Abstract:
The invention provides a method of processing the payment of a bill on behalf of a payee to a billing entity that issued the bill. The payee takes the bill to a service center, such as located in a convenience store or check cashing store, and presents the bill to a clerk. At the service center, an electronic image of the bill is generated such as using a scanner. The scanned image is then transmitted from the service center to a central bill payment service via a communication network, such as the Internet. At the central bill payment service, bill payment information is extracted from the image of the bill. A monetary amount to be paid to the billing entity is designated by the payee, and payment of the amount to the billing entity is initiated by the central bill payment service on behalf of the payee. The payee may choose to have the payment made by electronic funds transfer, by check or by priority payment via a credit card account or a debit card account. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes identifying fields within the image of the bill that contain the bill payment information, recognizing characters within the fields and extracting the bill payment information from the recognized characters.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates to the field of monetary transfers. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for permitting consumers to pay bills at a service center.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     As part of a process for collecting payment for services provided to a customer, the service provider may send an invoice, or bill, to the customer. This bill may be sent via mail, facsimile, email or other means. In most instances, the bill indicates an amount due by a certain date and an address to which payment is to be sent. Usually, the bill will also indicate a customer account number and an invoice number.  
         [0003]     Traditionally, a customer would pay such a bill by writing a check to the service provider and placing the check in the mail. At a minimum, this operation requires an envelope, a postage stamp and a check. More recently, customers have been able to pay bills electronically using on-line bill payment services. To use such on-line services, the customer must have personal access to a computer that can connect to the bill payment service, such as via the Internet. In most instances, the customer must also have a credit or debit card, or other monetary account that is electronically accessible.  
         [0004]     Some consumers do not have checking accounts, and thus cannot send checks to pay bills. Some consumers do not have access to a computer connected to the Internet, or do not have debit, credit or other electronically accessible accounts necessary to payment of bills via traditional on-line bill payment services. Some consumers simply do not wish to be bothered with having to write a check, or sit down at a computer and access a website to pay a bill.  
         [0005]     What is needed, therefore, is a quick and convenient means for payment of bills that avoids the difficulties associated with prior bill payment methods.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     The above and other needs are met by a method of processing the payment of a bill on behalf of a payee to a billing entity that issued the bill. According to the invention, the payee takes the bill to a service center, such as located in a convenience store or check cashing store, and presents the bill to a clerk. At the service center, an electronic image of the bill is generated such as using a scanner. The scanned image is then transmitted from the service center to a central bill payment service via a communication network, such as the Internet. At the central bill payment service, bill payment information is extracted from the image of the bill. A monetary amount to be paid to the billing entity is designated by the payee based on the bill payment information. Payment of the amount to the billing entity is then initiated by the central bill payment service on behalf of the payee.  
         [0007]     Since all processing of the bill payment transaction is carried out by computers at the service center and the bill payment service, the payee does not need personal access to a computer or to the Internet. Also, the payee does not need a checking account, a credit card or postage stamps.  
         [0008]     In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes identifying fields within the image of the bill that contain the bill payment information, recognizing characters within the fields and extracting the bill payment information from the recognized characters. These steps of the method are preferably performed at the bill payment service computer.  
         [0009]     According to one preferred embodiment, step (e) of the method includes offering several options to the payee for the manner of paying the monetary amount to the billing entity. The method also includes steps of receiving instructions from the payee regarding a selection of one of the options, and paying the monetary amount to the billing entity according to the selection made by the payee. The payment options may include electronic funds transfer, payment by check, and priority payment via a credit card account or a debit card account.  
         [0010]     In another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for processing payment of a bill on behalf of a payee to a billing entity that issued the bill. The apparatus includes means provided at a service center for generating an electronic image of the bill, means for transmitting the image of the bill from the service center to a central bill payment service via a communication network, means provided at the central bill payment service for extracting bill payment information from the image of the bill, means provided at the service center for designating a monetary amount to be paid to the billing entity based at least in part on the bill payment information, and means for initiating payment of the monetary amount to the billing entity on behalf of the payee.  
         [0011]     In yet another aspect, the apparatus comprises a service center computing system in communication with a communication network, such as the Internet. The service center computing system includes an image scanning device for generating an electronic image of the bill and a service center computer connected to the scanning device. The service center computer receives the image of the bill from the image scanning device, transmits the image of the bill via the communication network, and designates a monetary amount of the bill to be paid to the billing entity. The apparatus also comprises a bill payment service computing system connected to the communication network. The bill payment service computing system includes a bill payment server computer that receives the image of the bill from the communication network, extracts bill payment information from the image of the bill and initiates payment of the monetary amount to the billing entity on behalf of the payee. In a preferred embodiment, the bill payment service computing system includes a billing entity database for storing the bill payment information and a bill image database for storing the image of the bill.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Further advantages of the invention are apparent by reference to the detailed description in conjunction with the figures, wherein elements are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts a bill payment system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIGS. 2A-2C  depict flow charts of a method for paying bills according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0015]      FIGS. 3-10  represent computer display screen shots depicting a method for paying bills according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  depicts a bill payment system  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The system  10  involves a billing entity or “biller”  12 , a service center  14 , a bill payment service  16 , the bill payment service&#39;s bank  18 , the billing entity&#39;s bank  20  and a communication network  22 , such as the Internet or a virtual private network (VPN).  
