Patent Publication Number: US-2013246260-A1

Title: Mobile Payment Transaction System

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a payment transaction processing and management system and method, and particularly to secure transaction operations by a mobile wallet. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional payment systems are labor-intensive and time consuming for customers. Typically, customers have many different accounts with one or more issuers, and there are delays arising from the customer deciding on the payment account to use to settle a transaction, and from processing and settling payments with the issuer accounts. 
     What people want is more convenient and efficient control and use of their money. It would be desirable for a customer to consolidate all their accounts onto one card, so that they can make payments from any of their different accounts using one payment account. It would further be desirable for a customer to aggregate the accounts so that they can see everything in one place, in real time and have the transactions automatically categorized. It would also be desirable for a customer to efficiently effect payment from one of the payment accounts without having to switch from one payment account to another prior to the point of payment. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,311 issued to Hennige (“Hennige”) discusses one method of consolidating multiple accounts onto one card. In accordance with the method disclosed by Hennige, an electronic multifunction card emulates multiple different account cards. 
     The PayPal™ payment system allows a customer to store account details, and conduct transactions using the stored account details in conjunction with a login over the Internet, without requiring the account details to be communicated over the Internet for each transaction. 
     EP Patent No.-A-1,821,249 to Lufthansa/Orbiscom discusses a system for interconnecting payment networks. A master credit card number is associated with a limited-use credit card number for a specific transaction, and the limited use credit card number is used to settle payment with a merchant. This system allows greater control and security over the settlement process, since a separate payment limit may be set on the limited use card number, and there is no need to disclose the master credit card number to the merchant. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,870,071 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0057396 discuss payment processing systems that provide a token linked to a plurality of payment accounts to complete a purchase. 
     STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a payment transaction system, including a payment authentication token associated with a customer and a payment platform providing a payment account associated with the authentication token. The payment platform stores linked account information corresponding to a plurality of funding accounts associated with the customer and with the payment account. The payment platform also stores stored value payment account information corresponding to a stored value payment account having a pre-paid stored value. In response to a transaction authentication performed by the authentication token and transaction data associated with the transaction, the payment platform is arranged to select one of the stored value payment account and an account associated with the customer, and to settle the transaction with the selected account. 
     The customer may set or configure one or more rules for automatic account selection based on transaction data, preferably by means of a user interface, such as a mobile app or web-based interface. Additional rules, such as regulatory and/or business rules may also be applied. The platform may then select the one or more accounts automatically based on the transaction data or preset rules, or the customer may select the one or more accounts manually. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the settlement of the transaction is delayed for a period so that the customer has the opportunity to settle the transaction with a selected account, or the account may be selected automatically if the user does not select within a preset period of time. The user may select the account by means of a user interface, preferably a graphical user interface that provides a graphical representation of each pending transaction and of each of the accounts. The interface allows the user to drag a pending transaction to an account and thereby select the account for settlement of the pending transaction. 
     The platform may divide a transaction into multiple fractions, with each fraction being settled with a different account. The platform may combine a plurality of transactions into a single settlement with one of the selected accounts. These dividing and/or combining operations may be performed in response to user initiation, or automatically. 
     The platform may send a report or alert to the customer in response to a transaction, preferably based on one or more alerting rules set by the customer. The report or alert may be sent as an email or SMS, for example. 
     The platform may automatically categorize a transaction according to one or more predetermined categorization rules, which may be configured by the customer. A report or alert may be sent to the customer based on the categorization of a transaction. 
     The authentication token may be a card, preferably of an industry standard form factor, or a wireless communication device having a unique identity, for example. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a payment transaction system that categorizes payment transactions and provides reports to a customer based on the categorizations as the transactions are conducted. 
