telephone number 119 being the mobile telephone number of the
intended payment recipient 125) along with an associated payment
amount. This operation may perform exactly as described above for
the alias 117 if there is a match in 139 on the mobile number. If
there is no match in 139, then a text message may be sent to the
mobile number 119 provided (as represented by block 150). If the
receiver 125 of the message is an existing financial institution
customer (or, in some embodiments, if the receiver 125 is a
customer of a partner financial institution), then that person may
be allowed to sign into their online or mobile banking account,
register the phone number as illustrated by block 151 (thereby
associating the phone number with a financial institution account
for P2P payment purposes), and then receive funds similar to the
process described above for the alias 117. If the receiver 125 is
not a financial entity customer with an account eligible for
receiving funds, then the receiver 125 may be given the option to
sign up (as represented by block 152) for a financial institution
account 141 or 143 at the financial institution or return funds to
the sender (as represented by block 153).
[0043] As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the alias 117 may be an
email address 121 and, as such, payment may be made by the customer
101 providing an email address 121 (the email address 121 being an
email address of the intended payment recipient 125) along with an
associated payment amount. This operation may perform exactly as
described above for a mobile number 119 except that the
notification message (with the registration or account opening
option if appropriate) is sent to the email address 121
provided.
[0044] In some embodiments of the invention, payment may be made by
providing a social networking ID 123, such as a unique ID
associated with the receiver 125 on a particular social networking
Internet site. In such a situation, the process operates in the
same way as described above for mobile phone number 119 and email
address 121 except the social networking platform may be used to
notify the receiver based on the social networking ID 123
provided.
[0045] In all cases described above, if the receiver 125 is already
a customer of the financial institution or a partner financial
institution and has already registered the alias 117 provided by
the sender 101, a text message, email, online banking notice,
mobile banking notice, or other type of message may be sent to
receiver 125 based on the alias 117 entered by the sender 101 or
irrespective of information entered by sender if there is other
contact information found in the receiver's profile, the
notification notifying the receiver 125 of the payment. In some
embodiments, the receiver 125 may be allowed to reject or re-route
the payment. In some embodiments of the invention, the sender 101
is permitted to include a note to the recipient 125 along with the
payment, such as a note explaining to the recipient what the
purpose of payment.
[0046] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the various ways
through which a customer may make P2P payments in accordance with
various embodiments of the invention. As illustrated, in some
embodiments of the invention, a customer 201 who is signed up for
the P2P payment service has the option to initiate P2P payments
from a DDA, savings, line of credit, and/or credit card account 203
of the financial entity (and/or from a P2P-specific account 205
with the financial entity) through the financial entity's mobile
banking website 209 or a mobile banking handset application 207 by
providing any of the above-described alias information, e.g., phone
number, email address, social networking ID, and/or other alias,
along with a payment amount. In some embodiments of the invention,
customers can alternatively or additionally initiate payments by
sending a text message 211 to the financial entity, the text
message including the receiver's phone number, email address,
social networking ID, nickname, or other alias. In some
embodiments, customers can alternatively or additionally use the
financial institution's online banking website 212 to initiate a
payment using an alias, as described in greater detail below with
respect to FIGS. 3-12C. Whether via a mobile banking handset
application 207, mobile website 209, short message service 211, or
online banking website 212, a receiver 217 associated with the
financial entity may receive funds at the receiver's financial
institution account (e.g., DDA, savings, or credit account 213 or
P2P-specific account 215). A receiver 221 not associated with the
financial entity 221 may receive funds at the receiver's financial
institution account 219 at another partner financial institution if
the account is registered and associated with the alias and/or the
receiver 221 may be prompted to register for the service and/or
open an account with the financial institution in order to receive
the payment from the sender 201.
[0047] It should be appreciated that embodiments of the invention
described above permit an entity to send money to another entity
even if the sending entity does not know any account information
for the recipient entity and only knows a mobile telephone number
or email address of the recipient entity. This can also result in
better protection of personal account information. It should also
be appreciated that some embodiments of the invention create a
viral registration and/or account opening system that allows for
customers of a financial institution to send payments to anyone
outside the financial entity using an alias. In such embodiments,
the non-customers are contacted using the alias and they are
allowed to quickly open and/or register an account with the
financial institution in order to receive the funds from the
sender.
[0048] As described above, FIGS. 1 and 2 provide an overview of the
alias-type P2P payment system and process of embodiments of the
invention. FIGS. 3-12C, described below, provide a more detailed
description of some systems and methods of implementing embodiments
the invention in an online banking environment. Specifically,
embodiments of the invention described below disclose a
user-friendly online banking interface and associated method that
may be used by a financial institution to: (1) allow customers to
send P2P payments using an alias of the intended recipient; (2)
allow customers to register a customer's aliases and then receive
alias-type P2P payments from others; and (3) allow customers to
easily manage their P2P payments.
[0049] FIG. 3 provides a block diagram illustrating an online
banking P2P payment system and environment 300, in accordance with
an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the P2P
payment environment 100 includes a first user 310 and a second user
320 where one user wants to send funds to the other user. A user of
the system may be a person, but may also be a business (e.g., a
merchant) or any other entity capable of sending or receiving
money.
[0050] The environment 300 also includes a personal computing
device 400 and 500 for the first user 310 and second user 320,
respectively. Each personal computing device may be any device that
employs a processor and memory and can perform computing functions,
such as a personal computer or a mobile device. As used herein, a
"mobile device" is any mobile communication device, such as a
cellular telecommunications device (i.e., a cell phone or mobile
phone), personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile Internet
accessing device, or other mobile device.
[0051] The personal computing devices 400 and 500 are configured to
communicate over a network 350 with a financial institution's
online banking system 600 and, in some cases, one or more other
financial institution banking systems. The first user's personal
computing device 400, the second user's personal computing device
500, the financial institution's online banking system 600, an
alias data repository 700, and any other participating financial
institution's banking systems 370 are each described in greater
detail below with reference to FIGS. 4-7. The network 350 may
include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN),
and/or a global area network (GAN). The network 350 may provide for
wireline, wireless, or a combination of wireline and wireless
communication between devices in the network. In one embodiment,
the network 350 includes the Internet.
[0052] In general, a personal computing device 400 is configured to
connect with the network 350 to log the first user 310 into an
online banking system 600. The online banking system 600 involves
authentication of a first user in order to access the first user's
account on the online banking system 600. For example, the online
banking system 600 is a system where a first user 310 logs into
his/her account such that the first user 310 or other entity can
access data that is associated with the first user 310. For
example, in one embodiment of the invention, the online system 600
is an online banking system maintained by a financial institution.
In such an embodiment, the first user 310 can use the personal
computing device 400 to log into the online banking system to
access the first user online banking account. Logging into the
online banking system 600 generally requires that the first user
310 authenticate his/her identity using a user name, a passcode, a
cookie, a biometric identifier, a private key, a token, and/or
another authentication mechanism that is provided by the first user
310 to the online banking system 600 via the personal computing
device 400.
[0053] The financial institution's online banking system 600 is in
network communication with other devices, such as other financial
institutions' banking systems 370, an alias data repository 700,
and a second personal computing device 500 that is configured to
communicate with the network 350 to log a second user 320 into the
online banking system 600.
[0054] In some embodiments of the invention, the alias data
repository 700 is configured to be controlled and managed by one or
more third-party data providers (not shown in FIG. 3) over the
network 350. In other embodiments, the alias data repository 700 is
configured to be controlled and managed over the network 350 by the
same entity that maintains the financial institution's online
banking system 300. In other embodiments, the alias data repository
700 is configured to be controlled and managed over the network 350
by the financial institution implementing the online payment system
of the present invention. In still other embodiments, the alias
data repository 700 is a part of the online banking system 600.
[0055] Referring now to FIG. 4, the personal computing device 400
associated with the first user 310 includes various features, such
as a network communication interface 410, a processing device 420,
a user interface 430, and a memory device 450. The network
communication interface 410 includes a device that allows the
personal computing device 400 to communicate over the network 350
(shown in FIG. 3). In addition, a network browsing application 455
is stored in the memory device 450. The network browsing
application 455 provides for the first user to establish network
communication with the online banking system 600 (shown in FIG. 4)
for the purpose of initiating online payment, in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention.
