An automatic bill splitting system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (1) which enables the users using a messaging service to split the expenses made in groups and to perform money transfers securely.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] AN AUTOMATIC BILL SPLITTING SYSTEM

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The present invention relates to a system which enables the users using a messaging service to split the expenses made in groups and to perform money transfers securely.

[0005] Background of the Invention

[0006] Today, mobile messaging applications are widely used only for communication between users. Bill splitting and money transfer transactions are carried out through different types of applications. Processing expenditure data in another application independent of the messaging application complicates data integrity and consistency. In the state of art, bill splitting applications such as Tricount and Splitwise are used. With the Tricount application, it is enabled to split the payment created by individuals among users and to provide users with a summary. However, users cannot send instant messages in the Tricount application.

[0007] In the current technique, no solution has been found that enables the amounts to be paid to be calculated by means of equal splitting, proportional splitting or intergroup debt calculation by taking into account information in the form of the total expenditure amount input by the user in the group chat, the payment sharing ratios and payment statuses of the participants, and the currencies; currency conversions to be performed in the process of calculating the amounts to be paid by participants in group chats; the data input by the user in the form of total expenditure amounts and participant ratios to be validated by pre-processing it; and debt and receivable statuses for each user to be recorded by using a calculation engine. The international patent document no. WO2024115969, an application included in the state of the art, discloses a system for integrating search results into a chat group. The said system comprises a suggestion / recommendation generation module to suggest search results for things to do, and to allow users to share it in a group chat upon selecting it. The system comprises a things-to-do display module to pin the search results on a top section of the group chat, providing easy access to the search results while simultaneously allowing a group chat. Advertisements are displayed in real-time in response to search results. Things-to-do is displayed as a suggestion when the user clicks on a roulette wheel icon indicating the uncertainty of deciding on the desired things to do. Further, the system comprises a rating module for approving and rating desired things to do, a scheduling module for reserving desired things to do, and a payment module for splitting a payment payable among users. Moreover, the processing subsystem includes a payment module operatively coupled to the scheduling module wherein the payment module is configured to split a payment payable for the one or more desired things to do among the plurality of users based on a predefined ratio and provide secure transactions for the said payment from the plurality of users.

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009] An object of the present invention is to realize an automatic bill splitting system which enables the amounts to be paid to be calculated by means of equal splitting, proportional splitting or inter-group debt calculation by taking into account information in the form of the total expenditure amount input by the user in the group chat, the payment sharing ratios and payment statuses of the participants, and the currencies; currency conversions to be performed in the process of calculating the amounts to be paid by participants in group chats; the data input by the user in the form of total expenditure amounts and participant ratios to be validated by preprocessing it; debt and receivable statuses for each user to be recorded by using a calculation engine; money transfers through authorized individuals to be allowed; and expenditures that are not made to be prevented by requiring invoices or receipts to be uploaded to the expenditure screen.

[0010] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0011] “An Automatic Bill Splitting System” realized to fulfil the objective of the present invention is shown in the figure attached, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic view of the inventive automatic bill splitting system.

[0013] The components illustrated in the figure are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

[0014] 1. System

[0015] 2. Electronic device

[0016] 3. Application

[0017] 4. Analysis server

[0018] An inventive automatic bill splitting system (1) which enables the users using a messaging service to split the expenses made in groups and to perform money transfers securely comprises at least one electronic device (2) which is used by the user and is configured to enable the user to establish communication with other persons; at least one application (3) which is run on the electronic device (2); enables the user to create a group messaging medium by means of the interface thereon; enables the user to select the bill splitting option within the group messaging; and is configured to enable the user to enter information in the respective group messaging window in the form of the total amount, participant names, type of expenditure, share of each participant in the payment and special statuses, currencies of participants in international groups; to enable at least one notification message to be sent to the electronic device (2) of each participant notifying them of the amount to be paid when the bill splitting process initiated by the user is completed; to enable the users and participants to select their bank accounts and digital wallet information through the interface thereon by enabling the user and participants to initiate money transfer transactions through the said interface; and to enable expenditures that are not made to be prevented among users by requiring at least one user to upload an invoice or receipt to the expenditure screen thereon; and at least one analysis server (4) which establishes connection with the application (3) and is configured to enable the amounts to be paid to be calculated by means of equal splitting, proportional splitting or inter-group debt calculation by taking into account information in the form of the total expenditure amount input by the user in the group chat through the application (3), the payment sharing ratios and payment statuses of the participants, and the currencies; to enable currency conversions to be performed in the process of calculating the amounts to be paid by participants in group chats on the application (3); the data input on the application (3) by the user in the form of total expenditure amounts and participant ratios to be validated by pre-processing it; debt and receivable statuses for each user to be recorded by using a calculation engine; payment statuses updated after payment to be transmitted to the application (3) on the electronic devices (2) of the participants; and to enable all users who split the bill to be paid to perform money transfer transactions through the application (3) by establishing a secure connection between the application (3) and various bank servers.

