Abstract: Systems and methods for making a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee are provided. A request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee is received at a first payment service provider. The first payment service provider supports a first payment network within a plurality of payment networks that each include a respective plurality of payers and payees. The payer is one of the plurality of payers and payees associated with the first payment network, and the payor is not one of the plurality of payers and payees associated with the first payment network. A second payment network within the plurality of payment networks with which the payee is associated is identified by the first payment service provider. A payment instruction to make the payment to the payee is transmitted by the first payment service provider to a second payment service provider associated with the second payment network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating payment due notifications are provided. A payor and a payee of the payor may be identified by a payment service provider system. At least one notification control parameter associated with communicating payment due notifications to the payor may be identified. Based at least in part upon evaluating a payment history associated with one or more payments made to the payee on behalf of the payor, a payment frequency pattern may be determined. Based at least in part on a portion of the payment history and the determined payment frequency pattern, a next expected payment date may be calculated. In accordance with the at least one notification control parameter, a payment due notification including an identity of the payee and the next expected payment date may be generated. The payment due notification may be transmitted to the payor.

Abstract: A technique for determining a period of time to complete a payment to a payee is provided. The time that each of one or more payments to a payee is issued is stored. Post-issue event information associated with each of the one or more payments is received. The period of time to complete a future payment to that payee on behalf of a payor is then determined based upon the stored payment issue time information and the received post-issue event information.

Abstract: A method and system for electronic billing across unassociated electronic bill presentment networks is provided. Each network includes a billing service provider. A request to receive an electronic bill from a biller not associated with a first network is received by a first billing service provider. A request to determine a network with which the biller is associated is transmitted by the first billing service provider. In response to this determination request, information indicating that the biller is associated with a second network is received. An activation instruction to receive electronic bills is transmitted from the first billing service provider to a second billing service provider which is a part of the network with which the biller is associated.

Abstract: A technique for making a payment to a payee on behalf of a payor is provided. A payment service provider receives a payment request from a payor requesting the service provider to make a payment to a payee on behalf of the payor. The service provider then transmits pre-posting information to the payee prior to making the payment. The pre-posting information informs the payee that the service provider will be making a payment to the payee on behalf of the payor. Whenever the service provider makes the payment to the payee, the service provider also issues remittance advice associated with the payment to the payee.

Abstract: Systems and methods for making a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee are provided. A request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee is received at a first payment service provider. The first payment service provider supports a first payment network within a plurality of payment networks that each include a respective plurality of payers and payees. The payer is one of the plurality of payers and payees associated with the first payment network, and the payor is not one of the plurality of payers and payees associated with the first payment network. A second payment network within the plurality of payment networks with which the payee is associated is identified by the first payment service provider. A payment instruction to make the payment to the payee is transmitted by the first payment service provider to a second payment service provider associated with the second payment network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for electronic billing activation are provided. A request on behalf of a payer to activate electronic billing from a biller for the payer is received by a first electronic financial service provider (EFSP) that supports a first of a plurality of electronic financial service networks (EFSNs) from a second EFSP that supports a second of the plurality of EFSNs. Each of the plurality of EFSNs includes a respective plurality of billers or payers, and the biller is associated with the first EFSN and not associated with the second EFSN, while the payer is not associated with the first EFSN. In response to the received request, activation confirmation information is transmitted by the first EFSP to the second EFSP. The electronic billing activation enables subsequent electronic transmission of a bill from the biller for the payer.

Abstract: A method and system for storing a notice of the receipt of a payment in a distributed data network is disclosed. A bill payment request is received at a first network station from a second network station. A payment associated with the received bill payment request is then remitted. Then, a notification is received at the first network station from a third network station indicating that the payment has been received.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for making inter-network payments. A payment request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee is received. A first payment service provider receives this request. The payment is directed to a payee that is associated with a second payment service provider. The first payment service provider determines the identity of the second payment service provider and transmits a payment instruction to the second payment service provider to complete the payment.

Abstract: Customer care is provided via a wide area communications network to a user who has previously requested payment of a bill of a biller on the user's behalf by a bill payment service provider. The communications network has multiple different network sites including a first network site associated with a customer care entity, and at least two of (i) a second network site associated with the biller, (ii) a third network site associated with a financial institution which maintains a payment account of the user and (iii) a fourth network site associated with the bill payment service provider. A request of the user for assistance regarding the payment of the bill is received.

