IP Library Granted Patent US 11,842,325
Granted Patent B2
US 11,842,325 · App. 17/176,361 · Granted Dec 12, 2023

Systems and methods for least cost acquirer routing for pricing models

Inventor: Thiru Srinivasan (Highlands Ranch, CO)
Assignee: Worldpay, LLC
G06Q20/027G06Q20/24G06Q20/356
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,842,325
App. No.
17/176,361
Granted
Dec 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for least cost acquirer routing based on pricing models. One method comprises: receiving transaction-related information from a merchant, the transaction-related information including a payment network identifier of the payment network used in the initiated payment transaction; identifying the payment network used based on the payment network identifier determining the primary qualification criteria pertaining to the payment network used; determining an interchange rate and an interchange category based on the primary qualification criteria and the received transaction related information; determining a pricing model of an acquirer that yields the lowest fees applicable to the merchant based on one or more of, the transaction related information, the primary qualification criteria, and the interchange category; and transmitting the transaction-related information to the acquirer.

Claims (78)

1. A computer-implemented method for a least cost acquirer routing of electronic payment transactions based on pricing models of acquirers, the method comprising:

storing, by a server, one or more current primary qualification criteria sets received from one or more payment networks, wherein each primary qualification criteria set comprises a set of rules for determining an interchange fee and/or an interchange category for a given transaction for a corresponding payment network of the one or more payment networks;

storing, by the server, a plurality of current pricing models received from a plurality of acquirers;

receiving, by the server, from a computing device associated with a merchant, transaction-related information for a current transaction, the transaction-related information comprising merchant identification data, payment network identification data, and a transaction amount;

retrieving, by the server, a current primary qualification criteria set of the one or more current primary qualification sets pertaining to the payment network associated with the payment network identification data for the current transaction;

determining, by the server and based on the retrieved current primary qualification criteria set, an interchange fee;

determining, by the server and based on the transaction-related information, an interchange category;

determining, by the server, for each of the plurality of acquirers associated with the merchant, and based on the interchange category and the transaction-related information, applicable pricing models from the plurality of stored current pricing models;

determining, by the server, for each of the plurality of acquirers, and based on the applicable pricing models, a least cost markup rate for the transaction;

generating, by the server, a data structure comprising a comparison table for the transaction, the comparison table storing the least cost markup rate determined for each of the plurality of acquirers;

selecting, by the server and based on the comparison table, a least cost acquirer that yields a lowest markup rate for the current transaction among the plurality of acquirers;

determining, by the server, and based on the comparison table and the merchant identification data, a messaging format supported by the least cost acquirer;

translating, by the server, the transaction-related information into the messaging format supported by the least cost acquirer;

determining, by the server, a total applicable rate for the transaction based on the interchange fee and the lowest markup rate; and

transmitting, by the server over an electronic network, the translated transaction-related information and the total applicable rate to the least cost acquirer.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transaction-related information further includes one or more of:

a primary account number;

an issuer identification number;

a payment card number;

a mode of payment; and

whether an address verification system was utilized.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the current pricing models comprise one or more of: a tiered pricing model and an interchange plus pricing model.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the interchange fee is represented by a rate.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the merchant identification data was assigned to the merchant by the server upon the merchant pre-registering with the server.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the server, i) a merchant identifier assigned by the least cost acquirer that corresponds to the merchant identification data in the transaction-related information and ii) a second messaging format used by the least cost acquirer, based on a mapping data structure linking the merchant identification data in the transaction-related information to the merchant identifier assigned by the least cost acquirer,

wherein the transaction-related information in a first messaging format is translated to the second messaging format based on the mapping data structure.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the first messaging format is JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and the second messaging format is one of Extensible Markup Language (XML) or ISO 8583.

8. A system for a least cost acquirer routing based on pricing models of acquirers, the system comprising:

at least one data storage device storing instructions for the least cost acquirer routing; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method comprising:

storing, by a server, one or more current primary qualification criteria sets received from one or more payment networks, wherein each primary qualification criteria set comprises a set of rules for determining an interchange fee and/or an interchange category for a given transaction for a corresponding payment network of the one or more payment networks;

storing, by the server, a plurality of current pricing models received from a plurality of acquirers;

receiving, by the server, from a computing device associated with a merchant, transaction-related information for a current transaction, the transaction-related information comprising merchant identification data, payment network identification data, and a transaction amount;

retrieving, by the server, a current primary qualification criteria set of the one or more current primary qualification sets pertaining to the payment network associated with the payment network identification data for the current transaction;

determining, by the server and based on the retrieved current primary qualification criteria set, an interchange fee;

determining, by the server and based on the transaction-related information, an interchange category;

determining, by the server, for each of the plurality of acquirers associated with the merchant, and based on the interchange category and the transaction-related information, applicable pricing models from the plurality of stored current pricing models;

determining, by the server, for each of the plurality of acquirers, and based on the applicable pricing models, a least cost markup rate for the transaction;