     A payment transaction system in an embodiment of the invention may perform one or more of the following functions:
         allowing a single card/payment account, with a single PIN, to authorize payment transactions from any one of a plurality of different accounts;   allowing real-time transaction routing;   automatic categorization of transactions, to enable or facilitate category-based transaction routing; and/or   drag and drop transactions—selecting a payment vehicle (e.g. an account) for a transaction, or moving a transaction from one payment vehicle to another, by means of a graphical user interface.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       There now follows, by way of example only, a detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, with references to the figures identified below. 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an overall payment transaction system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of the transaction routing process in accordance with the embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3   a,    3   b  and  3   c  are diagrams of an account management functionality of the system according to examples of the mobile device. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of an account management functionality of the system. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of the process of category-based routing according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of a user controlled transaction routing functionality of the system. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of a straight-through authorization function of the system. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of a holding authorization function of the system. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of a straight-through settlement function of the system. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram of a holding settlement function of the system. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram of an example of a computer system on which one or more of the functions of the embodiment may be implemented; and 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram of the computer system of  FIG. 11  with a secondary memory. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Card Payment Background 
     Card payments are a way of paying for goods and services without cash changing hands; the presentation of the card details and appropriate cardholder authentication guarantee the merchant payment. A conventional card payment system is made up of a number of components including: a cardholder, a merchant, an acquirer, a scheme and a card issuer. As is appreciated by those skilled in the art, the cardholder is the consumer purchasing goods or services with a card, the merchant is selling the goods or services to the consumer, the acquirer is an intermediary that functions to process the transaction on behalf of the merchant and card issuer, the scheme refers to the entity operating a specific transaction protocol (i.e., rules for the interchange) in which the cardholder, merchant, merchant acquirer and card issuer have agreed to participate, and the card issuer is the bank or other entity offering the cards directly to the consumer and ultimately assuming financial liability for the transaction by providing the cardholder with a line of credit. 
     In the normal process, the cardholder presents his card (or token) to the merchant in order to pay for goods or services rendered; this transaction may take place over any one of a number of channels (in a store or via the Internet, for example). The merchant, through his acquirer, is set up to accept different card types by scheme (Visa®, MasterCard®, Amex®, credit, debit, for example). When a card is presented, the cardholder is authenticated (by Personal Identification Number, PIN, passcode, or Card Verification Value, CV2, for example), subject to channel and merchant capability, and the transaction is then submitted to the merchant&#39;s acquirer (referred to herein as “merchant acquirer) for authorization. 
     Once the transaction is received, the merchant acquirer routes the authorization requesting transaction, in real time, to the relevant scheme based upon card type. The scheme provides isolation between merchant acquirers and card issuers for routing of authorization requests, settlements and funds movement. The merchant acquirer doesn&#39;t need to know who the issuer is, just which scheme to route it to, which is determined by the Bank Identification Number (BIN). 
     The card issuer authorizes the transaction based upon the cardholder&#39;s balance and other risk/fraud criteria and returns an authorized message and an authorization code to the scheme, which routes it back to the merchant acquirer who sent it to the merchant. At this point no payment has been made, just confirmation that the funds are available. The ‘open to buy’ value on the cardholders account will also be reduced by the amount of the authorization. 
     The merchant then confirms the sale, which posts a settlement transaction to the merchant acquirer; this is a mandate to make the payment and move the funds. The settlement transaction is routed between merchant acquirers and issuers via the scheme in a batch mode. Payment to the merchant depends upon their terms with their acquirer but can be daily, weekly or upon receipt of funds from the card issuer. Both issuers and acquirers perform bulk funds transfer with the schemes on a daily basis for all transactions having been settled that day. 
     Mobile Wallet Payment System 
     A mobile wallet payment system in accordance with the present invention, referred to as the payment system, performs the role of both acquirer and merchant. The initial card payment transaction is completed between the merchant (via their acquirer and the appropriate scheme) and the payment system acting as a card issuer. In order for the payment system to fund that transaction from a target card account, it acts as a merchant placing a new and possibly different (aggregated or split) transaction, an authorization and a settlement, which will then be routed by the acquiring network to the scheme and onto the target card issuer. The payment system is further configured to select and use a stored value payment account having a pre-paid stored value. 
       FIG. 1  shows elements of the payment transaction system  100 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the payment transaction system  100  includes a customer authentication token, which a customer uses to authenticate transactions. The authentication token  1  can take one or more known forms, such as a card with a magnetic stripe and/or embedded chip. Instead of using a single card, the customer may authenticate a transaction using some other authentication token, such as a near field communication (NFC) mobile communication device, a mobile phone or portable computing device, or a biometric authentication device, for example. 
