Patents Assigned to The Western Union Company
  • Publication number: 20180046996
    Abstract: A method of transferring money from a sender to a recipient using a third party money transfer service a point of sale device receiving transaction details for a requested money transfer; determining whether the requested transaction is an allowable transaction; and either aborting the transaction; attempting to identify the sender as an existing customer using the transaction details; using the sender's transaction history and the transaction details to determine whether to allow the requested transaction to proceed. If the requested transaction is allowed to proceed, the method includes creating a money transfer record for the requested transaction; associating a money transfer control number to the money transfer record; and using the transaction details to determine whether to monitor the requested transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventor: Kristine Diehl
  • Publication number: 20180039515
    Abstract: Methods herein may include receiving a request to initiate an allocation and transmitting a request for information relating to the allocation, including a quantity and an identification of institutions associated with first and second parties. Methods may also include consolidating the information with information received from other parties into consolidated information. Methods may also include determining from the consolidated information a first aggregate which includes all quantities to be sent to the institution associated with the second party in the consolidated information, and a second aggregate which includes all quantities to be received from the institution associated with the first party in the consolidated information. Methods may also include creating an additive instruction based on the first aggregate, and a subtractive instruction based on the second aggregate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Kim Crea, Jennifer Grimes, Marilyn Bethke
  • Patent number: 9888380
    Abstract: A method for authenticating a mobile device in real-time. The method includes detecting the mobile device, sending a text message containing a unique uniform resource locator (“URL”) to the mobile device, and detecting an access of the unique URL by the mobile device through a first communication path. In response to detecting the access of the unique URL, requesting and subsequently receiving, by the host system in real-time, a phone number and a subscriber identification ID associated with the mobile device through a second communication path distinct from the first communication path, and a device fingerprint of the mobile device through the first communication path. The method further includes initiating a risk analysis based on the phone number, the subscriber ID, and the device fingerprint and determining an authentication status of the mobile device based on the risk analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Abhinav Gupta, Bernard McManus, Don McNelley
  • Patent number: 9853759
    Abstract: Systems and methods for accepting payments for goods and services provided by a merchant. In one embodiment a method can be implemented by obtaining digital content; offering said digital content to a wireless telephone user; receiving payment information from said user for purchase of said digital content; processing said payment information so as to confirm payment for said digital content; and then downloading said digital content to said wireless telephone of said wireless telephone user. Optionally, the transaction may be staged by the consumer, or others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: First Data Corporation, The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Peter Rae, Nancy Loomis, Ken Algiene, Keith W. Dively
  • Publication number: 20170270605
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for tracking obligations incurred between individuals. The method may include receiving a request from a first party, where the request includes an expense incurred by the first party for the benefit of a second party. The method may also include providing a notice of the request to the second party and receiving an acceptance from the second party to assume an obligation associated with the expense. The method may further include associating the obligation with the second party and associating a benefit with the first party. The obligation and/or benefit may be substantially equal in value to the expense. The method may additionally include interfacing with a social network service to provide the social network service with information about the obligation and/or the benefit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Michele Demark, Michael Michelsen, Diane Scott, Chris Cochran
  • Publication number: 20170262840
    Abstract: A method includes establishing a first funds transfer account associated with a first device and a second funds transfer account with a second device, funding at least the first fund account, and selecting the second device as the recipient of a funds transfer from the first device. The method further includes sending a communications link request from the first device to the second device and receiving acceptance of the communications link request from the second device. The method then establishes a communications link between the first device and the second device, initiates a funds transfer from the first device to the second device, wherein the amount is designated at the first device, and verifies the funds transfer amount, the first funds transfer account, and the second funds transfer account. Then, the method transfers the amount to the second funds transfer account associated with second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventor: Kimberly Dunwoody
  • Patent number: 9754132
    Abstract: Methods and systems, related to a biometrically secured user input device for conducting a transaction are described. The user input device may comprise a biometric authentication device. At the biometrically secured user input device, a biometric sample may be received from a user. The biometrically secured user input device may transmit the biometric sample, provided by the user, to a host computer system. The host computer system may compare the biometric sample provided by the user to another biometric sample. Handwriting data from the user may then be received by the user input device. The handwriting data may be transmitted to a computer system by the user input device. Transaction data based on the handwriting data may be transmitted from the computer system to a host computer system. The financial transaction may be conducted using the transaction data transmitted to the host computer system from the computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Evans Mehew, Scott Paintin, Dianna Lyons, Julene M. Robbins