[0056] Referring now to FIG. 5, the personal computing device 500
associated with the second user 320 also includes various features,
such as a network communication interface 510, a processing device
520, a user interface 530, and a memory device 550. The network
communication interface 510 includes a device that allows the
personal computing device 500 to communicate over the network 350
(shown in FIG. 3). In addition, a network browsing application 555
is stored in the memory device 550. The network browsing
application 455 provides for the second user to establish network
communication for the purpose of registering and account and/or
alias with the online payment system and/or receiving online
payment, in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention.
[0057] As used herein, a "processing device," such as the
processing device 420 or the processing device 520, generally
refers to a device or combination of devices having circuitry used
for implementing the communication and/or logic functions of a
particular system. For example, a processing device may include a
digital signal processor device, a microprocessor device, and
various analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters,
and other support circuits and/or combinations of the foregoing.
Control and signal processing functions of the system are allocated
between these processing devices according to their respective
capabilities. The processing device 420 or 520 may further include
functionality to operate one or more software programs based on
computer-executable program code thereof, which may be stored in a
memory. As the phrase is used herein, a processing device 420 or
520 may be "configured to" perform a certain function in a variety
of ways, including, for example, by having one or more
general-purpose circuits perform the function by executing
particular computer-executable program code embodied in
computer-readable medium, and/or by having one or more
application-specific circuits perform the function.
[0058] As used herein, a "user interface" 430 or 530 generally
includes a plurality of interface devices that allow a customer to
input commands and data to direct the processing device to execute
instructions. As such, the user interface 430 or 530 employs
certain input and output devices to input data received from the
first user 310 or second user 320 or output data to the first user
310 or second user 320. These input and output devices may include
a display, mouse, keyboard, button, touchpad, touch screen,
microphone, speaker, LED, light, joystick, switch, buzzer, bell,
and/or other customer input/output device for communicating with
one or more customers.
[0059] As used herein, a "memory device" 450 or 550 generally
refers to a device or combination of devices that store one or more
forms of computer-readable media and/or computer-executable program
code/instructions. Computer-readable media is defined in greater
detail below. For example, in one embodiment, the memory device 450
or 550 includes any computer memory that provides an actual or
virtual space to temporarily or permanently store data and/or
commands provided to the processing device 420 or 520 when it
carries out its functions described herein.
[0060] FIG. 6 provides a block diagram illustrating the online
banking system 600 in greater detail, in accordance with
embodiments of the invention. As illustrated in FIG. 6, in one
embodiment of the invention, the online banking system 600 includes
a processing device 620 operatively coupled to a network
communication interface 610 and a memory device 650. In certain
embodiments, the online banking system 600 is operated by a first
entity, such as a financial institution, while in other
embodiments, the online banking system 600 is operated by an entity
other than a financial institution.
[0061] It should be understood that the memory device 650 may
include one or more databases or other data
structures/repositories. The memory device 650 also includes
computer-executable program code that instructs the processing
device 620 to operate the network communication interface 610 to
perform certain communication functions of the online banking
system 600 described herein. For example, in one embodiment of the
online banking system 600, the memory device 650 includes, but is
not limited to, a network server application 670, an authentication
application 660, a customer account data repository 680, which
includes customer authentication data 680 and customer account
information 684, and an online banking application 690, which
includes an alias data repository interface 692 and other
computer-executable instructions or other data. The
computer-executable program code of the network server application
670, the authentication application 660, or the online banking
application 690 may instruct the processing device 620 to perform
certain logic, data-processing, and data-storing functions of the
online system 600 described herein, as well as communication
functions of the online banking system 600.
[0062] In one embodiment, the customer account data repository 680
includes customer authentication data 682 and customer account
information 684. The network server application 670, the
authentication application 660, and the online banking application
690 are configured to implement customer account information 684,
the customer authentication data 682, and the alias data repository
interface 692 when authenticating the customer 101 to the online
banking system 600. The customer account information 684, the
customer authentication data 682, and the alias data repository
interface 692 are discussed in more detail in a later section.
[0063] As used herein, a "communication interface" generally
includes a modem, server, transceiver, and/or other device for
communicating with other devices on a network, and/or a user
interface for communicating with one or more customers. Referring
again to FIG. 6, the network communication interface 610 is a
communication interface having one or more communication devices
configured to communicate with one or more other devices on the
network 350, such as the personal computing device 400 or 500, the
online banking system 600, the other financial institution banking
systems 370, and the alias data repository 700. The processing
device 620 is configured to use the network communication interface
610 to transmit and/or receive data and/or commands to and/or from
the other devices connected to the network 350.
[0064] FIG. 7 provides a block diagram illustrating an alias data
repository 700, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
In one embodiment of the invention, the alias data repository 700
is operated by a second entity that is a different or separate
entity from the first entity (e.g., the financial institution)
that, in one embodiment of the invention, implements the online
banking system 600. In one embodiment, the alias data repository
700 could be part of the online banking system 600. In another
embodiment, the alias data repository 700 is a distinct entity from
the online banking system 600. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the alias
data repository 700 generally includes, but is not limited to, a
network communication interface 710, a processing device 720, and a
memory device 750. The processing device 720 is operatively coupled
to the network communication interface 710 and the memory device
750. In one embodiment of the alias data repository 700, the memory
device 750 stores, but is not limited to, an online banking system
interface 760 and an alias data store 770. The alias data store 770
stores data including, but not limited to, an alias for the
customer's financial institution account, mobile number or email
address for the first user's 310 account, and a mobile number
and/or email address for the second user's 320 account. In one
embodiment of the invention, both the online banking system
interface 760 and the alias data store 770 may associate with
applications having computer-executable program code that instructs
the processing device 720 to operate the network communication
interface 710 to perform certain communication functions involving
the alias data store 770 described herein. In one embodiment, the
computer-executable program code of an application associated with
the alias data store 770 may also instruct the processing device
720 to perform certain logic, data processing, and data storing
functions of the application associated with the alias data store
770 described herein. An alias, as defined in this invention, is
not limited to just a mobile device number or an email address.
[0065] The network communication interface 710 is a communication
interface having one or more communication devices configured to
communicate with one or more other devices on the network 350. The
processing device 720 is configured to use the network
communication interface 710 to receive information from and/or
provide information and commands to a personal computing device 400
or 500, other financial institution banking systems 370, the alias
data repository 700, the online banking system 600 and/or other
devices via the network 350. In some embodiments, the processing
device 720 also uses the network communication interface 710 to
access other devices on the network 350, such as one or more web
servers of one or more third-party data providers. In some
embodiments, one or more of the devices described herein may be
operated by a second entity so that the third-party controls the
various functions involving the alias data repository 700. For
example, in one embodiment of the invention, although the online
system 600 is operated by a first entity (e.g., a financial
institution), a second entity operates the alias data repository
700 that stores the alias details for the customer's financial
institution accounts and other information about customers.
[0066] As described above, the processing device 720 is configured
to use the network communication interface 710 to gather data from
the various data sources. The processing device 720 stores the data
that it receives in the memory device 750. In this regard, in one
embodiment of the invention, the memory device 750 includes
datastores that include, for example: (1) aliases for customer
financial institution account numbers and routing information, (2)
information about sending and receiving users' mobile device
numbers, email addresses, or other contact information, which may
have been received from the online banking system 600; (3) a list
of customer IDs or authentication data received from the online
banking system 600; and/or (4) customer credentials (e.g., a
customer ID) received from the customer's personal computing device
400 or received from the online system 300 in response to the
customer accessing the online banking system 600.
[0067] FIGS. 8A-8D provide flow charts illustrating a process 800
for sending P2P payments using an alias, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate the flow chart
in terms of "swim lanes" associated with entities which may perform
the operations in each respective swim lane. The entities
illustrated in the exemplary Figures are a financial institution's
online banking system, a first user using a first personal
computing device, an alias data repository, and a second user using
a second personal computing device. However, it should be noted
that other entities could also be involved and some embodiments of
the invention may not be limited to the four entities illustrated
in FIGS. 8A-8D. Additionally, it should be understood that, in
other embodiments of the invention, the entities need not be
required to perform the actions illustrated in each respective swim
lane. For example, some of the process steps described herein may
be performed by the first entity (or other entities) even though
the element may be illustrated as in the swim lane of the second
entity. Similarly, in some embodiments, some of the process steps
may be performed by the second entity (or other entities) even
though the element may be illustrated as in the swim lane of the
first entity.
