IT202100018581A1 - System and method for making payments - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Field of application

The present invention refers to a system and method for making payments, such as for example a payment in a hotel structure, and the following description refers to this field of application with the sole purpose of simplifying its explanation.

Known art

As ? well known, the payment of a certain service by a user? often associated with a certain tax defined by particular administrations, such as municipalities or other local bodies.

As far as the hotel sector is concerned, in Italy there is the so-called tourist tax, which is a local tax applied to users of accommodation facilities located in territories classified as localities? tourist or city? of art.

The collection of the tourist tax poses various problems for hoteliers, who are now obliged to carry out various tasks. In particular, ? nowadays it is necessary to register and take into account each time, for each customer, the amount relating to the tourist tax, with numerous forms to fill in and bureaucratic formalities to complete. even more in particular, once a customer has made the payment, the tax receipt must be issued and delivered to the customer and ? then the manager's task to annually fill in and deliver a form (the so-called ?model 21?) which includes the statement of the activity? of collection and payment of the tourist tax relating to the previous year which has just ended, as indicated by the scheme of figure 1, which represents a system 1 according to the prior art.

In particular, once the payment of the amount due for a service (such as, for example, an overnight stay in a hotel) has been made via a POS terminal 2 which allows payment only of the amount relating to the service to an account 3 connected to the ? hotel, the manager will provide? separately to pay the tax due into the coffers of the relevant municipality, together with the compilation of the relevant forms.

The hotelier? therefore today classified, under this profile, as an accounting agent, with the risk of being accused of embezzlement for embezzlement of the tourist tax in the event that the aforementioned operations are not carried out correctly.

To there? there is also an economic burden for the hotelier, as the tourist tax received from customers must be paid into a specific current account in order to proceed with the payment to the municipality, with the consequent percentages of bank commissions.

The tourist tax, what is it? variable depending on the structures and cities, it reaches significant shares and potentially, in the absence of evasion, could guarantee an annual revenue of 600 million euros to the public administrations. However, due to the mode with which this tax is collected today, there are discontinuous and uncertain incoming cash flows, months apart from each other, with consequent lack of security of collection and in general collection losses by local administrations.

Furthermore, by the administrations, costs must then be incurred for legal expenses aimed at recovering taxes and for business activities. of verification.

there ? moreover, a high probability? of evasion of the tax through the non-payment into the municipal coffers, combined with a great difficulty? monitoring. For example, in 2019, following activities of verification and control, 19.5 million of unpaid tax was recovered. However, there is a substantial undeclared share of evaded and unpaid tax, on which it is not ? activity has been carried out of verification.

? therefore evident that the current system of collection of the tourist tax? characterized by many shortcomings that it would be desirable to overcome. In particular, there the need is to save costs related to activities? of verification and control and to bring to light the large undeclared quota of tax evaded, approaching the theoretical 600 million that it could generate annually.

The technical problem of the present invention? that of devising a system, and a relative method, which has structural and functional characteristics such as to overcome the limitations and drawbacks complained of in relation to the prior art, in particular which allows an easy and efficient payment of taxes associated with certain services, facilitating the work for the managers who offer these services.

Summary of the Invention

The idea of solution which is at the basis of the present invention ? that of making the payment for a certain service (such as, for example, the payment of an overnight stay in a hotel or accommodation tenants) and a tax associated with it (such as, for example, the tourist tax), through a single electronic payment system, for example comprising a POS terminal (or more generally a computerized system comprising one or more units), specially programmed to divide the payment made by the user into two portions, the first relating to service offered and the second relating to the tax associated with it. The electronic payment system in accordance with the present invention ? then programmed and configured to generate and divide the data relating to a transaction (characterized by a specific payment amount for the user), in particular to separate, when the user preferably makes a single payment, data relating to a first amount, linked to the service offered, from those relating to a second amount, linked to the tax due, and to send the separate payment data to make both of these payments automatically and separately towards two respective different affiliated accounts.

Based on this solution idea, the aforementioned technical problem ? solved by a system for making payments, this system comprising a unit? processor configured to identify a user's payment card and allow the payment of a desired amount associated with an expense of said user in relation to a business, a unit? memory comprising operating instructions designed to control the operation of the unit? processing, and data reception/transmission means, in which, through the operating instructions stored in the unit? of memory, the unit? of processing ? further configured for:

- define at least first payment data relating to a first amount associated with the user?s expenditure, and second payment data relating to a second amount that the user must pay;

- separating at least the first payment data from the second payment data so as to subdivide the amount into said first amount and said second amount; And

- on the basis of the first payment data, address, through the data reception/transmission means, data relating to a first payment to a first account, and, on the basis of the second payment data, address, through the reception/transmission means data, data relating to a second payment to a second account separately from data relating to the first payment, in which the first account is different from the second account.

Conveniently, the first amount? relating to a specific service offered by the commercial exercise and the second amount? relating to a tax related to this specific service; in less preferred embodiments, the second amount can? not necessarily be a tax, but be an amount in general linked to the service offered.

The data relating to the first and second payments may coincide with the first and second payment data, respectively (and therefore in this case the processing unit sends the first and second payment data generated and split), or they may be data derived from them, in any case being such as to allow the execution of the payment (for example through a credit institution or payment manager of the processing unit that receives said data, allowing the effective payment arrangement).

