Electronic check-based payment system and methods for issuing, transferring, paying and verifying electronic checks

Abstract

The invention relates to the sphere of information technologies, in particular, to electronic systems and monetary-fund circulation methods and can be used for solving problems of mutual settlements between participants of the electronic payment system in real-time mode. In doing so, the analogue of monetary funds in the invention presented are electronic bank bearer checks complying with bank regulations and the requirements of applicable legislation. The client application units are rendered as grouped into modules by categories corresponding to the user status determined by the unit of authorization of the client and server applications, with provision of the possibility of pre-setting a group of check circulation parameters for each category. The issue of checks is accompanied by the creation of legally-valid documents and reflection of transactions in the check register.

1 . A method for securely issuing electronic checks in an electronic check settlement system comprising a server computer device connected to a client computer device, wherein the server computer device is connected to the client computer device via at least an Internet network, the server computer device and the client computer device each comprising an encryption module for secure communication over the Internet network, said method comprising:
 establishing, via the Internet network, a secure communication channel between the respective encryption modules of the server computer device and the client computer device, wherein:
 the respective encryption modules of the server computer device and the client computer device each include firmware, and 
 wherein the firmware included in the encryption module of the server computer device comprises:
 a server unit for authorization and verification of user parameters, 
 a server unit for electronic check management, 
 a server unit for electronic check issue, 
 a server unit for registration of electronic check transfers, and 
 a server unit for sending online notices; 
 
   receiving, by the server computer device via execution of the server unit for authorization and verification of user parameters and from the client computer device via the secure communication channel, authorization information for a check issuer;   executing, by the server computer device via execution of the server unit for authorization and verification of user parameters, authorization of the check issuer based on the authorization information;   after receiving the authorization information for the check issuer from the client computer device and executing authorization of the sender based on the authorization information, verifying, via the server unit for authorization and verification of user parameters, monetary funds in an account of the check issuer;   following the verification of the monetary funds in the account of the check issuer, producing, by the server computer device via execution of the server unit for electronic check issue, an electronic check for transmitting to a recipient;   recording, by the server computer device via execution of the server unit for registration of electronic check transfers, issuance of the electronic check of the check issuer; and   transmitting, by the server computer device via execution of the server unit for sending online notices, a transaction notification to at least one of the check issuer and a recipient, wherein the transaction notification confirms the electronic check issuance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising verifying, by the server computer device, the account information by assigning a category to the account information, the category representing permissions that the sender has within the electronic check settlement system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the receiving, by the server computer device, the authorization information for the sender from the client computer device:
 sending, by the server computer device, to the client computer device at least the account information associated with the sender; and   wherein the client computer device displays at least the account information associated with the sender, the account information including at least information relating to at least the electronic account of the sender, including information representative of at least one of:
 an electronic account number, 
 a description of the electronic account, 
 an indication of an active balance in the electronic account, 
 a number of the electronic check referenced to the electronic account, and data on a bank associated with the electronic account. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, when verifying, by the server computer device, the monetary funds results in a negative response:
 generating an error message; and   transferring the error message to a client application.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein verifying the monetary funds comprises:
 comparing, by the server computer device, an amount to be transferred against an amount available in the electronic account; and   blocking, by the server computer device, a reserve amount in the electronic account of the sender account, the reserve amount being sufficient to cover the amount to be transferred.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein verifying the monetary funds comprises:
 comparing the amount to be transferred against an amount available in the electronic account; and   responsive to the amount to be transferred at least matching the amount available in the electronic account, electronically depositing, by the server computer device, the electronic transfer check in the electronic account of the recipient.