[0019] The electronic device (2) included in the inventive system (1) is a smart device in the form of a mobile phone, tablet computer or computer configured to enable the user to run the application (3) by establishing a connection with wired or wireless networks, and to enable the user to send message content to other persons / participants in the group chat on the application (3) through the input units thereon.

[0020] The application (3) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to enable the user to enter a unique user number into the interface thereon; to enable certain users to perform payment and expenditure management in the chat group; and to enable the said users to add and remove participants to the respective chat group. The application (3) is configured, by being run on the electronic device (2), to enable the user to define certain payment rates once within the static group by enabling the user to create the said static payment groups for the family and close friends. The application (3) is configured, by being run on the electronic device (2), to enable the user to create dynamic payment groups, created temporarily in relation to a specific activity or expenditure and can be deleted at the end of the activity. The application (3) is configured to initiate the equal splitting process by dividing the total amount of expenditure evenly across the number of participants by establishing a connection with the analysis server (4) when all participants in the group chat and involved in the expenditure have the same split ratio. The application (3) is configured, by being run on the electronic devices (2), to initiate proportional splitting of the payment amount to be made within the said chat group when it detects that there are participants in the group chat who have selected the bill splitting option on the interface thereon, but who have spent or paid more than the other people in the group.

[0021] The analysis server (4) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to establish a connection with the application (3) and to enable the total debts in the respective chat group to be settled with the least amount of transactions by processing the debt and receivable status of each participant in the chat group created by the user on the application (3) with the “minimize transfers” algorithm. The analysis server (4) is configured to calculate the debt / receivable status of each participant based on the payments and expenditures made by each participant in the respective group on the principle of settling the total debt in the chat group created by the user with the least number of transactions by establishing a connection with the application (3), and to subtract the amount paid from the amount spent when calculating the net debt of each participant. The analysis server (4) is configured to prevent incomplete or erroneous data entry by enabling the validation of data input through the application (3) and input by each participant in the chat group in the form of total expenditure and participant ratios. The analysis server (4) is configured to model the expenditure information, participant information and payment information in the payment groups created in the application (3) so as to be stored in at least a NoSQL database. The analytics server (4) is configured to run the calculation engines thereon in the form of a RESTful API. The analysis server (4) is configured to transmit the updated debt / receivable status of each user after payment to the application (3) on the electronic devices (2) of the participants by recording the debt / receivable status of each user in the database through the application (3). The analysis server (4) is configured to assign a group identification information (ID) to the group created when a chat group or a payment group is created on the application (3), to assign expenditure identification information specific to each expenditure made in the respective groups or to the group, thus, to enable the group to which the user is associated and other users in the group to be clearly identified in case the user in the application (3) makes an expenditure. The analysis server (4) is configured to create the most suitable bill payment suggestions among the chat or payment groups created on the application (3) by analyzing the expenditure information and bill splitting information of the users who have created groups on the application (3) through machine learning algorithms thereon by establishing a connection with the application (3), and to transmit the bill payment suggestions it creates to the users through the application (3).

[0022] Industrial Application of the Invention

[0023] In the inventive system (1), users can both create chat groups and establish shared payment groups for bill payments by running the application (3) on their electronic devices (2). Users save their payment information and debt status to the application (3). When a group is established to make a payment on the application (3), the debt status and expenditure amounts of all users in the respective group are analyzed by the analysis server (4). According to its analysis, the analysis server (4) splits the amount to be paid in the most suitable way by considering the debt status of the users.

[0024] By means of the inventive system (1), it is enabled to calculate the amounts to be paid by means of equal splitting, proportional splitting or inter-group debt calculation by taking into account information in the form of the total expenditure amount input by the user in the group chat, the payment sharing ratios and payment statuses of the participants, and the currencies; to perform currency conversions in the process of calculating the amounts to be paid by participants in group chats; to validate the data input by the user in the form of total expenditure amounts and participant ratios by pre-processing it; to record debt and receivable statuses for each user by using a calculation engine; to allow money transfers through authorized individuals; and to prevent expenditures that are not made by requiring invoices or receipts to be uploaded to the expenditure screen.

[0025] The inventive system (1) operates within the scope of the Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK). In this system (1) payment information, debt information, identity information are analyzed after receiving permission from users.