         [0017]     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the service center  14  is a check cashing store, a convenience store, a wireless phone store, a shopping mall kiosk or other “storefront” that has entered into an agreement to handle payment of customers&#39; bills using the system described herein. As described in more detail below, the service center  14  collects cash from customers for settlement of bills and deposits all net receipts in an account that is accessible by the bill payment service  16 . To pay the customer&#39;s bill, the bill payment service  16 , such as Transpayment, Inc., accesses the account to electronically transfer funds to the biller  12  or the biller&#39;s bank  20 , such as through the Federal Reserve Automated Clearing House (ACH) system.  
         [0018]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the service center  14  preferably includes a service center computer  24 , a display device  26 , a scanner  28 , a printer  30  and a connection  32  to the communication network  22 . The bill payment service  16  preferably includes a server computer  42 , a biller database  44 , a bill image database  46  and a connection  48  to the communication network  22 . The biller database  44  stores information on all billers  12  known to the bill payment service  16 . The bill image database  46  stores scanned images of bills that have been processed.  
         [0019]     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2A  and  3 , when a customer, also referred to herein as a “payee,” wishes to pay one or more bills, the customer presents the bill or bills to a clerk at the service center  14  (step  100  in  FIG. 2A ). To begin the transaction, a biller input screen is displayed on the display device  26  of the service center computer  24  (step  101 .)  
         [0020]     An example of the biller input screen is depicted in  FIG. 3 . Based on information printed on the bill, the clerk uses the computer  24  to enter data that identifies the biller  12  (step  102 ). That information may be entered, for example, by typing the PO box number of the biller  12  in a dialog box  34  or by entering search words from the name of the biller  12  in the dialog box  36  ( FIG. 3 ). The biller identification information is then transmitted over the communication network  22  to the bill payment service  16  (step  104 ). If one or more billers match the information entered in boxes  34  or  36  (step  106 ), a list  40  of the matching billers is presented as shown in  FIG. 4  (step  108 ). The clerk selects a biller from the list and clicks on the “enter” button  38  (step  110 ).  
         [0021]     Alternatively, the biller may be selected from a list of favorites (step  103 ). In this case, processing continues at step  112  of  FIG. 2A  as discussed hereinafter.  
         [0022]     Once the bill payment server computer  42  receives the biller information from the service center  14 , the computer  42  sends a message to the service center computer  24  that is displayed on the display device  26  to prompt the clerk to scan the bill (step  112 ). An example of the prompt screen is depicted in  FIG. 5 . The clerk then places the payee&#39;s bill in the scanner  28  which activates the scanner  28  to scan the bill (step  114 ). The scanned image of the bill is transmitted over the communication network  22  to the bill payment server computer  42  (step  116 ) and the scanned image is saved in the bill image database  46  (step  118 ).  
         [0023]     The bill payment server computer  42  compares the image to other images in the image database  46  associated with the biller (step  120 ). The comparison is performed using image analysis and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software that allows for the creation of a “form” for each image associated with the biller  12 . For purposes of this description, a form is a collection of target fields and data fields. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, target fields are distinct and consistent parts of the image that are used by the image analysis software to align the image being analyzed. Data fields are parts of the image containing data needed for processing the bill.  
         [0024]     If the layout of information in the image matches a previously-known format (step  122 ), the computer  42  locates the pre-defined target fields/datums in the image to position and align the image, and extracts billing information from the data fields (step  124 ). Input fields in the image may include alphanumeric characters, magnetic ink character recognition fonts, or optical character recognition fonts. In the preferred embodiment, the billing information is extracted using OCR software, such as Quickstrokes software from Mitek. Processing then continues at step  138  ( FIG. 2A ) as described below.  
         [0025]     If an established biller was selected (see  FIG. 4 ) but the scanned image does not match any of the forms for the biller stored in the biller database  44  (step  122 ), the image is displayed for the clerk on the display device  26  of the service center system  14  (step  128 ). An example of this screen is depicted in  FIG. 11 . The clerk is prompted to view the image and verify its existence and that it is clear and undistorted. As indicated in  FIG. 11 , if the image is clear and undistorted (step  130 ) the clerk is prompted to continue with the transaction. If the image is not clear, the clerk is prompted to rescan the bill (step  132 ).  
         [0026]     Once a clear image is available, the transaction is flagged in the bill payment server computer  42  so that an analyst associated with the bill payment service can review the bill image and create a new form to be associated with the image (step  134 ). The new form is used to automatically return the data for any future bills with the same image.  
