TRANSACTION PROCESSING
In prior art methods of processing transactions, funds for any given transaction are typically designated for payment from a single account. Further, funds are often pre-paid into accounts associated with a subscription to a telecommunications network, reducing the funds that a user can allocate to the single account. This can cause the amount of funds available from the single account to be below that required to cover one or a series of transactions, leading to the problem that only transactions of a limited size or number can be effected for a given account balance. In embodiments of the present invention, a method of processing a transaction is provided in which, responsive to a request for a transaction, a plurality of accounts associated with a party to the transaction are identified, including at least one account associated with a subscription to a telecommunications network. Funds for the transaction are selected on the basis of account balances of the identified accounts. This enables a greater amount of funds to be available for effecting transactions than in prior art methods.
1 . A method of processing a transaction in a data communications network, the method comprising:
receiving a request for said transaction, said request comprising data indicative of an amount required to effect the transaction;
identifying a plurality of accounts associated with a party to said transaction, each said account having a balance of funds associated therewith, and at least one said account being associated with a subscription to a telecommunications network; and
selecting funds, on the basis of said account balances, from individual ones of said plurality of accounts to effect the transaction.
2 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining that a balance of a first said account is insufficient to provide all funds required for said transaction, and selecting funds from a second account on the basis of said determination.
3 . A method according to claim 2 , in which said second account comprises said account associated with a subscription to a telecommunications network.
4 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing said selecting on the basis of rules associated with said party.
5 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising storing balance information for at least one of said plurality of accounts, and accessing said balance information, whereby to select said funds.
6 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising sending a request to a party to the transaction to confirm that funds may be selected from a given one of said accounts.
7 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising authenticating a requesting party of said transaction.
8 . A system for processing a transaction, said system comprising an interface for receiving a request for said transaction, the request comprising data indicative of an amount required to effect the transaction, wherein said system is arranged to:
access balance information relating to each of a plurality of accounts associated with a party to said transaction, at least one of said accounts being associated with a subscription to a telecommunications network; and
selectively allocate funds from said accounts to effectuate said transaction.
9 . A system according to claim 8 , wherein said system is arranged to determine, based on the balance information, whether a balance of a first account is sufficient to provide all funds required for said transaction, and, in the case that the balance of the first account is determined to be insufficient, to distribute allocation of the funds required for said transaction between said first account and at least one further account.
10 . A system according to claim 8 , wherein said system comprises a store for storing balance information relating to at least one of said plurality of accounts, and the system is arranged for perform said allocation on the basis of the balance information stored in said store.
11 . A system according to claim 10 , wherein said system is arranged to contact an account provider via a network and thereby update the balance information stored in said store.
12 . A system according to claim 8 , wherein said system is arranged to contact the account provider independently of receiving said request for a transaction.
13 . A system according to claim 12 , wherein said system is arranged to contact said account provider at a predetermined frequency.
14 . A system according to claim 13 , wherein said frequency is determined according to a profile of said party.
15 . A system according to claim 13 , wherein said frequency is varied according to a time of day.
16 . A system according to claim 13 , wherein said frequency is varied according to a load on said network.
17 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer readable program code which, when executed by a computer system, causes said computer system perform the method of claim 1 .
18 . A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for processing a transaction, the computer readable instructions being operative, when executed by a computer system, to cause the computer system to perform the method of claim 1 .
19 . A database for use with a system for processing a transaction, comprising balance information relating to at least one of plurality of accounts associated with a party to said transaction, at least one of said plurality of accounts being associated with a subscription to a telecommunications network, wherein:
said database is accessible by said system to provide said balance information to said system; and
said database is arranged to intermittently contact an account provider of said at least one account and thereby update said balance information.
20 . A method of processing a transaction in a data communications network, the method comprising:
receiving a request for a transaction, the request comprising data indicative of an amount required to effect the transaction;
identifying a plurality of accounts associated with a party to said transaction, each said account having access to an amount of funds, and at least one said account being associated with a subscription to a telecommunications network; and
selecting funds, on a basis of the amounts of funds, from individual ones of said plurality of accounts to effect the transaction.