In any case, said data can be received by special institutes which carry out the respective payments, which therefore, thanks to the sending of the data flow through the unit, of processing in accordance with the present invention, take place in a separate and automatic manner for managers and customers.

Conveniently, the unit? of processing ? configured with a double convention, with the possibility? to carry out a double communication on two agreed channels, by sending divided data for two different payments. For example, these dual agreements can be stipulated between the institution that grants a POS, the entity to which the tax is paid? due, and the managers of the hotel structure.

Pi? in particular, the invention includes the following supplementary and optional features, taken individually or in combination if necessary.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? processing can? be configured to establish a double communication, in which a first communication ? established to communicate transaction data (ie the data relating to the first payment, for example coinciding with the first payment data) for the payment to the first account, and a second communication? established to communicate transaction data (i.e. the data relating to the second payment, for example coinciding with the second payment data) for the payment to the second account.

In embodiments of the present invention, data relating to payments are sent from a POS terminal to subjects known in the sector, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Bank of Italy.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? processing can? be configured for:

- create a single set of payment data relating to the total amount associated with the user?s expenditure; And

- based on the created payment data, divide the payment amount into the first amount and the second amount by dividing said payment data into the first payment data and the second payment data.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? processing can? be configured for:

- create a single payment request for the user only with the total amount which includes the first amount and the second amount, the payment data being structured in such a way as to include identification information of this first amount and this second amount; And

- after the payment ? been made by the user, divide the payment amount paid into said first amount and said second amount, separating the first payment data from the second payment data.

In this way, the data initially created following the information entered by the manager are included in the set of payment data, said data allowing the user to perform a single transaction and being subsequently separated from the unit? processing (for example inside a POS terminal or other local unit? agreement).

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? processing can? be integrated into a? unit? local and provides, in said unit? local, to separate the first payment data from the second payment data and to issue the data automatically to allow the first payment and the second payment separately, which are distinct from each other and managed separately.

Conveniently, the data to allow the second payment (the second payment arrangement) can be sent to the affiliated municipalities.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? local can? be a POS terminal, in turn including means for reading a user's payment card, wherein said POS terminal, through said unit? of processing, ? configured to start a transaction when the reading means recognize the user?s payment card.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? processing can? be configured to send data for? the accumulation of a plurality? of second payment data relating to a corresponding plurality? of transactions of different users, in order to allow to carry out a payment order towards the second account including a corresponding plurality? of second amounts, for example on a daily basis.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? memory can? be configured to store coordinates of the web services respectively of the first account and the second account, the unit? of processing being configured to automatically set said coordinates of the web services for sending the data relating to the first payment to the first account and the data relating to the second payment to the second account.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? processing can? be configured to automatically calculate the second amount. Alternatively, the unit? processing can? be configured to request manual entry of the second amount before or after or simultaneously with entry of the first amount. In any case, the unit? processing can? be configured to create and/or update the second payment data once the second amount has been defined.

Conveniently, as mentioned above, the unit? processing can? be configured to send first payment and second payment data automatically, for example at separate times or even at the same time.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? processing can? be configured to send data to allow a batch payment against the first account and/or the second account.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the first amount can correspond to the amount due to a hotel, and the second amount can? correspond to the tourist tax due to the municipality in which the said hotel structure? situated.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the unit? processing can? understand a? unit? local and a?unit? remote, for example a?unit? server, in operational connection with the unit? local, in which the unit? local ? configured to allow access to the unit? remote, and the unit? remote ? configured to perform operations based on commands given by the unit? local. For example, the unit? local can? allow access to the unit? remote via a web portal, in which ? resident an application which allows the advantageous operations of the present invention. In this case, are the commands given by the unit? room that communicates with the unit? remote, said unit? remote allowing access to the payment interface with which the aforementioned subdivision is obtained. In other words, it? as a container which allows the main steps of the present invention to be performed.

Does the present invention also do reference to a method of making payments, including the steps of:

- identify, through a unit? processing, a payment card of a user who wishes to make a payment of an amount associated with an expense relating to a business;

- start a transaction using the unit? processing; - define at least first payment data relating to a first amount associated with the user?s expenditure, and second payment data relating to a second amount that the user must pay;

- having completed the user?s transaction, separate at least the first payment data from the second payment data in order to divide the amount into this first amount and this second amount; And

- on the basis of the first payment data, address, through the data reception/transmission means, data relating to a first payment to a first account, and, on the basis of the second payment data, address, through the reception/transmission means data, data relating to a second payment to a second account separately from data relating to the first payment, in which the first account is different from the second account. Preferably according to the present invention, the first amount ? relating to a specific service offered by the commercial exercise and the second amount? relating to a tax related to that specific service.

The characteristics and advantages of the system according to the invention will become apparent from the description, given hereinafter, of an embodiment thereof given by way of example and not of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

In such drawings:

- figure 1 schematically shows a system according to the prior art;

figure 2 schematically shows a system according to embodiments of the present invention; And

- figure 3 shows a sequence of steps of a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed description

With reference to these figures, and in particular to figure 2, with 10 ? globally and schematically indicated a system according to the present invention.