         [0027]     Once billing information from the scanned image is successfully retrieved, the billing information is analyzed by the bill payment server computer  42  and summary information is generated (step  136 ). Special alerts are provided if the bill includes a past due date or amount, the bill represents an apparent duplicate entry, or other situation occurs that requires special attention (steps  138 ,  140 ). The summary information is then transmitted to the service center  14  (step  142  in  FIG. 2B ). As shown in  FIG. 6 , the clerk at the service center is presented with a screen displaying summary information which includes the identity of the biller, the customer name, the customer account number, the payment due date and the amount owed (step  144 ). The example screen of  FIG. 6  also includes a special alert  53  regarding a past due amount  
         [0028]     To make the biller listed on the summary screen a “favorite” biller (step  146 ), the clerk clicks on the option  47  within the bill information box  48  shown in  FIG. 6 . The bill payment server computer  42  then updates the biller database to indicate that the currently listed biller is a favorite (step  148 ).  
         [0029]     If the amount to be paid differs from the amount owed, the clerk is prompted to enter the amount paid in the dialog box  50 , and the dialog box  52  prompts the clerk to enter the type of processing desired by the customer (step  150 ). Once the amount paid is entered by clicking on the button  54 , the transaction is passed back to the bill payment server computer  42  where validations are performed (step  152 ).  
         [0030]     If “priority” service was requested (step  154 ), the bill payment server computer  42  refers to the biller&#39;s master record in the biller database  44  to determine if there is an additional charge associated with a priority payment or if additional information is required to process the payment manually (step  156 ). Such additional information may include date of birth and the last four digits or the payee&#39;s Social Security Number.  
         [0031]     Once complete and validated, the transaction is added to a summary screen as shown in  FIG. 7  (step  158 ). If additional charges are due or additional information is needed, this screen communicates the charge or provides fields to enter the information. From this screen, the clerk may choose to enter another bill (step  160 ), remove or modify any bills previously entered or enter their Clerk ID to complete the process. When all the payment information has been entered and verified, the clerk collects the payment due from the customer, enters the clerk ID number, and clicks a button on the screen to signal that the process is complete (step  162 ). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the biller database  44  is then updated with the information from the transaction (step  163 ). A receipt record such as shown in  FIG. 10  is then presented which details each transaction entered (step  164  in  FIG. 2D ). This screen may be printed and given to the customer as a receipt (step  166 ).  
         [0032]     When the process at the service center computer  24  is completed, the bill payment server computer  42  proceeds to initiate the payment of the bill. In the preferred embodiment, completed transactions are paid using one of three methods: (1) electronic payments, (2) check payments and (3) priority payments. Electronic payments are preferably batched into a data file and sent to a consolidator for processing (step  168  in  FIG. 2D ). In the preferred embodiment, the consolidator initiates an electronic funds transfer from the bill payment service bank account  18  to the biller&#39;s bank account  20  (step  170 ). Priority payments are preferably handled manually at the bill payment service center  14 . These expedited payments are made by calling the biller or going online to the biller&#39;s website and remitting the funds to the biller via credit card or company check draft (steps  172 ,  174 ). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the biller database  44  is then updated with the payment information from the transaction (step  175 ). Regardless of the payment type, the preferred embodiment of the invention forwards a record of the transaction to the biller  12  (step  178 ).  
         [0033]     When payment is made by check, the check is printed with the customer&#39;s name and account number and the check is mailed to the biller (step  176 ). In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, a copy of the scanned image of the bill is also printed on a tear-away stub attached to the check, an example of which is depicted in  FIG. 12 . In this way, the biller can easily match the check with the bill so that the payment is accurately credited to the payee&#39;s account.  
         [0034]     Referring again to  FIG. 2A , if no matching biller is found at step  104 , a screen such as depicted in  FIG. 8  is displayed on the display device  26  at the service center (step  180  in  FIG. 2C ). This screen provides the clerk the option of adding a new biller by clicking the link  66  (step  182 ). When this option is selected, a prompt is presented to the clerk to scan the bill (step  184 ). The scanned image of the bill is presented to the clerk on the display device  26  (step  186 ) and the clerk is prompted to indicate whether the image is clear and undistorted (step  188 ). If the image is correct, the clerk keys in the amount to be paid (step  190 ) and confirms the amount paid is correct (step  192 ). Payment is then collected from the customer, the clerk enters the clerk ID number (step  194 ) and processing continues at step  164  in  FIG. 2D .  
         [0035]     In a new biller situation, the bill image scanned at step  184  is also transmitted to the bill payment service  16  where the associated transaction is flagged for new biller processing (step  196 ). In the preferred embodiment, this processing involves a review of the image by an analyst and creation of a new biller record associated with the image (step  198 ). When a new biller record is added, that biller becomes available in the biller search process (step  104  in  FIG. 2A ) or available to be added to the Favorites list. As part of the new biller procedure, the biller  12  is contacted to identify an electronic funds transfer account and bank routing information for the biller  12  (step  200 ), and that information is entered into the biller database  44  (step  202 ).  
         [0036]     The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.