Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment System and Method

Abstract

A method and system using a communication network such as the Internet to allow registered users the flexibility to pay a bill by using traditional non-electronic payment methods after receiving an e-mail notification. The e-mail notification contains at least summary information which is formatted in the form of a remittance which can be included with the non-electronic form of payment allowing a user to retain the ability to pay a bill non-electronically while still being electronically notified that the bill is coming due. Additionally, a registered user has the option to pay a bill electronically after receiving the e-mail by clicking on an appropriate web address embedded within that e-mail. The registered user will either be directed to a biller website or a Customer Service Provider (CSP) and/or a Business Service Provider (BSP) website and given the option to pay the bill electronically.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . An electronic bill presentment and payment system providing a billing service to payers having user devices for paying at least one biller, the system comprising:
 at least one computer memory storing instructions and data;   at least one computer processor accessing the memory and executing the instructions to perform steps including;
 hosting a website for establishment and administration of user billing information; 
 sending data to the user devices including mobile devices accessing an internet web browser, the data including an email with an embedded URL for the hosted website, the email notifying the user device of an option for the payers to register for the billing service and become registered users; 
 sending billing notifications to registered users, the billing notifications including an email having a billing summary enabling the registered user to pay the bill and an embedded URL enabling the registered user to access to full billing information; 
 when the registered user selects the URL, authenticating the user and presenting a full billing statement for electronic payment; and 
 processing the payment as requested by the registered user. 
   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein authentication includes at least one of a secure user name and password combination and a biometric identification scheme. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the system is operated by a bank and processing the payment comprises generating an ACH instruction when the payer is not a customer of the bank and the payment does not generate an ACH instruction when the payer is a customer of the bank. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the billing summary enabling the user to pay the bill enables the user to pay the bill using a paper check. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the billing summary can be printed as a remittance slip for return of payment with the paper check. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the email message further includes links to informational messages selected by the biller. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein sending the billing notifications to the user devices enables the user device to present to the at least one payer an electronically-selectable option such that the payer can interactively elect (a) paying the at least one bill electronically or (b) printing a portion formatted as a printable remittance slip and mailing the remittance slip with a payment of the at least one bill. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the website is maintained by the at least one biller. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the website is maintained by a Billing Service Provider (BSP), the BSP performing billing services for the at least one biller. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the website is maintained by a Customer Service Provider (CSP) the CSP performing billing services for the at least one biller. 
     
     
         43 . The system of to  claim 33 , further comprising:
 registering the at least one biller with a billing service provider (BSP), wherein the BSP interfaces with the at least one biller with respect to the presentment of the at least one bill; and   registering the at least one payer with a customer service provider (CSP), wherein the CSP interfaces with the at least one payer with respect to the payment of the at least one bill.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the BSP and CSP are the same entity. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the BSP is a bank. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the CSP is a bank. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the electronic summary information contains at least a name of the at least one biller, a statement date, a minimum amount due, a total amount due and a due date. 
     
     
         48 . A method for using an electronic bill presentment and payment system to provide a billing service to payers having user devices for paying at least one biller, the method comprising:
 storing instructions and data in at least one computer memory;   accessing the memory and executing the instructions using at least one computer processor to perform steps including;
 hosting a website for establishment and administration of user billing information; 
 sending data to the user devices including mobile devices accessing an internet web browser, the data including an email with an embedded URL for the hosted website, the email notifying the user device of an option for the payers to register for the billing service and become registered users; 
 sending billing notifications to registered users, the billing notifications including an email having a billing summary enabling the registered user to pay the bill and an embedded URL enabling the registered user to access to full billing information; 
 when the registered user selects the URL, authenticating the user and presenting a full billing statement for electronic payment; and 
 processing the payment as requested by the registered user. 
   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein authentication includes at least one of a secure user name and password combination and a biometric identification scheme. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the system is operated by a bank and processing the payment comprises generating an ACH instruction when the payer is not a customer of the bank and the payment does not generate an ACH instruction when the payer is a customer of the bank. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the billing summary enabling the user to pay the bill enables the user to pay the bill using a paper check. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the billing summary can be printed as a remittance slip for return of payment with the paper check. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the email message further includes links to informational messages selected by the biller. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein said step of sending the billing notification to the user device enables the user device to present to the at least one payer an electronically-selectable option such that the payer can interactively elect (a) paying the at least one bill electronically or (b) printing a portion formatted as a printable remittance slip and mailing the remittance slip with a payment of the at least one bill. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the website is maintained by the at least one biller. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the website is maintained by a Billing Service Provider (BSP), the BSP performing billing services for the at least one biller. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the website is maintained by a Customer Service Provider (CSP) the CSP performing billing services for the at least one biller. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 registering the at least one biller with a billing service provider (BSP), wherein the BSP interfaces with the at least one biller with respect to the presentment of the at least one bill; and   registering the at least one payer with a customer service provider (CSP), wherein the CSP interfaces with the at least one payer with respect to the payment of the at least one bill.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the BSP and CSP are the same entity. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the BSP is a bank. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the CSP is a bank. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the electronic summary information contains at least a name of the at least one biller, a statement date, a minimum amount due, a total amount due and a due date.