[0068] The process begins at block 802 of FIG. 8A where a financial
institution's online banking system 600 invites a user to
participate in a P2P payment program. FIG. 9A provides a screenshot
of a graphical user interface used during the process of inviting a
user to participate in a P2P payment program. In the illustrated
embodiment, the screenshot is located under the "Transfers" tab on
a first user's online banking homepage. Although in other
embodiments the information depicted in the screenshot of FIG. 9A
may be presented elsewhere within the online banking system. In
certain embodiments, the page illustrated in the screenshot is
available after the first user has logged into the first user's
online banking account. In another embodiment, the page illustrated
in the screenshot may be available before the first user has logged
into the first user's online banking account. The other tabs on the
first user's online banking homepage are a tab related to accounts,
a tab related to paying bills, a tab related to investments and a
tab related to customer service. In one embodiment shown in FIG.
9A, the online banking system 600 indicates to the first user that
he or she is invited to participate in the P2P transfer service via
an alias. The information provided in the screenshot of FIG. 9A is
configured to inform the first user that he or she can send money
to a recipient's email address or mobile number or, in other
embodiments, some other alias and can receive money using just an
email address or mobile number or, in other embodiments, another
alias as identifying information. The online banking system 600
informs the first user in FIG. 9A that the first user can send
money to a second user by submitting to the online banking system
600 the second user's email address or mobile number. As shown in
FIG. 9A, the online banking system 600 informs the first user that
the first user can receive money from a second user by setting up
the first user's P2P account on the online banking system 600 and
verifying the first user's email address or mobile number. As shown
in FIG. 9A, the online banking system 600 also informs the user
that the P2P service is the newest and easiest way to make
transfers, and that money can be transferred without providing a
recipient's account number. As shown in FIG. 9A, the online banking
system 600 finally asks the first user whether he or she would like
to try this P2P feature. As shown in FIG. 9A, the online banking
system 600 provides two buttons for the first user to communicate
his or her decision to the online banking system 600. A first user
can activate the "Yes, I want to Join" button if the first user
wishes to initiate the process of using the P2P service.
Alternatively, the first user can activate the "No thanks" button
if the first user wishes to decline the invitation extended by the
online banking system 600. In certain embodiments of the invention,
the online banking system 600 only invites certain existing online
banking customers who fit certain criteria, including, but not
limited to, pre-determined minimum account balance, number of years
since the customer first opened an account, customer status, etc.
Thus, in such embodiments, the information provided in the
screenshot of FIG. 9A may only be accessible to those qualified
customers as determined by the financial institution.
[0069] Returning to FIG. 8A, the process then moves to block 804
where the first user 310 using personal computing device 400
accepts the invitation that is shown on FIG. 9A by activating the
button that reads "Yes, I Want to Join."
[0070] The process then moves to block 806 of FIG. 8A where the
online banking system 600 presents to the first user the terms of
the P2P transfer feature that will govern the transfer of funds. A
screenshot for this process is shown in FIG. 9B. FIG. 9B shows that
the online banking system 600 informs the user of the merits of
using the P2P transfer service. As shown in FIG. 9B, these merits
include, but are not limited to, making person-to-person transfers
of money by using an email address or phone number, without the
need of providing an account number. Additionally, the information
provided in the screenshot depicted in FIG. 9B informs the first
user that a payment or assessment is associated with transferring
funds to another person using the recipient's mobile number or
email address or other alias. The online banking system 600 also
informs the first user that the amount of any payment is disclosed
prior to making the P2P transfer via alias. The online banking
system 600 also informs the first user that he or she can read more
details about this payment in the service agreement that is linked
into the page displayed as a screenshot in FIG. 9B. The online
banking system 600 also informs the first user that there may be
dollar amounts and other limits that apply for these P2P transfers
via alias. As shown in FIG. 9B, the online banking system 600
further informs the first user that the first user may find in the
service agreement applicable daily cut off times and delivery times
for making these P2P transfers via alias. The information provided
in the screenshot of FIG. 9B also informs the first user that no
payment is associated with transferring funds to another person if
the first user provides the recipient's account number. In the
illustrated embodiment the recipient's account number must be an
account associated with the financial institution implementing the
online banking system, however, in other embodiments the
recipient's account number may be an account number associated with
another financial institution. FIG. 9B also illustrates a
confirmation check box which the first user may activate if the
first user confirms that he or she a) has read and agrees to the
terms of the service agreement, including the terms of the
Email/Mobile Network Transfer section; b) consents to receive email
and automated text messages about Email/Mobile Transfers; c) will
only register mobile numbers where he or she is the account holder;
or if he or she is not the account holder, then he or she has the
account holder's permission to register that mobile number; and d)
will obtain the consent of the person to whom he or she wants to
send a Mobile Transfer text message to receive the automated text
message. As shown in FIG. 9B, the online banking system 600 is
configured to provide the service agreement label as a hyperlink or
some other activatable form, which may be activated so that the
user can read the service agreement that governs the P2P transfer
via alias. As shown in FIG. 9B, the online banking system 600
provides a checkbox that the first user has to click to confirm he
or she has met each of the four requirements listed above. Until
the first user activates this checkbox to confirm that he or she
meets the four requirements listed above, the online banking system
600 provides a non-activatable "I Agree" button and an activatable
"I Don't Agree" button. If the first user activates the "I Don't
Agree" button, the online banking system 600 will not permit the
first user to continue with setting up the P2P transfer via alias.
Once the first user activates the confirmation check box, the
online banking system 600 will turn the non-activatable "I Agree"
button into an activatable "I Agree" button. Then, the user still
has a choice of either activating the "I Agree" button or
activating the "I Don't Agree" button. If the user activates the "I
Don't Agree" button, the online banking system 600 will not permit
the first user to continue with setting up the P2P payment transfer
via alias. FIG. 9B also shows that the first user can get help
about learning about the P2P transfer process or the service
agreement by texting a code to a number listed on the page. FIG. 9B
also shows that the first user can cancel the first user's plan by
texting a code to a number listed on the page. FIG. 9B also shows
that the first user can call a number listed on the webpage to get
more help.
[0071] Returning to FIG. 8A, the process then moves to block 808 of
FIG. 8A. The first user accepts the terms of the P2P service by
activating the checkbox that confirms that the first user meets all
the four requirement described in the previous paragraph, and then
activating the "I Agree" button to indicate the first user's
willingness to proceed with setting up the P2P transfer via
alias.
[0072] The process then moves to block 810 of FIG. 8A where the
online banking system 600 presents a transfer GUI so that the first
user can input all the information required to make the transfer.
FIG. 9C shows this transfer GUI where the online banking system 600
presents four sub-tabs under the tab heading. These four sub-tabs
are a sub-tab for a making a transfer, a sub-tab for reviewing
transfers, a sub-tab for adding recipients, and a sub-tab for
managing accounts. FIG. 9C also shows that under the sub-tab for
making transfers, the first user has the option of making a
transfer within the financial institution by activating a
corresponding tab and the first user also has the option of making
a transfer outside the financial institution by activating the
corresponding tab. As shown in FIG. 9C, the online banking system
600 also presents activatable hyperlinks for adding a new transfer
recipient, setting up and starting the use of the P2P feature via
alias, and for learning more about the P2P feature via alias. As
shown in FIG. 9C, the online banking system 600 also presents a
help box that is configured to provide hyperlinks to help
information, including a link to (1) what the first user can do
using the online banking system 600, (2) what the first user needs
to know, and (3) what else the first user can do using the online
banking system 600. As shown in FIG. 9C, the online banking system
600 also presents a message to the first user that transferring
money within the bank is fast and free. As shown in FIG. 9C, the
online banking system 600 also indicates to the customer that the
feature of making a P2P transfer using a recipient's email address
or mobile number is a new feature.
