AU2021106923A4 - Electronic payments platform - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic payments platform operates via a payments server (400) accessible via the internet (100), the payments server (400) facilitating payments between merchant accounts and customer accounts for merchants and customers registered at the payments server (400). A payment transaction app (20) is configured when installed on smartphone devices (10) to interact with the merchant accounts and customer accounts at the payments server (400). The payments server (400) is configured to integrate with multiple payment channels external to the payments server (400). The payment transaction app (20) is configured to present for merchants a selection of the multiple payment channels integrated at the payments server (400). The selection configured according to a setting status indexed to each of the merchant accounts and each of the multiple payment channels. FIG 1 14 1/13 uCi 0 C-9 z 0 Oo4 0 z It ) or o 0uLU u > > ui or

Description

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ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS PLATFORM TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention concerns electronic payments.

BACKGROUNDART

[0002] Retail electronic payments have conventionally involved considerable time and effort to orchestrate for accepting, processing and reconciling payments. Physical payment infrastructure is typically purpose-built using dedicated hardware devices embodying security principles to process payment transactions to an acceptable level of security and verification.

[0003] There is an underlying need for flexible and safe options for payment acceptance, especially as regards payment in contactless and mobile environments.

[0004] Recent years have seen many new payment channels offered, and many more are expected. These include a variety of 'buy now, pay later' (BNPL) operators, as well as many other models. Cryptocurrency payment channels, plus many other possibilities can be expected in coming years.

[0005] Legacy payment systems offered by merchant acquirers (that is, typically banking institutions) in any typical market will accept cards issued by domestic and usually international banks, as well as in association with credit card providers as is familiar.

[0006] Such legacy payment systems were never designed for integration with the recent proliferation of new payment channels. As a consequence, in many instances merchants are required to integrate each of an increasing number of new payment channels with the selected e-commerce or point-of-sale (POS) platform to enable their customers access to that payment channel.

[0007] As can be imagined, integration with new payments channels can represent a significant technical difficulty as well as significant practical difficulty to merchants, and an obstacle to uptake in new payment channels. Integrations may nopt always be available for a merchant's infrastructure, or may fail to operate reliably or be inadequately supported. The onus also falls to the merchant to maintain the integrity of integration with each of the discrete payment channels sought to be offered to customers.

[0008] This arrangement is a significant disadvantage to merchants and payment channels alike.

[0009] One objective of the present invention is to at least attempt to address one or more of these and other limitations of existing electronic payment solutions.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0010] The inventive concept arises from a recognition that multiple discrete payment channels can be aggregated at an electronic payments platform by integration and offered and selectively provided to merchants subscribed to the payments platform without the need to arrange direct integrations with each of the discrete payment channels.

[0011] The cardinal relationship between the payments platform and payment channels is one-to-many. The cardinal relationship between the payments platform and the merchants is one-to-many. The cardinal relationship between the payments channels and the merchants is many-to-many, intermediated by the payments platform.

[0012] Owing to the resulting technical relationships between the payment channels and the payments platform, and the technical relationships between the payments platform and the merchants, the merchants are relieved of requiring to integrate each new payment channel they may wish to integrate. The merchants instead simply rely upon integration with the payments platform-and can enable or disable each of the payments channels integrated with the payments platform as required. The merchants thus have ready access to a variety of payment channels they may accept at present and in future without incurring otherwise necessary technical integration and ongoing maintenance.

[0013] Payment channels are potentially able to reach a greater volume of merchants and their customers through a single integration with the payments platform, and the payments platform is conversely able to offer a level of convenience to merchants not otherwise possible.

[0014] According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer-implemented method for operating an electronic payments platform comprising:

[0015] operating a payments server accessible via the internet, the payments server facilitating payments between merchant accounts and customer accounts for merchants and customers registered at the payments server;

[0016] providing a payment transaction app configured when executing on smartphone devices to interact with the merchant accounts and the customer accounts at the payments server, a payment transaction between a merchant and a customer being mediated by the payment transaction app;

[0017] configuring the payments server to integrate with multiple payment channels external to the payments server; and

[0018] configuring the payment transaction app to present for the merchants a selection of the multiple payment channels integrated at the payments server, said selection configured according to a setting status indexed to each of the merchant accounts and each of the multiple payment channels.