     The payment transaction system  100  also includes an originating merchant  2 , with which the customer initiates payment transactions and which send transaction data, including authentication information. The payment transaction system further includes acquirer networks  3 , which process transactions on behalf of originating merchants  2  to a payment scheme network  4  (e.g. Visa® or MasterCard®), and a payment scheme network  4 , which handles the processing (settlement) of transactions between the bank of the originating merchants and the payment transaction system  100 . 
     As a card issuer, the payment authentication platform  5  of the payment transaction system  100  receives transactions via the merchant acquirer and payment scheme network  4  before routing them on to target accounts for which the customer has stored account details, as well as performing other functions as described herein. As a merchant, a secondary merchant  6  of the payment transaction system  100  initiates the onward payment to target card issuers (credit or debit) via an Acquirer and the payment scheme network  4 . 
     The payment transaction system  100  also includes target payment vehicles  7 . The target payment vehicles comprise administrator systems and interfaces of issuer payment accounts  7   a - 7   n  for which the customer has stored details on the payment transaction system  100 . 
     This present payment transaction system  100  links all of a customer&#39;s debit, credit and store cards into one payment account, and additionally provides for a pre-paid stored value for efficiently settling predetermined transactions. Funds are transferred to the pre-paid stored value account associated with the customer&#39;s mobile wallet from any funding account, such as one of the linked payment accounts, prior to initiating transactions using the mobile wallet. When the stored value account is selected to settle a transaction, the payment authentication platform  5  can take the transaction amount directly from the stored value account, without involving the linked payment accounts at the time of transaction processing. 
     The payment transaction system  100  is a ‘reverse aggregator’—rather than pulling financial data back from multiple accounts, it provides a single real-time routing of the originating transactions through one platform. The transaction data are recorded by the payment authentication platform  5  in a transaction database  10 . Therefore, the payment transaction system  100  is able to report transaction data to the customer as the transaction is performed, rather than by reading transaction data back from the multiple accounts. With additional information on existing direct debits and standing orders, the payment transaction system  100  can provide individuals with a more robust view of what they have spent and are scheduled to spend relative to what they have left in their accounts. 
     The customer is able to consolidate accounts into one authentication token  1  utilising an ‘Account set-up and Management’ user interface  8  of a computing device  11 . In accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the customer&#39;s computing device is a mobile device  11 , such as a mobile smart phone, that is configured as a mobile electronic wallet and stores authentication token data  13  corresponding to the customer&#39;s authentication token  1 . The mobile device  11  has a transaction interface  15 , such as a contactless payment transaction interface, for communicating with a corresponding interface (not shown) of the originating merchant  2 . 
     The customer inputs account details for each of the accounts that are to be consolidated, which details are transmitted to and stored by the payment authentication platform  5  as customer preferences data  17 , and linked account data  19  in a customer account database  21 . As mentioned above, the customer account database  21  also stores pre-paid stored value payment account data  23  that can be used by the payment authentication platform  5  to settle transactions directly with the originating merchant  2  instead of using one of the customer&#39;s linked, accounts  19 . Alternatively, the payment authentication platform  5  selects one of the customer&#39;s linked accounts  19  based on the transaction routing information stored as preferences data  17 , and the selected account is used to settle a particular transaction. 
     The customer is able to manipulate the transactional routing of particular transactions via the user interface  8 , as will be described in more detail below. A routing engine  9  of the payment authentication platform  5  directs transactions to issuers according to the pre-defined and/or customer defined parameters. 
     Routing Engine 
     One feature of the present payment transaction system  100  is that a customer is able to conduct transactions from multiple accounts using a single means of authentication, such as the single authentication token  1  with a single associated PIN or passcode. This provides significantly improved convenience, avoiding the need to remember multiple passwords/PINs. Furthermore, since all transactions for a customer are routed through a single place (e.g. node or platform), additional functionality can be provided that is not possible with conventional transaction systems, as will be described below. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the customer is able to manipulate the transactional routing of particular transactions via the ‘Account set-up and Management’ user interface  8  of the mobile device  11 . Instead of using the ‘Account set-up and Management’ user interface  8  through the mobile device  11 , it is appreciated the interface may be available on the Internet through a web browser of a computing device such as a personal computer. 
