Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
MULTI-PART REQUEST FOR TRANSFERS
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to data transfers and, more
particularly, to systems
and methods for processing a request to separate a transfer into a plurality
of parts.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is sometimes necessary or desirable to conduct transfers
between database
records. For example, transfers are sometimes made from a first record to a
second record. The
transfers may sometimes occur within the same database and sometimes the
transfers may occur
between different databases. In some instances, the databases may reside on
different systems
which may connect to one another through a network.
[0003] A resource transfer may represent a permanent or temporary
movement of a
defined quantum of resources to an intended storage location. Requests to
transfer certain
resources (e.g., a certain amount of data) from a first record to a second
record may be received
by a system associated with the first record.
[0004] It may be desirable to provide an efficient and secure mechanism
for transferring
requested resources from a first record to a second record in a series of
parts over a time period.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Embodiments are described in detail below, with reference to the
following
drawings:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic operation diagram illustrating an operating
environment of an
example embodiment;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram showing components of a
computing
device;
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[0008] FIG. 3 is a high-level schematic diagram of an example computer
device;
[0009] FIG. 4 shows a simplified organization of software components
stored in a memory
of the example computer device of FIG. 3;
[0010] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart showing operations performed by a first
database
management system in completing a data transfer according to an embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 6 is an example interface showing an invoice, according to an
embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a table of values, according to an embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 8 is an example interface showing a plurality of request for
transfer links,
according to an embodiment.
[0014] Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like
elements and
features.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS
[0015] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a
computing system comprising: a communications module; a processor coupled to
the
communications module; and a memory coupled to the processor storing
instructions that, when
executed by the computing system, cause the computing system to: receive a
request to separate
a transfer into a plurality of parts, the request defining a total amount and
a total time period;
prepare a plurality of request for transfer links, each of the links
associated with a different
transfer time period, wherein each transfer time period is less than or equal
to the total time
period, each of the links associated with a separate transfer part amount,
wherein a summation of
the separate transfer part amounts is equal to the total amount; and provide
the plurality of
request for transfer links to a transferor device, each link allowing a
transfer to fulfill the separate
transfer part amount to be performed without requiring input of the separate
transfer part amount
or recipient information.
[0016] In at least some implementations, separate transfer part amounts
are equal.
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[0017] In at least some implementations, each of the request for transfer
links is only
valid during the transfer time period associated with the request for transfer
link.
[0018] In at least some implementations, the total time period is
determined based on a
final transfer due date included in the request.
[0019] In at least some implementations, the plurality of request for
transfer links are
provided to the transferor device at once.
[0020] In at least some implementations, the plurality of request for
transfer links are
provided to the transferor device at scheduled times.
[0021] In at least some implementations, each of the plurality of request
for transfer links
are sent to the transferor device at or near an end of the different transfer
time period associated
with the request for transfer link.
[0022] In at least some implementations, the transfer is associated with
a document, and
the instructions, when executed by the computing system, further cause the
computing system to:
receive, from the transferor device, at least one transfer associated with one
of the plurality of
request for transfer links; associate the at least one transfer with the
document; and in response to
receiving all the transfers associated with the plurality of request for
transfer links, reconcile the
transfers with the document.
[0023] In at least some implementations, the request to transfer is a
request to transfer
value from a transferor account to a recipient account.
[0024] In at least some implementations, prior to receiving the request
to separate the
transfer into the plurality of parts, the instructions, when executed by the
computing system,
further cause the computing system to: send a document to the transferor
device, the document
including a selectable option to request separation of the transfer into the
plurality of parts.
[0025] In at least some implementations, the selectable option includes
an option to
define the total time period.
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[0026] In at least some implementations, prior to preparing a plurality
of request for
transfer links, the instructions, when executed by the computing system,
further cause the
computing system to: validate the request to separate a transfer into a
plurality of parts.
[0027] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a
computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving a request to separate a
transfer into a
plurality of parts, the request defining a total amount and a total time
period; preparing a
plurality of request for transfer links, each of the links associated with a
different transfer time
period, wherein each transfer time period is less than or equal to the total
time period, each of the
links associated with a separate transfer part amount, wherein a summation of
the separate
transfer part amounts is equal to the total amount; and providing the
plurality of request for
transfer links to a transferor device, each link allowing a transfer to
fulfill the separate transfer
part amount to be performed without requiring input of the separate transfer
part amount or
recipient information.
[0028] In at least some implementations, the separate transfer part
amounts are equal.
[0029] In at least some implementations, each of the request for transfer
links is only
valid during the transfer time period associated with the request for transfer
link.
[0030] In at least some implementations, the total time period is
determined based on a
final transfer due date included in the request.
[0031] In at least some implementations, the plurality of request for
transfer links are
provided to the transferor device at once.
[0032] In at least some implementations, the plurality of request for
transfer links are
provided to the transferor device at scheduled times.
[0033] In at least some implementations, each of the plurality of request
for transfer links
are sent to the transferor device at or near an end of the different transfer
time period associated
with the request for transfer link.
[0034] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a
non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when
executed by a
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processor of a computing system cause the computing system to: receive a
request to separate a
transfer into a plurality of parts, the request defining a total amount and a
total time period;
prepare a plurality of request for transfer links, each of the links
associated with a different
transfer time period, wherein each transfer time period is less than or equal
to the total time
period, each of the links associated with a separate transfer part amount,
wherein a summation of
the separate transfer part amounts is equal to the total amount; and provide
the plurality of
request for transfer links to a transferor device, each link allowing a
transfer to fulfill the separate
transfer part amount to be performed without requiring input of the separate
transfer part amount
or recipient information.