[0019] Payment channels include, as an example, buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) channels, as well as other alternative emerging payment channels targeting customer niches, which can also be integrated with the payments server.

[0020] The invention and its preferred embodiments of the invention possess manifold benefits as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, some of which are as referenced above in connection with the invention, and also described below in connection with preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG 1 is a diagram depicting elements of the physical infrastructure for a payments platform according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG 2 is a diagram depicting a high-level schematic of a smartphone used to implement the payments platform of FIG 1.

[0023] FIG 3 is a diagram depicting a high-level schematic of a computer system of the type used in connection with the payments platform of FIG 1.

[0024] FIG 4 is a diagram depicting aspects of the logical layout of components comprising the payments platform of FIG 1.

[0025] FIGS 5-6 is a diagram presenting a customer journey relevant to the payments platform of FIG 1.

[0026] FIG 7 is a flowchart depicting a merchant onboading process associated with the payments platform of FIG 1.

[0027] FIG 8 is a flowchart depicting a merchant transaction associated with the payments platform of FIG 1.

[0028] FIG 9 is a sequence diagram depicting a payment transaction process in connection with the payments platform of FIG 1.

[0029] FIGS 10-12 depict pages of a transaction app associated with the payments platform of FIG 1 for conducting a transaction.

[0030] FIG 13 depicts a screen of a merchant portal associated with the payments platform of FIG 1 for selectively enabling and disabled payment channels in the transaction app.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is implemented in an electronic payments platform of a type as broadly described in Australian Innovation Patent No 2021101886 dated 13 April 2021 and in the name of FIN-PAY TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0032] The terms payments platform and electronic payments platform are used herein synonymously as a matter of convenience and are not differentiated terms.

[0033] FIG 1 depicts physical infrastructure associated with a payments platform of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] A payments server 400, also for convenience referred to as simply platform server 400 communicates via network 100 to smartphones 11, 12 of merchant 1 or customer 2 using payment transaction app 20. App 20 is preferably provided as a native app and provided for download and installation on smartphones 11, 12 from third party servers as is generally familiar.

[0035] App 20, as described in further detail below, is configured to create merchant accounts and customer accounts in co-operation with server 400.

[0036] Server 400 may be implemented in a variety of configurations, and preferably as a cloud-native configuration with geographical and operational redundancy.

[0037] Server 400 comprises a frontend server 412 which interfaces with backend server 414. Frontend server 414 interfaces with app 20 and portal 40 through network 100 and backend server 414 interfaces with authentication server 500 and payment gateways 600 also through network 100.

[0038] Network 100 comprises the public Internet (for convenience these terms are used interchangeably) and, as depicted, internet services accessible via mobile telephony networks such as 4G and 5G networks as are variously available. Network 100 is however not so limited and can also embrace (for example) Internet access as may be provided by non-cellular wireless networks (Wi-Fi) and other forms of data connectivity.

[0039] FIG 2 is a diagram of a high-level schematic of smartphone 10, which is identical in architecture to smartphones 11, 12.

[0040] Smartphone 10 has an application processor 210. Application processor 210 is powered by power supply 220. Other elements of smartphone 10 described below are also powered internally by power supply 220. Power supply 220 has a power management module 222 which communicates with application processor 210 and interconnects with battery 224. Power supply 220 is periodically recharged by an external supply (not shown) as required-via wired connection or inductively.

[0041] Storage 230 comprises volatile memory 232 and non-volatile memory 234, each of interoperate under direction from the application processor 210. The application processor 210 reads and writes data from and to volatile memory 232 and non-volatile memory 234.

[0042] Communications 240 comprises a RF (radio frequency) transceiver 242 which interoperates with application processor 210 through baseband processor 244 to co-ordinate transmission and reception of RF signals, principally establishing connection to a mobile network, such as via 4G or 5G protocols, for native voice communications and internet communication. Baseband processor 244 receives signals from the RF transceiver 242 and provides application processor 210 with corresponding data, and conversely receives data from application processor 210 and generals a corresponding signal for RF transceiver 242.

