# US 8,751,384 B2 · Integrated bill presentment and payment system and method of operating the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,384 B2 - Document ID: US8751384B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/141,146 - Filed: 2002-05-08 - Published: 2005-01-13 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2002-05-08 - Assignees: Metavante Corporation - Applicants: Hans E. Myklebust; Dushyant Sharma; Timothy J. Patneaude; Michael J. Kaminski; John L. Watry; Murali Chirala; Shankar Srinivasan - Inventors: Hans E. Myklebust; Dushyant Sharma; Timothy J. Patneaude; Michael J. Kaminski; John L. Watry; Murali Chirala; Shankar Srinivasan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751384B2 ## CPC - G06Q 20/102: {Bill distribution or payments} - G06Q 30/04: Billing or invoicing - 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 An integrated bill presentment and payment system and an associated method are disclosed which can accomplish the entire process of bill presentment and payment directly with billers, customers, and their respective financial institutions, but which are also capable of interfacing with independent biller service providers, independent customer service providers, independent consolidators, and/or independent payment providers. The integrated bill presentment and payment system and method of the present invention can link directly to billers and customers, and can also access and distribute billing information from third party biller service providers or consolidators and participate in the distribution of the billing information to customers through third party customer service providers and consolidators. The integrated bill presentment and payment system and method of the present invention can make payments on behalf of customers itself, and can also forward payment instructions to third party payment providers if required. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated system for the presentation and payment of bills, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing: a first module which, when executed by the processor, receives billing information from billers, from biller service providers, and from biller-side consolidators; a second module which, when executed by the processor, sends billing information to customers, to customer service providers, and to customer-side consolidators, wherein said second module is also capable of receiving payment instructions from customers, from customer service providers, and from customer-side consolidators; a third module which, when executed by the processor, initiates payment in response to payment instructions received from customers, from customer service providers, and from customer-side consolidators, the third module configured to select a payment type based on payment type preference criteria maintained by the system; and a connection logic module which interconnects said first, second, and third modules and facilitates communication therebetween, the connection logic module configured to, when executed by the processor, detect the extent of electronic bill presentment and payment service to be provided by each of the first, second, and third module and to initiate that provision of service of each module, and to: receive a request from a customer to pay a biller; determine whether the bill should be paid through a biller payment provider or a customer payment provider; and if the bill is not determined to be paid through the biller payment provider or the customer payment provider, initiate paying the biller using the selected payment type. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said system is capable of receiving both digital billing data and paper bills. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An integrated system as defined in claim 2, wherein the first module, when executed by the processor, converts said digital billing data into a desired format. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) An integrated system as defined in claim 2, wherein the connection logic module, when executed by the processor, scans paper bills, extracts billing information from the scanned data, and places the extracted information in a desired format. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first module, when executed by the processor, accepts billing information from any biller which will provide billing information to third parties. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first module, when executed by the processor, accepts billing information from any biller service provider which will provide billing information to third parties. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first module, when executed by the processor, obtains billing information from billers, biller service providers, and/or biller-side consolidators by screen scraping. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first module accepts billing information from any consolidator which will provide billing information to third parties. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said billing information received from a biller, biller service provider, or biller-side consolidator includes summary information only, with detailed information being retained by the biller, biller service provider, or biller-side consolidator, respectively. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An integrated system as defined in claim 9, wherein the billing information sent to a customer, customer service provider, or customer-side consolidator includes summary information plus information enabling the customer, customer service provider, or customer-side consolidator, respectively, to obtain detailed billing information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An integrated system as defined in claim 10, wherein said information enabling the customer, customer service provider, or customer-side consolidator, respectively, to obtain detailed billing information comprises a web link. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said billing information received from a biller, biller service provider, or biller-side consolidator includes both summary and detailed information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said second module, when executed by the processor, sends both electronic bills and paper bills. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An integrated system as defined in claim 13, wherein said second module, when executed by the processor, sends both electronic bills and paper bills to selected customers who desire to receive both electronic bills and paper bills. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An integrated system as defined in claim 14, wherein he system prints said paper bills for mailing to customers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said second module, when executed by the processor, sends electronic billing information to customers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) An integrated system as defined in claim 16, wherein said electronic information sent to a customer comprises an electronic bill notice indicating that a bill for that customer has been received. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An integrated system as defined in claim 17, wherein said electronic bill notice comprises an e-mail indicating that a bill for that customer has been received. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) An integrated system as defined in claim 17, wherein said electronic bill notice comprises an instant message indicating that a bill for that customer has been received. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) An integrated system as defined in claim 17, wherein said electronic bill notice can indicate that a plurality of bills for that customer have been received. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) An integrated system as defined in claim 17, wherein said electronic bill notice includes detailed billing information. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) An integrated system as defined in claim 17, wherein said electronic bill notice includes summary information relating to the bill. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) An integrated system as defined in claim 22, wherein said electronic bill notice includes information enabling the customer to obtain detailed billing information. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) An integrated system as defined in claim 23, wherein said information enabling the customer to obtain billing information comprises a web link. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) An integrated system as defined in claim 24, wherein said web link is directed to retrieve detailed billing information from said second module. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) An integrated system as defined in claim 23, wherein said web link is directed to retrieve detailed billing information from said first module. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) An integrated system as defined in claim 24, wherein said web link is directed to retrieve detailed billing information from the source of the billing information to said first module. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) An integrated system as defined in claim 17, wherein said electronic bill notice includes information enabling the customer to obtain billing information. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) An integrated system as defined in claim 28, wherein said information enabling the customer to obtain billing information comprises a web link. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) An integrated system as defined in claim 29, wherein actuation of said web link enables the customer to obtain summary billing information. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) An integrated system as defined in claim 30, wherein said web link is directed to retrieve summary billing information from said second module. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) An integrated system as defined in claim 30, wherein said web link is directed to retrieve summary billing information from said first module. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) An integrated system as defined in claim 30, wherein said web link is directed to retrieve summary billing information from the source of the billing information to said first module. ### Claim 34 (depends on 30) An integrated system as defined in claim 30, wherein actuation of said web link also enables the customer to obtain information enabling the customer to obtain detailed billing information. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) An integrated system as defined in claim 34, wherein said information enabling the customer to obtain detailed billing information comprises a second web link. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) An integrated system as defined in claim 35, wherein said second web link is directed to retrieve detailed billing information from said second module. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) An integrated system as defined in claim 35, wherein said second web link is directed to retrieve detailed billing information from said first module. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) An integrated system as defined in claim 35, wherein said second web link is directed to retrieve detailed billing information from the source of the billing information to said first module. ### Claim 39 (depends on 17) An integrated system as defined in claim 17, wherein said electronic information sent to a customer further comprises a reminder electronic bill notice that a bill for that customer has been received or is due in the near future. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) An integrated system as defined in claim 39, wherein said reminder electronic bill notice comprises an email indicating that a bill for that customer has been received. ### Claim 41 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein payment instructions are forwarded by said system to a biller, a biller service provider, or a biller-side consolidator in accordance with a pre-existing agreement with the biller, the biller service provider, or the biller-side consolidator, respectively, to forward payment instructions to the biller, the biller service provider, or the biller-side consolidator, respectively, for processing. ### Claim 42 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said payment type preference criteria are based at least in part upon payment type limitations provided by the biller associated with the bill for which payment is to be made. ### Claim 43 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said payment type preference criteria are also based upon payment type limitations provided by the customer paying the bill. ### Claim 44 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said payment type preference criteria are also based upon payment type preferences selected by said system. ### Claim 45 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said third module, when executed by the processor, makes both electronic payments and paper payments. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) An integrated system as defined in claim 45, wherein the system prints said paper bills for mailing to billers. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) An integrated system as defined in claim 45, wherein said electronic payments are initiated by said third module and executed by a payment processor which debits the appropriate customer's account and credits an account associated with the appropriate biller. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) An integrated system as defined in claim 47, wherein said payment processor is a third party payment processor. ### Claim 49 (depends on 45) An integrated system as defined in claim 45, additionally comprising: a payment processing module, wherein said electronic payments are initiated by said third module and executed by said payment processing module which, when executed by the processor, debits the appropriate customer's account and credits the appropriate biller's account. ### Claim 50 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein said system functions at least in part as a service bureau for at least one institution having a plurality of businesses as clients, and wherein said institution has at least one other service in addition to the presentation and payment of bills of which at least one other service is provided electronically to its clients, and wherein using either of said services requires a secure logon procedure, and wherein said integrated system allows said clients to move from the presentation and payment of bills to said at least one other service and from said at least one other service to the presentation and payment of bills without requiring a second secure logon procedure. ### Claim 51 (depends on 1) An integrated system as defined in claim 1, wherein targeted messages are delivered to customers with billing information, said targeted messages relating either to the biller or to its products or services, or, alternately, to another company or to its products or services which are being marketed through a tie-in to the biller sending the billing information. ### Claim 52 A system which facilitates the interconnection of mutually incompatible electronic bill presentment and payment system components, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing: a biller-side module which, when executed by the processor, receives billing information from billers, biller service providers, and consolidators, said billing information being representative of discrete bills originating with a plurality of different billers; a customer-side module which, when executed by the processor, provides said billing information to customers, customer service providers, and consolidators, and receives payment information from customers, customer service providers, and consolidators, said payment information being in satisfaction of discrete bills originating with a plurality of different billers; and a payment module which, when executed by the processor, initiates the payment of at least some of the discrete bills originating with a plurality of different billers in response to said payment information, the payment module configured to select a payment type based on payment type preference criteria maintained by the system, with the biller-side module, the customer-side module and the payment module coupled to a connection logic module which, when executed by the processor: receives a request from a customer to pay a biller; determines whether the bill should be paid through a biller payment provider or a customer payment provider; and if the bill is not determined to be paid through the biller payment provider or the customer payment provider, initiate paying the biller using the selected payment type. ### Claim 53 A computer program product, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code storing: a first module which, when executed by a processor, receives billing information from billers, from biller service providers, and from biller-side consolidators; a second module which, when executed by the processor, sends billing information to customers, to customer service providers, and to customer-side consolidators, wherein said second module also receives payment instructions from customers, from customer service providers, and from customer-side consolidators; a third module which, when executed by the processor, initiates payment in response to payment instructions received from customers, from customer service providers, and from customer-side consolidators; and a connection logic module which interconnects said first, second, and third modules and facilitates communication therebetween, the connection logic module configured to, when executed by the processor, detect the extent of electronic bill presentment and payment service to be provided by each of the first, second, and third module and to initiate that provision of service of each module, and to: receive a request from a customer to pay a biller; determine whether the bill should be paid through a biller payment provider or a customer payment provider; and if the bill is not determined to be paid through the biller payment provider or the customer, payment provider, initiate paying the biller using the selected payment type. ### Claim 54 A computer program product, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code storing: a biller-side module which, when executed by a processor, receives billing information from billers, biller service providers, and consolidators, said billing information being representative of discrete bills originating with a plurality of different billers; a customer-side module which, when executed by the processor, provides said billing information to customers, customer service providers, and consolidators, and receives payment information from customers, customer service providers, and consolidators, said payment information being in satisfaction of discrete bills originating with a plurality of different billers; and a payment module which, when executed by the processor, initiates the payment of at least some of the discrete bills originating with a plurality of different billers in response to said payment information, with the biller-side module, the customer-side module and the payment module coupled to a connection logic module which, when executed by the processor: receives a request from a customer to pay a biller; determines whether the bill should be paid through a biller payment provider or a customer payment provider; and if the bill is not determined to be paid through the biller payment provider or the customer payment provider, initiates paying the biller using the selected payment type.