? It should be noted that the figures represent schematic views and are not drawn to scale, but rather are drawn to emphasize important features of the invention. Furthermore, in the figures, the various pieces are represented schematically, their shape being able to vary according to the desired application. ? furthermore, it should be noted that, in the figures, identical reference numbers refer to elements which are identical in shape or function. Finally, particular expedients described in relation to an embodiment illustrated in a figure can also be used for the other embodiments illustrated in the other figures.

It is also noted that, when sequences of process steps are illustrated, they do not necessarily follow the indicated sequence, these steps being able, in some cases, to be reversed.

In general, the system 10 of the present invention finds application in various commercial sectors, such as for example the hotel sector. In this regard, it is immediately observed that the present invention will be illustrated below in relation to an example of a preferred application in which the business? a hotel and the related tax to pay? the tourist tax, even if the present invention is not? to be understood as limited to this specific illustrated application and many other applications of the system 10 are possible. Furthermore, in general, the tax payable can? be any tax imposed by various governments, without limiting the scope of the present invention.

How will it be? explained in detail in the following description, the system 10 of the present invention, which ? capable of executing a corresponding method, it allows to solve the problems complained of in relation to the prior art, i.e. substantially at the time of payment of a user, so that the manager of a hotel structure is no longer able to carry out a corresponding method. obliged to comply with the charges for paying the tourist tax a posteriori. It is reiterated that the present description refers in a non-limiting way to the hotel sector and provided for the purpose of presenting, in a concrete and preferred example, the important and distinctive aspects of the present invention, without necessarily being limited to this specific application.

It should also be noted that some elements known in the payments sector (such as, for example, the role of the acquirers for the execution of the payment, as well as the functioning of the reconciliation engines) will not be illustrated in detail in order not to complicate this description unnecessarily .

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the system 10 first comprises a unit of processing (indicated globally with the reference 11), which represents the main core of the invention and is able to execute steps of a program specially developed to work with it.

It is noted that, in the context of the present description, the term ?unit? of processing? should be understood in a broad sense and pu? represent an electronic system capable of allowing a user to pay for a certain service. How will I come? illustrated in more detail forward, this unit? of electronic processing is controlled by means of a suitable application specially developed and which includes portions of code which allow said system to operate in an innovative manner. In various embodiments, the unit? processing 11 pu? include a set of components, such as unit? local and remote in operational communication with each other. Pi? in particular, how will it be? more detailed forward, the unit? processing 11 pu? include a processor of a POS terminal at a hotel (and therefore can? be a? local? unit) and at the same time a? unit? remote, such as for example a? unit? server managed by a payment institution and in communication with the POS terminal (or more generally with the local unit), both said components being programmed to work in a synergistic and innovative way.

In a preferred embodiment, the unit? processing 11 ? integrated in a?unit? local (for example, as seen above, a POS terminal) and ? configured to send transaction details to affiliated institutions, without necessarily having to interact with a unit? remote specially created for the execution of transactions and payments.

Furthermore, purely by way of example, the application specifically developed to manage the operation of the unit? processing 11 pu? be an? application that, depending on the type of POS terminal in use, ? developed in HTML5 or PHP, without however being limited by a particular language or in general by a particular modality? of implementation.

As mentioned above, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the application is developed to be performed on POS terminals associated with a commercial establishment, typically supplied by banks or found on the free market (this application can therefore be an additional application to the software present in said POS terminals), these POS terminals being configured to communicate in an innovative way transaction data to affiliated entities (and possibly, but not necessarily, also to remote processing units). The signing of specific agreements is therefore envisaged (for example with particular acquirer subjects) for the execution of the system in accordance with the present invention, allowing an innovative use of payment systems such as for example POS terminals.?

Obviously, other embodiments are also possible in which the unit? processing unit 11 does not necessarily include a POS. In fact, the application in question can? also be performed on other equipment such as, for example, tablets, personal computers and the like, which can be in operational communication with a remote server that performs steps in accordance with the present invention, or can even perform all the necessary steps themselves. Devices such as smart POS can be used, or even specially programmed tablets equipped with the means to recognize a user's payment card.

In general, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to identify a user's payment card 12 and allow payment of a desired amount associated with a user's expense.

It is observed that the phase of recognition of the user's card ? to be understood in a broad sense and pu? take place in various ways. For example, in a first embodiment, it can take place via a POS terminal (or in general any computerized unit) comprising reading means (not shown since they are conventional) of the user's payment card 12, in which said POS terminal ? configured to start a transaction when the reading means recognize the payment card 12.

Alternatively, can be expected that the user enters the data of his card through an appropriate interface of a payment platform, which can? be generated by the aforementioned specially developed application. In other words, in this alternative embodiment, the unit? processing 11 pu? be configured to create an interface (for example a portal interface), configured to allow the user to enter information to identify the payment card. According to this last aspect, the commercial exercise therefore allows you to purchase a specific service or product through the web.

To the unit processor 11 of the present invention ? also associated with a? unit? memory (identified with the reference MEM), which includes operating instructions suitable for controlling the operation of said unit? processing 11, for example pu? include the codes of the aforementioned application which allows its control and innovative operation.