     As authorization and settlement transactions arrive from the acquiring payment scheme network, they arrive at the payment authentication platform  5  of the payment transaction system  100 . The routing engine  9  determines how to direct and manipulate the transactions. The routing engine  9  pulls information from a hierarchy of rules—a combination of customer defined rules stored in the preferences data  17  in the customer account database  21 , and a system of recommended rules based on predetermined algorithms—in order to determine if the transactions are to be settled using the pre-paid stored value payment account data  23  of the customer&#39;s mobile wallet, or if the routing engine  9  is to direct transactions to a selected target payment vehicle  7 , referred to as “pass though” transaction settlement. Certain regulatory or business rules may also be applied to govern how this functionality can be used. 
     The routing engine  9  also decides, based on profile parameters (such as the amount, merchant type, and/or customer profile) how to handle the authorization and settlement transactions, for example: pass them straight through to the target payment vehicle  7  or hold them for a period, such as up to 48 hours. The three option combinations for handling these are as follows:
     a. Straight-through authorizations with straight-through settlements;   b. Straight-through authorizations with holding settlements; and   c. Holding authorizations with holding settlements.   

     The payment authentication platform  5  may issue an alert to the customer, via a communications interface  25  on selected communication channels  27 , such as SMS or email, to provide timely and relevant communications regarding their transactional behavior based on preset alert preferences. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a transaction routing process according to the present embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 2 , at step S 2 - 1 , the customer sets up a mobile payment account with the payment transaction system  100 . This can be performed via the user interface  8  of the mobile device  11  or another computing device. At step S 2 - 3 , the payment authentication platform  5  processes a transfer of pre-paid funds to the stored value account in the customer&#39;s mobile payment account. At step S 2 - 5 , the customer adds one or more linked, accounts to the mobile payment account. The linked account data  19  is stored by the payment authentication platform  5  in the customer account database  21 . During set up for the mobile payment account, the customer can choose to fund mobile payment transactions using a stored value account associated with the mobile handset  11  as a default selection, at step S 2 - 7 . When the customer makes a mobile initiated transaction, the stored value payment account data  23  is then used to fund the payment transaction. 
     After the mobile payment account is set up and prior to subsequent transactions and purchases, the customer can change from stored value funding by default to either a primary issuer “pass through” payment account or a secondary issuer “pass through” payment account. The customer can input and communicate this switch to the payment authentication platform  5  via the user interface  8 . At step S 2 - 9 , the payment authentication platform  5  receives and stores the defined transaction routing rules as preferences data  17  in the customer account database  21 . In this way, no changes are required at the point of sale for purchase and the payment transaction system  100  enables real-time switching of payment account funding between pass-through to stored pre-paid value for all mobile initiated payment transactions. 
     At step S 2 - 11 , the payment authentication platform  5  receives transaction data for a payment transaction initiated by the mobile device  11 . Information associated with authentication by the authentication token is also received by the payment authentication platform  5 . At step S 2 - 13 , in response to the transaction authentication performed by the authentication token and the received transaction data associated with the transaction, the payment authentication platform determines whether the stored value account or one or more or the linked accounts is to be used to settle the transaction, based on the customer defined rules stored in the preferences data  17  and/or system recommended rules. The rules may define a combination of accounts to be used to settle a transaction. 
     At step S 2 - 15 , the payment authentication platform  5  selects the account based on the determination, and when the selected account is the stored value account, then at step S 2 - 17 , the payment authentication platform  5  processes the transaction using the pre-paid funds of the stored value account. On the other hand, when the selected account is a linked funding account, then at step S 2 - 19 , the payment authentication platform  5  passes the transaction data through to the payment account issuer of the target payment vehicle  7  of the selected link account At step S 2 - 21 , the payment account issuer of the target payment vehicle  7  performs authorization, funding and billing, as required, to settle the transaction. 