generating, by the server, a data structure comprising a comparison table for the transaction, the comparison table storing the least cost markup rate determined for each of the plurality of acquirers;

selecting, by the server and based on the comparison table, a least cost acquirer that yields a lowest markup rate for the current transaction among the plurality of acquirers;

determining, by the server, and based on the comparison table and the merchant identification data, a messaging format supported by the least cost acquirer;

translating, by the server, the transaction-related information into the messaging format supported by the least cost acquirer;

determining, by the server, a total applicable rate for the transaction based on the interchange fee and the lowest markup rate; and

transmitting, by the server over an electronic network, the translated transaction-related information and the total applicable rate to the least cost acquirer.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the transaction-related information further includes one or more of:

a primary account number;

an issuer identification number;

a payment card number;

a mode of payment; and

whether an address verification system was utilized.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the current pricing models comprise one or more of: a tiered pricing model and an interchange plus pricing model.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the interchange fee is represented by a rate.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the merchant identification data was assigned to the merchant by the server upon the merchant pre-registering with the server.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the server, i) a merchant identifier assigned by the least cost acquirer that corresponds to the merchant identification data in the transaction-related information and ii) a second messaging format used by the least cost acquirer, based on a mapping data structure linking the merchant identification data in the transaction-related information to the merchant identifier assigned by the least cost acquirer,

wherein the transaction-related information in a first messaging format is translated to the second messaging format based on the mapping data structure.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first messaging format is JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and the second messaging format is one of Extensible Markup Language (XML) or ISO 8583.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method for a least cost acquirer routing based on pricing models of acquirers, the method comprising:

storing, by a server, one or more current primary qualification criteria sets received from one or more payment networks, wherein each primary qualification criteria set comprises a set of rules for determining an interchange fee and/or an interchange category for a given transaction for a corresponding payment network of the one or more payment networks;

storing, by the server, a plurality of current pricing models received from a plurality of acquirers;

receiving, by the server, from a computing device associated with a merchant, transaction-related information for a current transaction, the transaction-related information comprising merchant identification data, payment network identification data, and a transaction amount;

retrieving, by the server, a current primary qualification criteria set of the one or more current primary qualification sets pertaining to the payment network associated with the payment network identification data for the current transaction;

determining, by the server and based on the retrieved current primary qualification criteria set, an interchange fee;

determining, by the server and based on the transaction-related information, an interchange category;

determining, by the server, for each of the plurality of acquirers associated with the merchant, and based on the interchange category and the transaction-related information, applicable pricing models from the plurality of stored current pricing models;

determining, by the server, for each of the plurality of acquirers, and based on the applicable pricing models, a least cost markup rate for the transaction;

generating, by the server, a data structure comprising a comparison table for the transaction, the comparison table storing the least cost markup rate determined for each of the plurality of acquirers;

selecting, by the server and based on the comparison table, a least cost acquirer that yields a lowest markup rate for the current transaction among the plurality of acquirers;

determining, by the server, and based on the comparison table and the merchant identification data, a messaging format supported by the least cost acquirer;

translating, by the server, the transaction-related information into the messaging format supported by the least cost acquirer;

determining, by the server, a total applicable rate for the transaction based on the interchange fee and the lowest markup rate; and

transmitting, by the server over an electronic network, the translated transaction-related information and the total applicable rate to the least cost acquirer.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the merchant identification data was assigned to the merchant by the server upon the merchant pre-registering with the server.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the server, i) a merchant identifier assigned by the least cost acquirer that corresponds to the merchant identification data in the transaction-related information and ii) a second messaging format used by the least cost acquirer, based on a mapping data structure linking the merchant identification data in the transaction-related information to the merchant identifier assigned by the least cost acquirer,

wherein the transaction-related information in a first messaging format is translated to the second messaging format based on the mapping data structure.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the first messaging format is JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and the second messaging format is one of Extensible Markup Language (XML) or ISO 8583.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS RECORDED AT REEL/FRAMES 066626/0655, 066625/0426, 066625/0347, AND 066625/0276 Recorded Jan 12, 2026
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WORLDPAY, LLC; WORLDPAY ISO AND ECOMMERCE, LLC; PAYMETRIC, LLC; WORLDPAY US, LLC
Reel/Frame 074314/0622 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RECORDED AT R/F 066624/0719 Recorded Jan 12, 2026
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WORLDPAY, LLC
Reel/Frame 074315/0412 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2024
From: WORLDPAY, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066624/0719 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2024
From: WORLDPAY, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066626/0655 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 3, 2021
From: VANTIV, LLC
To: WORLDPAY, LLC
Reel/Frame 055487/0220 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2021
From: SRINIVASAN, THIRU
To: VANTIV, LLC
Reel/Frame 055404/0934 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16502808 · Jul 3, 2019
Continuation 15274095 · Sep 23, 2016
Related Publication 20210166201A1 · Jun 3, 2021