[0073] Referring again to FIG. 8A, the process then moves to block
815 of FIG. 8A. The first user chooses to add a new transfer
recipient to their P2P profile. Adding a new transfer recipient may
be accomplished by activating the "add recipient" sub-tab shown on
the screenshot of FIG. 9C. By doing so, the first user indicates
that the first user wishes to add a new transfer recipient. By
doing so, the first user also indicates that the intended recipient
is not listed on the drop-down list shown in FIG. 9C which is
presented when the first user activates the drop-down list,
entitled "To", that includes all the available
recipients/destinations to whom the first user can transfer
money.
[0074] Returning once again to FIG. 8A, the process then moves to
block 820 where the user is prompted to enter new recipient
information including, but not necessarily limited to, the name of
the recipient, the nickname of the recipient and the alias or
account number for the new recipient. FIG. 9D provides for the
corresponding screenshot in the online banking system 600 for
adding a new recipient. The screenshot of FIG. 9D may be displayed
by activating the "Add Recipient" sub-tab. As shown in FIG. 9D, the
online banking system 600 prompts the first user to enter the
intended recipient's first name and last name in corresponding
textboxes. In one embodiment, the page displays an indicator, such
as an asterisk or the like, that indicates that information fields
are required to be completed by the user, as opposed to optional
fields which are not designated with the indicator. Additionally,
the screenshot of FIG. 9D is configured to prompt the first user to
optionally enter the intended recipient's nickname in a textbox.
The online banking system 600 is configured to display first and
second transfer method radio buttons for choosing between alternate
transfer methods. First radio button is configured to allow for the
first user to indicate that he or she wants to transfer money using
the intended recipient's email address or mobile number or, in
alternate embodiments, some other alias, and second radio button is
configured to allow the first user to indicate that he or she wants
to transfer money using an intended recipient's financial
institution account number. Activating the first radio button, as
shown, provides for display of entry fields for the new recipient's
email address or mobile telephone number. The screenshot/page of
FIG. 9D also provides an entry field for re-entering the intended
recipient's email address or mobile device number as a confirmation
step. Activating the second radio button, as not shown in FIG. 9D,
provides for display of entry fields for the new recipients account
number. In one embodiment, the online banking system 600 also
presents a help box that is configured to provide hyperlinks to
help information, including a link to (1) what the first user can
do using the online banking system 600, (2) what the first user
needs to know, and (3) what else the first user can do using the
online banking system 600. In one embodiment, the online banking
system 600 also presents two buttons, an first button to cancel the
process of adding a new recipient, and a second button to add a new
recipient. The second button is only activatable after the first
user enters all the required information on the page displayed in
FIG. 9D and is authenticated by the widget displayed in FIG. 9D and
discussed infra.
[0075] Returning once again to the flow of FIG. 8A, the process
then moves to block 822 at which point the first user enters the
new recipient's information in the appropriate fields. As shown in
FIG. 9D, the first user enters the first and last name of the new
recipient in the associated fields, Additionally, in optional
embodiments, the first user may enters the nickname of the new
recipient in the designated field. This nickname can be any name
that the first user chooses to associate with the intended
recipient for the purpose of subsequently identifying the recipient
based on the nickname. In addition, the first user chooses the
desired transfer method from among the options presented by the
online banking system 600. In one embodiment, the first user
activates the radio button indicating the first user wishes to make
the transfer using the intended recipient's email address or mobile
device number. In such embodiments, the first user enters the
intended recipient's email address or mobile device number in the
designated fields and re-enters the same in the designated
confirmation field. In another embodiment, the first user activates
the radio button indicating the first user wishes to make the
transfer using the intended recipient's account number. In such
embodiments, the first user enters the intended recipient's account
number in the designated field and re-enters the same in the
designated confirmation field.
[0076] Referring again to FIG. 8A, the process then moves to block
824 in which additional authentication may be required prior to
adding the new recipient to the database. As illustrated in the
screenshot of FIG. 9D, the online banking system 600 displays a
widget, which serves as an additional authenticating step before
adding the information of the new intended recipient to the
database. The online banking system 600 indicates to the first user
that by activating the button for a sending a code, the first user
will receive a code on his or her mobile device.
[0077] Returning again to FIG. 8A, the process then moves to block
826 of FIG. 8A, in which the additional authentication step is
completed. As indicated on the screenshot shown in FIG. 9D, the
first user activates the widget's button for sending a code to the
first user's mobile device. The first user then receives on his
mobile device the code that he must input into an entry field in
the widget, which is displayed based on activating the "Send code
now" button. Once the first user inputs the received code into the
widget and activates a button in the widget to confirm that the
code is correct, the button that corresponds to adding a new
recipient is activatable so that it can now be activated by the
user. The user activates this button so that the online banking
system 600 can store the intended recipient's information.
[0078] Returning to FIG. 8A, the process then moves to block 828
and the new intended recipient's information is stored in the first
user's list of P2P transfer via alias recipients.
[0079] Turning the reader's attention to FIG. 8B, the process then
moves to block 830 where the online banking system 600 presents a
transfer GUI so that the first user can input all the information
required to make the transfer. FIG. 9E shows that the online
banking system 600 indicates to the first user that the new
intended recipient has been successfully added based on the first
user's previously entered information about the intended recipient.
In addition, FIG. 9E shows the transfer GUI in which the online
banking system 600 presents four sub-tabs under the "Transfers" tab
described earlier. These four sub-tabs include a first sub-tab for
a making a transfer, a second sub-tab for reviewing transfers, a
third sub-tab for adding recipients, and a fourth sub-tab for
managing accounts. FIG. 9E also show that under the first sub-tab
for making transfers, the first user has the option of making an
internal transfer (i.e., within the bank) by activating a
corresponding tab and the first user also has the option of making
an external transfer (i.e., outside the bank) by activating the
corresponding tab. Under the sub-tab for making internal transfers,
the online banking system 600 presents a drop-down list that lists
all the accounts from which the first user can transfer money. The
online banking system 600 also presents a drop-down list that lists
all the recipients (full name or nickname and either a
corresponding alias type or financial institution account type) to
whom the first user can transfer money. In one embodiment, only the
nickname of the recipient and the associated alias type or
financial institution account type are listed in the drop-down
list. The online banking system 600 also presents a text box where
the first user can input the amount of money that the first user
intends to transfer to the intended recipient. In one embodiment,
the online banking system 600 presents a drop-down list which lists
several frequency options if the first user wants to periodically
make the same transfer. In addition, the frequency drop-down list
is configured to allow the first user to select a one-time transfer
option with the transfer occurring immediately or at a
preconfigured time in the future. The online banking system 600
also presents the payment that the first user will incur if the
first user proceeds with the P2P transfer. As previously discussed,
in specific embodiments, user payment may be associated with alias
type transfers, (i.e., transfers to an email address, mobile
telephone number, or the like) while no payment may be associated
with a financial institution account transfer. The online banking
system 600 also presents to the user activatable help text near the
transfer payment if the user wants to understand how the transfer
payment was computed. The online banking system 600 also presents a
button to indicate to the online banking system 600 that the first
user has entered all the required information and intends to
continue with the P2P transfer.
[0080] Returning the reader to FIG. 8B, the process then moves to
block 832, at which a transfer account is selected from the
drop-down list of user bank accounts. As indicated in FIG. 9E,
under the sub-tab for making internal transfers within the bank,
the first user selects the appropriate account from drop-down list
that lists all the accounts from which the first user can transfer
money.
[0081] The process then moves to block 834 of FIG. 8B, at which a
transfer recipient (i.e., second user) is selected from the
drop-down list of recipient nicknames. As indicated in FIG. 9E, the
first user also selects the appropriate recipient from a drop-down
list that lists all the recipients to whom can transfer money. In
one embodiment, the person selected by the first user is the newly
added recipient whose information was added by the first user on
FIG. 9D.