[0035] In the present application, the term "and/or" is intended to cover
all possible
combinations and sub-combinations of the listed elements, including any one of
the listed
elements alone, any sub-combination, or all of the elements, and without
necessarily excluding
additional elements.
[0036] In the present application, the phrase "at least one of ...or..."
is intended to cover
any one or more of the listed elements, including any one of the listed
elements alone, any sub-
combination, or all of the elements, without necessarily excluding any
additional elements, and
without necessarily requiring all of the elements.
[0037] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an operating environment of
an example
embodiment. Various components cooperate to provide a system 100 which may be
used, for
example, to perform an operation. As shown, the system 100 includes a
transferor device 110, a
first database management system 130, a second database management system 140,
and a third-
party server 170 coupled to one another through a network 150, which may
include a public
network such as the Internet and/or a private network. The transferor device
110 is a computing
device that may be associated with an entity, such as a user or client, having
a record in a
database associated with and/or provided by the first database management
system 130. The
record may be or represent account data. The record may include data of
various types and the
nature of the data will depend on the nature of the first database management
system 130.
[0038] By way of example, in some implementations, the second database
management
system 140 may maintain user accounts and a record in the database may be or
represent an
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account. The record may include, for example, documents and/or other data
stored by or on
behalf of a user. By way of example, in an implementation, a user account may
include
documents or data uploaded by the user. Such documents and/or data may
include, for example,
any one or more of: images such as photographs, text-based documents,
documents prepared
according to a standardized file format, such as portable document format
(PDF) documents,
user preferences, digital identity data such as stored identity information or
documentation, or
other types of documents and/or data. For example, in an implementation, the
first database
management system and/or the second database management system may track,
manage,
maintain, and/or provide resources to associated entities. The resources may,
for example, be
computing resources, such as memory or processor cycles. By way of further
example, the
resources may include stored value, such as fiat currency, which may be
represented in a
database. For example, the second database management system 140 may be
coupled to a second
database 120, which may be provided in secure storage. The secure storage may
be provided
internally within the second database management system 140 or externally. The
secure storage
may, for example, be provided remotely from the second database management
system 140. For
example, the secure storage may include one or more data centers. The data
centers may, for
example, store data with bank-grade security.
[0039] The second database 120 may include records associated with a
plurality of
entities. For example, the records may be for a plurality of accounts and at
least some of the
records may define a quantity of resources. For example, the entity that is
associated with the
transferor device 110 may be associated with an account having one or more
records in the
second database 120. The records may reflect a quantity of stored resources
that are associated
with the entity. Such resources may include owned resources and, in at least
some embodiments,
borrowed resources. The resources that are associated with an entity may be
grouped into various
buckets. Some such buckets may, for example, represent individual bank
accounts. For example,
an entity may be associated with one or more bank accounts. At least some of
the resources may
be borrowed resources. The borrowed resources may, for example, represent an
amount of credit
that is available to the entity. The entity that is associated with the
transferor device 110 and the
account may be a customer of a financial institution which operates or manages
the second
database management system 140.
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[0040] The first database management system 130 and the second database
management
system 140 may be operated by different entities. That is, the first database
management system
130 may be associated with a first system operator and the second database
management system
140 may be associated with a second system operator who is different than the
first system
operator. The first database management system 130 may be, for example,
associated with a
financial institution server that is associated with a different financial
institution than the second
database management system 140 and may maintain customer financial accounts.
That is, the
second database management system 140 may maintain a second database 120 that
includes
various data records. A data record may, for example, reflect an amount of
value stored in a
particular account associated with a user.
[0041] The first database management system 130 may include or be
connected with a
first database 180 that operates similar to the second database 120 that is
provided by or
associated with the second database management system 140.
[0042] The first database management system 130 and second database
management
system 140 may store other data instead of or in addition to financial account
data. By way of
example, as noted above, in some implementations, the first database
management system 130
and the second database management system 140 may manage computing resources
such as
memory and/or processor cycles which may be used by the transferor device 110.
The records
may, for example, associate a particular entity with particular computer
resources. For example,
the records may entitle a particular entity exclusive or shared use of a
computing resource. The
database management systems 130, 140 may communicate with one another in order
to send and
receive request to transfer messages that transfer use of a computing resource
from a record
maintained by the second database management system 140 to a record maintained
by the first
database management system 130.
[0043] In another example, the database management systems 130, 140 may
act as cloud-
based storage and may store files, such as documents for various entities. The
second database
management system 140 may, in accordance with instructions received from an
entity associated
with a document, transfer that document to another entity having a record at
the first database
management system 130. By way of example, the document may be a media file,
such as an
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electronic book, video file or audio file, having digital rights management
(DRM) which only
permits the document to be transferred if exclusive use of the document is
transferred (i.e., if the
transfer is performed such that the transferor is no longer able to use the
document after the
transfer). The database management systems 130, 140 may communicate with one
another in
order to transfer the document in accordance with instructions received from
the transferor
device 110.
[0044] The transferor device 110 may take a variety of forms such as a
smartphone, a
tablet computer, a wearable computer such as a head-mounted display or
smartwatch, a laptop or
desktop computer, or a computing device of another type. The first database
management
system 130 and/or the second database management system 140 may be referred to
as first and
second computing devices respectively and may also be referred to as first and
second servers,
respectively. The transferor device 110 may be referred to as a client device.
[0045] The network 150 is a computer network. In some embodiments, the
network 150
may be an intemetwork such as may be formed of one or more interconnected
computer
networks. For example, the network 150 may be or may include an Ethernet
network, an
asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, a wireless network, a
telecommunications network,
or the like.