It is immediately observed that the present invention is not limited by the particular hardware architecture used. For example, the unit? memory MEM can? be integrated in? unity? processing 11 itself as an integral part of a? unit? local (for example, be an integral part of the processor of the POS terminal), or pu? be a? unit? of external memory, for example on an external server operationally connected with the unit? processing 11, or still pu? a local memory portion and a remote memory portion (both integrated and external to the processing unit 11) may be provided, without thereby limiting the scope of the present invention.

As known in this technical sector, there are also data reception/transmission means, identified with the reference TX, for sending data from and receiving data towards the unit? processing 11, for example towards external accounts, cos? as for a possible internal operational communication between components of this unit? of processing 11. Purely by way of example, the TX data reception/transmission means can comprise a network card which allows an interface to a LAN network or to the telephone network or the like; even more in particular, these TX data reception/transmission means can comprise a modem, an ethernet port and/or GSM/GPRS cards or a combination thereof.

As anticipated above, the present invention allows to manage a transaction of a user who pays for a service offered by a commercial establishment in an innovative way, performing an innovative separation of a first amount (indicated herein with the reference ?Amount1?) from a second amount (indicated herein with the reference ?Amount2?) relating to a tax associated with the service.

In general, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the instructions stored in the unit? of MEM memory are able to do s? that the unit? of processing 11 defines, for the execution of the user?s payment, first payment data (which are indicated herein with the reference ?Data1?) relating to the first amount Amount1 associated with the user?s expense (that is, in the example application, the amount relating to the service offered by the hotel); at the same time, second payment data are also defined (which are indicated herein with the reference ?Data2?) relating to the second amount Amount2 that the user must pay (that is, in the preferred application example, the stay).

As indicated above, the payment of the user can? take place physically at the hotel, for example through a POS terminal or another unit? system equipped with a card reader (which, in the context of the present description, may include the processing unit 11), or even remotely via a payment platform, executed by a unit? server including part of? unit? of processing. In any case, they are always created, through the? unit? of processing 11, the first payment data Data1 and the second payment data Data2, which are structured and managed in an innovative way. In one embodiment, the payment data is created when the user has to pay for the service offered, for example when the operator sets up the transaction by entering the amounts to be paid.

Pi? in particular, advantageously according to the present invention, on the basis of the payment data created, the unit? processing 11 ? capable of splitting the payment amount into the first amount Amount1 and the second amount Amount2 by separating the first payment data Data1 from the second payment data Data2, as shown in figure 2.

In other words, always referring to the preferred and non-limiting example of application of the present invention, thanks to the specifically developed application program (which can be developed to manage the operation of the processor of a local unit ? such as for example a POS terminal which is configured to create, manage in an innovative way and forward the payment data to the competent subjects) ? Is it possible to perform a split of the tourist tax substantially at the time of payment, so that ? it is then possible to make a payment of this tax (separate from the rest of the amount) into the coffers of the municipality.

Once the payment data with the aforementioned breakdown of the amounts has been created and divided, the unit? processing 11 ? then configured to send transaction data (i.e. data relating to the user's payment, which in some embodiments may coincide with the first and second data Data1 and Data2) to carry out the first and second payment instructions, such data being sent to subjects responsible for finalizing the payment as defined by the guidelines of the Bank of Italy.

As mentioned above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to initially create a single set of payment data (indicated herein in a general way with the reference ?Data?) relating to the total amount associated with the user?s expenditure, such payment data Data including the first payment data Data1 and the second payment data Data2 (or at least data elements which are then used to create said first and second payment data Data1 and Data2), i.e. are these data created specifically by the unit? processing 11 at the time of payment, aggregating different information in a data set that unit? processing 11 ? able to manage in an innovative way.

Conveniently, once the overall payment data has been prepared, the transaction is started (preferably a single transaction for the user) and the unit? processing 11 ? suitably configured to divide the total payment amount on the basis of said data, in such a way that the first amount Amount1 is separated from the second amount Amount2 relating to the tourist tax, as illustrated above.

From a technical point of view, this separation of data takes place by separating the amounts through the unit? processor 11 which executes portions of code for subdividing the payment data Data into the first portion of data Data1 and into the second portion of data Data2, which are therefore managed separately from each other automatically. Payment data is then first created and prepared by the unit? of processing 11, said data being used to allow the user?s transaction, and are then separated in the first portion and in the second portion to carry out two different payment instructions, which are managed separately, for example by a credit or payment institution which manages the POS terminal. In this way, through the unit? processing 11, and more? in particular preferably inside the POS terminal (or more generally of the local unit) the separation of the data relating to the two different amounts to be paid to two different accounts is performed.

It is therefore observed that, once the payment data for the separation of the amounts has been created and divided in an innovative way, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to communicate said data (or data related to them) to the competent institutions in order to proceed with the effective execution of the payment. Once the necessary data has been sent, the correct execution of the two different and separate payments therefore takes place in a way known in the sector, where the management of financial flows and collections takes place, for example, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Bank of Italy.

Through the present invention, ? therefore it is possible to define and establish in advance two different agreements, for example one relating to the support bank of the commercial structure and one relating to the entity to which it? the tax associated with the service to be paid is due, these conventions thus defining the specific configurations of the unit? processing 11, which ? able to perform the aforementioned operations in order to send payment flows substantially in parallel to the affiliates.