[0043] Other communications modules connected to application processor 310 include WLAN module 246, Bluetooth module 248, GPS module 252 and NFC module 254.

[0044] Interface 260 of smartphone 10 comprises a display processor 261 connected to the application processor 210, which is in turn connected to the display 262. Touch screen controller 263 is associated with display 262 and connected to application processor 210. Touch screen controller 263 receives user input, typically prompted by the content show to a user on the display 262.

[0045] Audio controller 264 connected to the application processor 210 processes between auditory signals and audio data sent to and received from application processor 210. Audio controller 264 in particular receives auditory output from the connected microphone 265, as well as generating auditory output to speaker 266.

[0046] Camera processor 267 is also connected to application processor 210 and also camera 268 for receiving visual input that is processed to be sent to application processor 210.

[0047] Physical buttons 269 such as on/off, volume or display brightness control provide input to application processor 210. Application processor 210 also provides signals to a haptic engine 271 that provides tactile feedback or kinaesthetic communication to a user holding smartphone 10.

[0048] Smartphone 10 embodies various sensors 280 beyond those noted as part of the interface 260. These include accelerator 282, gyroscope 284, proximity sensor 386, barometer 288, ambient light sensor 292, and LiDAR scanner 294.

[0049] FIG 3 is a diagram depicting a high-level schematic of a computer system of the type used in connection with accessing merchant portal 40 as depicted in FIG 4, and generally of the type underpinning the payment server of FIG 1.

[0050] The representation presented abstracts various physical-layer hardware details, which may be variously implemented to provide required functionality.

[0051] Computer system 30 comprises a central processing unit 320 (CPU) that connects via a system bus (not shown) to a storage 330. Storage 330 comprises volatile memory 332, and non-volatile memory 334, each of which interoperates under direction of the CPU 320. The CPU 320 co-ordinates to read and write data records and application instructions to and from storage 330.

[0052] CPU 320 also interfaces with communications module 360, which comprises network interface controller (NIC) 362. NIC 362 transmits and receives data to and from network 100.

[0053] Computer system 30 also features an interface 340 as indicated which operates to interface with a user. CPU 320 connects to various elements of the interface 340 via an input/output bus (not shown). Display processor 341 is connected to CPU 320, which is also connected to the display 342.

[0054] Keyboard 343 and track pad 344 (alternatively, mouse 344) also connect to CPU 320, which provide input directly from a user to CPU 320, in response to what is depicted on display 342.

[0055] Audio controller 345 is connected to CPU 320, which processes between auditory signals and audio data sent to and received from CPU 320. Audio controller 345 connects to speaker 346 and microphone 347. Audio controller 345 in particular receives auditory output from the connected microphone 347, as well as generating auditory output to speaker 346.

[0056] Bluetooth module 348 is connected to CPU 320 and provides near range wireless communications with external devices (not shown).

[0057] Camera processor 349 is connected to CPU 320 and also camera 350 for receiving visual input that is processed to be sent to CPU 320.

[0058] Computer system 30 is configured to be externally powered, with power distributed for operation for each of the described components.

[0059] FIG 4 depicts by way of overview a logical arrangement of the components of the payments platform as generally outlined in connection with FIG 1.

[0060] Server 400 operates transaction services in conjunction with authentication services provided by authentication server 500. Payment channels are integrated with platform server 400 through communication with respective payment gateways 600.

[0061] Each of the payment gateways 600 will typically co-ordinate with an external banking server (not shown) to draw from funds held in an account for a customer 2 at an underlying banking institution. Alternative arrangements not relying upon a banking server are likely to emerge.

[0062] Smartphone 10 which operates installed app 20 is in communication with platform server 400 and authentication server 500 to facilitate payments between merchant 1 and customer 2.