[0046] The first database management system 130 may be configured to
communicate
with other servers, such as the second database management system 140 using
one or more
communication protocols, which may also be referred to as transfer protocols
or transfer rails.
[0047] In at least some embodiments, a transfer rail server 160 may be
configured to
facilitate a transfer from a first data record to a second data record
according to a first transfer
protocol. The first data record may be a data record maintained by the second
database
management system 140 and the second data record may be a data record
maintained by a server
associated with a different system operator than the second database
management system 140
(e.g., such as the first database management system 130). The transfer rail
server 160 may
operate as an intermediary between the first database management system 130
and the second
database management system 140.
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[0048] One or more of the transfer protocols may not require the use of a
transfer rail
server. For example, one or more of the transfer protocols may operate through
the exchange of
messages directly between the first database management system 130 and the
second database
management system 140. Such messages may be exchanged through the network 150.
[0049] In at least some embodiments, a third-party server 170 may be
provided and the
third-party server 170 may interact with other components of described herein.
An entity that is
associated with the third-party server 170 may be associated with an account
having one or more
records in the second database. In this way, the third-party server 170 may be
associated with an
account and/or a record in the second database. The records may reflect a
quantity of stored
resources that are associated with the entity. In at least some embodiments,
the third-party server
170 may be configured to operate as an e-commerce server, and may conduct
transactions for
goods and services over the Internet. As will be described below, the third-
party server 170 may
be used to initiate a request to separate a transfer into a plurality of
parts. For example, a
transferor device may access the third-party server 170 during an e-commerce
session and the
third-party server 170 may provide the transferor device with an interface
that may be used to
input an instruction to separate a transfer into a plurality of parts. The
transferor device may
provide the third-party server 170 with account information such as an
identity of a database
management system and/or database that is associated with the transferor
device and information
that identifies a particular record in such a database. For example, in one
implementation, the
transferor device may provide the third-party server with account information
for a bank account
and it may identify the institution that manages or provides the bank account.
This allows the
third-party server 170 to ensure that requests to transfer for transfers
associated with the
transferor device are issued to the proper account. Where the third-party
server 170 is an e-
commerce server, the account information may be provided at the time of
checkout or it may be
stored as a preference associated with an account linked to the transferor
device at the third party
server.
[0050] The transferor device 110, the first database management system
130, the second
database management system 140, the transfer rail server 160 and the third-
party server 170 may
be in geographically disparate locations. Put differently, the transferor
device 110, the first
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database management system 130, the second database management system 140, the
transfer rail
server 160, and the third-party server 170 may be remote from one another.
[0051] In some embodiments, the first database management system 130 may
be
configured to operate as a first database management system and the second
database
management system 140 may be configured to operate as a second database
management system.
A database management system may be configured to send and receive a request
to transfer. A
request to transfer may be a specially formatted message that is sent from a
first database
management system 130 to a second database management system 140. The request
to transfer
may be sent from the first database management system 130 to the second
database management
system 140 over a transfer rail that is used for facilitating transfers
between databases associated
with different database management systems. For example, the first database
management
system 130 may be associated with a first database 180 and the second database
management
system 140 may be associated with a second database 120.
[0052] The first and second databases 180, 120 may store account data.
That is, the first
and second databases 180, 120 may store data that is associated with various
accounts. In at
least some implementations, each record in the first and second databases 180,
120 may be
associated with a particular one of these accounts.
[0053] FIG. 1 illustrates an example representation of components of the
system 100.
The system 100 can, however, be implemented differently than the example of
FIG. 1. For
example, various components that are illustrated as separate systems in FIG. 1
may be
implemented on a common system. By way of further example, the functions of a
single
component may be divided into multiple components.
[0054] FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram showing components of an
exemplary
computing device 200. The transferor device 110 may be of the same type as
computing device
200. The computing device 200 may include modules including, as illustrated,
for example, one
or more displays 210 and a computer device 240.
[0055] The one or more displays 210 may be or include a display module.
The one or
more displays 210 are used to display screens of a graphical user interface
that may be used, for
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example, to communicate with the first database management system 130 (FIG.
1). The one or
more displays 210 may be internal displays of the computing device 200 (e.g.,
disposed within a
body of the computing device).
[0056] The computer device 240 is in communication with the one or more
displays 210.
The computer device 240 may be or may include a processor which is coupled to
the one or more
displays 210.
[0057] Referring now to FIG. 3, a high-level operation diagram of an
example computer
device 300 is shown. In some embodiments, the computer device 300 may be
exemplary of the
computer device 240 (FIG. 2), the first database management system 130, the
transferor device
110, the third party server 170 and/or the second database management system
140.
[0058] The example computer device 300 includes a variety of modules. For
example, as
illustrated, the example computer device 300 may include a processor 310, a
memory 320, a
communications module 330, and/or a storage module 340. As illustrated, the
foregoing
example modules of the example computer device 300 are in communication over a
bus 350.
[0059] The processor 310 is a hardware processor. The processor 310 may,
for example,
be one or more ARM, Intel x86, PowerPC processors or the like.
[0060] The memory 320 allows data to be stored and retrieved. The memory
320 may
include, for example, random access memory, read-only memory, and persistent
storage.
Persistent storage may be, for example, flash memory, a solid-state drive, or
the like. Read-only
memory and persistent storage are a non-transitory computer-readable storage
medium. A
computer-readable medium may be organized using a file system such as may be
administered
by an operating system governing overall operation of the example computer
device 300.
