Product level payment network acquired transaction authorization

Abstract

A flexible spending account system can be implemented according to one embodiment of the invention so as to automatically substantiate purchases made at a retailer merchant. For example, according to one embodiment of the invention, a method of authorizing products for purchase can be implemented by determining via a computer that a product requested for purchase at a point of sale by a consumer matches a qualified product category under the flexible spending account, sending an authorization request message for requesting use of said flexible spending account of said consumer, wherein said authorization request message comprises a total purchase amount field and a first qualified amount field for a first type of qualified items.

1 . A processor-implemented product purchase authorization method, comprising:
 processing by a processor a payment network authorization request message received from a device of a merchant, wherein the payment network authorization request message comprises:
 an account identifier associated with an account of a consumer; and 
 an item code corresponding to an item to be purchased from the merchant, determining by the processor that: 
 (i) the account identifier is associated with an employee benefit account; and 
 (ii) the item code is associated with a qualified item category; and 
 (iii) a cost of the item to be purchased does not exceed an available balance associated with the employee benefit account; and 
   in response to the determining, communicating by a processor an authorization response to the merchant device to authorize sale of the item wherein the authorization response includes an authorization for the use of the employee benefit account for the item represented by the item code.   
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the payment network authorization request message further comprises an item code for each of a plurality of different items. 
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a plurality of the payment network authorization request messages at an issuer device associated with the account;   grouping the payment network authorization request messages that are each associated with the account as a set of transaction records; and   sending the set of transaction records from the issuer device to an auditor device.   
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising appending the payment network authorization request message to a payment network settlement record. 
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 utilizing the payment network settlement record for completing payment for the transaction; and   forwarding the payment network authorization request message to an auditor device for monitoring account compliance.   
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising authorizing completion of a sale of other items requested for purchase in the transaction. 
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending the authorization response from the issuer device via a payment network system a device of the merchant to authorize completion for a sale.   
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for implementing product purchase authorizations, the instructions comprising instructions for:
 processing by a processor a payment network authorization request message received from a device of a merchant, wherein the payment network authorization request message comprises:
 an account identifier associated with an account of a consumer; and 
 an item code corresponding to an item to be purchased from the merchant, determining by the processor that: 
 (i) the account identifier is associated with an employee benefit account; and 
 (ii) the item code is associated with a qualified item category; and 
 (iii) a cost of the item to be purchased does not exceed an available balance associated with the employee benefit account; and 
   in response to the determining, communicating by a processor an authorization response to the merchant device to authorize sale of the item wherein the authorization response includes an authorization for the use of the employee benefit account for the item represented by the item code.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the payment network authorization request message further comprises an item code for each of a plurality of different items. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising computer executable instructions for:
 receiving a plurality of the payment network authorization request messages at an issuer device associated with the account;   grouping the payment network authorization request messages that are each associated with the account as a set of transaction records; and   sending the set of transaction records from the issuer device to an auditor device.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising computer executable instructions for appending the payment network authorization request message to a payment network settlement record. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising computer executable instructions for:
 utilizing the payment network settlement record for completing payment for the transaction; and   forwarding the payment network authorization request message to an auditor device for monitoring account compliance.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising computer executable instructions for authorizing completion of a sale of other items requested for purchase in the transaction. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising computer executable instructions for sending the authorization response from the issuer device via a payment network system a device of the merchant to authorize completion for a sale. 
     
     
         15 . A computer system for implementing product purchase authorizations comprising:
 a processor configured according to computer executable instructions;   a memory configured to store computer executable instructions;   an input output circuit;
 the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:
 processing by the processor a payment network authorization request message received from a device of a merchant, wherein the payment network authorization request message comprises:
 an account identifier associated with an account of a consumer; and 
 an item code corresponding to an item to be purchased from the merchant, determining by the processor that: 
 (i) the account identifier is associated with an employee benefit account; and 
 (ii) the item code is associated with a qualified item category; and 
 (iii) a cost of the item to be purchased does not exceed an available balance associated with the employee benefit account; and 
 
 in response to the determining, communicating by a processor an authorization response to the merchant device to authorize sale of the item wherein the authorization response includes an authorization for the use of the employee benefit account for the item represented by the item code. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer system as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the payment network authorization request message further comprises an item code for each of a plurality of different items. 
     
     
         17 . The computer system as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising computer executable instructions for:
 receiving a plurality of the payment network authorization request messages at an issuer device associated with the account;   grouping the payment network authorization request messages that are each associated with the account as a set of transaction records; and   sending the set of transaction records from the issuer device to an auditor device.   
     
     
         18 . The computer system as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising computer executable instructions for appending the payment network authorization request message to a payment network settlement record. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising computer executable instructions for:
 utilizing the payment network settlement record for completing payment for the transaction; and   forwarding the payment network authorization request message to an auditor device for monitoring account compliance.   
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 15 , further comprising computer executable instructions for authorizing completion of a sale of other items requested for purchase in the transaction.