[0063] FIGS 5-6 depict a customer journey for facilitating a payment using payments server 400. Starting and proceeding from left-to-right with reference to FIG 5, a merchant 1 using smartphone 11 uses app 20 to enter a payment transaction amount using keypad 13, in this case $80.00. Merchant 1 then uses app to select a payment channel desired by customer 1 from options 14 presented in app 20. App 20 in response generates a QR code 15 specific to the selected payment channel. Customer 2 uses their smartphone 12 and an app 22 specific to the payment channel to scan the QR code 15 presented by merchant 1 using camera 268 on smartphone 11. Alternative embodiments may use app 20 or a camera app native to the smartphone 12, as an example.

[0064] Turning to FIG 6, customer 2 is presented with the transaction to confirm 16 in app 20 on smartphone 11. As the transaction proceeds with co-ordination from payment gateway 600 specific to the payment channel and platform server 400, as described below in further detail. Once the payment transaction is complete, the platform server 400 is notified, and can in turn notify 17 merchant 1 and customer 1 through app 20.

[0065] FIG 7 flowcharts steps involved in creating a merchant account at platform server 400, which subsequently permits a merchant 1 to sign in to app 20 or to portal 40 to interact with various features of their merchant account. When a merchant 1 opens app 20, a merchant account creation process is initiated in step 701.

[0066] A verification process is optionally initiated in step 702. If verification is skipped, processing proceeds to step 706. If verification is performed, a know-you client (KYC) form is uploaded in step 703. A review and approval decision is made in step 704. If the decision is affirmative, and the presented credentials of step 703 are approved, the merchant account receives approved status in step 705, and the merchant 1 proceeds to the rest of the app 20. Otherwise, if the merchant credentials are not approved, verification is skipped in step 706. Following approval status 705 or skipped verification 706 processing proceeds to app 20 in step 707.

[0067] FIG 8 flowcharts steps involved in a payment transaction. Merchant 1 opens app 20 in step 801. A transaction amount is input by the merchant 1 in step 802. Merchant 1 then selects a payment channel (and thus a corresponding payment gateway 600 for the payment channel). The payment channels presented for merchant 1 in app 20 will typically be a subset of the payment channels that are integrated with platform server 400, and are specific to the merchant account of the merchant 1. The payment channels displayed can be changed by the merchant 1 through portal 40, or optionally through app 20 in alternative embodiments.

[0068] Examples of payment channels presented to merchant 1 include ZipPay TM FuPay TM ,YouPay T M andPayPa TM . Following selection by the merchant 1 (under direction of customer 2) of a payment channel, a QR code for the payment transaction is generated and displayed in app 20 for merchant 1 on smartphone 11 in step 804.

[0069] Customer 2 scans the QR code using their own smartphone 12 using app 22 for the payment channel in a preferred embodiment in step 805.

[0070] The transaction is confirmed by customer 1, and a determination is made if the transaction is a success in step 806. If successful, a receipt is sent customer 1 in step 807. Otherwise, a notification of transaction failed in sent to the customer in step 808.

[0071] FIG 9 is a sequence diagram depicting steps involved in a payment transaction. Merchant 1 starts a transaction in message 901 by interacting with smartphone 11. App 20 on smartphone 11 sends a QR code request to platform server 400 in message 902, relating to the transaction of message 901. Platform server 400 send the QR code request of message 902 to payment gateway 600 for the selected payment channel as message 903.

[0072] Payment gateway 600 sends QR code to smartphone 11 in response 904, which is displayed at smartphone 11 by app 20. Merchant 1 invites customer 1 to scan the displayed QR code aforementioned in message 905.

[0073] Customer 1 scans the QR code using smartphone 12 using app 22, as described above, or an alternative app. Customer 1 confirms the purchase indexed by the QR code, and a response 909 is returned to payment gateway 600 to that effect.

[0074] Meanwhile, smartphone 11 executing app 20 displays the QR code to be scanned in self-message 907 and polls payment gateway 600 for completion of the payment transaction by the customer 1 and the payment gateway 600.

[0075] Eventually, the payment gateway 600 following sustained polling confirms that the transaction is complete in response 910 to app 20 at smartphone 11. App operates the schedule notifying the transaction status in self-message 911, and notification is displayed for benefit of the merchant in response 912.