Making an analogy with the telephone sector, advantageously according to the present invention, as if the POS terminal, thanks to the previously established conventions, was equipped with a double SIM card to communicate independently and separately with the two different accounts. In other words, thanks to the portions of code executed by the processor of the POS terminal (or more generally by the local unit) in accordance with the present invention, once the customer has made a single payment, a separate management of the flows to two different accounts, with direct payment of the tax with a single user transaction.

Advantageously, the unit? processing 11 ? therefore configured to establish a double communication (corresponding to two different conventions), in which a first communication ? established to communicate transaction data (for example corresponding to the first payment data Data1) to a first account (identified with the reference number 13), and a second communication ? established to communicate transaction data (for example corresponding to the second payment data Data2) to a second account (identified with the numerical reference 14).

The present invention therefore allows to manage in an innovative way the payment flows towards two different accounts in an automatic and separate way, in particular towards the first account 13 relating to the commercial operation and a second account 14 relating to the tax (for example an account related to the municipality).

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to perform data splitting locally, i.e. upstream, in order to output two separate payment streams. However, it is noted that, although the above embodiment (in which a local unit performs the splitting of the amounts and communicates with the various accounts) is considered preferred, other less preferred embodiments may be envisaged in which use is made of a different architecture for the? unit? processing 11.

In any case, in accordance with the present invention, the unit? of elaboration 11, after the aforesaid subdivision, ? then configured to address, on the basis of the first payment data Data1, data relating to a first payment to the first account 13 linked to the hotel structure. At the same time, it configured to address, on the basis of the second payment data Data2, data relating to a second payment to the second account 14 separately from the data relating to the first payment.

In other words, always referring to the example of figure 2, after dividing the payment data, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to communicate payment data to certain subjects (as defined by the guidelines of the Bank of Italy) for the execution of the payment, so that the first payment order can be given on the basis of the first payment data Data1 for the payment of the first amount Amount1, and the second payment instruction based on the second payment data Data2 for the payment of the second amount Amount2 to the municipality. Conveniently, the data relating to the first payment and the second payment are therefore distinct from each other and are managed separately by the unit? processing 11.

The unit of processing 11 therefore allows, by sending the split data to the competent subjects, to carry out separately and automatically two payments following a single transaction of the user, by sending through the aforementioned TX data reception/transmission means the data necessary for the payment of the two amounts. It repeats again that the first amount Amount1 ? relating to a certain service offered by the business (such as, in the preferred application example, an overnight stay in a hotel and any extras) and the second amount Amount2 ? relating to a tax related to said specific service (such as, in said preferred example of application, the tourist tax).

? therefore evident that, suitably according to the present invention, there is the possibility? to automatically split the portion relating to the tourist tax from the portion relating to the service offered by the hotel, with a simultaneous separate automatic payment of said tourist tax into a municipal current account.

Sending the aforementioned data to make the payment involves, for example, selecting and sending at least data contained in (or derived from) the aforementioned first and second payment data Data1 and Data2 to the respective institutions (or exactly such data can be sent of payment Date1 and Date2). For example, the data transmitted for the payment arrangement may include information identifying the user?s payment card, the payment amount, and the commercial establishment and any other useful information such as, for example, time information and the like. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information relating to the user's card is managed by the acquirer who develops the transaction in order to maintain high security standards, while they are saved (for example in a remote server managed by a special payment institution or similar) the information relating to the hotel and the amount to be paid to the municipality, as well as as any further information condensed with special forms filled in by users separately, for example to obtain privileges with a wallet to be used for value-added services. For example, this information will be important for processing Big Data in favor of the municipality with statistics, forecasts, incentives, processing of services, discount promotions and other forms of additional payment.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the two payment arrangements are processed separately, with the use of respective different currently available financial instruments and, as regards the second account 14 (i.e. the municipal entity side), the flows can be grouped and paid in a unique way with batch flows with reporting useful for the reconciliation of the flow itself.

In other words, ? Is it possible to accumulate a plurality? of second payment data Data2 relating to a corresponding plurality? of transactions of different users of the same hotel structure, and carry out a payment order towards the second account 14 (ie towards the municipality) including a corresponding plurality? of taxes paid by the various users. In this way, for example, on a daily basis (preferably in the evening) a single batch payment is made to the municipality including the amounts of multiple tourist taxes paid by different users during the day, which are separated and sent by the unit ? processing 11 for their accumulation, in order to further simplify and make more? this payment procedure is efficient. This accumulation takes place through payment institutions capable of receiving data from the unit? processor 11, for example from a POS terminal.

A simple but decisive mechanism is therefore created in overcoming all the drawbacks of the known solutions, which allows an immediate payment (or in any case a payment that takes place during the same day, as indicated in the previous paragraph) to the municipality of the tax, at the same time as the payment of the share of the hotel structure.