[0061] The communications module 330 allows the example computer device
300 to
communicate with other computer or computing devices and/or various
communications
networks. For example, the communications module 330 may allow the example
computer
device 300 to send or receive communications signals. Communications signals
may be sent or
received according to one or more protocols or according to one or more
standards. For
example, the communications module 330 may allow the example computer device
300 to
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communicate via a cellular data network, such as for example, according to one
or more
standards such as, for example, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),
Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO), Long-term
Evolution
(LTE) or the like. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module
330 may allow the
example computer device 300 to communicate using near-field communication
(NFC), via Wi-Fi
(TM), using Bluetooth (TM) or via some combination of one or more networks or
protocols. In
some embodiments, all or a portion of the communications module 330 may be
integrated into a
component of the example computer device 300. For example, the communications
module may
be integrated into a communications chipset. In some embodiments, the
communications
module 330 may be omitted such as, for example, if sending and receiving
communications is
not required in a particular application.
[0062] The storage module 340 allows the example computer device 300 to
store and
retrieve data. In some embodiments, the storage module 340 may be formed as a
part of the
memory 320 and/or may be used to access all or a portion of the memory 320.
Additionally or
alternatively, the storage module 340 may be used to store and retrieve data
from persisted
storage other than the persisted storage (if any) accessible via the memory
320. In some
embodiments, the storage module 340 may be used to store and retrieve data in
a database. A
database may be stored in persisted storage. Additionally or alternatively,
the storage module
340 may access data stored remotely such as, for example, as may be accessed
using a local area
network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), personal area network (PAN), and/or a
storage area
network (SAN). In some embodiments, the storage module 340 may access data
stored remotely
using the communications module 330. In some embodiments, the storage module
340 may be
omitted and its function may be performed by the memory 320 and/or by the
processor 310 in
concert with the communications module 330 such as, for example, if data is
stored remotely.
The storage module may also be referred to as a data store.
[0063] Where the example computer device 300 functions as the first
database
management system 130 of FIG. 1, the storage module 340 may allow the example
computing
device 300 to access the secure data in the first database 180. Likewise,
where the example
computer device 300 functions as the second database management system 140 of
FIG. 1, the
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storage module 340 may allow the example computing device 300 to access the
secure data in
the second database 120.
[0064] Software comprising instructions is executed by the processor 310
from a
computer-readable medium. For example, software may be loaded into random-
access memory
from persistent storage of the memory 320. Additionally or alternatively,
instructions may be
executed by the processor 310 directly from read-only memory of the memory
320.
[0065] FIG. 4 depicts a simplified organization of software components
stored in the
memory 320 of the example computer device 300 (FIG. 3). As illustrated, these
software
components include an operating system 400 and an application 410.
[0066] The operating system 400 is software. The operating system 400
allows the
application 410 to access the processor 310 (FIG. 3), the memory 320, and the
communications
module 330 of the example computer device 300 (FIG. 3). The operating system
400 may be,
for example, Google (TM) Android (TM), Apple (TM) iOS (TM), UNIX (TM), Linux
(TM),
Microsoft (TM) Windows (TM), Apple OSX (TM) or the like.
[0067] The application 410 adapts the example computer device 300, in
combination
with the operating system 400, to operate as a device performing a particular
function. For
example, the application 410 may cooperate with the operating system 400 to
adapt a suitable
embodiment of the example computer device 300 to operate as the computer
device 240 (FIG.
2), the first database management system 130, and/or the second database
management system
140.
[0068] While a single application 410 is illustrated in FIG. 3, in
operation the memory
320 may include more than one application 410 and different applications 410
may perform
different operations. For example, in at least some embodiments in which the
computer device
300 is functioning as the transferor device 110, the applications 410 may
include a transfer
initiation application. The transfer initiation application may be configured
for secure
communications with the first database management system 130 and may provide
various
functions such as, for example, the ability to display data in a record in the
first database 180. In
some implementations, the transfer initiation application may be a banking
application which
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may, for example, be configured to display a quantum of value in one or more
data records (e.g.,
display balances), configure or request that operations such as transfers of
value (e.g., bill
payments, email money transfers and other transfers) be performed, and perform
other account
management functions.
[0069] By way of further example, in at least some embodiments in which
the computer
device 300 functions as the transferor device 110, the applications 410 may
include a web
browser, which may also be referred to as an Internet browser. In at least
some such
embodiments, the first database management system 130 may be or include a web
server that
may serve one or more of the interfaces described herein. The web server may
cooperate with
the web browser and may serve as an interface when the interface is requested
through the web
browser. For example, the web browser may serve as a mobile banking interface.
The mobile
banking interface may provide various banking functions such as, for example,
the ability to
display a quantum of value in one or more data records (e.g., display
balances), configure or
request that operations such as transfers of value (e.g., bill payments and
other transfers) be
performed, and other account management functions.
[0070] The first database management system 130 and/or the second
database
management system 140 may be configured to receive and complete request to
transfer
messages. A request to transfer is a message that is sent on behalf of a
recipient to initiate a
transfer from a sender, i.e., a transferor, to the recipient. That is, the
request to transfer is sent, on
behalf of the recipient, from the database management system associated with
the recipient (e.g.
the first database management system 130) to the database management system
associated with
the sender (e.g. the second database management system 140). The request to
transfer requests a
transfer from a record in the database that is associated with the sender
(e.g., in the second
database 120) to a record in the database that is associated with the
recipient (e.g., in the first
database 180). The request to transfer includes one or more identifiers that
identify the record
associated with the sender and/or the record associated with the recipient.
The identifier(s) may
be or include an account number. The request to transfer may also include one
or more
identifiers that identify the second database management system 140 associated
with the sender
and/or that identify the first database management system 130 associated with
the recipient.
Such identifiers may be or include one or more of: a transit number and an
institution number.
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[0071] The request to transfer is a transfer initiation message. That is,
the request to
transfer is an initial message that may be used to cause a transfer to occur.