[0082] The process then moves to block 836 of FIG. 8B, at which the
transfer amount is entered. As indicated in FIG. 9E, the first user
inputs into the amount textbox the amount of money that the first
user intends to transfer to the intended recipient. In one
embodiment, the first user selects an appropriate frequency option
from a drop-down list which lists several frequency options, such
as, a one-time, immediate transfer, a one-time future transfer, a
periodic transfer over a preconfigured cycle or the like.
[0083] The process then moves to block 838 of FIG. 8B. Here, the
online banking system 600 determines whether the recipient selected
by the first user in block 834 is associated with an alias or a
financial institution account number. If the selected recipient is
associated with an alias, then the process moves to block 840 where
the online banking system 600 displays a pre-confirmation page
where the transfer payment is added to the amount entered in block
836. This pre-confirmation page is displayed in FIG. 9F and is
described in greater detail below. If the selected recipient is
associated with a financial institution account and, thus, no
payment is required or once the payment has been added to the
alias-type transfer, the process moves to block 842. In block 842,
the online banking system 600 determines whether the total transfer
amount exceeds the maximum permitted in the transaction. In one
embodiment, the maximum amount that can be transferred using the
P2P service is dependent on several factors including, but not
limited to, the first user's identity, the recipient's identity,
the length and nature of the first user's relationship with the
financial institution, the length and nature of the recipient's
relationship with the financial institution, the amount of funds
that the first user has deposited at the financial institution, the
first user's financial institution status, or the like. In one
embodiment, the maximum amount that can be transferred using the
P2P transfer method is dynamically determined at the time the
transfer is set-up by a supporting application that works in
conjunction with or is embedded within the online banking system
600.
[0084] If the transfer amount is above the maximum permitted in
this particular transaction, the process moves to block 844 of FIG.
8B and the online banking system 600 displays an error message to
the first user.
[0085] If the transfer amount is below or equal to the maximum
permitted in this particular transaction, the process moves to
block 846 of FIG. 8B where the online banking system 600 requests
the first user's confirmation of the transfer and notice of
recipient consent as indicated on the screenshot provided in FIG.
9F. As shown in FIG. 9F, the online banking system 600 displays a
text message asking whether the first user wants to make the
transfer. As shown in FIG. 9F, the online banking system 600 also
displays the account from which funds will be transferred if the
first user chooses to proceed with the transfer, the recipient's
nickname of the recipient and alias type or financial institution
account type, the amount of money that will be transferred if the
first user chooses to proceed with the transfer, the transfer
payment that will be incurred by the first user if the first user
chooses to proceed with the transfer, the total amount of the
transaction if the first user chooses to proceed with the transfer,
the account from which the first user executes the transfer if the
first user chooses to proceed with the transfer, or the like. In
another embodiment of the invention, an entity or person other than
the first user will incur the transfer payment. In one embodiment,
only a few characters of the identifying information for the
sending account are displayed. As shown in FIG. 9F, the online
banking system 600 informs the first user that the selected
recipient's email or mobile device must be set up to receive
transfers via the P2P service described herein. As shown in FIG.
9F, the online banking system 600 also informs the first user that
the online banking system 600 will notify the selected recipient
using the email address or mobile number provided by the first
user. As shown in FIG. 9F, the online banking system 600 also
informs the first user that the transfer will be canceled if the
selected recipient does not set up a P2P alias transfer account
within a preconfigured number of days, for example fourteen days or
the like. As shown in FIG. 9F, the online banking system 600
presents two decision buttons to the first user. The first decision
button is activatable to confirm the first user's intention to make
a transfer, and the second button is activatable to decline the
transfer. As shown in FIG. 9F, the online banking system 600 also
presents a checkbox to the first user where the first user, by
checking or otherwise activating the box, confirms that the first
user has obtained the consent of the selected recipient to receive
text messages or other forms of communication associated with the
transfer of funds from the first user to the selected recipient.
Once the first user checks or otherwise activates this checkbox,
the first button associated with confirming the first user's
intention to make a transfer moves from a dormant state to an
activatable state.
[0086] Returning to FIG. 8B, the process then moves to block 848
where the first user can activate the first button associated with
confirming the first user's intention to make a transfer.
Alternatively, the first user can activate the second button
associated with canceling the transaction. Once the user activates
the button confirming the transfer, as shown in FIG. 9G, the online
banking system 600 displays a message to the first user that the
transfer request has been received by the online banking system 600
and that the recipient has been notified. As shown in FIG. 9G, the
confirmation page displays an identifier from the account from
which money will be transferred along with the new account balance
after the deducting the total amount for the transfer. As shown in
FIG. 9G, the confirmation page also displays the nickname of the
recipient to whom the money will be transferred and the associated
alias type. The confirmation page also displays the amount
transferred, the payment associated with the transaction, the
transfer date, and a unique confirmation number. The online banking
system 600 also provides a button on the page so that the first
user can choose to make another transfer. The online banking system
600 also provides activatable text for the first user to return to
the previous screen of the P2P transfer process. As shown in FIG.
9G, the online banking system 600 informs the first user that the
selected recipient's email or mobile device must be set up to
receive transfers via the P2P service. As shown in FIG. 9G, the
online banking system 600 also informs the first user that the
online banking system 600 will notify the selected recipient using
the email address or mobile number provided by the first user. As
shown in FIG. 9G, the online banking system 600 also informs the
first user that the transfer will be canceled if the selected
recipient does not set up a P2P transfer account within a
pre-determined number of days.
[0087] Referring to FIG. 8C, the process then moves to block 850
where the online banking system 600 determines if the recipient is
associated with an alias or a financial institution account number.
If the recipient is associated with a financial institution account
number, the process moves to block 852 where the online banking
system 600 uses the financial institution account number to
initiate an Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer or other type
of transfer. If the recipient is associated with an alias, then,
the process moves to block 854 where the online banking system 600
sends the alias and the recipient's name to an alias data
repository 700.
[0088] The process then moves to block 856 where the alias data
repository 700 looks up the alias in an alias datastore. Then the
process moves to block 858, where the alias data repository 700
determines whether the alias is associated with a financial
institution account. If the alias is associated with a financial
institution account, then the process moves to block 860 where, if
the alias data repository 700 determines that the provided name
matches the name in the datastore, then the process moves to block
852 of FIG. 8C where the online banking system 600 uses the
financial institution account number to initiate an ACH transfer or
other type of transfer. If in block 860 of FIG. 8C, the provided
name does not match a name in datastore, then the online banking
system 600 displays an error message to the first user that the
transfer cannot be completed.
[0089] If in block 858 of FIG. 8C, the alias data repository 700
determines that the alias is not associated with a financial
institution account, then the process moves to block 870 of FIG. 8D
where the online banking system 600 determines if the recipient
(second user) has an eligible financial institution account. If the
recipient (second user) does not have an eligible financial
institution account, then at block 845, the online banking system
600 uses an alias to send the recipient notification of requested
transfer from the first user and an offer to open a financial
institution account with the financial institution that manages the
online banking system 600. In one embodiment, the alias is a phone
number or an email address. Then the process moves to block 847
where the online banking system 600 provides notification to the
first user that transfer or notice of transfer request to the
second user has been initiated.
[0090] The process then moves on from block 845 to block 874 of
FIG. 8D, where the second user decides if they desire to open a
financial institution account at the financial institution
associated with the online banking system 600. If the recipient
does not desire to open an account, then at block 862, the online
banking system 600 cancels the transfer and notifies the first
user.
[0091] If in block 874 of FIG. 8D, the second user (recipient)
decides to open a new financial institution account, the online
banking system 600, in block 840, opens a new account for the
second user. Subsequently, the second user (recipient) must
determine in block 877 whether the second user registers the new
financial institution account for the P2P service via alias.
[0092] As shown in FIG. 8D, if the second user in block 877 does
not register the new financial institution account opened in block
874, then, at block 862, the online banking system 600 cancels the
transfer and notifies the first user.
[0093] As shown in FIG. 8D, if the second user registers the new
financial institution account in block 877 for P2P transfers via
alias, then the online banking system 600, in block 840, uses the
new registered financial institution account to initiate an ACH
transfer or other type of transfer. The process then proceeds to
block 841 where the online banking system 600 sends the alias and
the new registered account information to the alias data repository
700. The process then proceeds to block 862 of FIG. 8D where the
alias data repository stores recipient's alias in alias datastore
along with recipient's new registered financial institution
account.
