Methods and apparatus for funds remittances to non-payment card accounts using payment card system

Abstract

Systems and apparatus for international funds remittances to non-payment card accounts are described. An embodiment includes a remittance request server having a storage device, an agent bank computer having a settlement account, a payment system gateway, an international payment card system, and a plurality of recipient bank computers. The remittance request server storage device stores instructions that causes the remittance request server to receive an international funds transfer request specifying a transaction amount, a source payment card account of a first country, and a destination bank account (which is not a payment card account) of a recipient bank located in a second country. The remittance request server transmits an international payment transaction, stores a funds transfer instruction as part of an electronic funds transfer file, and transmits the electronic funds transfer file on a periodic basis directly to the agent bank computer to cause the transaction amount to be transferred from the settlement account to the destination bank account.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An international remittance system comprising:
 a remittance request server comprising a storage device;   an agent bank computer comprising a settlement account and operably connected to the remittance request server;   a payment system gateway operably connected to the remittance request server;   an international payment card system operably connected to the payment system gateway and to the agent bank computer; and   a plurality of recipient bank computers operably connected to the agent bank;   wherein the storage device of the remittance request server stores instructions operable to cause the remittance request server to:
 receive an international funds transfer request specifying a transaction amount, a source payment card account located in a first country, and a destination bank account associated with a recipient bank located in a second country different from the first country, and wherein the destination bank account is not a payment card account; 
 transmit an international payment transaction routed from the source payment card account to the payment system gateway which is routed to the settlement account of the agent bank computer via the international payment card system, the settlement account different from the destination bank account; 
 store a funds transfer instruction as part of an electronic funds transfer file in the storage device of the remittance request server, the funds transfer instruction configured to cause the agent bank computer to transfer funds in the transaction amount from the settlement account to the destination bank account; and 
 transmit the electronic funds transfer file on a periodic basis directly to the agent bank computer wherein the funds transfer instruction causes the agent bank to transfer the transaction amount from the settlement account to the destination bank account. 
   
     
     
         2 . The international remittance system of  claim 1 , further comprising a remittance website server operably connected to the remittance request server, the remittance website server configured to receive funds transfer requests from user computers. 
     
     
         3 . The international remittance system of  claim 2 , wherein the remittance website server is operably connected to the remittance request server and the user computers via the internet. 
     
     
         4 . The international remittance system of  claim 1 , wherein the agent bank computer further comprises a storage device including application programs that manage the settlement account, that receive payment instructions from the payment system, that receive the electronic funds transfer file from the remittance request server, and that disburse funds from the settlement account to respective recipient bank computers in accordance with the instructions in the electronic funds transfer file. 
     
     
         5 . The international remittance system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage device of the remittance request server stores further instructions operable to cause the remittance request server to perform currency translation prior to transmitting the electronic funds transfer file. 
     
     
         6 . The international remittance system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage device of the remittance request server stores further instructions operable to cause the remittance request server to transmit the electronic funds transfer file on a daily basis. 
     
     
         7 . An international remittance request server comprising:
 at least one remittance request processor;   a communication device operably connected to the at least one remittance request processor;   an input device operably connected to the at least one remittance request processor;   an output device operably connected to the at least one remittance request processor; and   a storage device operably connected to the at least one remittance request processor, the storage device storing instructions operable to cause the at least one remittance request processor to:
 receive, via the communication device, an international funds transfer request specifying a transaction amount, a source payment card account located in a first country, and a destination bank account associated with a recipient bank located in a second country different from the first country, and wherein the destination bank account is not a payment card account; 
 transmit, via the communication device, an international payment transaction for routing funds from the source payment card account to a payment system gateway and via an international payment card system to a settlement account of an agent bank computer in the second country, the settlement account different from the destination bank account; 
 store a funds transfer instruction as part of an electronic funds transfer file in the storage device, the funds transfer instruction configured to cause the agent bank computer to transfer funds in the transaction amount from the settlement account to the destination bank account; and 
 transmit the electronic funds transfer file on a periodic basis directly to the agent bank computer wherein the funds transfer instruction causes the agent bank to transfer the transaction amount from the settlement account to the destination bank account. 
   
     
     
         8 . The international remittance request server of  claim 7 , wherein the storage device stores further instructions operable to cause the at least one remittance request processor to perform currency translation prior to transmitting the electronic funds transfer file.