Since the request to
transfer is initiated by a recipient rather than a sender, the request to
transfer may be considered a
pull-style transfer, which may be contrasted with typical push-style
transfers. In at least some
implementations, the request to transfer may be formatted as an IS020022
message.
[0072] The request to transfer message is specially formatted to include
parameters of a
transfer that is requested to be made from a sender. The parameters may be
included as metadata
in the transfer message. Where the request to transfer is an IS020022 message,
the parameters
may be included in an IS020022 format. The parameters may include resource
definition data.
The resource definition data defines what is requested to be transferred. By
way of example, the
resource definition data may define a resource that is stored in or otherwise
associated with a
record associated with the sender. The resource may be, for example, a
computing resource. In
another implementation, the resource may be data. In some implementations, the
resource may
represent an amount of value, such as a quantity of a currency.
[0073] The parameters that are included in the request to transfer may
include data of
another type. For example, in some implementations, the parameters may be or
include transfer
scheduling data. The transfer scheduling data may represent a time when the
requested transfer
is to be made. This time may be, for example, a due date or deadline. The due
date or deadline
represents a latest time at which the transfer is to be made.
[0074] The request to transfer message may, in some implementations, be
or represent a
request for payment. Such a message may be referred to as a request for
payment (RFP)
message or a request to pay (RTP) message. In such implementations, the
transfer rail may be a
payment rail such as a real time payment rail and the database management
systems may be a
financial institution system. In at least some such implementations, the
records may represent
bank accounts and a transfer may be a request to transfer value from a sender
bank account to the
recipient bank account. The request to transfer message may be sent from a
first financial
institution system, which is associated with a first financial institution, to
a second financial
institution system, which is associated with a second financial institution.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
[0075] The request to transfer message is a special transfer message
which is not
formatted as an email or short message service (SMS) message. Rather, it is a
computer-to-
computer message that is formatted to be specially processed by the database
management
system that receives it. In at least some implementations, the computer-to-
computer message
may be formatted according to the IS020022 standard. For example, the first
database
management system 130 that receives the request to transfer message may be
configured to
execute a process for obtaining authorization to complete a transfer in
response to receiving the
request to transfer. More particularly, the database management systems may be
configured to
only permit authorized transfers. For example, in one implementation, the
second database 120
stores account data for a plurality of accounts and a database management
system will only allow
a transfer out of an account if the transfer is authorized by an authorization
entity for that
account, such as an accountholder. Authorization may, for example, require
authenticated
approval using a credential such as one or more of a username, password,
biometric
authentication data or other credential.
[0076] In one implementation, in response to receiving the request to
transfer message, a
database management system (such as the second database management system 140)
may
identify an affected account using an identifier defined by the transfer
message. Then, this
database management system may send an electronic notification to a transferor
device 110
associated with the identified account. This notification may be provided as
an in-application
notification or operating system level notification. The notification may
include a selectable
option to authorize the transfer.
[0077] The notification may allow the transfer to be made without
requiring input of one
or more parameters that are typically required when a transfer is initiated by
the sender rather
than the recipient. By way of example, one or more parameters that are
included in the request
to transfer may be used to pre-stage or pre-populate parameters of the
transfer so that the sender
does not have to input such parameters. In some implementations, the resource
definition data
included in the request to transfer may be used to allow the transfer to be
made without having
the sender define what is to be transferred. For example, where the transfer
is a transfer of a
computing resource or data, the sender may perform the transfer without having
to input any
information defining the computing resource or data involved. Or, where the
transfer is a
16
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
transfer of an amount of value, the amount of value defined in the request for
transfer message
may be used so that the sender does not have to define the amount of value.
[0078] In some implementations, transfer scheduling data included in the
request to
transfer message may be used to schedule the transfer without requiring the
sender to define such
a schedule. For example, where the transfer scheduling data is a due date or
deadline, the
database management system associated with the sender may automatically define
a time for a
transfer based on the transfer scheduling data without requiring the sender to
input such a time.
[0079] In this way, the sender may cause a second database management
system 140 that
is associated with the sender's record in a second database 120 to perform the
transfer without
having to input any parameters for the transfer. The time and/or amount of the
transfer may be
extracted directly from the request to transfer message. The sender may only
need to input an
indication of consent to initiate the transfer when the sender has
authenticated to the second
database management system 140 and the transfer may then be performed.
[0080] Optionally, in some implementations, the database management
system (such as
the second database management system 140) may process the request to transfer
by using the
parameters defined in the request to transfer as default parameters for a pre-
staged transfer which
can be overridden through input of alternative parameters by the sender.
[0081] Reference will now be made to FIG. 5, which is a flowchart showing
operations
performed by the first database management system 130 or another suitable
system in preparing
and providing a plurality of transfer links. The operations may be included in
a method 500
which may be performed by the first database management system 130. For
example, computer-
executable instructions stored in memory of the first database management
system 130 may,
when executed by one or more processors, configure the first database
management system 130
to perform the method 500 or a portion thereof.
[0082] At operation 510, the first database management system 130
receives a request to
separate a transfer into a plurality of parts. The request may be received,
for example, from
another computing system such as a third-party server 170. The request to
separate the transfer
may be initiated through an electronic message sent from the third-party
server 170 to the
17
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
transferor device 110. The electronic message may be associated with a
transaction between the
entity associated with the transferor device 110 and the entity associated
with the third-party
server 170.
[0083] In some embodiments, the request may be associated with a
document, such as an
invoice. In some embodiments, the request is received after to sending the
associated document.
The associated document may indicate a total amount, a due date, such as a
final transfer due
date, transferor information and recipient information. The document may, for
example, be sent
to a transferor device.
