# US 2014/0156427 A1 · Clearing house for processing of payments using coded payment methods

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- Number: US 2014/0156427 A1
- Document ID: US20140156427A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/691,458
- Filed: 2012-11-30
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Bank of America Corporation
- Applicants: Bank of America Corporation
- Inventors: David M. Grigg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156427A1

## CPC

- G06Q 20/204: {comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit}
- G06Q 20/023: {the neutral party being a clearing house}
- G06Q 20/3274: {using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device}
- 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

## Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products for a clearing house for directing readable indicia to/from merchants, users, and/or vendors. As such, merchants, users, and vendors may all be able to recognize, read, and complete transactions using any readable indicia, irrespective of the vendor providing the readable indicia. In some embodiments, the invention may provide merchants or users with readable indicia from one or more readable indicia vendors. In other embodiments, the invention may recognize readable indicia communicated to the system based on the vendor associated with the indicia. As such, the invention provides a clearing house for the directing, such as receiving, translating, and communicating readable indicia between parties of a transaction, such that each party may be able to recognize the readable indicia and complete the transaction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for processing readable indicia for payment codes, the system comprising:
a memory device with computer-readable program code stored thereon;
a communication device;
a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device and the communication device, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:
receive information associated with one or more vendors, wherein the one or more vendors supply or originate readable indicia;
retrieve available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors;
store the available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors, information about the vendor, and data associated with the available readable indicia such that a vendor associated with each of the available readable indicia is identifiable based on a partial reading of the available readable indicia;
receive an indication of a transaction between a user and a merchant, wherein the transaction is to be completed using readable indicia at a point-of-transaction (POT) of the merchant;
match the readable indicia used for the transaction with one or more vendors associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction, wherein matching comprises accessing the stored available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors and matching the available readable indicia to the readable indicia used for the transaction;
determine the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction; and
allow for processing of the transaction using the readable indicia used for the transaction, such that the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction authorized the transaction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:
receive a request for a specific readable indicia from one of the one or more vendors, wherein the request is provided by the user, wherein the specific readable indicia is the readable indicia used for the transaction;
communicate with the vendor associated with the specific readable indicia;
receive the specific readable indicia; and
allow for presentment of the specific readable indicia to the user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:
receive a presented readable indicia from the merchant, wherein the presented readable indicia is the readable indicia used for the transaction;
determine the one or more vendors associated with the presented readable indicia;
receive an indication of a selected vendor from the one or more vendors associated with the presented readable indicia;
communicate with the vendor associated with the presented readable indicia; and
allow for communication link, such that the transaction is completed using the presented readable indicia.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein allowing for processing of the transaction using the readable indicia used for the transaction, such that the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction authorized the transaction further comprise creating a direct communication link between the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction and the merchant of the transaction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication of the transaction between the user and the merchant, wherein the presented readable indicia is used to complete the transaction at the POT of the merchant further comprises receiving the indication of the transaction from the merchant.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein retrieving available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors comprises continuously monitoring each of the one or more vendors and retrieving newly created available readable indicia from the one or more vendors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the readable indicia is a scannable code that is linked to a payment account, such that the readable indicia is presented or scanned to access the payment account to complete a transaction using the payment account.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the readable indicia comprises a Quick Response (QR) code.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the readable indicia is comprised in a tag that transmits information wirelessly.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to receive an indication that the user selected the readable indicia used for the transaction at a point-of-transaction (POT) of the merchant, wherein the indication that the user selected the readable indicia used for the transaction is received from a mobile device that comprises an image-capturing component, and wherein an image of the readable indicia used for the transaction is captured by the mobile device.

