Method and System to Create and Distribute Excess Funds From Consumer Spending Transactions

Abstract

An improved system for consumer payors to save and donate whenever they use cash at a point of sale terminal, write a check, use an ATM machine, or use a credit or debit card. The POS system is a network composed of subscriber/payors, neutral merchant/collectors, a central clearinghouse, and provider accounts. The Rounder system is a network composed of subscriber/payors, payees, account managers, and provider services. The systems together provide subscriber/payors with a seamless way to save/donate every time they spend.

1 . A method of accumulating credits in payor surplus accounts from financial transactions between a payor and a payee, comprising: 
 entering a demanded amount due the payee:    entering an additional amount offered by the payor:    and depositing the additional amount in the surplus account.    
   
   
       2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing the additional amount includes the step of the payee crediting the additional amount to the surplus account in the hands of a central clearing entity, so that the payee remains neutral to the additional amounts.  
   
   
       3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said step of entering an additional amount includes calculating the additional amount from predetermined data associated with the surplus account.  
   
   
       4 . A method as in  claim 2 , further comprising the step of printing out the status of said surplus account.  
   
   
       5 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein said surplus account includes sub accounts identifying a plurality of charities, bank, and other sub accounts and the step of depositing the additional amount includes assigning predetermined portions of said surplus account to said sub accounts.  
   
   
       6 . A method as in  claim 3 , further comprising the step of printing out the status of said surplus account.  
   
   
       7 . A method as in  claim 3 , wherein said surplus account includes sub accounts identifying a plurality of charities, banks, and other sub accounts and the step of depositing the additional amount includes assigning predetermined portions of said surplus account to said sub accounts.  
   
   
       8 . A system for accumulating credits in surplus accounts from financial transactions between a payor and a payee, comprising: 
 a network:    first entry means for entering a demanded amount due the payee;    second entry means for entering an additional amount offered by the payor; and    depositing means for depositing the additional amount in the surplus account.    
   
   
       9 . A system as in  claim 8 , wherein the depositing means includes payee crediting means for the payee crediting the additional amount to the surplus account in the hands of a central clearing entity, so that the payee remains neutral to the additional amounts.  
   
   
       10 . A system as in  claim 8 , wherein said second entering means includes calculating means for calculating the additional amount from predetermined data associated with the surplus account.  
   
   
       11 . A system as in  claim 9 , further comprising printing means for printing out the status of said surplus account.  
   
   
       12 . A system as in  claim 9 , wherein said surplus account includes sub accounts identifying a plurality of charities, bank, and other financial institutions and the depositing means includes assigning means for assigning predetermined portions of said surplus account to said sub accounts.  
   
   
       13 . A system as in  claim 10 , further comprising printing means for printing out the status of said surplus account.  
   
   
       14 . A system as in  claim 10 , wherein said surplus account includes sub accounts identifying a plurality of charities, banks, and other financial institutions and said the depositing means includes assigning means for assigning predetermined portions of said surplus account to said sub accounts. 
 causing, by the processor, funds relating to the predetermined dollar investment amount to be transferred to an investment account.    
   
   
       16 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising the accumulating the funds until a predetermined completion time.  
   
   
       17 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising 
 comparing an investment total to a predetermined investment limit; and    canceling transfer of the funds if completion of the transfer of funds will cause the investment total to exceed of a predetermined investment limit.    
   
   
       18 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising 
 comparing a primary-investment total to a primary-investment limit; and    determining a roll-over amount for the request based on the primary investment total and the primary investment limit: and causing funds equal to the roll-over amount to be transferred to a second investment account.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said transferring the funds comprises the step of adding the roll-over amount to a secondary-investment total.  
   
   
       20 . The method of claim  15 , wherein the investment-preference information comprises an investment total and a predetermined investment limit.  
   
