Money transfer system gateway service

Abstract

A method includes receiving, in a computer, a transaction request from a payment services provider. An end user identifier included in the request is mapped into a payment card system account number. The end user identifier identifies an end user who has been assigned the payment card system account, and who is a subscriber to a closed-loop payment system operated by the payment services provider. Funds from the payment services provider are credited to a shadow open-loop system payment card account identified by the payment card system account number. An authorization request for an open-loop system transaction is sent to an acquirer financial institution that represents a merchant with which the end user is dealing, and is received back from a payment card system authorization system by the same computer that received the transaction request from the payment services provider and that generated the authorization request.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, in a transaction processing computer, a request for a transaction from a payment services provider, the request including (a) an end user identifier that indicates an end user who has a closed-loop-system account, (b) a merchant identifier, and (c) a transaction amount;   the transaction processing computer mapping the end user identifier into a payment card system account number;   receiving, from said payment services provider, funds equal to said transaction amount;   crediting said funds equal to said transaction amount to a payment card system account identified by the payment card system account number;   transmitting, from the transaction processing computer, a payment card system transaction authorization request to an acquirer, the acquirer having a relationship with a merchant identified by the merchant identifier, the payment card system transaction authorization request including said payment card system account number and indicating said transaction amount;   receiving in the transaction processing computer a version of said payment card system transaction authorization request relayed by a payment card system authorization system;   charging said transaction amount against said payment card system account; and   transmitting from the transaction processing computer to the payment card system authorization system a response to said payment card system transaction authorization request.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining by the transaction processing computer, based on at least one business rule, whether to approve the received transaction authorization request relayed by the payment card system authorization system.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one business rule includes a velocity rule which limits a number of transactions per a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received version of the relayed transaction authorization request indicates that the payment card system authorization system has approved the authorization request. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the payment card system account is a shadow account that does not result in billing to an end user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting from the transaction processing computer to the merchant an indication that the transaction is approved.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting from the transaction processing computer to the acquirer an indication that the transaction is approved.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the payment card system authorization system, a return of the response to said transaction authorization request.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the payment card system authorization system does not send the response to the transaction authorization request to the acquirer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the end user identifier is one of (a) an identifier for the end user's closed loop system account, and (b) an identifier for a mobile device operated by the end user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processing computer transmits the transaction authorization request to the acquirer via the payment card system authorization system. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory in communication with the processor and storing program instructions, the processor operative with the program instructions to:
 receive a request for a transaction from a payment services provider, the request including (a) an end user identifier that indicates an end user who has a closed-loop-system account, (b) a merchant identifier, and (c) a transaction amount; 
 map the end user identifier into a payment card system account number; 
 receive, from said payment services provider, funds equal to said transaction amount; 
 credit said funds equal to said transaction amount to a payment card system account identified by the payment card system account number; 
 transmit a payment card system transaction authorization request to an acquirer, the acquirer having a relationship with a merchant identified by the merchant identifier, the payment card system transaction authorization request including said payment card system account number and indicating said transaction amount; 
 receive a version of said payment card system transaction authorization request relayed by a payment card system authorization system; 
 charge said transaction amount against said payment card system account; and 
 transmit to the payment card system authorization system a response to said payment card system transaction authorization request. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program instructions to:
 determine, based on at least one business rule, whether to approve the received transaction authorization request relayed by the payment card system authorization system.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one business rule includes a velocity rule which limits a number of transactions per a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the received version of the relayed transaction authorization request indicates that the payment card system authorization system has approved the authorization request. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the payment card system account is a shadow account that does not result in billing to an end user. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program instructions to:
 transmit to the merchant an indication that the transaction is approved.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program instructions to:
 transmit to the acquirer an indication that the transaction is approved.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program instructions to:
 receive, from the payment card system authorization system, a return of the response to said transaction authorization request.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the payment card system authorization system does not send the response to the transaction authorization request to the acquirer. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the end user identifier is one of (a) an identifier for the end user's closed loop system account, and (b) an identifier for a mobile device operated by the end user. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor transmits the transaction authorization request to the acquirer via the payment card system authorization system. 
     
     
         23 . A method comprising:
 receiving, in a transaction processing computer, a request for a remittance transaction from a payment services provider, the request including an end user closed-loop-system account identifier, a recipient identifier, and a remittance amount;   the transaction processing computer mapping the end user closed-loop-system account identifier into a payment card system account number;   receiving, from said payment services provider, funds equal to the remittance amount;   crediting said funds equal to said remittance amount to a payment card system account identified by the payment card system account number;   transmitting from the transaction processing computer to a payment card system a transaction authorization request for a payment transaction to benefit a recipient identified by the recipient identifier;   receiving in the transaction processing computer, from the payment card system, a response to the authorization request;   charging the remittance amount against said payment card system account; and   transmitting from the transaction processing computer to the payment services provider an indication that said remittance transaction is approved.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 determining by the transaction processing computer, based on at least one business rule, whether to approve the received transaction authorization request relayed by the payment card system authorization system.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one business rule includes a velocity rule which limits a number of transactions per a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the payment card system account is a shadow account that does not result in billing to an end user. 
     
     
         27 . A method comprising:
 receiving, in a payment authorization system computer, a payment card system transaction authorization request, from an acquirer;   transmitting, by the payment authorization system computer to a transaction processing computer, the payment card system transaction authorization request;   receiving, by the payment authorization system computer from the transaction processing computer, an indication that the payment card system transaction authorization request is approved; and   returning, by the payment authorization system computer to the transaction processing computer, said indication that the payment card system transaction authorization request is approved.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the payment authorization system computer does not transmit said indication to the acquirer.