[0094] If the recipient (second user) has an eligible financial
institution account as determined by the online banking system 600
in block 870, then the process moves to block 872 in FIG. 8D where
the online banking system 600 uses an alias (e.g., phone number or
email address) to send recipient notification of requested
transfer, and offers to register the recipient's financial
institution account and alias. As shown in FIG. 8D, then the
process moves to block 847 where the online banking system 600
provides notification to the first user that transfer or notice of
transfer request to the second user has been initiated. As shown in
FIG. 8D, the process then moves on to block 874 of FIG. 8D, where
if the second user (recipient) decides not to register the second
user's financial institution account for P2P transfers via alias,
then the online banking system 600 cancels the transfer and
notifies the first user.
[0095] As shown in FIG. 8D, if the second user registers the
eligible financial institution account in block 877, then, at block
840, the online banking system 600 uses the new registered
financial institution account to initiate ACH or other type of
transfer. The process then proceeds to block 841 where the online
banking system 600 sends alias and the new registered account
information to the alias data repository. The process then proceeds
to block 862 of FIG. 8D where the alias data repository stores
recipient's alias in alias datastore along with recipient's new
registered financial institution account.
[0096] FIGS. 10A-10C provide flow charts illustrating a process
1000 for receiving P2P payments, in accordance with an embodiment
of the invention. FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate the flow chart in terms
of "swim lanes" associated with entities which may perform the
operations in each respective swim lane. The entities illustrated
in the exemplary Figures are a financial institution's online
banking system and a first user (recipient) using a first personal
computing device. However, it should be noted that other entities
could also be involved and some embodiments of the invention may
not be limited to the two entities illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C.
Additionally, it should be understood that, in other embodiments of
the invention, the entities need not be required to perform the
actions illustrated in each respective swim lane. For example, some
of the process steps described herein may be performed by the first
entity (or other entities) even though the element may be
illustrated as in the swim lane of the second entity. Similarly, in
some embodiments, some of the process steps may be performed by the
second entity (or other entities) even though the element may be
illustrated as in the swim lane of the first entity (or even in the
customer swim lane).
[0097] The process 1000 in FIG. 10A starts with block 1005 where an
online banking system 600 using the alias, such as an email address
or mobile telephone number, sends a first user (recipient) notice
of a requested transfer from a second user, the notice including a
link to the online banking system 600 and a confirmation
number.
[0098] The process then proceeds to block 1010 where a first user
(recipient) activates the link provided with the notice.
[0099] The process then proceeds to the screenshot of a page as
shown in FIG. 11A where the online banking system 600 presents a
sign-in page. The online banking system 600 alerts the first user
(recipient) that to accept the transfer, the first user will need
an eligible checking or saving account at a participating bank. For
customers who hold accounts at the financial institution that
manages the online banking system 600, the online banking system
600 presents a widget with a textbox that allows the first user to
enter login or other authenticating information. The online banking
system 600 also provides a link for the first user to enroll with
the financial institution's online banking system. For customers of
other participating financial institutions, the online banking
system 600 provides a sign-in button, which may be configured to
either display a sign-in widget on the instant page or provide a
link to another page where the first user can enter login
information for the participating financial institution. The online
banking system 600 also notifies the first user that if the first
user does not have an account with one of the participating banks,
that first user can open an account at the financial institution
that maintains the online banking system 600. The online banking
system 600 notifies the first user that he or she may review the
terms of opening a new account at this financial institution,
including any payments that may be incurred by the first user in
opening this new account. The online banking system 600 also
notifies the first user that if the first user does not want to
open a new financial institution account, the first user may notify
the sender to arrange an alternate transfer method. The online
banking system 600 also notifies the first user that the
transaction will be canceled if it is not accepted within a
pre-determined period of time.
[0100] The process then proceeds to block 1020 of FIG. 10A where
the first user (recipient) determines whether the first user has an
account with the financial institution that manages the online
banking system 600. If the first user has a financial institution
account with the financial institution that manages the online
banking system 600, then the process proceeds to block 1050 where
the first user enters authentication information into the textbox
shown in FIG. 11A.
[0101] As shown in FIG. 10A, if the first user does not have a
financial institution account with the financial institution that
manages the online banking system 600 then the process proceeds to
block 1022 where the first user determines whether the first user
has an account with participating financial banks or financial
institutions. If the first user has a financial institution account
with a participating financial institution, the process proceeds to
block 1040 where the first user can select the participating
financial institution sign-in link as described previously and
illustrated on FIG. 11A. The process then proceeds to block 1045
where the online banking system 600 forwards the first user to a
participating financial institution's website or alternatively, the
online banking system 600 opens a widget or an applet on the same
window as that shown in FIG. 11A or a new pop-up window.
[0102] As shown in FIG. 10A, if, in block 1020, the first user does
not have an account with the financial institution that manages the
online banking system 600 and if, in block 1024, the first user
(recipient) does not open a new account with the bank that manages
the online banking system 600, then after a defined period of time
without recipient (first user) acceptance, the online banking
system 600 cancels the transfer and notifies the second user
(sender).
[0103] As shown in FIG. 10A, in block 1024, if the first user opens
a new account with the bank that manages the online banking system
600, then the first user, in block 1025, selects the link directing
the first user to open a new account with the bank that manages the
online banking system 600. This link described is shown in FIG. 11A
and described previously.
[0104] As shown in FIG. 10A, the link in block 1025 directs the
online banking system 600 to display a new account application GUI
to the first user, which is readily approved and opened for the
first user after receiving any pertinent information that may be
required to open and approve a new account at the financial
institution that manages the online banking system 600. The process
then proceeds to block 1050 in FIG. 10A where the first user enters
authentication information into the textbox shown in FIG. 11A.
[0105] The process then moves to block 1060 on FIG. 10B where the
online banking system 600 prompts the first user to enter a
confirmation number received with the transfer notice and agree to
the terms governing the transfer. A screenshot for the GUI that
handles this process is shown in FIG. 11B. As shown in FIG. 11B,
the online banking system 600 indicates to the first user that this
is the start of the procedure to accept a transfer to money to the
first user's email address or mobile number. As shown in FIG. 11B,
the online banking system 600 prompts the first user to enter the
received confirmation number in a checkbox. As shown in FIG. 11B,
the page also has two buttons--a first button configured for the
first user to indicate the desire to proceed with accepting the
transfer and a second button configured for the first user to
indicate the desire to not proceed with the transfer. As shown in
FIG. 11B, the first button can change from a dormant state to an
activatable state by checking the check-box to confirm that the
first user has a) has read and agrees to the terms of the service
agreement, including the terms of the Email/Mobile Network Transfer
section; b) consents to receive email and automated text messages
about Email/Mobile Transfers; c) will only register mobile numbers
where the first user is the account holder; or if the first user is
not the account holder, he or she has the account holder's
permission to register that mobile number; and d) will obtain the
consent of the person to whom he or she wants to send a Mobile
Transfer text message to receive the automated text message. In one
embodiment, the first user has to always go through the procedure
of accepting the transfer. In other embodiments, the first user
does not have to go through the procedure accepting the transfer
for any transfer after the first transfer.
[0106] Subsequently, in block 1065 of FIG. 10B, the first user
enters a confirmation number in the appropriate textbox as shown in
FIG. 11B and agrees to the terms that govern the transaction by
activating the appropriate checkbox. The first user then activates
the first button to continue the process of accepting the
transfer.
[0107] The process then proceeds to block 1068 of FIG. 10B where
the online banking system 600 uses the confirmation number entered
in block 1065 to identify or confirm the transfer request.