[0076] App 20 on smartphone 11 at the merchant 1 notifies app 20 at smartphone 12 of customer 2 of the completed transaction in message 913, and in turn displays notification for the benefit of customer 1 in response 914.

[0077] FIGS 10-12 depict a sequence of pages #01-#09 of the app 20 executing on smartphone 11 of merchant 1.

[0078] FIG 10 presents a splash page #01, followed by a PIN authentication signin sequence as page #02 and page #03. FIG 11 presents in page #04 a numerical keypad for entry by merchant 1 of a payment transaction amount in page, followed by the entered amount ($80.00) in page #05.

[0079] After tapping the button 'Charge $80.00' merchant 1 is presented with page #06 which presents a selection of payment channels as an alternative to CARD

/ TM M T TM QR CODE /SMS options. These are ZipPay TM, FuPay , YouPay andPayPaI as depicted. Further options may be available and the page #06 made scrollable as required.

[0080] Merchant 1 taps the ZipPay TM button displayed on page #06, and app 20 transitions to page #07 on FIG 12, which displays a QR code specific to the transaction amount for the merchant 1, the transaction payment amount entered by the merchant 1 and the selected payment channel. Customer 2 scans the QR code of page #07 and confirms payment using their preferred payment channel selected by merchant 1 at page #06. Following processing as described above app 20 at smartphone 11 returns page #08 indicating that the payment transaction is successful, or page #09 indicating transaction is declined.

[0081] FIG 13 indicates a screen #01 of merchant portal 40, which in a preferred embodiment is a web app permitting merchant 1 access to additional information and features that may not be available through app 20 at platform server 400.

[0082] Relevantly, as displayed at screen #01 are settings for a merchant account relating to integrations with payment channels for platform server 400. Displayed are a scrollable list of payment channels integrated platform server 400. A merchant 1 can enable or disable any of the payment channels as a matter of preference from their account settings in this manner, by using the toggle switch elements in the far right column of the screen #01. As indicated, the toggle switches are set so that payment channels for ZipPay TM, Fupay TM, YoupayTM andPayPaTMareenabled, and those for Payo T M Payright TM andSplitit TM aredisabled.

[0083] Merchant 1 may adjust enabled and disabled payment channels as required at portal 40, or through app 20 in alternative embodiments. Additional payment channels may be integrated with platform server 400 as they become available, or conversely retired as necessary. Merchant 1 may elect to adjust payment channels as necessary to cater to their customers 2.

[0084] The foregoing description concerns a preferred embodiment only. As will be appreciated many modifications or alternatives may be made without departing from the present invention.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A computer-implemented method for operating an electronic payments platform comprising: operating a payments server accessible via the internet, the payments server facilitating payments between merchant accounts and customer accounts for merchants and customers registered at the payments server; providing a payment transaction app configured when executing on smartphone devices to interact with the merchant accounts and customer accounts at the payments server, a payment transaction between a merchant and a customer being mediated by the payment transaction app; configuring the payments server to integrate with multiple payment channels external to the payments server; and configuring the payment transaction app to present to merchants a selection of the multiple payment channels integrated at the payments server, said selection configured according to a setting status indexed to each of the merchant accounts and each of the multiple payment channels.

2. A computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the multiple payment channels has an enabled or disabled status selected by a merchant.

3. A computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising receiving a selection of a payment channel from a merchant at election by the customer.

4. A computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising requesting a QR code for the payment transaction entered by the merchant for the selected payment channel from a payment gateway for the payment channel.

5. A computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 4, receiving confirmation of payment from the payment gateway for the selected payment channel by the customer, and notifying at least one of the merchant and the customer accordingly in the transaction app.

