Method and apparatus for processing a charge applied to a financial account

Abstract

In one embodiment, a billing server receives charge data from a card authorization terminal. The charge data indicates a transaction amount, such as a purchase price, and a first financial account, such as a credit card account. The billing server determines a second financial account that corresponds to the first financial account. For example, the second financial account may be the financial account of an insurance company or other reimbursing party. The billing server also determines a reimbursement amount that corresponds to the first financial account. The second financial account is charged the reimbursement amount. Thus, a portion or all of the transaction amount is paid by a reimbursing party. The second financial account is only charged if a reimbursement rule is satisfied. For example, only purchases made at certain types of merchants may be reimbursed. In addition, the billing server may first request approval before charging the second financial account.

1 . A method for processing a charge, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a card authorization terminal, charge data that indicates a transaction amount, a first merchant, and a financial account of an account holder;   determining, by a billing server in communication with the card authorization terminal, a financial account of a reimbursing party that corresponds to the financial account of the account holder;   determining a reimbursement amount that corresponds to the financial account of the account holder, wherein the step of determining the reimbursement amount comprises:
 determining a reimbursement rule that corresponds to the charge data, wherein the reimbursement rule specifies a second merchant, and 
 determining whether the first merchant corresponds to the second merchant, thereby determining if the charge data satisfies the reimbursement rule; 
   applying, by the billing server, to the financial account of the account holder a first charge amount that is based on a difference between the transaction amount and the reimbursement amount, if the charge data satisfies the reimbursement rule; and   applying to the financial account of the reimbursing party a second charge amount based on the reimbursement amount, if the charge data satisfies the reimbursement rule.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the charge data indicates a transaction date; and further comprising:
 applying to the financial account of the account holder the second charge amount after a predetermined time after the transaction date.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , in which the step of applying to the financial account of the account holder the second charge amount is performed if the second charge amount has not been paid before a predetermined time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the charge data further includes a signal that indicates approval to charge at least a portion of the transaction amount to the financial account. 
     
     
         5 . A method for processing a charge, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a card authorization terminal, charge data that indicates a first merchant and financial account of an account holder;   determining, by a billing server in communication with the card authorization terminal, a financial account of a reimbursing party that corresponds to the financial account of the account holder;   determining a reimbursement rule that corresponds to the charge data, wherein the reimbursement rule specifies a second merchant;   determining whether the first merchant corresponds to the second merchant, thereby determining whether the charge data satisfies the reimbursement rule; and   applying, by the billing server, to the financial account of the reimbursing party an amount based on the charge data if the charge data satisfies the reimbursement rule.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , in which the charge data further includes a signal that indicates approval to charge the financial account. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , in which the charge data indicates a transaction date; and further comprising:
 applying to the financial account of the account holder the amount based on the charge data after a predetermined time.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , in which the step of applying to the financial account of the account holder the amount based on the charge data is performed if the second charge amount has not been paid before a predetermined time.