[0108] Then the process proceeds to block 1070 of FIG. 10B where
the online banking system 600 prompts the first user to register
the alias to which transfer notice was sent. A screenshot of this
registration page is shown in FIG. 11C. As shown in FIG. 11C, the
online banking system 600 indicates to the first user that if the
first user has received a notice that funds were sent to the first
user, then the first user will need to set up to accept transfers
to the same email address or mobile number that received the
transfer notice. The page shows a first textbox where the user can
enter the alias that received the transfer notice, and a second
textbox where the user can confirm the alias entered in the first
textbox by re-entering the alias in the second textbox. The online
banking system 600 also prompts the user to select the appropriate
account to link to the alias that will receive the funds by
selecting the appropriate account from a drop down list. The online
banking system 600 also prompts the user to check a checkbox,
whereby the first user by checking the checkbox agrees that by
registering the alias, he or she is the alias account holder, or
has the alias account holder's permission to register it, and
consents to receive email and text messages about alias transfers
at this email address or phone number. In some embodiments, the
online banking system 600 presents an authentication widget as
shown in FIG. 11C and described in further detail below. The page
also has two buttons--a first button configured to allow the first
user to indicate a desire to proceed with receiving the transfer
and a second button configured to allow the first user to indicate
a desire not to proceed with receiving the transfer. This first
button only becomes activatable after the first user enters all the
required information on the page and has been further
authenticated, as in some embodiments. In one embodiment, the
online banking system 600 also saves the information entered on
this page, so that the first user does not have to re-register an
alias every time the first user receives a P2P transfer.
[0109] The process then proceeds to block 1075 where the first user
enters the alias in the appropriate textbox, confirms the alias in
the appropriate textbox, selects the account to receive the funds
from the drop-down list shown in FIG. 11C, and checks the checkbox
that indicates that the first user accepts the terms that govern
the transfer. In some embodiments, the accounts listed in the
drop-down list are identified by a few digits of the account
number.
[0110] In some embodiments, the process then proceeds to block 1077
where the online banking system 600 requires additional
authentication to register an alias. As illustrated on FIG. 11C,
the online banking system 600 displays a widget which serves as an
additional authenticating step before saving the information of the
first user's associated alias. The online banking system 600
indicates to the first user that by activating the button in the
widget for sending a code, the first user will receive a code on
his or her mobile device. In another embodiment, the first user may
receive a code through other means such as email, postal mail, and
the like. In one embodiment, the widget is a first type of widget
and the user can send a first type of code to the first user's
mobile device.
[0111] The process then moves to block 1079 of FIG. 10B where the
first user performs an additional authenticating step. As indicated
on the screenshot shown in FIG. 11C, the first user activates the
button within the widget for sending a code to the first user's
mobile device. The first user than receives on his or her mobile
device the code that he or she must input into the widget shown in
FIG. 11C. Once the first user inputs the correct code into the
widget and activates a button in the widget to confirm that the
code is correct, the button that corresponds to adding a new
recipient is activatable so that it can now be activated by the
first user. The first user (recipient) activates this button so
that the online banking system 600 can store the first user's
alias. The first user can activate the first button on the page
which indicates that the first user wishes to proceed with the
transfer. The online banking system 600 indicates to the first user
as shown in FIG. 11C that by activating the first button to
continue with receiving the transfer, the first user will receive
an enrollment code.
[0112] The process then moves to block 1080 of FIG. 10C where the
online banking system 600 uses the registered alias to send an
enrollment code to the device of the first user associated with the
alias.
[0113] The process then moves to block 1082 of FIG. 10C where the
online banking system 600 prompts the first user to enter the
enrollment code that the first user received on the device
associated with the alias. A page showing this block is captured on
FIG. 11D. The online banking system 600 indicates to the first user
that the first user must verify the alias (e.g., mobile number) to
complete enrollment in the P2P transfer via system. In one
embodiment, the page indicates to the first user that the first
user should expect a text message from the bank that manages the
online banking system 600. The page also has activatable text if
the first user would like to know more about the use of enrollment
codes. The page as shown in FIG. 11D indicates to the first user
that the enrollment code must be entered into the appropriate
textbook in order verify ownership of the mobile number or email
address associated with the alias and complete enrollment with the
P2P transfer service. As shown in FIG. 11D, the online banking
system 600 also indicates to the first user that the enrollment
number expires in a pre-determined number of minutes. After the
enrollment number expires, the online banking system 600 will not
be able use that enrollment code to verify ownership of the first
user's mobile number associated with the transfer and will not be
able to complete the enrollment of the first user (recipient). The
page also has activatable text if the first user has not received
an enrollment code or if the enrollment code has expired. The page
indicates to the first user that messaging and data rates may apply
for receiving the enrollment code. The page also has two buttons--a
first button configured to allow the first user to indicate that
the first user does not wish to proceed with the transaction and a
second button configured to allow the first user to indicate that
the first user desires to proceed with receiving the transfer. This
second button only becomes activatable after the first user enters
an enrollment code on the page. In some embodiments, this second
button only becomes activatable after the first user enters a valid
and unexpired enrollment code on the page.
[0114] The process then moves to block 1084 where the first user
enters the enrollment code into the textbox that is shown in FIG.
11D.
[0115] The process then moves block 1086 where the online banking
system 600 determines if the enrollment code entered by the first
user matches the enrollment code sent by the online banking system
600 to the alias of the first user.
[0116] If the entered code in 1086 does not match the code sent to
the alias, then, at block 1087, the online banking system 600
displays an error message to the first user that the transaction
cannot proceed further. In one embodiment, the online banking
system 600 allows the first user to correct any errors in the alias
provided by the first user or in the code received by the first
user. In one embodiment, the online banking system 600 only grants
a pre-determined number of unsuccessful attempts to verify the code
before rejecting the transfer.
[0117] If the entered code in 1086 matches the code sent to the
alias, the process moves to block 1088 where the online banking
system 600 processes any pending transfers involving the newly
registered alias. As shown in FIG. 11E, the online banking system
600 indicates to the user that the verification of the alias has
been completed. The online banking system 600 thanks the user for
setting up an alias to accept transfers. The online banking system
600 indicates to the first user that people or entities can now
send money to the first user using the first user's alias. The
online banking system 600 indicates to the first user that any
transfer to the first user's newly registered alias will be
deposited to the account number shown on the page (see FIG. 11E).
In one embodiment, the online banking system 600 only shows a
pre-determined number of digits of the first user's financial
institution account number. The page also indicates to the first
user that the transfer request is now in process. As shown in FIG.
11E, the page shows details of the transfer, including, but not
limited to the name of the sender, the amount, the date on which
the sender sent the amount, the confirmation number, and the status
of the transfer. The page also includes two buttons--the first
button is configured to allow the first user to add another alias
and the second button is configured to allow the first user to make
a transfer using the newly registered alias.
[0118] The process then moves to block 1090 where the online
banking system 600 sends the alias to the alias data repository 700
along with associated account information to be stored in the alias
datastore.
[0119] FIG. 11F presents a GUI where the online banking system 600
presents four sub-tabs under the "Transfers" tab described earlier.
These four sub-tabs are a first sub-tab for a making a transfer, a
second sub-tab for reviewing transfers, a third sub-tab for adding
recipients, and a fourth sub-tab for managing accounts. FIG. 11F
also shows that under the first sub-tab for making transfers, the
first user has the option of obtaining a set up to accept transfer
by activating the associated link. The online banking system 600
indicates to the first user (recipient) that the first user may
activate this link if the first user received a transfer notice,
i.e., the first user received an email, text message, or other form
of electronic communication that someone has sent funds to the
first user. The online banking system 600 indicates to the first
user that in order to complete the transfer and collect the funds,
the first user must set up the first user's alias to accept
transfers. The online banking system 600 also presents a
activatable link configured to allow the first user to be directed
to a page to learn more about this P2P transfer via alias method.
The online banking system 600 also presents a help box where the
first user can understand more about what the first user can do
using the online banking system 600, what the first user needs to
know, and what else the first user can do using the online banking
system 600. The online banking system 600 also presents a message
to the first user that transferring money within the bank is fast
and free. The online banking system 600 also indicates to the
customer that the feature of making a P2P transfer using a
recipient's alias is a new feature, and that transfers within the
bank now include transfers made using a recipient's alias.
Alternatively, a user who intends to receive money using an alias
can get set up by clicking on the activatable text associated with
getting set up to accept transfers. This option is also illustrated
by block 1095 of FIG. 10B where a user who accesses the online
banking system 600 can register an alias by selecting an
appropriate link. Therefore, in one embodiment, the user does not
have to wait to receive a payment using the P2P transfer service
before setting up an alias to receive transfers.
