Payment system

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a method of processing payment authorization requests for payment transactions to be conducted via a data communications network; the payment authorization requests are conducted as a result of orders by financial account holders via a plurality of different online merchant systems, and the financial account holders hold accounts with a plurality of different issuing banks. These embodiments of the invention provide a means of identifying an issuing bank from a plurality of issuing banks as one which is to be utilized in a given transaction and facilitate a user specifying, in real time in relation to the given transaction, a particular bank account that is to be used to deduct funds for that transaction.

1 . A method of processing payment authorization requests for payment transactions to be conducted via a data communications network, the payment authorization requests being conducted as a result of orders by financial account holders via a plurality of different online merchant systems, wherein the financial account holders hold accounts with a plurality of different issuing banks, the method comprising conducting an account identification procedure comprising:
 identifying, from said plurality of different issuing banks, an issuing bank associated with a financial account holder;   on the basis of said identification of the issuing bank, retrieving issuing bank transmission data to enable the transmission of account identification request data, said issuing bank transmission data being dependent upon the identified issuing bank and identifying a selected account identification system associated with the identified issuing bank;   on the basis of the retrieved issuing bank transmission data, transmitting an account identification request for use in the authorization of at least one payment transaction, said at least one payment transaction being initiated as a result of a financial account holder conducting at least one order via at least one online merchant systems; and   receiving an account identification response in response to the account identification request, said account identification response identifying a financial account identity capable of being used in said at least one payment transactions.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, after receiving said account identification response:
 a) generating a payment authorization request comprising transaction data including:
 i) a financial account identity to be used in a payment transaction by the financial account holder; 
 ii) a merchant identity, associated with a first online merchant, as the payment transaction beneficiary; and 
 iii) transaction detail including a payment amount; and 
   b) transmitting said generated payment authorization request for subsequent processing by an acquiring bank payment processor system responsible for processing payment authorizations for an acquiring bank with which the first online merchant is associated.   
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein said payment authorization request is generated in response to receiving said account identification response. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , comprising
 generating a plurality of payment authorization requests including the same financial account identity, and   conducting a separate account identification procedure, which includes transmitting a said account identification request and receiving a said account identification response, prior to the generation of each of said payment authorization requests.   
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3 , comprising
 generating a plurality of payment authorization requests including the same financial account identity, and for each of said plurality of payment authorization requests,   holding said financial account identity, such that only a single account identification procedure, which includes transmitting a said account identification request and receiving a said account identification response, is required for all of said plurality of payment authorization requests.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said data communications network comprises a plurality of different merchant Internet Payment Service Provider (merchant IPSP system) systems, each of said merchant IPSP systems being arranged to transmit payment authorization requests to at least one of a plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems, each of said plurality of acquiring bank payment processor systems being responsible for processing payment authorizations for at least one acquiring bank, and each of a plurality of online merchants being associated with one of said plurality of merchant IPSP systems, said method comprises retrieving merchant IPSP system transmission data to enable the transmission of payment authorization request data to a selected merchant IPSP system associated with the first online merchant; and
 on the basis of the retrieved merchant IPSP system transmission data, transmitting the generated payment authorization request to the selected merchant IPSP system, wherefrom a further payment authorization request may be generated and transmitted to an acquiring bank payment processor system responsible for processing payment authorizations for the acquiring bank with which the first online merchant is associated.   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the method comprises receiving a merchant identity from the first online merchant system, the merchant identity included in the generated authorization request being generated on the basis of the received merchant identity. 
     
     
         8 . A method  claim 1 , wherein the method is conducted by a trusted intermediary system, the method comprising said trusted intermediary system receiving from online merchant systems, responsible for originating payment authorization requests for online merchants, payment authorization requests relating to authorization of payment transactions, said received payment authorization requests being initiated as a result of financial account holders conducting an order via the online merchant systems. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the account identification procedure is conducted by said trusted intermediary system in response to receiving a said payment authorization request from an online merchant system. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the trusted intermediary system is arranged to receive a payment authorization response, and in response thereto to transmit a payment authorization response to said first online merchant system. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the trusted intermediary system provides a registration interface for online merchants whereby the online merchants can register a merchant IPSP system with which they are associated, and wherein the step of retrieving transmission data to enable the transmission of payment authorization request data to the selected merchant IPSP system associated with the first online merchant is conducted on the basis of the merchant IPSP system registered by the first online merchant. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the trusted intermediary system is arranged to receive and process payment authorization requests for payment transactions of a first type originating from the first online merchant system, and in response thereto to transmit a generated payment authorization request to the selected merchant IPSP system, and wherein said merchant IPSP system is arranged to receive and process payment authorization requests for payment transactions of a different type originating from the first online merchant system, said payment authorization requests for payment transactions of a different type not being processed via said trusted intermediary system. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises receiving data indicating a selection, by the financial account holder, between a plurality of different financial accounts for use in the payment transaction, and retrieving a financial account identity on the basis of said indicated selection. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , comprising providing an account selection interface for a financial account holder whereby the financial account holder can select a financial account identity. 
     
