Control system arrangements and methods for disparate network systems

摘要

Electronic transaction data sets are processed for a multitude of disparate transactions using a plurality of autonomous payment networks. A software-programmed computer type system receives and processes point-of-sale transaction data to select one of the payment networks associated with a participant ID (e.g., for a buyer or seller) in the transaction data. The system includes a plurality of network-specific interface modules, each associated with a specific payment network for interfacing therewith. For point-of-sale transaction data, the interface module corresponding to the selected payment network communicates payment data to the selected payment network to effect electronic payment for the point-of-sale transaction data.

主权项

1. A computer circuit arrangement for providing data protocol configuration, routing and access to disparate autonomous payment networks respectively having network-specific payment processing protocols, the circuit arrangement comprising:
a point-of-sale interface circuit configured to interact with a multitude of point-of-sale devices and to receive, for each transaction initiated at each point-of-sale device by disparate participants, electronic point-of-sale transaction data that includes data read from a participant apparatus by a remote point-of-sale device, that includes a credit/debit card number, and that is transmitted over a front-end payment credit/debit card network of at least one participant and corresponding to the credit/debit card number, wherein the transaction data includes security information; a plurality of payment network interface modules configured to electronically communicate with associated payment networks using protocols specific to the associated payment network to which communications are sent; and a control processor circuit configured to, for each transaction and point-of-sale transaction data received therefor,
use the point-of-sale transaction data, including the data read from the participant apparatus, to identify participant ID data for at the least one participant in the transaction,retrieve business rules data electronically associated with the participant ID data,use the retrieved business rules data to select one of the payment network interface modules and its associated payment network to process electronic payment for the transaction,determine whether the selected payment network is compatible With a different payment network to receive the payment, and if so, which settlement rules to implement,control the selected payment network interface module to electronically communicate payment data for the transaction data to the module's associated payment network, using protocols specific to the associated payment network and the security information, to facilitate payment for the transaction, andsettle the transaction between the selected payment network and the different payment network by transferring the payment therebetween.