  • Patent number: 9747587
    Abstract: A method of transferring money from a sender to a recipient using a third party money transfer service a point of sale device receiving transaction details for a requested money transfer; determining whether the requested transaction is an allowable transaction; and either aborting the transaction; attempting to identify the sender as an existing customer using the transaction details; using the sender's transaction history and the transaction details to determine whether to allow the requested transaction to proceed. If the requested transaction is allowed to proceed, the method includes creating a money transfer record for the requested transaction; associating a money transfer control number to the money transfer record; and using the transaction details to determine whether to monitor the requested transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventor: Kristine Diehl
  • Publication number: 20170200137
    Abstract: Techniques described herein relate to receiving and handling multi-user electronic transfer requests involving client devices at different locations or domains within a transfer system. In response to received transfer requests, a number of granter system offers may be evaluated based combinations of sender credentials and receiver credentials. One or more combinations of qualifying offers may be identified having aggregate values sufficient to cover the requested transfer value. From the qualifying offer combinations, a specific set of offers may be determined for performing the requested transfer, and the transfer may be initiated between a sender device in a first location and a receiver device in a second location within the transfer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventor: Victor Vilmont
  • Patent number: 9697567
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for tracking obligations incurred between individuals. The method may include receiving a request from a first party, where the request includes an expense incurred by the first party for the benefit of a second party. The method may also include providing a notice of the request to the second party and receiving an acceptance from the second party to assume an obligation associated with the expense. The method may further include associating the obligation with the second party and associating a benefit with the first party. The obligation and/or benefit may be substantially equal in value to the expense. The method may additionally include interfacing with a social network service to provide the social network service with information about the obligation and/or the benefit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: THE WESTERN UNION COMPANY
    Inventors: Michele Demark, Michael Michelsen, Diane Scott, Chris Cochran
  • Publication number: 20170148008
    Abstract: According to the invention, a system for providing payments to a point of sale device is disclosed. The system may include a mobile device having a storage medium, an input device, a wireless transmission device, and a processor. The storage medium may include individual authentication information and device authentication information. The input device may be configured to receive an input. The wireless transmission device may be configured to selectively transmit the device authentication information to a nearby point of sale device. The processor may be configured to compare the input with the individual authentication information, and activate the wireless transmission device to transmit the device authentication information if the input is correlated with the individual authentication information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Rebecca Loevenguth, Evans Mehew, Dave Owen, Dianna Lyons, Scott Paintin
  • Publication number: 20170148021
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing secure transaction functionality using a centralized digital gateway configured to process transactions of various types, using different transaction processing entities, within a single processing flow. The digital gateway may implement rules and logic to optimize transaction processing costs. Additionally, transaction authorization, various types of transaction analyses, and transaction processing and dispatch processes may be performed in parallel, as directed by the implemented rules and logic, in order to optimize transaction processing costs and processing speeds. Further, digital gateway may be configured to normalize transaction request data across different transaction types, allowing the transaction request data to be transmitted in a uniform manner to related back-end systems, partner systems, and transaction processors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Daniel Goldstein, Abhishek Banerjee, Marc Elbirt, Seshu Pandey, Kevin Lai, Sanjay Saraf
  • Patent number: 9659293
    Abstract: A method includes establishing a first funds transfer account associated with a first device and a second funds transfer account with a second device, funding at least the first fund account, and selecting the second device as the recipient of a funds transfer from the first device. The method further includes sending a communications link request from the first device to the second device and receiving acceptance of the communications link request from the second device. The method then establishes a communications link between the first device and the second device, initiates a funds transfer from the first device to the second device, wherein the amount is designated at the first device, and verifies the funds transfer amount, the first funds transfer account, and the second funds transfer account. Then, the method transfers the amount to the second funds transfer account associated with second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventor: Kimberly Dunwoody
  • Publication number: 20170118301
