Methods and systems for automatically determining and collecting a monetary contribution from an instrument

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided by embodiments of the invention for automatically determining and collecting a monetary contribution from an instrument associated with a donor. An embodiment of a method according to the invention includes receiving an instrument, determining a currency amount of the instrument, and determining a monetary contribution. To determine the monetary contribution, the method determines whether the instrument is a billing instrument or financial instrument. If the instrument is a financial instrument, the method determines whether authorization exists for a monetary contribution. If authorization exists, the method rounds the currency amount of the financial instrument downward to a lower currency amount; and determines the difference (a positive value) between the currency amount of the financial instrument and the lower currency amount, wherein the difference is the monetary contribution. If the instrument is a billing instrument, the method determines whether authorization exists for a monetary contribution. If authorization exists, the method rounds the currency amount of the billing instrument upward to a higher currency amount; and determines the difference (a positive value) between the higher currency amount and the currency amount of the billing instrument, wherein the difference is the monetary contribution. The method also collects the monetary contribution into the target account. Algorithms associated with determining a monetary contribution useful in carrying out such systems and methods are described.

1 - 48 . (canceled)  
     
     
         49 . A method for collecting a monetary contribution from a donor associated with a financial credit instrument, comprising: 
 receiving a currency amount associated with at least one financial credit instrument;    based at least in part on the currency amount, determining the monetary contribution, wherein the currency amount is decreased to a lower currency amount, and the difference between the currency amount and the lower currency amount comprises the monetary contribution; and    collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient.    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising receiving authorization from the donor to collect the monetary contribution from the financial credit instrument.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the lower currency amount is the next lower whole currency amount.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the next lower whole currency amount comprises an integer with a null decimal portion.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the currency amount is decreased by at least one of the following selected from a group comprising: a predetermined multiple currency amount, a fixed amount, a percentage of the currency amount.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the financial credit instrument is selected from a group comprising at least one of the following: a paycheck, a payroll deposit, a payroll contribution, an interest payment, a stock dividend, a bank dividend, shares of stock, an instrument with a monetary value, a check, a monetary deposit, an incentive-program deposit, an automated teller machine card deposit, an electronic monetary transaction, or a smart card deposit.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the monetary contribution is selected from a group comprising at least one of the following: a contribution to a third-party, a charitable contribution, a political contribution, a religious contribution, or a fundraising contribution.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 based at least in part on the monetary contribution, determining a supplemental contribution, wherein the supplemental contribution can be received from another donor.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient comprises notifying the third-party recipient that the monetary contribution has been collected.  
     
     
         58 . A method for collecting a monetary contribution from a donor associated with a billing instrument, comprising: 
 receiving a currency amount associated with at least one billing instrument;    based at least in part on the currency amount, determining the monetary contribution, wherein the currency amount is increased to a higher currency amount, and the difference between the currency amount and the higher currency amount comprises the monetary contribution; and    collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient.    
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising receiving authorization from the donor to collect the monetary contribution from the financial credit instrument.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the higher currency amount is the next higher whole currency amount.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the next higher whole currency amount comprises an integer with a null decimal portion.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the currency amount is increased by at least one of the following selected from a group comprising: a predetermined multiple currency amount, a fixed amount, a percentage of the currency amount.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the billing instrument is selected from a group comprising at least one of the following: a bill, a utility bill, a services bill, a goods bill, a statement of account, a credit card bill, or a bill for a currency amount charged to the donor, a point-of-sale purchase, a credit card purchase, a debit card purchase, a check card purchase, an automated teller machine card purchase, an electronic monetary transaction, or a smart card purchase.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the monetary contribution is selected from a group comprising at least one of the following: a contribution to a third-party, a charitable contribution, a political contribution, a religious contribution, or a fundraising contribution.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising: 
 based at least in part on the monetary contribution, determining a supplemental contribution, wherein the supplemental contribution can be received from another donor.    
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient comprises notifying the third-party recipient that the monetary contribution has been collected.  
     
     
         67 . A method for determining a monetary contribution from an electronic transaction, comprising: 
 receiving a currency amount associated with an electronic transaction associated with a donor;    based at least in part on the currency amount, determining the monetary contribution, wherein the currency amount is rounded to a second currency amount, and the difference between the second currency amount and the currency amount of the electronic transaction comprises the monetary contribution; and    collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient.    
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the second currency amount is higher than the currency amount.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the second currency amount is lower than the currency amount.  
     
     
         70 . A method for determining a monetary contribution from an automated teller machine transaction, comprising: 
 receiving a currency amount associated with an automated teller machine transaction associated with a donor;    based at least in part on the currency amount, determining the monetary contribution, wherein the currency amount is rounded to a second currency amount, and the difference between the second currency amount and the currency amount of the automated teller machine transaction comprises the monetary contribution; and    collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient.    
     
     
         71 . A method for determining a monetary contribution from a paycheck, comprising: 
 receiving a currency amount associated with a paycheck associated with a donor;    based at least in part on the currency amount, determining a monetary contribution, wherein the currency amount is rounded downward to a lower currency amount, and the difference between the lower currency amount and the currency amount of the paycheck comprises the monetary contribution; and    collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient.    
     
     
         72 . A method for determining a monetary contribution from a point of sale purchase transaction, comprising: 
 receiving a currency amount associated with a point of sale purchase transaction associated with a donor;    based at least in part on the currency amount, determining the monetary contribution, wherein the currency amount is rounded upward to a higher currency amount, and the difference between the higher currency amount and the currency amount of the card transaction comprises the monetary contribution; and    collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient.    
     
     
         73 . A method for determining a monetary contribution from a service bill, comprising: 
 receiving a currency amount associated with a service bill associated with a donor;    based at least in part on the currency amount, determining the monetary contribution, wherein the currency amount is rounded upward to a higher currency amount, and the difference between the higher currency amount and the currency amount of the service bill comprises the monetary contribution; and    collecting the monetary contribution into a target account associated with a third-party recipient.