     
         15 . A method according  claim 1 , comprising the step of authenticating a financial account holder and, in response thereto, retrieving a financial account identity. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of retrieving issuing bank transmission data comprises retrieving a network address for the selected account identification system. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , comprising transmitting said retrieved network address to a financial account holder to enable the financial account holder to access said selected account identification system, whereby the financial account holder is able to conduct an identification procedure by providing identifying information to said selected account identification system. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , comprising receiving said account identification response from said selected trusted intermediary system in response to authentication of the financial account holder by the selected account identification system. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said financial account identity comprises a Primary Account Number (PAN) associated with said financial account holder. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein said PAN comprises a payment card number. 
     
     
         21 . A method of authorizing payment transactions conducted via a data communications network, a payment transaction being conducted as a result of an order by a financial account holder via a merchant data processing system, the method comprising accessing stored online banking authentication details for an online banking authentication process whereby a financial account holder is able to access an online banking application, the online banking application relating to at least one financial account holder financial accounts, wherein the method comprises:
 receiving a request relating to authorization of a payment transaction, said request being initiated as a result of a financial account holder conducting an order in a merchant data processing system;   in response to receiving said request, conducting a payment authentication process in which the financial account holder provides authentication details corresponding to the stored online banking authentication details;   in response to verification of the entered authentication details against the stored online banking authentication details, retrieving a primary account number (PAN) for use in payment processing;   transmitting said retrieved primary account number (PAN) to an Internet Payment Service Provider (merchant IPSP system) system for use in authorization of the payment transaction.   
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the online banking application relates to a plurality of financial account holder financial accounts, and wherein the method comprises receiving data from the financial account holder indicating a selection of one of said financial account holder financial accounts for use in payment processing, and retrieving said primary account number (PAN) on the basis of said indicated selection. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein said primary account number (PAN) is generated for one-time use only. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein said primary account number (PAN) is a payment card number. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein said payment authentication process is conducted by an issuer banking data processing system. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein said method is conducted at least in part via a transaction processing data processing system, separate from said issuer banking data processing system. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein said method comprises said issuer banking data processing system transmitting said retrieved primary account number (PAN) to said transaction processing data processing system in response to verification of the entered authentication details, and said transaction processing data processing system transmits said retrieved primary account number (PAN) to a payment processing data processing system. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein said method comprises said transaction processing data processing system storing said primary account number (PAN), retrieving said primary account number (PAN), and transmitting said retrieved primary account number (PAN) to an merchant IPSP system in response to verification of the entered authentication details. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the online banking application provides transaction history details for a financial account holder financial account. 
     
     
         30 . A trusted intermediary system in communication with an online merchant systems and with a plurality of issuing banks, each having an account identification system associated therewith, said trusted intermediary system being arranged to conduct the account identification procedure of a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         31 . A data processing system arranged to conduct the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         32 . A transaction processing system for processing payment authorization requests for payment transactions to be conducted via a data communications network, the payment authorization requests being conducted as a result of orders executed by financial account holders via a plurality of different online merchant systems, wherein the financial account holders hold accounts with a plurality of different issuing banks, and the payment authorization processing system comprises an interface arranged to enable communication over said data communications network with processing systems of said plurality of different issuing banks, the transaction processing system being arranged to execute an account identification procedure comprising:
 identifying, via communications with said plurality of different issuing banks, an issuing bank associated with a financial account holder; on the basis of said identification of the issuing bank, retrieving issuing bank transmission data via the interface to enable the transmission of account identification request data, said issuing bank transmission data being dependent upon the identified issuing bank and identifying a selected account identification system associated with the identified issuing bank;   on the basis of the retrieved issuing bank transmission data, transmitting an account identification request via the interface for use in the authorization of at least one payment transaction, said at least one payment transaction being initiated as a result of a financial account holder conducting at least one order via at least one online merchant systems; and   receiving an account identification response via the interface in response to the account identification request, said account identification response identifying a financial account identity capable of being used in said at least one payment transactions.   
     
     
         33 . A transaction processing system for authorizing transactions conducted via a data communications network, said transaction processing data processing system being responsive to an order by a financial account holder received via a merchant data processing system, the transaction processing system comprising data access means arranged to access stored online banking authentication details for an online banking authentication process whereby a financial account holder is able to access an online banking application, the online banking application relating to at least one financial account holder financial accounts, and an interface arranged to enable communication with a merchant data processing system, an issuer banking data processing system associated with said online banking application, and a merchant IPSP system, wherein the transaction processing system is arranged to perform a procedure comprising:
 receiving a request via the interface relating to authorization of a payment transaction, said request being initiated as a result of a financial account holder conducting an order in a merchant data processing system;   in response to receiving said request, conducting a payment authentication process in which the financial account holder provides authentication details corresponding to the stored online banking authentication details;   in response to verification of the entered authentication details against the stored online banking authentication details, the transaction processing system receiving, from said online banking application, a primary account number (PAN) for use in payment processing;   transmitting said retrieved primary account number (PAN) via the interface to an Internet Payment Service Provider (merchant IPSP system) system for use in authorization of the payment transaction.