### Claim 11

A computer program product for processing readable indicia for payment codes, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
an executable portion configured for receiving information associated with one or more vendors, wherein the one or more vendors supply or originate readable indicia;
an executable portion configured for retrieving available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors;
an executable portion configured for storing the available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors, information about the vendor, and data associated with the available readable indicia such that a vendor associated with each of the available readable indicia is identifiable based on a partial reading of the available readable indicia;
an executable portion configured for receiving an indication of a transaction between a user and a merchant, wherein the transaction is to be completed using readable indicia at a point-of-transaction (POT) of the merchant;
an executable portion configured for matching the readable indicia used for the transaction with one or more vendors associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction, wherein matching comprises accessing the stored available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors and matching the available readable indicia to the readable indicia used for the transaction;
an executable portion configured for determining the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction; and
an executable portion configured for allowing for processing of the transaction using the readable indicia used for the transaction, such that the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction authorized the transaction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:
an executable portion configured for receiving a request for a specific readable indicia from one of the one or more vendors, wherein the request is provided by the user, wherein the specific readable indicia is the readable indicia used for the transaction;
an executable portion configured for communicating with the vendor associated with the specific readable indicia;
an executable portion configured for receiving the specific readable indicia; and
an executable portion configured for allowing for presentment of the specific readable indicia to the use.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:
an executable portion configured for receiving a presented readable indicia from the merchant, wherein the presented readable indicia is the readable indicia used for the transaction;
an executable portion configured for determining the one or more vendors associated with the presented readable indicia;
an executable portion configured for receiving an indication of a selected vendor from the one or more vendors associated with the presented readable indicia;
an executable portion configured for communicating with the vendor associated with the presented readable indicia; and
an executable portion configured for allowing for communication link, such that the transaction is completed using the presented readable indicia.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein allowing for processing of the transaction using the readable indicia used for the transaction, such that the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction authorized the transaction further comprise creating a direct communication link between the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction and the merchant of the transaction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein receiving an indication of the transaction between the user and the merchant, wherein the presented readable indicia is used to complete the transaction at the POT of the merchant further comprises receiving the indication of the transaction from the merchant.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein retrieving available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors comprises continuously monitoring each of the one or more vendors and retrieving newly created available readable indicia from the one or more vendors.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the readable indicia is a scannable code that is linked to a payment account, such that the readable indicia is presented or scanned to access the payment account to complete a transaction using the payment account.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to receive an indication that the user selected the readable indicia used for the transaction at a point-of-transaction (POT) of the merchant, wherein the indication that the user selected the readable indicia used for the transaction is received from a mobile device that comprises an image-capturing component, and wherein an image of the readable indicia used for the transaction is captured by the mobile device.

### Claim 19

A computer-implemented method for processing readable indicia for payment codes, the method comprising:
receiving information associated with one or more vendors, wherein the one or more vendors supply or originate readable indicia;
retrieving available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors;
storing the available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors, information about the vendor, and data associated with the available readable indicia such that a vendor associated with each of the available readable indicia is identifiable based on a partial reading of the available readable indicia;
receiving an indication of a transaction between a user and a merchant, wherein the transaction is to be completed using readable indicia at a point-of-transaction (POT) of the merchant;
matching, via a computer device processor, the readable indicia used for the transaction with one or more vendors associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction, wherein matching comprises accessing the stored available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors and matching the available readable indicia to the readable indicia used for the transaction;
determining the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction; and
allowing for processing of the transaction using the readable indicia used for the transaction, such that the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction authorized the transaction.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The computer-implemented method of claim 19 further comprising:
receiving a request for a specific readable indicia from one of the one or more vendors, wherein the request is provided by the user, wherein the specific readable indicia is the readable indicia used for the transaction;
communicating, via a computer device processor, with the vendor associated with the specific readable indicia;
receiving the specific readable indicia; and
allowing for presentment of the specific readable indicia to the user.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The computer-implemented method of claim 19 further comprising:
receiving a presented readable indicia from the merchant, wherein the presented readable indicia is the readable indicia used for the transaction;
determining the one or more vendors associated with the presented readable indicia;
receiving an indication of a selected vendor from the one or more vendors associated with the presented readable indicia;
communicating with the vendor associated with the presented readable indicia; and
allowing for communication link, such that the transaction is completed using the presented readable indicia.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein allowing for processing of the transaction using the readable indicia used for the transaction, such that the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction authorized the transaction further comprise creating a direct communication link between the vendor associated with the readable indicia used for the transaction and the merchant of the transaction.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein receiving an indication of the transaction between the user and the merchant, wherein the presented readable indicia is used to complete the transaction at the POT of the merchant further comprises receiving the indication of the transaction from the merchant.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein retrieving available readable indicia associated with each of the one or more vendors comprises continuously monitoring each of the one or more vendors and retrieving newly created available readable indicia from the one or more vendors.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the readable indicia is a scannable code that is linked to a payment account, such that the readable indicia is presented or scanned to access the payment account to complete a transaction using the payment account.

### Claim 26 (depends on 19)

The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to receive an indication that the user selected the readable indicia used for the transaction at a point-of-transaction (POT) of the merchant, wherein the indication that the user selected the readable indicia used for the transaction is received from a mobile device that comprises an image-capturing component, and wherein an image of the readable indicia used for the transaction is captured by the mobile device.