In other words, suitably according to the present invention, ? Is it possible to equip a POS terminal (or in general any computerized unit) with a dual agreement, one in relation to the payment to the support bank of the commercial structure and one in relation to the support bank of the entity to which the tax is paid? due, thanks to an appropriate configuration of the?unit? processor 11 (which can? be supplied already equipped? with the two conventions for the double communication or reconfigured by means of communication with a manager that sends appropriate streams of instructions), which ? capable of separating payment data and thus establishing two communication channels. ? therefore in this way it is possible to create, through the unit? processing unit 11 (in particular through the prior configuration of the same with a double arrangement) a system for splitting the upstream payment, so that the data sent by the POS (or more generally by the processing unit 11) for the execution of the payment are sent already? suitably divided. In other words, according to the present invention, ? therefore it is possible to supply the unit? processing 11 with a dual agreement, which can? be configured a priori or ? is it possible to reconfigure the unit? pre-existing, by sending appropriate data flows.

This upstream convention (which can be managed by a special payment institution) therefore allows you to configure the unit? processing 11 to carry out the activities? innovations of the present invention.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the unit? of MEM memory ? configured to memorize the coordinates of the web services respectively of the first account 13 and of the second account 14, ie respectively of the bank of the hotel and of the municipality. In this way, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to automatically set the coordinates of said web services for sending the data relating to the first payment arrangement to the first account 13 and the data relating to the second payment arrangement to the second account 14. In other words, in order to effectively execute the various transactions, for access to banking and municipal web services, the system 10 knows the relative coordinates and uses them when required.

In order to provide a concrete (but not limiting) application situation of the system 10 of the present invention, the operations which are performed according to a preferred embodiment are reported below.

In particular, in this preferred exemplary embodiment, a user shows up for check-out at a hotel and pays by debit/credit card. The hotelier selects the particular mode on the POS of desired transaction (i.e. the one in accordance with the present invention). The hotel manager sets the amount on a POS terminal, also specifying the tourist tax (which can eventually be calculated automatically), and payment is made. At this point, the role of the hotelier ends and the system of the present invention actually comes into play, where the payment data Data are created at the time of payment and are managed by the unit? of processing 11 inside the POS terminal, which separates the portion of the tax from that relating to the hotel service and sends the data necessary to make the payments separately. Advantageously, the transaction to the hotel account and to the municipality account is carried out separately and automatically, which will receive? the tax due daily. This split? possible by providing the operator with a POS already? configured with two different conventions (one on the bank side of the hotel and one on the bank side of the municipality), or even by reconfiguring (for example through remote data flows) existing POS terminals and functioning on the basis of a previous convention. In any case, after the splitting, the two parties to the agreement receive the relative amounts (for example with a value date). After the correct execution of the transaction, the relative parties issue a receipt to the user who has made the payment: the hotel invoice and the receipt of the organization to which it is paid. the tax having been paid, these receipts being transmitted by the entities and received (via TX means) by the POS terminal, which prints them for copying to the user, and everything ends with the approval of the transactions. Lastly, the banks complete the aforementioned operations by preparing an analytical report for the reconciliation and reporting of the flows to the hotel and the institution at the end of the month, these operations being performed directly by accounts 13 and 14 or through specific acquirers.

Conveniently, the system of the present invention ? therefore able to create a filter that processes the user's payment (in particular the payment data Data), splitting the portion relating to the tax and therefore managing to recognize the portion of data relating to the tourist tax (i.e. the second data portion Data2) for its separation and independent automatic payment, with an innovative management of operational flows.

As previously mentioned, the operating flows can be concentrated with a flow useful for reconciliation through a daily report and a monthly final balance.

Not ? then more It is necessary for the hotelier to fill out forms and fulfill other bureaucratic tasks, as the unit? processing unit 11 autonomously sends the necessary data on the basis of the aforementioned payment data. All of this, in addition to greatly simplifying the managers' work, makes it possible to combat evasion, automatically guaranteeing payment flows to the municipalities.

The automatic issue of the receipt for the user and for the manager ? therefore a certain proof that the tax payment has been made, this payment being in fact made directly by the user, at the time of payment of the service, via the POS terminal which sends all the data to account 14 of the municipality.

In accordance with the aforementioned preferred embodiment of the invention, the unit? processing 11 ? then configured to create a single payment request for the user with a single amount that includes the first amount Amount1 and the second amount Amount2, said amounts being both included in the payment data Data and, after that the transaction? carried out by the user (for example after the user has inserted the payment card into the POS), the total amount is split. It is reiterated that, in this preferred embodiment, as illustrated above, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to create a single set of payment data Data relating to the total amount associated with the user's spending, said payment data Data being then used to divide the first payment data Data1 and the second payment data Data2,

Pi? in particular, the payment data Data are organized by the unit? of processing 11 in a suitable way (for example in a data array), creating different sections, for example with a first section including data values relating to the first payment data Data1 and a second section including data values relating to the second payment data Payment Date2.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to automatically calculate the second amount Amount2, i.e. to automatically calculate the tourist tax, for example on the basis of stored information relating to the type of hotel structure or the municipality in which this structure is located. Alternatively, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to request manual entry of the second amount Amount2. In both of the aforementioned cases, the unit? processing 11 ? configured to update the second portion of payment data once said second amount Amount2 has been defined, completing the related entry.

Conveniently, in one embodiment, the unit? processing 11 pu? be configured to communicate data to make a batch payment.

