Buyer-Seller Interfaces and Methods for Disparate Network Systems

Abstract

An electronic transaction interface circuit routes transaction data for processing using disparate electronic payment systems. According to an example embodiment, a software-programmed computer interface circuit receives transaction data from a point-of-sale device, and routes the data according to identifier data in the transaction data. Certain sets of transaction data are routed directly to a payment network, and other sets of transaction data are routed to an electronic payment processing system that selects and routes data upon disparate payment networks for each of a buyer and seller involved in a transaction to which the transaction data corresponds. Some embodiments involve selecting the disparate payment networks based upon selection rule data defined by buyer and/or seller participants in the transactions.

1 . A software-programmed computer interface circuit for use in a system that facilitates electronic payment between sellers providing goods or services to buyers paying for the goods or services, the electronic payment being provided between disparate, autonomous payment networks of the buyers and sellers, the interface circuit comprising:
 an electronic interface input circuit to receive, from a seller point-of-sale device and over at least one of the autonomous payment networks, sets of transaction data for respective transactions, each set of transaction data including a buyer identifier, a seller identifier, and a transaction amount; and   a software-programmed computer routing circuit configured to execute an algorithm using the buyer identifier and seller identifier to
 route the sets of transaction data for certain ones of the transactions to a payment network for settlement between the buyer and seller, and 
 route the sets of transaction data for certain other ones of the transactions to an electronic payment processing system for executing electronic payment between a payment network for the buyer and a disparate, autonomous payment network for the seller. 
   
     
     
         2 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the software-programmed computer routing circuit is configured to route the sets of transaction data for certain ones of the transactions to a payment network for settlement between the buyer and seller by routing a set of transaction data to a single payment network that processes the data to provide electronic payment from the buyer to the seller. 
     
     
         3 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the software-programmed computer routing circuit is configured to route the sets of transaction data for certain other ones of the transactions to an electronic payment processing system that uses a first payment network for the buyer and a disparate, autonomous second payment network for the seller by routing a set of transaction data to the first payment network to provide electronic funds for the transaction, and routing a set of transaction data to the disparate payment network to facilitate the payment of electronic funds to cover the transaction. 
     
     
         4 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the software-programmed computer routing circuit is configured with
 a plurality of software-based payment network interface modules to electronically communicate with associated payment networks using protocols specific to the associated payment network to which communications are sent, and   a software-based control module to, for the sets of transaction data received for each transaction,
 use the transaction data to identify participant ID data for at least one participant in the transaction, 
 retrieve business rules data electronically associated with the participant ID data, 
 use the retrieved business rules data to select one of the payment network interface modules to process electronic payment for the transaction, and 
 control the selected payment network interface module to electronically communicate payment data for the transaction data to the module's associated payment network, using protocols specific to the associated payment network, to facilitate payment for the transaction. 
   
     
     
         5 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the software-programmed computer routing circuit is configured to select at least one of the payment networks by executing an algorithm using at least one of the buyer identifier and the seller identifier to select a payment network independently from any association between the seller identification data and the selected network. 
     
     
         6 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the software-programmed computer routing circuit is configured to select at least one of the payment networks by executing an algorithm using at least one of the buyer identifier and the seller identifier to select a payment network that is different from a payment network associated with the at least one of the buyer identifier and the seller identifier. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method for use in a system that facilitates electronic payment between sellers providing goods or services to buyers paying for the goods or services, the electronic payment being provided between disparate, autonomous payment networks of the buyers and sellers, the method comprising
 receiving, from a seller point-of-sale device and over at least one of the autonomous payment networks, sets of transaction data for respective transactions, each set of transaction data including a buyer identifier, a seller identifier, and a transaction amount;   routing the sets of transaction data for certain ones of the transactions to a payment network for settlement between the buyer and seller, and   routing the sets of transaction data for certain other ones of the transactions to an electronic payment processing system for executing electronic payment between a payment network for the buyer and a disparate, autonomous payment network for the seller.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein routing the sets of transaction data for certain ones of the transactions to a payment network for settlement between the buyer and seller includes routing a set of transaction data to a single payment network that processes the data to provide electronic payment from the buyer to the seller. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein routing the sets of transaction data for certain other ones of the transactions to an electronic payment processing system that uses a first payment network for the buyer and a disparate, autonomous second payment network for the seller includes
 routing a set of transaction data to the first payment network to provide electronic funds for the transaction, and   routing a set of transaction data to the disparate payment network to facilitate the payment of electronic funds to cover the transaction.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further including
 identifying, from each set of transaction data, participant ID data for at least one participant in the transaction,   retrieving business rules data electronically associated with the participant ID data,   using the retrieved business rules data to select one of a plurality of software-based payment network interface modules configured to electronically communicate with associated payment networks using protocols specific to the associated payment network to which communications are sent, and   controlling the selected payment network interface module to electronically communicate payment data for the transaction data to the module's associated payment network, using protocols specific to the associated payment network, to facilitate payment for the transaction.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable storage medium for storing electronic data that, when executed by a software-programmed computer processor circuit, causes the processor circuit to implement the following steps to facilitate electronic payment between sellers providing goods or services to buyers paying for the goods or services, the electronic payment being provided between disparate, autonomous payment networks of the buyers and sellers, the steps comprising:
 receiving, from a seller point-of-sale device and over at least one of the autonomous payment networks, sets of transaction data for respective transactions, each set of transaction data including a buyer identifier, a seller identifier, and a transaction amount;   routing the sets of transaction data for certain ones of the transactions to a payment network for settlement between the buyer and seller, and   routing the sets of transaction data for certain other ones of the transactions to an electronic payment processing system for executing electronic payment between a payment network for the buyer and a disparate, autonomous payment network for the seller.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented system that facilitates electronic payment between sellers providing goods or services to buyers paying for the goods or services, the payment being provided between disparate payment networks of the buyers and sellers and the buyers collectively using a plurality of electronic buyer identifier types, each identifier type issued for use with one or more payment networks, the system comprising:
 a plurality of electronic data interfaces to receive sets of electronic transaction data, each data set including buyer identifier data, seller identifier data, and data identifying a transaction amount, each interface accepting data representing a respective subset of the buyer identifier types; and   a software-programmed computer routing circuit configured to route the sets of electronic transaction data from the plurality of interfaces to a routing circuit that routes the transaction data to an electronic payment network that is different from the one or more payment networks for which the electronic identifier type is issued.