# US 10,770,173 B2 · Effecting payments using optical coupling

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- Number: US 10,770,173 B2
- Document ID: US10770173B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/240,588
- Filed: 2016-08-18
- Published: 2016-12-08
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2012-05-28
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Binu K. Mathew
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770173B2

## CPC

- G06Q 20/023: {the neutral party being a clearing house}
- G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management
- G06Q 20/102: {Bill distribution or payments}
- G06Q 20/3223: {Realising banking transactions through M-devices}
- G06Q 20/3276: {using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device}
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G16H 20/10: relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
- G16H 40/20: for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

The present technology relates to secure mobile payment systems for interacting with traditional paper invoices. Generating optical codes in a clearinghouse which, when decoded by a customer device, provides the customer with an anonymous portal for reconciling an invoice through the clearinghouse. Effecting payments by utilizing mobile devices equipped with digital camera, software for decoding optical codes, and an infrastructure of network-based clearinghouses for maintaining the anonymity of a plurality of customers and protecting their private and financial data. The present technology relates to a prescription lifecycle management system using optical coupling.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a server of a prescription clearinghouse system, a first data file corresponding to a prescription, wherein the first data file includes a patient identifier associated with the prescription;
generating, via the server, a database entry in a database of the prescription clearinghouse system associating a unique claim number with the first data file and a prescription fulfillment status indicating non-fulfillment;
transmitting, by the server to a mobile client device associated with the patient identifier, a second data file including an optical code encoding the unique claim number;
receiving, from a pharmacy system registered with the server, a request for access to the prescription associated with the optical code captured by the pharmacy system, the request including the unique claim number;
transmitting, by the server to the pharmacy system in response to the request, the prescription associated with the unique claim number, the prescription having the patient identity and the doctor identity anonymized;
reconciling payment for the prescription and sending confirmation of payment to the pharmacy system;
receiving, at the server from the pharmacy system, a confirmation message indicating that the prescription was processed by the pharmacy system; and
updating, via the server, the prescription fulfillment status in the database for the unique claim number based on the confirmation message.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first data file includes additional instructions from a medical professional.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first data file includes re-fill information relating to a frequency and a number of refills for the prescription, and wherein the prescription fulfillment status indicates a number of refills remaining for the prescription.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, the updating further comprising adjusting the number of refills remaining based on the confirmation message.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
obtaining, by the server, prescription insurance information associated with the patient identifier; and
associating the prescription insurance information with the database entry, and wherein the prescription insurance information is encoded into the optical code.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting, by the server to a prescription entry system corresponding to the doctor identity, a notification message that the prescription was processed in response to receiving the confirmation message.

### Claim 7

A system comprising: a processor; and
a computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of code sections for causing the processor to perform operations comprising:
obtaining, from a prescription entry system associated with a prescription clearinghouse system, a first data file corresponding to a prescription, wherein the first data file includes a patient identifier associated with the prescription;
generating, in a database associated with the clearinghouse system, a database entry associating a unique claim number with the first data file and a prescription fulfillment status indicating non-fulfillment;
transmitting, to a mobile client device associated with the patient identifier, a second data file including an optical code encoding the unique claim number;
receiving, from a pharmacy system, a request for access to the prescription associated with the optical code captured by the pharmacy system, the request including the unique claim number;
transmitting, to the pharmacy system in response to the request the prescription associated with the unique claim number, the prescription having the patient identity and the doctor identity anonymized;
reconciling payment for the prescription and sending confirmation of payment to the pharmacy system;
receiving, from the pharmacy system, a confirmation message indicating that the prescription was processed by the pharmacy system; and
updating, in the database, the prescription fulfillment status for the unique claim number based on the confirmation message.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the first data file includes additional instructions from a medical professional.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the first data file includes re-fill information relating to a frequency and a number of refills for the prescription, and wherein the prescription fulfillment status indicates a number of refills remaining for the prescription.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, the updating further comprising adjusting the number of refills remaining based on the confirmation message.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, the plurality of code sections further configured for causing the processor to perform operations comprising:
obtaining prescription insurance information associated with the patient identifier; and
associating the prescription insurance information with the database entry, and wherein the prescription insurance information is encoded into the optical code.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, the plurality of code sections further configured for causing the processor to perform operations comprising:
transmitting, to the prescription entry system corresponding to the doctor identity, a notification message that the prescription was processed in response to receiving the confirmation message.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program executable by a computing device, the computer program comprising a plurality of code sections for:
obtaining, from a prescription entry system registered with a clearinghouse system, a first data file corresponding to a prescription, wherein the first data file includes a patient identifier associated with the prescription;
generating, in a database associated with the clearinghouse system, a new database entry associating a unique claim number with the first data file and a prescription fulfillment status indicating non-fulfillment;
transmitting, to a mobile client device associated with the patient identifier, a second data file including an optical code encoding the unique claim number;
receiving, from a pharmacy system registered with the clearinghouse system, a request for access to the prescription associated with the optical code captured by the pharmacy system, the request including the unique claim number;
transmitting, to the pharmacy system in response to the request, the prescription associated with the unique claim number, the prescription having the patient identity and the doctor identity anonymized;
reconciling payment for the prescription and sending confirmation of payment to the pharmacy system;
receiving, from the pharmacy system, a confirmation message indicating that the prescription was processed by the pharmacy system; and
updating, in the database, the prescription fulfillment status for the unique claim number based on the confirmation message.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first data file includes additional instructions from a medical professional.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first data file includes re-fill information relating to a frequency and a number of refills for the prescription, and wherein the prescription fulfillment status indicates a number of refills remaining for the prescription.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the updating further comprising adjusting the number of refills remaining based on the confirmation message.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:
obtaining prescription insurance information associated with the patient identifier; and
associating the prescription insurance information with the database entry, and wherein the prescription insurance information is encoded into the optical code.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:
transmitting, to the prescription entry system corresponding to the doctor identity, a notification message that the prescription was processed in response to receiving the confirmation message.