Multi-Network Payment Data Unification for Merchant Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for updating payment card information in account-on-file transactions are inefficient due to the lack of interoperability between billing updaters and other payment systems, making it difficult for merchants to obtain and manage updated cardholder data, particularly expiration dates, leading to failed transactions and reduced benefits for both merchants and cardholders.
Innovation Solution
An automatic billing and cardholder profile updater (ABCPU) system that communicates across multiple networks to retrieve and unify billing data and card profile data, providing a single update response to merchants, thereby enhancing interoperability and reducing the need for separate queries and responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If billing updaters operate separate from other payment systems, then system simplicity is maintained, but interoperability and data integration are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the billing updater functionality with card profile database access into a unified system. The billing updater now simultaneously retrieves both billing data and card profile data, eliminating the need for separate systems and improving interoperability while managing complexity through integrated architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The billing updater is enhanced to perform multiple functions: retrieving billing data, accessing card profile data, and coordinating with multiple payment networks. This multi-functional approach improves system versatility and interoperability across different payment ecosystems
2Measurement precision
If merchants query each cardholder for updated payment card expiration dates, then data accuracy is improved, but customer convenience and system efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically retrieving updated billing data and card profile data from the cardholder's issuer without requiring customer intervention. The billing updater autonomously queries the card profile database and updates merchant systems, maintaining data accuracy while preserving customer convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively retrieving updated card profile data before merchants need to process transactions. The billing updater continuously monitors and updates expiration dates in advance, ensuring data accuracy is maintained without requiring merchants or cardholders to take action
3Loss of information
If multiple separate queries are sent to different systems, then comprehensive data retrieval is achieved, but response time and system efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple data retrieval operations into a single unified process. The billing updater simultaneously obtains both billing data and card profile data in one coordinated operation, reducing the number of separate queries and responses while maintaining complete data retrieval
Solution Approach 2:
The billing updater acts as an intermediary that consolidates multiple data sources. It receives a single query from the merchant, then coordinates with both billing databases and card profile databases, retrieving all necessary data through one centralized interface before returning a comprehensive response
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic billing and cardholder profile updater (ABCPU) computing device is provided. The ABCPU computing device receives an update request including an account identifier and associated with a candidate payment account over a first network, retrieves billing data associated with the candidate payment account from a billing database that stores billing data associated with a plurality of payment accounts, generates a card profile query including the account identifier, transmits the card profile query over a second network separate from the first network, receives card profile data associated with the candidate payment account from a card profile database that stores card profile data associated with a plurality of payment accounts, generates an update response including the retrieved billing data and the received card profile data, and transmits the update response over the first network to at least one of an acquirer and a merchant associated with the update request.