# How Banks Attach Extra Transaction Details Using Shortened Web Links

> A system for banks to send extra payment details, like invoices or receipts, by embedding a short web link inside standard financial transaction messages.

- **Patent:** US 10185946
- **Original title:** Facilitating presentation of content relating to a financial transaction
- **Owner:** Fiserv Inc
- **Granted:** 2019
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 6
- **Field:** finance, software, telecommunications

## What it does

This system solves the problem of limited space in traditional bank payment messages. When a transaction occurs, the system stores detailed remittance information (like invoice numbers or line items) on a web server rather than trying to cram it into the payment instruction itself. It then generates a shortened URL pointing to that data and inserts it into the payment message. When the receiving bank or account holder gets the payment, they can click or use that link to retrieve the full, structured details of the transaction.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover the actual movement of funds between bank accounts.
- Does not cover payment messages that include all remittance data directly within the primary instruction.
- Does not cover peer-to-peer payment apps that do not use standardized financial credit instructions.
- Does not cover the physical printing or mailing of paper invoices.

## The clever bit

By using a URL as a pointer, the system decouples the payment instruction from the data payload, allowing for unlimited data storage without violating the rigid formatting rules of global payment networks.

## Real-world examples

1. Corporate B2B payment portals
2. Automated accounts receivable software
3. Electronic invoice presentment and payment (EIPP) systems

## Why it matters

Financial messaging standards like ISO 8583 or ACH have strict character limits, making it difficult for businesses to reconcile payments with specific invoices. This patent provides a digital workaround that allows for rich data exchange without needing to overhaul legacy banking infrastructure. It is essential for modernizing B2B payments where automated accounting is required.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How Banks Attach Extra Transaction Details Using Shortened Web Links cover?

A system for banks to send extra payment details, like invoices or receipts, by embedding a short web link inside standard financial transaction messages.

### Who owns patent US 10185946?

Fiserv Inc owns this patent, granted in 2019.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on January 22, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What is patent US 10185946 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 6 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

Financial messaging standards like ISO 8583 or ACH have strict character limits, making it difficult for businesses to reconcile payments with specific invoices. This patent provides a digital workaround that allows for rich data exchange without needing to overhaul legacy banking infrastructure. It is essential for modernizing B2B payments where automated accounting is required.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover the actual movement of funds between bank accounts.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10185946/square-cash-app

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10185946

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._