In general, it is observed that this unit? of processing 11 of the system 1 according to the present invention creates upstream and communicates the data to make the payment to a third party, for example the acquirer who owns and leases the POS, which sends the flows to the affiliates, in compliance with the bank's directives of Italy.

In one embodiment, the unit? of memory MEM includes a database structured to include data relating to the hotel establishments that use system 1 and other information useful for creating payment data.

Figure 3 ? a schematic representation of steps performed by a method implemented by the system of the present invention, these steps not being explained again in order not to burden the present description.

Suitably, embodiments of the present invention therefore describe systems and methods of payment of a tax, such as for example the tourist tax, thanks to an additional application to the software present in the EFT-POS terminals which communicates the payment data suitably subdivided , where the transaction ? preferably managed by? unit? of local processing, which separates payment data and ? able to set the coordinates of the web services of the bank and of the municipalities.

? It is also possible to envisage a less preferred embodiment in which the payment data Data is created and sent from a unit? local to a?unit? remote (both belonging to the processing unit 11), which ? managed, for example, by a payment institution that performs the aforementioned data splitting operations and payment execution to the two different accounts.

In general, in other embodiments, you can? however, always provide that the? unit? processing 11 includes a? unit? room 11l and a? unit? remote 11r, for example a? unit? server, in operational connection with the unit? room 11l, in which the unit? local 11l ? configured to allow access to the unit? remote 11r, and this unit? remote 11r ? configured to perform operations based on commands given by the unit? local 11l. Payment data can then be created directly from the unit? remote 11r, which also provides for the separation of said data. ? therefore it is possible to imagine a case in which the unit? processing 11 includes any unit? computerized (such as a tablet), which allows access to a remote server on which the application of the invention is performed and which allows the unit? computerized to perform the above steps.

The unit remote can instead also be used only to perform operations (such as, for example, support operations) based on said payment data, as well as? the upstream management of the agreements with the various entities.

Finally, it should be noted that, although the present description always refers to the separation of a first and second amount, with splitting in the first payment data Data1 and second payment data Data2, ? it is also possible to imagine cases in which the total amount? divided into more of two amounts, with subdivision also into third payment data (for example to be sent to a third account), fourth payment data, and so on? Street.

In conclusion, the present invention allows payment of a specific service (such as, for example, the payment of an overnight stay at a hotel or accommodation tenants) and of a tax associated with it (such as, for example, the ?tourist tax), through a single electronic payment system, for example comprising a POS terminal (or more generally a computerized system comprising one or more units), specifically programmed to divide the payment made by the user into two portions, the first relating to the service offered and the second relating to the tax associated with it. The electronic payment system in accordance with the present invention ? then programmed and configured to generate and divide the data relating to a transaction (characterized by a specific payment amount for the user), in particular to separate, when the user preferably makes a single payment, data relating to a first amount, linked to the service offered, from those relating to a second amount, linked to the tax due, and to send the separate payment data to make both of these payments automatically and separately towards two respective different affiliated accounts.

In order to implement the present invention, upstream agreements can be foreseen with the municipalities (as well as with the accounts of the hotel structures), which can establish agreements with the main circuits, providing the managers of commercial establishments, through the aforementioned executable application in a POS terminal (or more generally in a processing unit), the technology that allows the splitting of the payment, which therefore takes place directly upstream.

The present invention therefore allows coordination between entities that issue the POS, hotels and municipalities.

The POS terminal (or more generally the local unit) can? be provided already? agreement with the municipality, with both conventions residing in the POS, or? is it possible to request a new agreement on a POS already? existing, updating and reconfiguring the POS (for example its firmware) in order to activate the agreement also with the municipality.

Advantageously according to the present invention, the manager of a commercial establishment, such as for example the manager of a hotel structure, is not more forced to fill in forms relating to the tax to be paid and forward these forms to the reference body, with an enormous saving of time, as the system of the present invention automatically forwards the data necessary for said payment. To there? is added the fact that, through the system of the present invention, It is possible to offer a greater guarantee for managers, reducing the risk of incurring criminal charges such as, for example, an accusation of embezzlement, as the tax is always paid in the correct manner.

At the same time, embodiments of the present invention make it possible to considerably simplify the payment procedure, by calculating the tax to be paid and separating it from the rest of the amount, preferably within a single POS following a single payment by the ?user.

There? ? particularly convenient even in the case of large groups (in one embodiment, the amount paid as tourist tax will be reported after the transaction to have the municipality reconcile the amount with attendance).

In other words, suitably according to the present invention, all the procedures relating to the payment of the tax, for example the tourist tax, are considerably simplified and made much easier. efficient.

Furthermore, thanks to the system of the present invention, there is cost savings related to bank current accounts.

There are also significant benefits for the institutions and administrations to which the tax? due. In particular, there always a constant cash flow, in which the? tax is paid instant by instant (or in any case on a daily basis) by the various commercial exercises, as well as? a complete traceability? of payments. Not ? then no additional legal expenses are necessary, since, since the payment is always made automatically, they are no longer? necessary costs for recovery of the tax and for activity? of verification. The present invention also allows for a significant reduction in evasion.