​APP 20 ​APP 20 AUTHENTICATION SERVER 500

​SMARTPHONE 11 NETWORK 100 ​SMARTPHONE 12 (MERCHANT 1) (CUSTOMER 2)

​PORTAL 40 FRONTEND 412 ​PLATFORM SERVER 400 PAYMENT GATEWAY 600 ​

BACKEND SERVER 414

C ​ OMPUTER 30 (MERCHANT 1) PLATFORM SERVER 400

DISPLAY SPEAKER MICROPHONE CAMERA HAPTIC ENGINE 262 266 265 268 271

INTERFACE 240 ​ DISPLAY TOUCH SCREEN AUDIO CAMERA PHYSICAL PROCESSOR 261 CONTROLLER 263 CONTROLLER 246 PROCESSOR 267 BUTTONS 269

ACCELEROMETER APPLICATION 282 BASEBAND PROCESSOR 210 WLAN 246 ​ PROCESSOR 244 ​ GYROSCOPE 284 ​ BLUETOOTH 248 ​ PROXIMITY ​ SENSOR 286 RF TRANSCEIVER POWER VOLATILE ​ GPS 252 MANAGEMENT 222 MEMORY 232 242 BAROMETER 288 ​ BATTERY NON-VOLATILE NFC 254 224 MEMORY 234 AMBIENT LIGHT 292 COMMUNCIATIONS 240 POWER SUPPLY 220 STORAGE 230 LIDAR SCANNER 294

SENSORS 280

DISPLAY TRACKPAD SPEAKER MICROPHONE CAMERA 342 344 346 347 350

​ DISPLAY KEYBOARD AUDIO CAMERA BLUETOOTH 348 PROCESSOR 341 343 CONTROLLER 346 PROCESSOR 349

INTERFACE 340

NETWORK INTERFACE CENTRAL PROCESSING VOLATILE ​ CONTROLLER 362 UNIT 320 MEMORY 332

COMMUNICATIONS 360 NON-VOLATILE MEMORY 334 ​ STORAGE 330

NETWORK 100

​PORTAL 40 ​MERCHANT 1

​COMPUTER 30

​CUSTOMER 2 ​APP 20

PLATFORM SERVER 400

​SMARTPHONE 10

AUTHENTICATION SERVER 500

PAYMENT GATEWAY

​MERCHANT 1 ​MERCHANT 1 ​MERCHANT 1 ​CUSTOMER 2

$80.00

​KEYPAD ​OPTIONS CAMERA ​QR CODE 268 13 14 15

​SMARTPHONE 11 ​SMARTPHONE 11 ​SMARTPHONE 11 ​SMARTPHONE 12

​APP 20 ​APP 20 ​APP 20 ​APP 22

​CUSTOMER 2 ​MERCHANT 1 ​CUSTOMER 2

CONFIRM PAID! PAID! 16 17 17

​SMARTPHONE 12 ​SMARTPHONE 11 ​SMARTPHONE 12

​APP 20 ​APP 20 APP 20

START

MERCHANT ACCOUNT CREATION 701

702

YES VERIFICATION NO PROCESS?

KYC 703

704 NO APPROVED? SKIP VERIFICATION 706

YES

APPROVED PROCEED TO STATUS 705 APP 707

END

START

OPEN APP 801

INPUT TRANSACTION AMOUNT 802 803

PAYMENT CHANNEL?

EXAMPLES: ZIPPAY™, FUPAY™, YOUPAY™, PAYPAL™ DISPLAY QR CODE 804

CUSTOMER SCANS QR CODE 805

806

YES TRANSACT'N NO TRANSACTION SEND RECEIPT 807 SUCCESS? FAILED 808

END

​MERCHANT 1 ​CUSTOMER 2 SMARTPHONE PLATFORM ​PAYMENT ​SMARTPHONE 11 SERVER 400 GATEWAY 600 12

START TRANSACTION SEND QR CODE 901 REQUEST 902 SEND QR CODE REQUEST 903 SEND QR CODE 904

INVITE SCAN 905 SCAN QR CODE DISPLAY QR 906 CODE 907 POLL UNTIL COMPLETE 908 CONFIRM TRANSACTION PURCHASE 909 COMPLETED 910 NOTIFY TRANSACTION STATUS 911 MERCHANT NOTIFIED 912 TRANSACTION COMPLETE 913 CUSTOMER NOTIFIED 914

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