[0084] The request may define a total amount to be transferred and a
total time period.
The total time period may be, for example, a time in the range of 0-24 months
in some
implementations. The request may define a due date, such as a final transfer
due date. The total
amount may correspond to an amount of an associated document, such as an
associated invoice.
That is, the total amount may be an invoiced amount.
[0085] The request may be received by the first database management
system 130 from
another system, such as a third party server 170 over network 150. The request
may be received
in response to receiving a document, such as an invoice. In some embodiments,
the first database
management system 130 or another system such as the third party server 170 may
send a
document to the transferor. The document may include a selectable option to
request separation
of the transfer into a plurality of parts. By way of example, the document may
include a link
which, when activated, causes a device displaying the link to send the request
to separate the
transfer into a plurality of parts to the first database management system 130
(or another system
performing the method 500). As noted above, in at least some implementations,
the document is
an invoice and the invoice may include the selectable option to request
separation of the transfer
into a plurality of parts.
[0086] Accordingly, in some embodiments related to a request for transfer
from a
transferor account to a recipient account, a document, for example, an
invoice, may be provided
to a transferor device 110. The transferor device 110 is a computing device
that may be
associated with an entity, such as a user or client, having a record in a
database associated with
and/or provided by the second database management system 140. The record may
be or represent
18
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
account data. The record may include data of various types and the nature of
the data will
depend on the nature of the database management system. The transferor device
110 may take a
variety of forms such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a wearable computer
such as a head-
mounted display or smartwatch, a laptop or desktop computer, or a computing
device of another
type. In some embodiments, the request to transfer may be a request to
transfer value from a
transferor account to a recipient account.
[0087] The document may include a selectable option to spread out the
total amount of
the transfer over time. In other words, the selectable option may include an
option to define the
total time period. Selecting the option to spread out the transfers may
initiate a request, from the
second database management system 140 to the first database management system
130, to
separate a transfer into a plurality of parts.
[0088] In some embodiments, the selectable option provided by the first
database
management system 130 may include an option to define the total time period
over which the
plurality of transfers may be made. For example, a transferor may wish to
spread out the
transfers over a three-month period or over a six-month period. In some
embodiments, the
option to define the total time period may be limited (for example, 3-24
months).
[0089] In some embodiments, the selectable option may be a selectable
option to request
approval to separate the transfer into a plurality of parts, for example, to
validate the request to
spread out the transfer of a total amount of data over time. Selection of such
an option may
cause a notification to be sent from the transferor to the recipient to
request approval, i.e., to
validate the request to separate a transfer into a plurality of parts. In at
least some
implementations, the recipient may be associated with the third party server
170 and the
notification to request approval to separate the transfer into a plurality of
parts may be sent to the
third party server 170. The notification may define a time period and/or
number of transfers
requested by the transferor, (for example, a request to split a transfer of
120 units into six
transfers over six months). Upon validation, the first database management
system 130 may
prepare and provide a plurality of request for transfer links to the second
database management
system 140.
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
[0090] Referring now to FIG. 6, document 600 is shown as displayed on the
transferor
device 110 in accordance with one aspect of the present application. The
document 600 includes
an invoice number 610, an invoice date 620, ("Jan 1 2022"), a total amount due
630, ("120
units"), and a selectable option 640 to choose a "Desired Transfer Period."
The selectable option
640 includes the options of 1 month, 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months. It
will be understood
that the selectable option 640 to choose a total time period is not limited to
the illustrated total
time period options. The selectable option 640 may include total time period
options that are a
variety of different lengths and may include total time periods that are
longer and/or shorter than
those illustrated. The selectable option 640 may include an option to define
the total time period.
For example, the selectable option may include an option to forgo a separation
of the transfer
into a plurality of parts, i.e., an option to transfer the total amount at one
time. With respect to
the document 600, selecting the option of "one month" may effect a request to
transfer the total
amount within a one-month time period. Selecting this option may effect the
generation, by the
first database management system 130, of a request for transfer link in
connection with the total
amount, 120.00 units and a due date of February 1, 2022 (one month from the
document date of
January 1, 2022). Additionally or alternatively, the selectable option may
include an explicit
option to "Transfer in Full". Additionally or alternatively, selecting any
option other than
transfer of the total amount at once may initiate a request to validate the
request to separate the
transfer into a plurality of parts. The request to validate may be sent from
the transferor device
110 to the first database management system 130. In some embodiments, the
request to validate
may include a credit check in connection with the transferor. In some
embodiments, upon
validation, the first database management system 130 may automatically prepare
and provide a
plurality of request for transfer links to the transferor device 110 without
requiring any further
information from the transferor device 110. In some embodiments, the request
to transfer may
be a request to transfer value from a transferor account to a recipient
account.
[0091] Returning to FIG. 5, at operation 520, the first database
management system 130
prepares a plurality of request for transfer links. The request for transfer
links, when executed,
may redirect a user to a request for transfer message. A request for transfer
link may be
executed, for example, when a user clicks on the link. The number of request
for transfer links
and the parameters of the request for transfer may be associated with the
total amount, the due
date, and the total time period defined by the request to separate the
transfer into a plurality of
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
parts. For example, a request to separate the transfer into a plurality of
parts may correspond to a
total amount of 120 units, a due date of January 1, 2022, and a time period of
four months.
[0092] A frequency of transfer value may be determined by the first
database
management system 130 and/or the second database management system 140 and/or
may be
included in the parameters of the request for transfer. A frequency of
transfer may be, for
example, every two weeks or every one month. The frequency of transfer value
may be used by
the first database management system 130 to determine a number of transfers.