[0026] Within these basic concepts; it is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive “An Automatic Bill Splitting System (1)”; the invention cannot be limited to examples disclosed herein and it is essentially according to claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An automatic bill splitting system (1) which enables the users using a messaging service to split the expenses made in groups and to perform money transfers securely; comprising at least one electronic device (2) which is used by the user and is configured to enable the user to establish communication with other persons; and characterized by at least one application (3) which is run on the electronic device (2); enables the user to create a group messaging medium by means of the interface thereon; enables the user to select the bill splitting option within the group messaging; and is configured to enable the user to enter information in the respective group messaging window in the form of the total amount, participant names, type of expenditure, share of each participant in the payment and special statuses, currencies of participants in international groups; to enable at least one notification message to be sent to the electronic device (2) of each participant notifying them of the amount to be paid when the bill splitting process initiated by the user is completed; to enable the users and participants to select their bank accounts and digital wallet information through the interface thereon by enabling the user and participants to initiate money transfer transactions through the said interface; and to enable expenditures that are not made to be prevented among users by requiring at least one user to upload an invoice or receipt to the expenditure screen thereon; and at least one analysis server (4) which establishes connection with the application (3) and is configured to enable the amounts to be paid to be calculated by means of equal splitting, proportional splitting or inter-group debt calculation by taking into account information in the form of the total expenditure amount input by the user in the group chat through the application (3), the payment sharing ratios and payment statuses of the participants, and the currencies; to enable currency conversions to beperformed in the process of calculating the amounts to be paid by participants in group chats on the application (3); the data input on the application (3) by the user in the form of total expenditure amounts and participant ratios to be validated by pre-processing it; debt and receivable statuses for each user to be recorded by using a calculation engine; payment statuses updated after payment to be transmitted to the application (3) on the electronic devices (2) of the participants; and to enable all users who split the bill to be paid to perform money transfer transactions through the application (3) by establishing a secure connection between the application (3) and various bank servers.

2. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to Claim 1; characterized by the electronic device (2) which is a smart device in the form of a mobile phone, tablet computer or computer configured to enable the user to run the application (3) by establishing a connection with wired or wireless networks, and to enable the user to send message content to other persons / participants in the group chat on the application (3) through the input units thereon.

3. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to Claim 1 or 2; characterized by the application (3) which is configured to enable the user to enter a unique user number into the interface thereon; to enable certain users to perform payment and expenditure management in the chat group; and to enable the said users to add and remove participants to the respective chat group.

4. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the application (3) which is configured, by being run on the electronic device (2), to enable the user to define certain payment rates once within the static group by enabling the user to create the said static payment groups for the family and close friends.

5. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the application (3) which is configured, by being run on the electronic device (2), to enable the user to create dynamic payment groups, created temporarily in relation to a specific activity or expenditure and can be deleted at the end of the activity.

6. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the application (3) which is configured to initiate the equal splitting process by dividing the total amount of expenditure evenly across the number of participants by establishing a connection with the analysis server (4) when all participants in the group chat and involved in the expenditure have the same split ratio.

7. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the application (3) which is configured, by being run on the electronic devices (2), to initiate proportional splitting of the payment amount to be made within the said chat group when it detects that there are participants in the group chat who have selected the bill splitting option on the interface thereon, but who have spent or paid more than the other people in the group.

8. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the analysis server (4) which is configured to establish a connection with the application (3) and to enable the total debts in the respective chat group to be settled with the least amount of transactions by processing the debt and receivable status of each participant in the chat group created by the user on the application (3) with the “minimize transfers” algorithm.

9. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the analysis server (4) which is configured to calculate the debt / receivable status of each participant based on the payments and expenditures made by each participant in the respective group on the principle ofsetling the total debt in the chat group created by the user with the least number of transactions by establishing a connection with the application (3), and to subtract the amount paid from the amount spent when calculating the net debt of each participant.

10. An automatic bill spliting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the analysis server (4) which is configured to prevent incomplete or erroneous data entry by enabling the validation of data input through the application (3) and input by each participant in the chat group in the form of total expenditure and participant ratios.

11. An automatic bill spliting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the analysis server (4) which is configured to model the expenditure information, participant information and payment information in the payment groups created in the application (3) so as to be stored in at least a NoSQL database.

12. An automatic bill spliting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the analysis server (4) which is configured to run the calculation engines thereon in the form of a RESTfiil API.

13. An automatic bill spliting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the analysis server (4) which is configured to transmit the updated debt / receivable status of each user after payment to the application (3) on the electronic devices (2) of the participants by recording the debt / receivable status of each user in the database through the application (3).

14. An automatic bill spliting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the analysis server (4) which is configured to assign a group identification information (ID) to the group created when a chat group or a payment group is created on the application (3), to assign expenditure identificationinformation specific to each expenditure made in the respective groups or to the group, thus, to enable the group to which the user is associated and other users in the group to be clearly identified in case the user in the application (3) makes an expenditure.

15. An automatic bill splitting system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the analysis server (4) which is configured to create the most suitable bill payment suggestions among the chat or payment groups created on the application (3) by analyzing the expenditure information and bill splitting information of the users who have created groups on the application (3) through machine learning algorithms thereon by establishing a connection with the application (3), and to transmit the bill payment suggestions it creates to the users through the application (3).

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