[0120] In one embodiment of the invention, both the sender and the
recipient need to have financial institution accounts registered
for P2P transfer via alias. In another embodiment of the invention,
the sender needs to have a financial institution account registered
for P2P transfer via alias, but the recipient does not need to have
a financial institution account registered for P2P transfer via
alias. In another embodiment of the invention, the recipient needs
to have a financial institution account registered for P2P transfer
via alias, but the sender does not need to have a financial
institution account registered for P2P transfer via alias.
[0121] FIG. 12A presents a GUI where the online banking system 600
presents four sub-tabs under the "Transfers" tab described earlier.
These four sub-tabs are a first sub-tab for a making a transfer, a
second sub-tab for reviewing transfers, a third sub-tab for adding
recipients, and a fourth sub-tab for managing accounts. FIG. 12A
shows that under the first sub-tab for managing accounts, there are
two lists. The first list is associated with outbound transfer
recipients and indicates the status of transfers to recipients. The
status page shows for each transfer the recipient's name, the
recipient account's nickname, the status of the transfer, the date
on which the transfer was made, and the amount of the transfer. The
status page also provides activatable links for editing, deleting
and adding selected information about outbound transfer recipients.
The status page also provides an activable link for adding a
recipient to the list of outbound transfer recipients. The second
list under the first sub-tab for managing accounts is a list of
inbound transfer options. The list contains information about the
alias along with the account that the alias is linked to. As shown
in FIG. 12A, there is an email alias listed that is associated with
a particular account. The page also presents options (activable
links) for a user to delete, add or edit information relating to
inbound transfer options. As shown in FIG. 12A, the online banking
system 600 describes the status of inbound transfer aliases. In one
embodiment, if an alias has been inactive for a pre-determined
number of days, the user may have to verify the alias by activating
a verify button as shown in FIG. 12A. As shown in FIG. 12A, the
online banking system 600 also displays a message to the user if
the user has not associated an eligible account with an alias. In
such a case, as shown in FIG. 12A, the page provides a button to
select an eligible account to associate with an alias. In one
embodiment of the invention, only a single alias can be linked to a
financial institution account. In another embodiment of the
invention, multiple aliases can be linked to a single financial
institution account. In a further embodiment of the invention, a
single alias can be linked to multiple financial institution
accounts.
[0122] If, on FIG. 12A, a user activates the button for editing a
recipient's information, the online banking system 600, in one
embodiment, presents a pop-up window as shown in FIG. 12B where the
user can change information regarding the recipient's first name,
the recipient's last name, the nickname for the recipient as chosen
by the user, and the recipient's alias. In one embodiment, the user
has to re-enter the alias to confirm the alias. In one embodiment,
the recipient's first name, the recipient's last name, the
recipient's alias, and a confirmation of the recipient's alias must
necessarily be entered, while the nickname is optional. In one
embodiment, the pop-up window has two buttons: a first button to
complete the process of editing the recipient's information and a
second button to cancel the process of editing the recipient's
information. In one embodiment, the editing button is not
activatable until all the required information has been entered as
shown in FIG. 12B and the information has been authenticated. In
one embodiment, the user may not be able to edit the recipient's
information until the user authenticates the information by
activating a button in a widget to send a code to the user's mobile
device, and subsequently enters that code into the textbox in the
widget, as previously described. Once the user has been
authenticated, the user can activate the appropriate button in the
pop-up window shown in FIG. 12B to complete the process of editing
the recipient's information.
[0123] If, in FIG. 12A, a user activates the button to delete a
recipient, the online banking system 600, in one embodiment as
shown in FIG. 12C, presents a pop-up window where the online
banking system 600 asks the user whether the user is sure that he
or she wants to delete the recipient from the list of outbound
transfer recipients. The online banking system 600 notifies the
user that once a recipient is deleted, the user will no longer be
able to make transfers to that recipient. The pop-window of FIG.
12C also has two clickable buttons: a first button configured to
confirm that the user wants to delete the recipient and a second
button configured to retain the recipient on the list of outbound
transfer recipients. Once the user activates on the button to
delete a recipient, the recipient is removed from the list of
outbound transfer recipients.
[0124] As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the
present invention may be embodied as a method (including, for
example, a computer-implemented process, a business process, and/or
any other process), apparatus (including, for example, a system,
machine, device, computer program product, and/or the like), or a
combination of the foregoing. Accordingly, embodiments of the
present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,
resident software, micro-code, etc.), or an embodiment combining
software and hardware aspects that may generally be referred to
herein as a "system." Furthermore, embodiments of the present
invention may take the form of a computer program product on a
computer-readable medium having computer-executable program code
embodied in the medium.
[0125] Any suitable transitory or non-transitory computer readable
medium may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be, for
example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical,
electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or
device. More specific examples of the computer readable medium
include, but are not limited to, the following: an electrical
connection having one or more wires; a tangible storage medium such
as a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access
memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable
read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a compact disc read-only
memory (CD-ROM), or other optical or magnetic storage device.
[0126] In the context of this document, a computer readable medium
may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, or
transport the program for use by or in connection with the
instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer
usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate
medium, including but not limited to the Internet, wireline,
optical fiber cable, radio frequency (RF) signals, or other
mediums.
[0127] Computer-executable program code for carrying out operations
of embodiments of the present invention may be written in an object
oriented, scripted or unscripted programming language such as Java,
Perl, Smalltalk, C++, or the like. However, the computer program
code for carrying out operations of embodiments of the present
invention may also be written in conventional procedural
programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or
similar programming languages.
[0128] Embodiments of the present invention are described above
with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of
methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products. It
will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations
and/or block diagrams, and/or combinations of blocks in the
flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented
by computer-executable program code portions. These
computer-executable program code portions may be provided to a
processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer,
or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a
particular machine, such that the code portions, which execute via
the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing
apparatus, create mechanisms for implementing the functions/acts
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or
blocks.
[0129] These computer-executable program code portions may also be
stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or
other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a
particular manner, such that the code portions stored in the
computer readable memory produce an article of manufacture
including instruction mechanisms which implement the function/act
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block(s).
[0130] The computer-executable program code may also be loaded onto
a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause
a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or
other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented
process such that the code portions which execute on the computer
or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the
functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram
block(s). Alternatively, computer program implemented steps or acts
may be combined with operator or human implemented steps or acts in
order to carry out an embodiment of the invention.
[0131] As the phrase is used herein, a processor may be "configured
to" perform a certain function in a variety of ways, including, for
example, by having one or more general-purpose circuits perform the
function by executing particular computer-executable program code
embodied in computer-readable medium, and/or by having one or more
application-specific circuits perform the function.
[0132] Embodiments of the present invention are described above
with reference to flowcharts and/or block diagrams. It will be
understood that steps of the processes described herein may be
performed in orders different than those illustrated in the
flowcharts. In other words, the processes represented by the blocks
of a flowchart may, in some embodiments, be in performed in an
order other that the order illustrated, may be combined or divided,
or may be performed simultaneously. It will also be understood that
the blocks of the block diagrams illustrated, in some embodiments,
merely conceptual delineations between systems and one or more of
the systems illustrated by a block in the block diagrams may be
combined or share hardware and/or software with another one or more
of the systems illustrated by a block in the block diagrams.
Likewise, a device, system, apparatus, and/or the like may be made
up of one or more devices, systems, apparatuses, and/or the like.
For example, where a processor is illustrated or described herein,
the processor may be made up of a plurality of microprocessors or
other processing devices which may or may not be coupled to one
another. Likewise, where a memory is illustrated or described
herein, the memory may be made up of a plurality of memory devices
which may or may not be coupled to one another.
[0133] While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and
shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that
such embodiments are merely illustrative of, and not restrictive
on, the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to
the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described,
since various other changes, combinations, omissions, modifications
and substitutions, in addition to those set forth in the above
paragraphs, are possible. Those skilled in the art will appreciate
that various adaptations and modifications of the just described
embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that,
within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be
practiced other than as specifically described herein.
* * * * *