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing secure transaction functionality embedded into host applications executing on transaction client devices, using an integration framework and user interfaces. A transaction server may be configured to receive initial transaction sender and receiver data from an integrated software component executing within a host software application on a transaction client device. After receiving the initial transaction sender and receiver data from the integrated software component, the transaction server may determine transaction sender and transaction recipient locations, and may select a particular transaction user interface based on the sender and recipient location data. Particular transaction user interface also may be determined based on specific host applications. After determining the particular transaction user interface, the interface may be transmitted to the transaction client device, for example, via a content delivery network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Vijaya Kouru, Sanjay Saraf
  • Publication number: 20170098221
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying and mitigating non-compliances include determining an agent location of a money service business for review, obtaining a photograph and geographic coordinates of the agent location, and collecting field data at the agent location through a mobile application. Such information are sent from the mobile application to a central server of a third party vendor for a series of quality checks and stored at the central server. Such information may be used for further corrective action against the agent location reviewed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Manju Rai, Murali Ravichandran, Jacqueline Molnar, Noel Brandt, Niren Kinikar
  • Publication number: 20170076306
    Abstract: Techniques described herein relate to analyzing location-based transaction systems, based on data from multiple client devices detected and received via multiple communication networks, and providing customized data to client devices associated with particular locations and/or users of the transaction system. The characteristics of a transaction system and/or specific client locations of the transaction system may be determined, based on data received from multiple client devices. A back-end system may receive data from one or more digital kiosk systems associated with particular locations in a transaction system network, various mobile computing devices of users, and client computers within the transaction system. One or more back-end servers may analyze the data to determine various characteristics of the transaction system and/or characteristics of one or more particular locations in the transaction system network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Elizabeth Snider, Teresa Chipps, Nancy Buxo, Lyndsy Clark, Rachel Dimond, Jeremy Winchester
  • Patent number: 9577969
    Abstract: A method for generating an electronic message having the appearance of an individual performing a song with a musical artist includes: receiving a selection of a video segment, receiving an image of an individual's face, receiving a recording of the individual signing the song, generating the electronic message from the video segment, receiving information about a recipient of the electronic message, and transmitting the electronic message to the recipient. The video segment includes: a song, a musical artist performing the song, and a character performing the song with the musical artist. Generating the electronic message includes: overlaying the image of the individual's face onto a facial area of the character, simulating movement of one or more facial features of the image, and synchronizing the recording of the individual signing the song with the simulated movement of the facial features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Dean Maryon, Alan Moseley
  • Publication number: 20170011379
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for configuring a web application for global money transfers include a customer mobile device, a processor, and a memory having processor-readable instructions that cause the processor to collect data from a web application, whereby the web application is provided on the customer mobile device in operative communication with the host computer, and determine at least one of an optional field and a required field based on the collected data. The at least one optional field and required field may receive input for conducting a money transfer. The processor-readable instructions may cause the processor to send instructions to a user interface (“UI”) for the web application, whereby the instructions are indicative of the at least one optional field and required field, and configure the UI to display the at least one optional field and required field at the web application of the customer mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Vijaya Kouru, Tarun Bhagwan, Sanjay Saraf
  • Patent number: 9542684
    Abstract: A money transfer authorization method that includes the step of providing transferor biometric information to a party verification processor that verifies an identity of the transferor by comparing the transferor biometric information with previously registered biometric information from the transferor, where the transferor provides transfer identity information to receive the money. The method also includes confirming that the verified transferor has sufficient funds or credit for the money transfer, and providing transferee biometric identification to the party verification processor that verifies the transferee by comparing the transferee biometric information with previously registered biometric information from the transferee. The transferee has to provide transfer identity information before the money is given to the transferee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Michael Jeronimus, Ken Algiene, Scott R. Paintin
  • Publication number: 20170004465
    Abstract: Systems and methods for conducting a money transfer include providing a virtual banking account for the money transfer and determining standing instructions corresponding to the virtual banking account. The standing instructions may include a protocol-based workflow for conducting the money transfer. The systems and methods may further include identifying a trigger corresponding to a movement of monetary funds from an originating account to the virtual banking account, and after identifying the trigger, initiating a transfer of at least a portion of the monetary funds from the virtual banking account to a destination account based on the standing instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: THE WESTERN UNION COMPANY
    Inventor: Girish Balasubramanian