System and Method for Facilitating On-Line Payment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for facilitating on-line payment particularly for goods or services purchased via a merchant site on the Internet. The system enables payment from an existing customer account at a financial institution, but does not require the user to provide credit card details. The payment is implemented in real-time from the customer account to a merchant account via a financial institution application such as an Internet banking website. An interface is provided which is initiated via the merchant site and which then interfaces the customer computer to the financial application having access to the customer computer's account. The customer can then enter payment details directly with the financial institution to pay the merchant directly for the transaction.

1 . An online payment process comprising connecting a customer computing system to a computing system controlled by a financial institution responsive to a purchase selection received via a merchant website, making accessible to the customer computing system an account interface that facilitates selection of a customer controlled account from a plurality of customer controlled accounts, the selection designating, for payment of a purchase fee defined by the merchant website, a customer controlled account maintained by the financial institution, receiving payment confirmation from the financial institution controlled computing system following transfer of the purchase fee from the financial institution directly to an account specified by the merchant website, and transferring the payment confirmation to the merchant website without intervention from the customer computing system. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  comprising transferring payment data, including a purchase fee and a merchant account for payment of the purchase fee, from the merchant website to the financial institution controlled computing system. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  comprising receiving an institution selection from the customer computing system that designates a financial institution for payment of the purchase fee. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  comprising transferring a security device directly from the customer computing system to a financial institution application hosted by the financial institution controlled computing system to authenticate the customer computing system. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4  comprising interfacing the customer computing system with the account interface via the financial institution application responsive to authentication of the customer computing system via the security device. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  comprising facilitating authorisation of payment, by the customer computing system, from the selected customer controlled account to an account specified by the merchant website, the payment authorisation authorising the financial institution to transfer the purchase fee directly from the selected customer controlled account to the account specified by the merchant website. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  comprising transferring payment authorisation from the customer computing system to the financial institution controlled computing system and payment confirmation from the financial institution controlled computing system to the merchant website in real-time. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  comprising making accessible to the customer computing system, for each of the customer banking accounts accessible via the account interface, an account balance that represents the funds available from the respective account. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  comprising initiating a dedicated financial institution active agent gateway that connects the customer computing system directly to an online banking interface provided by the financial institution controlled computing system responsive to a financial institution selection from the customer computing system. 
     
     
         10 . An online payment system comprising a transaction computing system having a processor and memory containing instructions that are executable by the processor to connect a customer computing system to a computing system controlled by a financial institution, the instructions being executable responsive to a customer purchase selection received via a merchant website to cause the transaction computing system to make accessible, to the customer computing system, an account interface that facilitates selection of a customer controlled account from a plurality of customer controlled accounts, the selection designating, for payment of a purchase fee defined by the merchant website, a customer controlled account maintained by the financial institution, the transaction computing system being configured to receive payment confirmation from the financial institution controlled computing system following transfer of the purchase fee from the financial institution directly to an account specified by the merchant website, and transfer the payment confirmation to the merchant website without intervention from the customer computing system. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are executable to cause the transaction computing system to transfer payment data, including a purchase fee and a merchant account for payment of the purchase fee, from the merchant website to the financial institution controlled computing system. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are executable to cause the transaction computing system to receive an institution selection from the customer computing system that designates a financial institution for payment of the purchase fee. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are executable to cause the transaction computing system to transfer a security device directly from the customer computing system to a financial institution application hosted by the financial institution controlled computing system to authenticate the customer computing system. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the instructions are executable to cause the transaction computing system to interface the customer computing system with the account interface via the financial institution application responsive to authentication of the customer computing system via the security device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are executable to cause the transaction computing system to facilitate authorisation of payment, by the customer computing system, from the selected customer controlled account to an account specified by the merchant website, the payment authorisation authorising the financial institution to transfer the purchase fee directly from the selected customer controlled account to the account specified by the merchant website. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are executable to cause the transaction computing system to transfer payment authorisation from the customer computing system to the financial institution controlled computing system and payment confirmation from the financial institution controlled computing system to the merchant website in real-time. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are executable to cause the transaction computing system to make accessible to the customer computing system, for each of the customer banking accounts accessible via the account interface, an account balance that represents the funds available from the respective account. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are executable to cause the transaction computing system to initiate a dedicated financial institution active agent gateway that connects the customer computing system directly to an online banking interface provided by the financial institution controlled computing system responsive to a financial institution selection from the customer computing system. 
     
     
         19 . An online payment process comprising connecting a customer computing system to a computing system controlled by a financial institution, responsive to a purchase selection received via a merchant website, making accessible to the customer computing system an account interface that facilitates selection of a customer controlled account maintained by the financial institution, the account interface facilitating payment of a purchase fee from the financial institution directly to an account specified by the merchant website. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19  comprising initiating a dedicated financial institution active agent gateway that connects the customer computing system directly to an online banking interface provided by the financial institution controlled computing system following a financial institution selection from the customer computing system.