For example, a
frequency of transfer value may be one month. A total time period, t, of six
months divided by a
frequency transfer value f, of one month yields a number of transfer parts, n,
of six.
6
7=n; - =6
1
[0093] As a result, the first database management system 130 may
interpret a separate
transfer part amount for each for each of the number of transfer parts n. The
separate transfer
part amounts may be equal in value, or they may be unequal in value. In some
embodiments,
some of the separate transfer part amounts may be equal and some of the
separate transfer part
amounts may be unequal. In some embodiments, the summation of the separate
transfer part
amounts may be equal to the total amount.
[0094] For example, in some embodiments, the separate part amounts may be
equal.
Given a total transfer amount, A, of 120 units, and a number of transfer parts
n of 6, the first
database management system 130 may determine six separate transfer parts of
$20.00.
A 120.00
- = s; ___________________________________ =20
6
[0095] A frequency of transfer value, described above, is a number, for
example, 1. A
frequency of transfer may describe the number with respect to a frequency, for
example "of one
month". Each of the plurality of separate transfer parts may be associated
with a different
transfer time period, each transfer time period being less than or equal to
the total time period.
For example, the first database management system 130 may determine to
separate a transfer
21
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
into six separate transfer parts of 20 units each; the separate transfers
being associated with
separate due dates which are one month apart.
[0096] FIG. 7 illustrates a table 700 in accordance with an example
embodiment of a
request to separate a transfer of 120 units The transfer is associated with a
due date of January
1, 2022, a six-month total time period, a final transfer due date of July 1,
2022, a frequency of
transfer value of one month, and equal separate transfer part amounts. As
illustrated in the table
700, each separate transfer part is associated with a different transfer time
period, and each
transfer time period is less than or equal to the total time period. In this
example, the separate
transfer part amounts are equal, however embodiments are not limited to this
implementation.
[0097] In an example embodiment associated with table 700, in response to
receiving a
request to separate a transfer of 120 units into a plurality of parts, the
request defining a total
time period of six months, the first database management system 130 prepares a
plurality (i.e.,
six) request for transfer links. Each of the links may be associated with a
different transfer time
period (in this example, from one month after January 1, 2022, to six months
after January 1,
2022, at one-month intervals). In this example embodiment, each of the links
are associated with
a separate transfer part amount of 20 units, and a summation of the separate
transfer part
amounts is equal to the total amount of $120.00.
[0098] In the example above, the separate transfer part amounts are
equal. However, in
some embodiments, some or all of the separate transfer part amounts may be
unequal. For
example, given a total amount of 120 units and a total time period of six
months, the separate
part amounts may be equal to 30 units, 25 units, 20 units, 15 units, 15 units,
10 units, and 5 units.
Alternatively, the separate part amounts may be equal to 35 units, 30 units,
25 units, 20 units,
7.5 units, and 2.5 units.
[0099] At step 530, the first database management system 130 provides the
request for
transfer links to a transferor. Each link allows the transferor to submit a
transfer to fulfill the part
amount for a separate part of the total amount without having to input the
part amount or
recipient information. The links may be provided to the transferor device 110
in multiple ways.
In an embodiment, the links first may be provided as an electronic message
sent from the first
database management system 130 to the second database management system 140.
The second
22
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
database management system 140 may then provide the links as an electronic
message to the
transferor device 110. Alternatively, the first database management system 130
may provide the
links as an electronic message to the transferor device 110, without first
sending the electronic
message to the second database management system 140. The request for transfer
links may be
request to transfers as described above. For example, these links may be sent
as specially
formatted computer-to-computer notifications.
[0100] The plurality of request for transfer links may be provided to the
transferor
device 110 all at once. Alternatively, the plurality of request for transfer
links may be provided
to the transferor device at scheduled times. For example, the first database
management system
130 may schedule the sending of the plurality of request for transfer links
such that the links will
only be sent at or near their associated due dates. For example, in connection
with a transfer due
March 31, a request for transfer link may be sent one month earlier, on March
1. Additionally or
alternatively, a request for transfer link may be sent, for example, on March
15 or March 17.
Additionally or alternatively, a request for transfer link may be sent , for
example, one week
earlier, on March 24. In some embodiments, each link allows a transfer to
fulfill the separate
transfer part amount without requiring input of the separate transfer part
amount or recipient
information.
[0101] Referring now to FIG. 8, an example interface 800 to a transferor
device 110 is
shown. The example interface 800 may display information relating to the
request for transfer
links such, for example, the request for transfer links themselves, the
associated transfer part
amounts, the associated due dates, and the associated link effectiveness
terms.
[0102] A link effectiveness term may refer to the period of time during
which a link is
executable. For example, a link may only be valid during a transfer window
that is associated
with the link. For example, example interface 800 shows six transfer links
810A-F, each link
having a link effectiveness term of one month. Example interface 800 may
relate to an
associated document, (e.g., an invoice) having a due date of January 1, 2022.
Each link 810A-F
is displayed in connection with a description 820A-F of the associated request
for transfer. The
description 820A-F may include a reference to the transaction (e.g.,
"Transaction A"), the
transfer part amount (e.g., $20.00), and information about the link
effectiveness term. For
23
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
example, description 820B indicates that the link will open on February 1,
2022, ("Open Feb 1"),
and that the associated transfer part is due on March 1, 2022, ("Due: Mar 1").
The description
820B indicates that the link effectiveness term is one month between February
1, 2022, and
March 1, 2022. As a result, the link 810B will not be enabled for execution
before February 1,
2022. After March 1, the link 810B may or may not expire. The descriptions
820C-F contain
corresponding information related to a one moth link effectiveness term.