   
       21 . A method of for effectuating an investment comprising, 
 prompting a user., during a point-of-sale transaction, to request that an on-demand investment transaction be performed; 
 receiving, by a processor, a request from the user: and  
 causing, by the processor, funds to be transferred to the an investment account, wherein the funds equal a predetermined dollar investment amount determined independently of a purchase amount determined during the point-of-sale transaction, upon receipt of the request from the user.  
   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the funds are transferred to the investment account from a purchasing account of the user.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the funds are transferred to the investment account from a source other than a purchasing account of the user.  
   
   
       24 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising: 
 receiving, from the purchaser at during the point-of-sale transaction, a request to modify the predetermined dollar investment amount.    
   
   
       25 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising: 
 receiving a request to process a point-of-sale transaction, the request including information relating to a transaction amount; and    adding the predetermined dollar investment amount to the transaction amount, during processing of the point-of-sale transaction.    
   
   
       26 . A method of investing, comprising: 
 receiving a request from a user to make an investment in a first investment account, wherein the first investment account is designated by the user as a primary investment account;    determining whether making the investment in the first investment account violates at least one predetermined rule relating to the first investment account; and    automatically contributing at least a portion of the investment into a second investment account designated by the user as a secondary investment account, if making the investment in the first investment account violates said at least one predetermined rule.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 accessing information received from a user for designating the first investment account as primary and the second investment account as secondary.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first investment account is managed by a first investment provider and the second investment account is managed by a second investment provider.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the predetermined rule is a maximum account value.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the predetermined rule is a maximum contribution amount.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the predetermined rule is violated if making the investment in the first investment account fails.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 contributing at least a portion of the investment into the first investment account, if making the investment in the first investment account does not violate said at least one predetermined rule.    
   
   
       33 . A method of investing, comprising: 
 receiving a request to make an investment, wherein the request is received from a purchaser at a point-of-sale location;    identifying investment-preference information associated with the request, wherein the investment-preference information includes a first investment choice and a second investment choice, the first investment choice and the second investment choice are being designated by the user, and a predetermined dollar investment amount for the on-demand investment, the predetermined dollar investment amount being determined independently of a purchase amount determined at the point-of-sale location:    attempting to fulfill the request by attempting to contribute the predetermined dollar investment amount to the first investment choice; and    automatically contributing at least a portion of the predetermined dollar investment amount to the second investment choice, if the attempting to contribute the predetermined dollar investment amount to the first investment choice fails.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said attempting to contribute the predetermined dollar investment amount to the first investment choice fails when contributing the predetermined dollar investment amount to the first investment choice causes a maximum contribution total amount associated with the first investment choice to be exceeded.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the identified investment-preference information is received from a card used by the purchaser to effectuate purchases.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the card is at least one of: a credit card, a debit card, smart card and stored value card.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the card includes a microprocessor which stores the investment-preference information.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the card includes a microprocessor which stores information relating to funds available in at least one of the first investment choice or the second investment choice  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the investment preference information further includes at least one of the following: investment account identification information, investment account balances, investment account contribution limits, purchaser investment choices, and fixed transaction amounts.  
   
   
       40 . A method of investing, comprising: 
 receiving a request to make an investment, wherein the request is generated by a purchaser at a point-of-sale location, and wherein the request includes investment amount information relating to an investment contribution amount;    identifying investment-preference information associated with the request, the investment-preference information relating to a first investment choice and a second investment choice, wherein the first investment choice and the second investment choice are designated by the user;    determining whether a total amount of the first investment choice including the investment contribution amount is greater than a predetermined maximum amount; and    contributing at least a portion of the investment contribution amount to the second investment choice, when the total amount of the first investment choice is greater than the predetermined amount.    
   
   
       41 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising: 
 identifying investment-preference information associated with the request, wherein the investment-preference information includes a first investment choice and a second investment choice, the first investment choice and the second investment choice being designated by the user;    attempting to fulfill the request by attempting to contribute the predetermined dollar investment amount to the first investment choice; and    automatically contributing at least a portion of the predetermined dollar investment amount to the second investment choice, if the attempting to contribute the predetermined dollar investment amount to the first investment choice fails.