Distributed matching of consumers with billers having bills available for electronic presentment

摘要

A technique for identifying a consumer's electronic billers in which the consumer does not identify billers is provided. The consumer transmits, from a consumer network station, a request for an electronic billing service provider to identify his or her electronic billers. This request includes information identifying the consumer, but excludes any information identifying any biller. Upon receipt of the request the service provider transmits, from a service provider network station, information identifying the consumer to an electronic biller. The electronic biller, after receiving the information identifying the consumer, determines that the consumer is a customer of the electronic biller. The electronic biller then transmits, from an electronic biller network station, information indicating that the consumer can electronically receive bills of the electronic biller. This information is transmitted to the consumer network station.