Bill availability notification and billing information request

Abstract

Systems and methods for presenting billing information are provided. Billing information may be received by a bill presentment system, and the bill presentment system may transmit a notice indicating availability of bill presentment information associated with the billing information. The notice may be transmitted in accordance with an e-mail protocol, and the notice may include a hyperlink enabling access to the bill presentment information via a second protocol other than the email protocol. Subsequent to transmitting the notice, a request for the bill presentment information may be received responsive to a selection of the hyperlink. The bill presentment information may be generated based upon at least a portion of the billing information. Additionally, the generated bill presentment may be transmitted by the bill presentment system in response to receiving the request.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a network station associated with a biller by a bill presentment system comprising one or more computers, billing information for a payor;   transmitting, by the bill presentment system in accordance with an email protocol, a notice indicating availability via the bill presentment system of bill presentment information associated with the received billing information, the notice comprising a hyperlink enabling access to the bill presentment information via a second protocol other than the email protocol;   receiving, by the bill presentment system via the second protocol and subsequent to transmitting the notice, a request for the bill presentment information, wherein the request is received responsive to a selection of the hyperlink;   generating, by the bill presentment system based on at least a portion of the billing information, at least a portion of the bill presentment information; and   transmitting, by the bill presentment system and responsive to receiving the request, the generated at least a portion of the bill presentment information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biller is a first biller, and wherein receiving billing information for a payor comprises receiving billing information associated with a plurality of billers including the first biller. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the bill presentment information comprises bill presentment information associated with at least two of the plurality of billers, including the first biller. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting a notice comprises transmitting a notice in response to receiving the billing information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting a notice comprises transmitting a notice to the payor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting a notice comprises transmitting a notice to an email address associated with the payor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the bill presentment system on behalf of the payor, an indication of the payor's desire to activate electronic billing from the biller; and   transmitting, by the bill presentment system to the biller, a notice to activate electronic billing for the payor,   wherein receiving billing information comprises receiving billing information subsequent to transmitting the notice to activate electronic billing.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the bill presentment system on behalf of the payor, at least one of (i) a biller account number of the payor for the biller or (ii) payor data associated with the payor.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the payor data comprises one or more of (i) a name, (ii) a social security number, (iii) a mother's maiden name, (iv) an address, (v) a telephone number, (vi) a payment account identification, (vii) a user name, or (viii) a password. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the payment account identification comprises (i) a financial institution routing number and (ii) a financial institution account number. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the biller is a first biller, and further comprising:
 receiving, by the bill presentment system on behalf of the payor, an indication of a second biller that the payor desires to pay through the bill presentment system.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining, by the bill presentment system, that electronic billing is not available for the second biller.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the bill presentment system on behalf of the payor, one or more of (i) a biller name associated with the second biller, (ii) a biller address associated with the second biller, or (iii) a biller account number of the payor for the second biller.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating at least a portion of the bill presentment information comprises generating at least a portion of the bill presentment information either (i) before receiving the request or (ii) after receiving the request. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating at least a portion of the bill presentment information comprises generating at least one of (i) bill summary information, (ii) bill detail information, (iii) or a list of bills having a common status. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 normalizing, by the bill presentment system, the at least a portion of the received billing information.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein generating at least a portion of the bill presentment information comprises generating bill detail information based at least in part upon templating the normalized information. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the bill presentment system on behalf of the payor, a request to pay a bill of the biller represented by the bill presentment information; and   directing, by the bill presentment system, payment in accordance with the received request to pay the bill.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein receiving a request to pay comprises receiving a request to a pay a plurality of bills including the bill of the biller. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein directing payment comprises one or more of (i) transmitting an electronic funds transfer instruction or (ii) directing the mailing of a paper instrument. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein receiving a request to pay comprises receiving a request associated with a payment date, the payment date either (i) generated by the bill presentment system based on a due date associated with the bill or (ii) specified by the payor. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the bill presentment system generates the payment date to pre-date the due date and indicate when payment must be made to ensure timely arrival. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein receiving a request to pay comprises receiving a request associated with a payment amount, the payment amount either (i) generated by the bill presentment system based on an amount due associated with the bill or (ii) specified by the payor. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the bill presentment system for presentation to a payor, a status associated with a request to pay.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the bill presentment system for presentation to a payor, a selectable action associated with the status.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biller is a first biller, and further comprising:
 receiving, by the bill presentment system, an authorization to automatically pay bills of a second biller on behalf of the payor.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein receiving an authorization comprises receiving one or more rules associated with automatic payment of the bills of the second biller. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the one or more rules specify at least one of (i) a fixed payment amount, (ii) a frequency of payment, (iii) an instruction to pay a total amount due, (iv) an instruction to pay a minimum amount due, or (v) a maximum payment amount. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein receiving an authorization comprises receiving one or more rules associated with notification or presentment of bills of the second biller. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more rules comprise at least one of (i) an instruction to transmit notices and bill presentment information associated with the bills of the second biller or (ii) an instruction to not transmit notices and bill presentment information associated with the bills of the second biller. 
     
     
         31 . A system comprising:
 at least one communications interface configured to (i) receive, from a network station associated with a biller, billing information for a payor, (ii) transmit, in accordance with an email protocol, a notice indicating availability via a bill presentment system of bill presentment information associated with the received billing information, the notice comprising a hyperlink enabling access to the bill presentment information via a second protocol other than the email protocol, (iii) receive, via the second protocol and subsequent to transmitting the notice, a request for the bill presentment information, wherein the request is received responsive to a selection of the hyperlink, and (iv) transmit at least a portion of the bill presentment information; and   at least one processor configured to (i) direct transmission of the notice, (ii) receive the request for the bill presentment information, (iii) generate, based on at least a portion of the received billing information either before or after receipt of the request, the at least a portion of the bill presentment information, and (v) direct, responsive to receiving the request, transmission of the at least a portion of the bill presentment information.   
     
     
         32 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a network station associated with a biller by a bill presentment system comprising one or more computers, billing information for a payor;   transmitting, by the bill presentment system in accordance with a first protocol, a notice indicating availability via the bill presentment system of bill presentment information associated with the received billing information, the notice comprising a hyperlink enabling access to the bill presentment information via a second protocol other than the first protocol;   receiving, by the bill presentment system via the second protocol and subsequent to transmitting the notice, a request for the bill presentment information, wherein the request is received responsive to a selection of the hyperlink;   generating, by the bill presentment system based on at least a portion of the billing information, at least a portion of the bill presentment information; and   transmitting, by the bill presentment system and responsive to receiving the request, the generated at least a portion of the bill presentment information.