All the aforementioned advantages are obtained with great simplicity? and without the need? of complicated systems. ? it is therefore clear that the system of the present invention solves the aforementioned technical problem and allows all the difficulties to be overcome. observed in relation to the prior art.

Obviously a technician of the branch, in order to satisfy contingent and specific needs, will be able to making numerous modifications and variations to the system described above, all included in the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the attached claims.

Claims (12)

1. System (10) for making payments, including: - a unit? processor (11) configured to identify a user's payment card and allow the payment of a desired amount associated with an expense of said user in relation to a business; - a?unit? memory (MEM) including operating instructions designed to control the operation of the unit? processing (11); e - data reception/transmission means (TX), in which, through the operating instructions stored in? unit? of memory (MEM), the unit? processing (11) ? further configured for: - define at least first payment data (Data1) relating to a first amount (Amount1) associated with the user?s expenditure, and second payment data (Data2) relating to a second amount (Amount2) which the user must pay; - separate the first payment data (Data1) from the second payment data (Data2) so as to divide the amount into said first amount (Amount1) and said second amount (Amount2); And - on the basis of said first payment data (Data1), address, via the data reception/transmission means (TX), data relating to a first payment to a first account (13), and, on the basis of said second payment data payment (Data2), addressing, via data reception/transmission means (TX), data relating to a second payment to a second account (14) separately from the data relating to the first payment, in which the first account (13) ? different from the second account (14). 2. System according to claim 1, wherein the unit? processing (11) ? configured for: - create a set of payment data (Data) relating to the total amount associated with the user's expenditure; And - on the basis of said created payment data (Data), divide the payment amount into said first amount (Amount1) and into said second amount (Amount2) by dividing said payment data (Data) into said first payment data (Data1) and in said second payment data (Data2). 3. System (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the unit? processing (11) ? configured for: - create a single payment request for the user only with the total amount including the first amount (Amount1) and the second amount (Amount2), the payment data being structured to include identification information of said first amount (Amount1) and said second amount (Amount2); And - after the payment ? been made by the user, divide the payment amount paid into said first amount (Amount1) and said second amount (Amount2), separating the first payment data (Data1) from the second payment data (Data2). 4. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unit? processing (11) ? integrated in a?unit? local (11l) and provides, in said unit? local (11l), to separate the first payment data (Data1) from the second payment data (Data2) and to issue the data to allow the first payment and the second payment separately, which are distinct from each other and managed separately . 5. System (10) according to claim 4, wherein the unit? local (11l) ? a POS terminal, in turn including means for reading a user's payment card (12), wherein said POS terminal, via said unit? of processing (11), ? configured to start a transaction when said reading means recognize the user?s payment card (12). 6. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unit? processing (11) ? configured to send data for? the accumulation of a plurality? of second payment data (Data2) relating to a corresponding plurality? of transactions of different users, so as to make a payment to the second account (14) including a corresponding plurality? of second amounts (Amount2), for example on a daily basis. 7. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unit? of memory (MEM) ? configured to memorize coordinates of the web services respectively of the first account (13) and of the second account (14), the unit? processor (11) being configured to automatically set said coordinates of the web services for sending the data relating to the first payment to the first account (13) and the data relating to the second payment to the second account (14). 8. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unit? processing (11) ? configured to automatically calculate the second amount (Amount2), or in which the unit? processing (11) ? configured to request manual entry of the second amount (Amount2) before or after or at the same time as entering the first amount (Amount1), in which, in both cases, said unit? processing (11) ? configured to create and/or update the second payment data (Data2) once said second amount (Amount2) has been defined. 9. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unit? processing (11) ? configured to establish a double communication, in which a first communication ? established to communicate the data relating to the first payment for the first account (13), and a second communication ? established to communicate the data relating to the second payment for the second account (14). 10. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first amount (Amount1) ? relating to a specific service offered by the business and the second amount (Amount2) ? relating to a tax related to that specific service, and/or in which the first amount (Amount1) corresponds to the amount owed to a hotel structure, and in which the second amount (Amount2) corresponds to the tourist tax owed to the municipality in which said hotel structure is located? situated. 11. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the unit? processing unit (11) comprises a? unit? room (11l) and a? unit? remote (11r), for example a?unit? server, in operational connection with the unit? room (11l), in which the unit? local (11l) ? configured to allow access to the unit? remote (11r), and said unit? remote (11r) ? configured to perform operations based on commands from the unit? local (11l). 12. Method for making payments, including the phases of: - identify, by means of a unit? processing device (11), a payment card of a user who wishes to make a payment of an amount associated with an expense relating to a commercial establishment; - start a transaction using the unit? processing (11); - define at least first payment data (Data1) relating to a first amount (Amount1) associated with the user?s expenditure, and second payment data (Data2) relating to a second amount (Amount2) which the user must pay; - having completed the user?s transaction, separate the first payment data (Data1) from the second payment data (Data2) in order to divide the amount into said first amount (Amount1) and said second amount (Amount2); And - on the basis of said first payment data (Data1), address, via the data reception/transmission means (TX), data relating to a first payment to a first account (13), and, on the basis of said second payment data payment (Data2), addressing, via data reception/transmission means (TX), data relating to a second payment to a second account (14) separately from the data relating to the first payment, in which the first account (13) ? different from the second account (14).