Abstract: To facilitate electronic presentment of a bill of a biller for a customer and payment of the presented bill on behalf of the customer via a communications network, a first network site associated with a bill payment entity receives a request for billing information from a second network site associated with a customer via a first communications link over a communications network. In response, a bill availability indicator indicative of an availability of a bill of the biller for the customer and having a first linking function, is presented to the second network site via the first communications link.

Abstract: To make bill information available for presentation to a user entity, a first network site receives a request of the user entity for bill information, from a third network site associated with the user entity. In response, bill information representing a bill of a biller entity for the user entity is retrieved from storage at a second network site associated with a bill information provider entity, such as a biller. The retrieved bill information is transmitted, from the first network site to the third network site, for presentation to the user entity at the third network site. The first, the second, and the third network sites are different network sites.

Abstract: To electronically present bills and request payment of presented bills, billing information representing a bill of a biller for a payee, and an associated selectable payment indicator having a first linking function, are received from a first network site associated with a bill presentment entity via a first communications link over a communications network. The received billing information and payment indicator are displayed. An input representing a selection of the displayed payment indicator is received. Based on the receipt of this input, the first linking function is activated to establish a second communications link over the communications network to a second network site, different that the first network site, associated with a bill payment entity, and to transmit a request to pay the represented bill on behalf of the payee to the second network site via the second communications link.

Abstract: Bill information is electronically presented to a user via a wide-area communications network. The wide-area communications network has multiple different network sites, including a first network site associated with a first bill information presentment entity, a second network site associated with a first user entity, and a third network site associated with a second bill information presentment entity. First information for authenticating the first user entity is received by the first bill information presentment entity. The first user entity is authenticated to the third network site based on this received first authentication information. First bill information, which represents a first bill of a first biller for the first user entity, is accessed at the third network site based on the authentication of the first user entity to this site. The accessed first bill information is transmitted from the first network site to the second network site, for presentation to the first user entity.

Abstract: A technique for accessing an electronic commerce function (ECF) is provided. A first signal identifying an entity and an ECF associated with the entity is transmitted to a user from a contact list service. The user selects the ECF, causing a second signal indicating the selection to be transmitted to the contact list service. In response to receipt of the second signal, the contact list service transmits a third signal. The third signal identifies a network address associated with an electronic commerce service provider for providing and/or facilitating the ECF. The third signal also identifies information associated with the entity. The third signal, either directly or indirectly, is operable to cause a fourth signal to be transmitted to the user from the service provider. The fourth signal includes information associated with invoking the ECF and is based upon the information associated with the entity included in the third signal.

Abstract: A bill is presented and payment of the presented bill is requested over a communications network having a first network site associated with a bill payment entity, a second network site, which is different than the first network site, associated with a user, and a third network site, which is different than the first and the second network sites, associated with a bill presentment entity, which is different than the bill payment entity. A first signal, representing a request of the user for billing information, is transmitted from the second network site to the first network site. Responsive to the transmitted first signal, a second signal representing a bill availability identifier for a bill of a biller for the user, is transmitted from the first network site to the second network site.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for making inter-network payments. A payment request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee is received. A first payment service provider receives this request. The payment is directed to a payee that is associated with a second payment service provider. The first payment service provider determines the identity of the second payment service provider and transmits a payment instruction to the second payment service provider to complete the payment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for making inter-network payments. A payment request to make a payment on behalf of a payer to a payee is received. A first payment service provider receives this request. The payment is directed to a payee that is associated with a second payment service provider. The first payment service provider determines the identity of the second payment service provider and transmits a payment instruction to the second payment service provider to complete the payment.

Abstract: A fifth wheel includes a coupling plate formed with an insertion slot for receiving a trailer king pin. The insertion slot is provided with a central aperture sized to receive the king pin and formed with a counterbored step. A non-metallic wear ring is fitted within the aperture and is retained against axial displacement with an arcuate metal holding plate mounted within the counterbored step, and partially overlapping the wear ring. The wear ring includes an outer contour wall and an inner contour wall. The outer contour wall and the inner surface of the aperture share a common center of curvature, which center of curvature is eccentric relative to the axis of rotation of the king pin mounted therein such that any rotational force resulting from the rotation of the king pin translates linearly into the wear ring.

Abstract: A pressing roll for a tire building machine includes a shaft having a longitudinal axis; a plurality of discs inserted on the shaft in an axial series; a mounting arrangement for providing for an individual, radial displaceability of each disc relative to the longitudinal axis; and a force-exerting power arrangement for displacing the discs relative to the shaft.