     At step S 2 - 23 , the payment authentication platform  5  receives confirmation of the settled transaction from the payment account issuer of the target payment vehicle  7 , and delivers payment confirmation to the customer&#39;s mobile device  11  associated with mobile payment account at step S 2 - 25 . At step S 2 - 27 , the payment authentication platform  5  updates the transaction database  10  with the settled transaction an that the transaction history from all mobile initiated funding accounts will be available for retrieval and viewing by the customer, for example, via the user interface  8  of the mobile device  11 . 
       FIG. 3   a  is a diagram of an account management functionality of the payment transaction system  100  according to a first example of a mobile device  11 , where a plurality of controlled payment accounts are provided in an issuer security domain of the mobile device  11 . As shown in  FIG. 3   a,  the mobile handset  11  includes a mobile operating system  31  and a mobile wallet  32  associated with a first payment account  33 - 1  having a pre-paid stored value, a second payment account  33 - 2  associated with a primary issuer pass-through funding account, and a third payment account  33 - 3  associated with a secondary issuer pass-through funding account. The mobile wallet  32  is preferably provided as application software running on the mobile operating system  31 . The mobile wallet  32  accesses account data associated with each payment account  33 , stored securely within respective issuer security domains (SD)  39  of a secure element  34  of the mobile handset  11 . The secure element  34  is provided in a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) on the mobile handset  11  Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or on a removable Secure Digital memory card. 
     As discussed above, the customer can switch from a pass-through payment account  33 - 2 ,  33 - 3  to the stored value first payment account  33 - 1  and back, by selecting the account in the mobile wallet and pointing to the appropriate security domain, and by establishing payment categories by funding account, using the user interface  8 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 3   a,  the mobile handset  11  also includes NFC (near field communication) antennae  35  for communication with a NFC interface of a merchant terminal, for example, to carry out contactless payment transactions via a Proximity Payment System Environment (PPSE)  36 , as is known in the art. The secure element can include additional optional secure domains and Mobile Network Operator (MNO) secure domains. 
       FIG. 3   b  is a diagram of an account management functionality of the payment transaction system  100 , according to a second example of a mobile device  11 , where a single controlled payment account is provided in the issuer security domain  39  of the mobile device  11 . As discussed above, when the customer switches between accounts in the mobile wallet  32 , a real time change is made at the payment authentication platform  5  such that the routing engine  9  is adapted to process transactions based on the customer rules and preferences. 
       FIG. 3   c  is a diagram of an account management functionality of the payment transaction system  100 , according to a third example of a mobile device  11  that does not include components for NFC or contactless payment transactions. In this example, the mobile wallet  32  includes a plurality of accounts  33  as discussed above, and is configured to communicate the customer defined rules and preferences to the payment authentication platform  5  using known communication interfaces  37  and channels  38 , such as via the cellular telephone network or a computer network such as the Internet. 
     Real-Time Transaction Reporting 
     Since all transactions for a customer are passed through a single platform, from which these transactions can be categorized and are easily accessible, the platform  5  is able to provide real time reporting data to the customer on their current financial status, both overall and per category. This functionality is enabled as follows. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the payment authentication platform  5  receives and processes both authorization and settlement transaction messages. The combination of these provides a real-time up-to-date view of all of the customer&#39;s financial activity, whether pending or posted. 
     The payment transaction system  100  and authentication token  1  are configured to force as many transactions as possible to be authorized online, thereby ensuring that authorizations are passed to the payment authentication platform  5  in near real time. When a settlement transaction is subsequently received, this will be reconciled against the preceding authorization, which is then removed from the customer&#39;s view to ensure a consistent single financial record. 
     Both authorization and settlement transactions are used in the transaction routing as described above, and categorized as described below, and both may result in an alert being sent to the customer by a selected communication channel  27 , to provide timely and relevant communications regarding their transactional behavior based on preset alert preferences. 
     Transaction Categorization 
     Since transactions for a customer are passed through a single platform, the payment system  100  is able to provide automatic categorization of transactions for reporting and/or transaction routing purposes, based on stored categorization rules  41 . Spending is categorised to help customers see where their money goes and make sense of spending each month. Categories may be represented in a graphical user interface by a name and a specific colour. 
