Method and system for processing micropayment transactions

Abstract

Methods and systems for performing micropayment transactions over communication networks is provided. These methods and systems enable ubiquitous micropayments by providing a seamless payment solution in which micropayment is one of a plurality of payments facilitated. In an embodiment, the transaction value may be compared to a predefined threshold, and processed as a micropayment if said value is less than said threshold, and otherwise processed using a second processing system. In another embodiment, the transaction may be processed as a micropayment if the payee has previously been verified by the micropayment processing system. In a third embodiment, the transaction takes place using the payee's website.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a website associated with a payee, from a user interface associated with a payer, a request to make a purchase with a purchase amount;   comparing the purchase amount with a predefined threshold;   displaying, by the website on the user interface, different payment source options from which a selection is to be made, wherein if the purchase amount is less than the threshold then the payment source options include a micropayment option, and if the purchase amount is not less than the threshold then the payment source options do not include a micropayment option, the micropayment option relating to the purchase amount being transferred from a payer account associated with the payer and managed by a micropayment processing system to a payee account associated with the payee;   receiving, by the website from the user interface, a selection of the micropayment option; and   in response to receiving the selection of the micropayment option, sending a payment authorization request to the micropayment processing system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving, by the micropayment processing system, the payment authorization request; and 
 transferring, by the micropayment processing system, the purchase amount from a prefunded payer account associated with the payer to a payee account associated with the payee. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising the following steps performed by the micropayment processing system:
 determining whether the payment authorization request satisfies at least one predefined account parameter that is specific to the payer account; 
 determining whether the purchase amount is less than the predefined threshold; and 
 approving the payment authorization request based on the payment authorization request satisfying the at least one predefined account parameter and the purchase amount being less than the predefined threshold. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the at least one account parameter is selected from a payee payment limit, a total payment limit, a time limitation, and whether the payee has been blocked. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the payer is a secondary payer, the account is associated with a primary payer other than the secondary payer, and the at least one parameter applies only to the secondary payer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the primary payer is a parent or guardian and the secondary payer is a child. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising the following steps performed by the micropayment processing system:
 determining whether the payer account has sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount; 
 in response to determining that the payer account does not have sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount:
 displaying on the user interface an option to add funds to the account from a funding source, 
 receiving, from the user interface, a selection of the option to add funds to the account from the funding source, 
 
 receiving funds from the funding source so that the payer account will have sufficient funds to pay for the purchase, and
 transferring the purchase amount from the payer account to the payee account. 
 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the funding source is a credit card or a debit card. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the funding source is a bank account. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predefined threshold is associated with the payer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predefined threshold is associated with the payee. 
     
     
         12 . A method performed by a micropayment processing system, comprising:
 receiving a payment authorization request from a website associated with a payee, the payment authorization request relating to a purchase requested by a payer using a user interface, and the payment authorization request requesting that the micropayment processing server transfer a purchase amount from a payer account associated with the payer to a payee account associated with the payee to pay for the purchase,   determining whether the payer account has sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount;   if the payer account does not have sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount, then
 displaying on the user interface an option to add funds to the payer account from a funding source, 
 receiving, from the user interface, a selection of the option to add funds to the account from the funding source, 
 receiving the added funds from the funding source, and 
 transferring the purchase amount from the payer account to a payee account associated with the payee to pay for the purchase; and 
   if the payer account does have sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount, then
 transferring the purchase amount from the payer account to the payee account to pay for the purchase without displaying the option to add funds to the payer account from the funding source. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the funding source is a credit card or a debit card. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the funding source is a bank account. 
     
     
         15 . A transaction processing system comprising:
 a website associated with a payee, the website configured to
 receive, from a user interface associated with a payer, a request to make a purchase with a purchase amount, 
 compare the purchase amount with a predefined threshold, 
 display, on the user interface, different payment source options from which a selection is to be made, wherein if the purchase amount is less than the threshold then the payment source options include a micropayment option, and if the purchase amount is not less than the threshold then the payment source options do not include a micropayment option, 
 receive, from the user interface, a selection of the micropayment option; and 
 in response to receiving the selection of the micropayment option, send a payment authorization request to a micropayment processing system to transfer the purchase amount from a payer account associated with the payer to a payee account associated with the payee. 
   
     
     
         16 . The transaction processing system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 the micropayment processing system, which includes a micropayment processing server configured to
 receive the payment authorization request, and 
 transfer the purchase amount from the payer account to the payee account. 
 
 
     
     
         17 . The transaction processing system of  claim 16  wherein the micropayment processing server is further configured to
 determine whether the payment authorization request satisfies at least one predefined account parameter that is specific to a prefunded payer account associated with the payer identifier, 
 determine whether the purchase amount is less than the predefined threshold, 
 determine whether the payer account has sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount, and 
 approve the payment authorization request based on the payment authorization request satisfying the at least one predefined account parameter, the purchase amount being less than the predefined threshold, and the payer account having sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount. 
 
     
     
         18 . A micropayment processing system comprising:
 a micropayment processing server configured to
 receive a payment authorization request from a website associated with a payee, the payment authorization request relating to a purchase requested by a payer using a user interface, and the payment authorization request requesting that the micropayment processing server transfer a purchase amount from a payer account associated with the payer to a payee account associated with the payee to pay for the purchase, 
 determine whether the payer account has sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount; 
 if the payer account does not have sufficient funds, then
 display, on a user interface associated with the payer, an option to add funds to the payer account from a funding source, 
 receive, from the user interface, a selection of the option to add funds to the account from the funding source, 
 receive the added funds from the funding source, and 
 transfer the purchase amount from the payer account to the payee account; and 
 
 if the payer account does have sufficient funds to pay the purchase amount, then
 transfer the purchase amount from the payer account to the payee account to pay for the purchase without displaying the option to add funds to the payer account from the funding source. 
 
   
     
     
         19 . The micropayment processing system of  claim 18  wherein the funding source is a credit card or a debit card. 
     
     
         20 . The micropayment processing system of  claim 18  wherein the funding source is a bank account.