Description 820A
indicates a due date of one month. Consistent with a one-month link
effectiveness term,
description 820A indicates that the associated link 810A is currently valid,
("Now Open"),
reflective of the current date 830, Jan 15, 2022, ("Today's Date: January 15,
2022").
[0103] In some embodiments, all links 810A-F may be executable upon
receipt by the
transferor device 110. In such embodiments, the associated descriptions 820A-F
may indicate
that the associated links are "Now Open". In some embodiments, one or more of
the transfer
links may be executable upon receipt by the transferor device 110 and one or
more of the transfer
links may not be executable upon receipt by the transferor device 110. In some
embodiments,
the link effectiveness terms may vary among the plurality of request for
transfer links associated
with a request to separate a transfer into a plurality of parts.
[0104] FIG. 8 illustrates an example interface in connection with an
instance wherein all
of the plurality of request for transfer links are provided to the transferor
device at the same time,
i.e., at once. Doing so may provide for the ability to execute one or more
transfers prior to their
respective due dates. In an embodiment, providing all of the links at once may
allow for the pre-
transfer of one or more amounts. For example, a transfer that is due on June
1, 2022, may be
paid sometime in March 2022, as the transferor may have the necessary units
and may find it
convenient to pay in March. In some instances, the first database management
system 130 may
schedule the sending of the plurality of request for transfer links such that
the links will be sent at
different times. For example, the first database management system 130 may
schedule the
sending of the plurality of request for transfer links such that the links
will only be sent at or near
their associated due dates. For example, a link having a due date sometime in
March may be
provided on March 1 of the same year. Additionally or alternatively, a request
for transfer link
may be sent, for example, on March 15 or March 17. Additionally or
alternatively, a request for
transfer link may be sent , for example, one week earlier, on March 24. In
some embodiments,
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
each link allows a transfer to fulfill the separate transfer part amount
without requiring input of
the separate transfer part amount or recipient information. In some
embodiments, upon receipt
of one or more transfers associated with the plurality of transfer links, the
received transfers may
be reconciled with an associated document, e.g., an associated invoice.
[0105] In some implementations, each link may be provided on an
associated document,
for example, an associated invoice.
[0106] As previously described, a request for transfer requests a
transfer from a record in
a database that is associated with the sender, e.g., the transferor, to a
record in the database that is
associated with the recipient. In one implementation, in response to receiving
the transfer
message, the first database management system 130 may identify an affected
account using an
identifier defined by the transfer message. Then, the first database
management system 130 may
send an electronic notification to a transferor device 110 associated with the
identified account.
This notification may be provided as an in-application notification or
operating system level
notification. The notification may include a selectable option to authorize
the transfer.
[0107] Notably, the notification may allow the transfer to be made
without requiring
input of one or more parameters that are typically required when a transfer is
initiated by the
transferor rather than the recipient. By way of example, one or more
parameters that are
included in the request to transfer may be used to pre-stage or pre-populate
parameters of the
transfer so that the sender does not have to input such parameters. In some
implementations, the
resource definition data included in the request to transfer may be used to
allow the transfer to be
made without having the transferor define what is to be transferred. For
example, where the
transfer is a transfer of a computing resource or data, the sender may perform
the transfer
without having to input any information defining the computing resource or
data involved. Or,
where the transfer is a transfer of an amount of value, the amount of value
defined in the request
for transfer message may be used so that the sender does not have to define
the amount of value.
[0108] In some implementations, the first database management system 130
may auto-
reconcile documents, for example invoices, with transfers, for example,
payments. In an
embodiment, when a transfer occurs, the first database management system 130
may mark an
associated document as having completed transfer. In some embodiments, a
document in
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
connection with a total transfer amount may be split into multiple
subdocuments associated with
each separate transfer part amount. In such instances, each request for
transfer of a separate part
amount may reference an original document number in order to facilitate
reconciliation. In an
embodiment, a memo field associated with an email money transfer style request
for
payment/request to transfer may be used for this purpose. In this way, auto-
reconciliation for a
split invoice may be provided.
[0109] Referring back to FIG. 5, at step 530, the first database
management system 130
provides the plurality of request for transfer links to the transferor device
110. As previously
described, FIG. 7 illustrates, in accordance with one embodiment, an example
interface to a
transferor device in this regard. The first database management system 130
provides the
plurality of request for transfer links in such a manner that each link allows
a transfer to fulfill a
separate transfer part amount to be performed without requiring input of the
separate transfer part
amount or recipient information. Often, when attempting to pay an invoice
online, a transferor
may be required to remember, locate and/or enter the associated payment
amount, the recipient
bank name, the recipient bank account number, and various other information
about the transfer.
The fulfillment ability provided by the present application is simple for a
transferor, as he or she
is not required to remember, locate and/or enter the transfer part amount or
the recipient
information. The fulfillment ability provided by the present application is
also advantageous to
the recipient, as it may provide for faster payment times due to ease of use
by the transferor.
[0110] Example embodiments of the present application are not limited to
any particular
operating system, system architecture, mobile device architecture, server
architecture, or
computer programming language.
[0111] It will be understood that the applications, modules, routines,
processes, threads,
or other software components implementing the described method/process may be
realized using
standard computer programming techniques and languages. The present
application is not
limited to particular processors, computer languages, computer programming
conventions, data
structures, or other such implementation details. Those skilled in the art
will recognize that the
described processes may be implemented as a part of computer-executable code
stored in volatile
or non-volatile memory, as part of an application-specific integrated chip
(ASIC), etc.
26
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
[0112]
As noted, certain adaptations and modifications of the described embodiments
can
be made. Therefore, the above discussed embodiments are considered to be
illustrative and not
restrictive.
27
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-13
