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US 2009/0024527 A1Published application
Merchant-initiated adjustments
AssigneeFirst Data Corporation
InventorsKerry A. Sellen, Christopher A. Schmid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tools for adjusting a debit transaction, which can allow a payee to adjust the amount of the transaction without having to provide cash back to the payor. Instead, the refund amount may be applied as a credit against the debit transaction. In an aspect, the credit may be for any amount up to the original amount of the check (less any credit already applied). Optionally, one or more security and/or anti-fraud measures may be implemented, e.g., ensuring that the check is not subject to a collection proceeding and/or ensuring that the requested credit is not more than the amount of the check itself).
Claims25
A method of adjusting a debit transaction between a merchant and a customer, in response to a request from the merchant, the method comprising:
- processing, with a computer system, a debit transaction between the customer and the merchant, the debit transaction pertaining to a personal or business check payable in a debit amount, wherein the debit transaction debits a customer account, associated with the personal or business check, and credits a merchant account associated with the merchant;
- creating, in a database, a transaction record corresponding to the debit transaction, the transaction record comprising a variable having a first value corresponding to the debit amount;
- receiving, at the computer system and from a first point of entry device, a request from the merchant to adjust the debit transaction by a credit amount representing a credit against the debit transaction;
- identifying the transaction record at the computer system;
- transmitting a first confirmation message for reception by the first point of entry device, the first confirmation message indicating that the request from the merchant has been received;
- searching the database for a collection record corresponding to the debit transaction, wherein the collection record indicates that debit amount has not been collected from the customer account;
- determining that no collection record corresponds to the debit transaction;
- comparing the request with the transaction record to determine that the credit amount is not greater than the debit amount;
- processing a second debit transaction, in the credit amount, against the merchant account;
- processing a credit transaction, in the credit amount, for the customer account;
- updating the transaction record to reflect an adjustment against the debit transaction by the credit amount, wherein updating the transaction record comprises reducing the value of the variable by the credit amount, such that the variable has an updated value corresponding to the difference between the debit amount and the credit amount;
- receiving, at the computer system and from a second point of entry device, a second request from the merchant to adjust the debit transaction by a second credit amount representing a second credit against the debit transaction, wherein the second point of entry device and the first point of entry device are not the same point of entry device;
- transmitting a second confirmation message for reception by the second point of entry device, the second confirmation message indicating that the second request has been received;
- comparing the second request with the updated transaction record to determine that the second credit amount is not greater than the updated value of the variable;
- processing a third debit transaction, in the second credit amount, against the merchant account;
- processing a second credit transaction, in the second credit amount, for the customer account;
- and
- updating the transaction record a second time to reflect a second adjustment against the debit transaction by the second credit amount, wherein updating the transaction record a second time comprises reducing the value of the variable by the second credit amount, such that the variable has a second updated value corresponding to the difference between the updated value and the second credit amount.
15 more elements
A method of adjusting a debit transaction between a merchant and a customer, in response to a request from the merchant, the method comprising:
- processing, with a computer system, a debit transaction between the customer and the merchant, the debit transaction having a debit amount payable from a deposit account held by the customer;
- creating a transaction record corresponding to the debit transaction, the transaction record comprising a variable having a first value corresponding to the debit amount;
- receiving, at the computer system and from a merchant device, a request from the merchant to adjust the debit transaction by a credit amount, the credit amount representing a credit against the debit transaction;
- identifying the transaction record at the computer system;
- transmitting a confirmation message for reception by the point of entry device;
- and
- updating the transaction record.
4 more elements
A computer system for adjusting a debit transaction between a merchant and a customer, the computer system comprising:
- a processor;
- a communication interface in communication with the processor;
- a database in communication with the processor;
- and
- a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium having encoded thereon a computer program comprising a set of instructions executable by the processor to cause the computer system to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising:
- instructions for processing a debit transaction between the customer and the merchant, the debit transaction having a debit amount payable from a deposit account held by the customer;
- instructions for creating, in the database, a transaction record corresponding to the debit transaction, the transaction record comprising a first value corresponding to the debit amount;
- instructions for receiving, from a point of entry device, a request from the merchant to adjust the debit transaction by a credit amount, the credit amount representing a credit against the debit transaction;
- instructions for identifying the transaction record at the computer system;
- instructions for transmitting a confirmation message for reception by the point of entry device;
- and
- instructions for updating the transaction record.
9 more elements
A system for adjusting a debit transaction between a merchant and a customer, the system comprising:
- a first point of entry device, comprising:
- a first processor;
- a first communication interface in communication with the processor;
- and
- a first computer readable medium in communication with the first processor, the first computer readable medium having encoded thereon a first computer program comprising a first set of instructions executable by the first processor to cause the first point of entry device to perform one or more operations, the first set of instructions comprising:
- instructions for receiving, from a merchant, a request to adjust a debit transaction by a credit amount, the credit amount representing a credit against the debit transaction;
- instructions for transmitting the request for reception by a host computer system;
- and
- instructions for displaying confirmation of a status of the request, based on receipt of a confirmation message from the host computer system;
- and
- the host computer system, comprising:
- a second processor;
- a second communication interface in communication with the second processor, for providing communication with the first point of entry device;
- a database in communication with the second processor;
- and
- a second computer readable medium in communication with the second processor, the second computer readable medium having encoded thereon a second computer program comprising a second set of instructions executable by the second processor to cause the computer system to perform one or more operations, the second set of instructions comprising:
- instructions for processing the debit transaction between the customer and the merchant, the debit transaction having a debit amount payable from a deposit account held by the customer;
- instructions for creating, in the database, a transaction record corresponding to the debit transaction, the transaction record comprising a first value corresponding to the debit amount;
- instructions for receiving, from the first point of entry device, the request from the merchant;
- instructions for identifying the transaction record at the computer system;
- instructions for transmitting a confirmation message for reception by the point of entry device;
- and
- instructions for updating the transaction record.
20 more elements
A computer readable medium having encoded thereon a computer program comprising a set of instructions that are executable by a computer system to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising:
- instructions for processing a debit transaction between the customer and the merchant, the debit transaction having a debit amount payable from a deposit account held by the customer;
- instructions for creating, in a database, a transaction record corresponding to the debit transaction, the transaction record comprising a first value corresponding to the debit amount;
- instructions for receiving, from a point of entry device, a request from the merchant, to adjust the debit transaction by a credit amount, the credit amount representing a credit against the debit transaction;
- instructions for identifying the transaction record at the computer system;
- instructions for updating the transaction record;
- and
- instructions for transmitting a confirmation message to the point of entry device.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.