Enabling payments to be processed by only one merchant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016155117-A1
Application number	US-201414906506-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 25, 2014
Priority date	Jul 31, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling payments to be processed against an account identifier by only one merchant are provided. In a method, a remotely accessible server obtains an account identifier and stores the account identifier in a database in response to a consumer electing to generate an account identifier. The server receives a request originating from an acquiring entity to process a payment against the account identifier and a merchant identifier of a merchant in favor of which the payment is to be processed. The server looks up the account identifier and stores the merchant identifier in the database in association with the account identifier, linking the account identifier to the merchant. Upon subsequent payment requests against the account identifier in favor of a merchant, the server receives a merchant identifier and, if the merchant identifier matches the merchant identifier associated with the account identifier, the server allows the payment.

First claim

1 . A computer-implemented method of enabling payments to be processed against an account identifier by only one merchant, the method carried out at a remotely accessible server having a processor to control the execution of instructions from a memory and comprising:
in response to a consumer electing to generate an account identifier, obtaining an account identifier and storing the account identifier in a database as an unlinked account identifier; receiving a request originating from an acquiring entity to process a payment transaction against the account identifier; receiving a merchant identifier of a merchant in favor of which the payment transaction is to be processed; looking up the account identifier in the database; storing the merchant identifier in the database in association with the account identifier so as to link the account identifier to the merchant; and upon subsequent requests originating from an acquiring entity to process a payment transaction against the account identifier: receiving a merchant identifier of a merchant in favor of which the subsequent payment transaction is to be processed; and if the merchant identifier of the merchant in favor of which the subsequent payment transaction is to be processed matches the merchant identifier associated with the account identifier, allowing the payment transaction to proceed; or if the merchant identifier of the merchant in favor of which the subsequent payment transaction is to be processed does not match the merchant identifier associated with the account identifier, declining the payment transaction.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of storing the merchant identifier in the database in association with the account identifier includes storing the merchant identifier in association with the account identifier only if the account identifier has not previously been used to process a payment transaction.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the step of storing the merchant identifier in the database in association with the account identifier is followed by the step of allowing the payment transaction to proceed.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the account identifier includes a primary account number (PAN).

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least part of the account identifier is formatted as a primary account number (PAN).

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the account identifier is a token associated with a financial account of the consumer.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the step of obtaining the account identifier includes requesting a token generator to generate the account identifier and receiving the account identifier from the token generator.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the token is associated with actual payment credentials for the financial account of the consumer, and wherein the actual payment credentials are used to process the payment transaction if the payment transaction is allowed to proceed.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining the account identifier includes generating the account identifier at the remotely accessible server.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the payment transaction to be processed is a recurring payment.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the remotely accessible server is operated by a mobile payment system, wherein the consumer elects to generate the account identifier via an electronic device of the consumer, and wherein an identifier of the electronic device serves as a consumer identifier.

12 . A system for enabling payments to be processed against an account identifier by only one merchant, comprising a remotely accessible server having a processor to control the execution of instructions from a memory and including:
an account identifier component for, in response to a consumer electing to generate an account identifier, obtaining an account identifier and storing the account identifier in a database as an unlinked account identifier; a processing request component for receiving a request originating from an acquiring entity to process a payment transaction against the account identifier; a merchant identifier component for receiving a merchant identifier of a merchant in favor of which the payment transaction is to be processed; a look-up component for looking up the account identifier in the database; a linking component for storing the merchant identifier in the database in association with the account identifier so as to link the account identifier to the merchant; and an authorization component for, upon subsequent requests originating from an acquiring entity to process a payment transaction against the account identifier and in response to receiving a merchant identifier of a merchant in favor of which the subsequent payment transaction is to be processed: if the merchant identifier of the merchant in favor of which the subsequent payment transaction is to be processed matches the merchant identifier associated with the account identifier, allowing the payment transaction to proceed; or if the merchant identifier of the merchant in favor of which the subsequent payment transaction is to be processed does not match the merchant identifier associated with the account identifier, declining the payment transaction.

13 . The system as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a token generator, wherein the step of obtaining an account identifier performed by the account identifier component of the remotely accessible server includes requesting the token generator to generate the account identifier and receiving the account identifier from the token generator.

14 . The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the account identifier is a token associated with a financial account of the consumer, and wherein the token generator is an issuer of the financial account of the consumer.

15 . A system for enabling payments to be processed against an account identifier by only one merchant, comprising an electronic device of a consumer in communication with a remotely accessible server, the electronic device including:
an electing component for receiving input from the consumer indicating election to generate an account identifier; a transmitting component for transmitting a request for an account identifier, the remotely accessible server obtaining the account identifier in response to the request; and a receiving component for receiving the account identifier such that the account identifier can subsequently be provided to a merchant in favor of which a payment transaction is to be processed.

16 . The system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the electronic device of the consumer is a mobile phone, wherein the remotely accessible server is operated by a mobile payment system, and wherein an identifier of the mobile phone serves as a consumer identifier.

17 . A computer program product for enabling payments to be processed against an account identifier by only one merchant, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having stored computer-readable program code for performing the steps of:
in response to a consumer electing to generate an account identifier, obtaining an account identifier and storing the account identifier in a database as an unlinked account identifier; receiving a request originating from an acquiring entity to process a payment transaction against the account identifier; receiving a merchant identifier of a merchant in favor of which th

Assignees

• Visa Int Service Ass

Inventors

• Badenhorst Cornelius Johannes

Classifications

• G06Q20/405

  Establishing or using transaction specific rules · CPC title

• G06Q20/3674

  involving authentication · CPC title

• G06Q20/385

  using an alias or single-use codes · CPC title

• G06Q2220/00

  Business processing using cryptography · CPC title

• G06Q20/3672 Primary

  initialising or reloading thereof · CPC title