Bill Payment Routing via Segmented User Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic bill presentment and payment systems require users to update registration and preference data when switching service providers, leading to inconvenience and increased resource usage, and lack efficient methods for routing bills with single biller account numbers to multiple service providers.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allow users to access bill presentment services without updating registration and preference data when switching service providers, and enable routing bills with single biller account numbers to multiple service providers, using a payment processing network that stores and manages registration and preference data, and facilitates electronic bill payments with a single command.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users switch service providers in existing electronic bill presentment systems, then users can access different service providers, but users must update registration and preference data causing inconvenience and increased resource usage
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments user data into provider-specific registration data and universal preference data. When a user switches service providers, only the registration data portion needs to be transferred or recreated, while the preference data portion remains intact and accessible across providers. This segmentation allows seamless provider switching without requiring complete re-enrollment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a portable copy of user preference data that can be transferred between service providers. This copied preference data maintains its functionality across different providers, eliminating the need for users to re-enter their preferences when switching providers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users switch service providers, then users can access different service providers, but resource usage increases due to data updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts preference data from the service provider context and stores it in a portable, provider-agnostic format. This extraction allows the preference data to be reused across multiple providers without requiring redundant storage or processing at each provider, thereby reducing overall system resource usage during provider switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary organization of user data into transferable preference components before provider switching occurs. This preliminary structuring enables efficient data transfer and reduces the computational resources needed during the actual switching process, as the data is already prepared for portability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bills with single biller account numbers are routed to multiple service providers, then bill routing flexibility improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal biller account number structure that can be recognized and routed by multiple service providers simultaneously. This universal format allows a single biller account number to be valid across different providers without requiring provider-specific transformations or complex routing logic, thereby enabling flexible multi-provider routing while maintaining system simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
Under control of an operator of a payment processing network, a bill presentment service is provided, wherein bills received from a plurality of billing entities are made available to a plurality of consuming entities. The operator also provides at least a portion of a bill payment service wherein the consuming entities are afforded an option of paying the bills from the plurality of billing entities. The operator stores, in a database, registration and preference data pertaining to each of the plurality of consuming entities. At least portion of the registration and preference data includes payment preference data specifying how a given one of the consuming entities wishes to pay at least two of the billing entities. The given one of the consuming entities is afforded an option to pay the at least two of the billing entities with a single command, in accordance with the payment preference data.