     A default set of categories may be provided in the payment authentication platform  5 . Transactions are moved automatically into specific categories on the basis of the merchant type (e.g. merchant category code) and/or value, based on the stored categorization rules  41 . Transactions coming from a specific named merchant (as opposed to merchant category code) can be moved into a designated category. 
     Customers can create their own spending categories. The original default categories can be renamed and once saved; these changes will apply to all future transactions that fall in that category. Categories can be removed, and future transactions that would have fallen into a removed category won&#39;t have a category code unless redirected to another category. 
     The category that has been applied to an individual transaction can be changed. Customers can decide whether to change just that transaction or all transactions from that merchant. The routing engine  9  of the payment authentication platform  5  can thereby perform transaction routing based on defined category-based rules stored in the preferences data  17  of the customer account database  21 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the payment authentication platform  5  allows the customer to enter and configure categorization rules  41  via the ‘Account Set-up and Management’ user interface  8  that enables the automatic categorization of customer transactions by the routing engine  9 . Based on corresponding configured budget rules the customer&#39;s transactional behavior also alerts the customer, via a selected communication channel  27 , when pre-defined values are reached. 
     In this way, the payment transaction system  100  is configured to automatically fund specific types of transactions to selected funding accounts.  FIG. 5  is a flowchart of the process of category-based routing according to an embodiment. At step S 5 - 1 , the mobile payment account is set up, and the customer has chosen to fund mobile payment transactions using a stored value account associated with the mobile handset. Consequently, at step S 5 - 3 , when the customer makes a mobile initiated transaction the stored value account is used to fund the payment transactions. 
     At step S 5 - 5 , prior to subsequent purchases, the customer determines that specified categories of transactions are to be funded to chosen payment vehicles or accounts defined in the mobile wallet  32 . For example, using the user interface  8  of the mobile handset  11 , the customer can select preferred funding from a selection of retail categories and link those categories to selected payment accounts in the mobile wallet  32 . The customer can also view and select posted transactions and link the retail category of the transaction to a selected payment account for future payments from that category. At step S 5 - 7 , the customer-defined category to payment account link information is transmitted to the payment authentication platform  5  and stored as category-based transaction routing rules in the preferences data  17 . In this way, no changes are required at the point of sale for purchase. 
     At step S 5 - 9 , the payment authentication platform  5  receives transaction data for a payment transaction initiated by the mobile device  11 . Information associated with authentication by the authentication token is also received by the payment authentication platform  5 . At step S 5 - 11 , in response to the transaction authentication performed by the authentication token  1  and the received transaction data associated with the transaction, the payment authentication platform  5  determines whether the stored value account or one or more or the linked accounts is to be used to settle the transaction, based on the customer defined categorization rules stored in the preferences data  17 . At step S 5 - 13 , the payment authentication platform  5  proceeds to settle the transaction using the selected account as discussed above in steps S 2 - 15  to S 2 - 25 . 
     The present payment transaction system facilitates a number of customer tools to assist with managing money in a simpler way, for example, by budget management, and product option recommendations to save money. All transaction and categorization data are made available in an open industry format such that customers and users can enhance the system through other ‘bolt on’ benefits using other 3rd party developed applications and functions. 
     User Controlled Transaction Routing 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the ‘Account Set-up and Management’ online user interface  8  allows the user to manually over-ride the routing rules  61   a  applied on an individual transaction-by-transaction basis to reroute a transaction from one payment vehicle  7   a  to another  7   b,  according to a user selected routing  61   b.  Certain regulatory or business rules will also be applied to govern how this functionality can be used. 
     The ‘Account Set-up and Management’ online user interface  8  preferably provides a graphical user interface allowing the user to select a transaction and move it to a selected payment vehicle  7 , for example using a ‘drag and drop’ action. 
     The user control and/or the automated routing may combine multiple original transactions into one transaction for onward routing to the payment vehicle, or may split an individual transaction for routing to multiple payment vehicles. 
     Straight-Through Authorization 
       FIG. 7  shows a straight-through authorization function, in which the payment authentication platform  5 , via the routing engine  9  authorizes the transaction initiated by the merchant  2  in conjunction with the merchant acquirer network  3  based on onward authorization from the target payment vehicle  7  in conjunction with the second merchant  6 . 
     Holding Authorization 
       FIG. 8  shows a holding authorization function, in which the payment authentication platform  5 , via the routing engine  9 , authorizes the originating transaction up-front to the originating merchant  2  in conjunction with the merchant acquirer network  3 , and delays seeking authorization with the target payment vehicle  7 , in conjunction with the second merchant  6 , after a predefined period, such as 48 hours. 
     Straight-Through Settlement 
       FIG. 9  shows a straight-through settlement function, in which the payment authentication platform  5 , via the routing engine  9 , settles a transaction with the target payment vehicle  7 , in conjunction with the second merchant  6 , as soon as the originating merchant  2 , in conjunction with the merchant acquirer network  3 , settles with the payment authentication platform  5 . 
     Holding Settlement 
       FIG. 10  shows a holding settlement function, in which the payment authentication platform  5 , via the routing engine  9 , settles with the target payment vehicle  7 , in conjunction with the second merchant  6 , after a predefined period, such as 48 hours, or after the originating merchant  2 , in conjunction with the merchant acquirer network  3 , settles, whichever is the later. 
     Computer Systems 
     The entities described herein, such as the payment authentication platform, may be implemented by computer systems such as a computer system  1000  as shown in  FIG. 11 . Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as programmable code for execution by the computer system  1000 . After reading this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled in the art how to implement the invention using other computer systems and/or computer architectures. 
     The computer system  1000  includes one or more processors, such as processor  1004 . The processor  1004  may be any type of processor, including but not limited to a special purpose or a general-purpose digital signal processor. The processor  1004  is connected to a communication infrastructure  1006  (for example, a bus or a network). Various software implementations are described in terms of this exemplary computer system. After reading this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled in the art how to implement the invention using other computer systems and/or computer architectures. 
     The computer system  1000  also includes a main memory  1008 , preferably a random access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory  610 . The secondary memory  1010  may include, for example, a hard disk drive  1012  and/or a removable storage drive  1014 , representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, etc. The removable storage drive  1014  reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit  1018  in a well-known manner. The removable storage unit  1018  can be a floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, etc., which is read by and written to a removable storage drive  1014 . As will be appreciated, the removable storage unit  618  includes a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer software and/or data. 
     In alternative implementations, the secondary memory  1010  may include other similar means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system  1000 . Such means may include, for example, a removable storage unit  1022  and an interface  1020 . Examples of such means may include a program cartridge and a cartridge interface (such as that previously found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM, or PROM, or flash memory) and associated socket, and other removable storage units  1022  and interfaces  1020  which allow software and data to be transferred from the removable storage unit  1022  to the computer system  1000 . Alternatively, the program may be executed and/or the data accessed from the removable storage unit  1022 , using the processor  1004  of the computer system  1000 . 
     The computer system  1000  may also include a communication interface  1024 . The communication interface  1024  allows software and data to be transferred between the computer system  1000  and external devices. Examples of the communication interface  1024  may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communication port, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred via the communication interface  1024  are in the form of signals  1028 , which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being received by the communication interface  1024 . These signals  1028  are provided to the communication interface  1024  via a communication path  1026 . The communication path  1026  carries signals  1028  and may be implemented using wire or cable, fibre optics, a phone line, a wireless link, a cellular phone link, a radio frequency link, or any other suitable communication channel. For instance, the communication path  1026  may be implemented using a combination of channels. 
     The terms “computer program medium” and “computer usable medium” are used generally to refer to media such as a removable storage drive  1014 , a hard disk installed in a hard disk drive  1012 , and signals  1028 . These computer program products are means for providing software to the computer system  1000 . However, these terms may also include signals (such as electrical, optical or electromagnetic signals) that embody the computer program disclosed herein. 
     Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are stored in the main memory  1008  and/or the secondary memory  1010 . Computer programs may also be received via the communication interface  1024 . Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system  1000  to implement embodiments of the present invention as discussed herein. Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of the computer system  1000 . Where the embodiment is implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into the computer system  1000  using the removable the storage drive  1014 , the hard disk drive  1012 , or the communication interface  1024 , to provide some examples. 
     Alternative embodiments may be implemented as control logic in hardware, firmware, or software or any combination thereof.