Authorizing a purchase transaction using a mobile device

• US 10,417,635 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Aaron, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Vyas, Abhishek
• Application Number:
  US14/165,256
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation

Abstract

Various embodiments are related to apparatuses and methods for authorizing a purchase transaction using a mobile device. A consumer can pay for a purchase from a seller using a payment object such as a credit card or automated teller machine (ATM) card. The credit card or ATM card can be swiped through a card reader that is part of the seller'"'"'s sales system, and the sales system can transmit the purchase transaction to a financial system for approval. The consumer can use a mobile device such as a smartphone, instead of the seller'"'"'s keypad or signature pad, to electronically capture a signature or personal identification number (PIN) as part of the consumer'"'"'s authorization of the purchase transaction. The consumer can further use the mobile device to review line items of the purchase transaction or to add a tip amount to the total amount of the purchase transaction.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

linking, by a computer system, a phone number for a mobile device of a consumer with a financial transaction card of the consumer, wherein the financial transaction card is linked, via a database at the computer system, to a plurality of payment accounts of the consumer;

receiving, by the computer system, from a third party financial transaction system, an indication of initiation of a payment transaction after the third party financial transaction system makes a determination to send the indication to the computer system based on meta data that (a) was obtained during a swipe of the financial transaction card at a card reader coupled to a payment terminal system of a seller, and (b) was received by the third party financial transaction system from the payment terminal system;

accessing a database, by the computer system, based on the indication of initiation of the payment transaction, to obtain the phone number of the mobile device, the accessing being based on data obtained by the payment terminal system as a result of the swipe of the financial transaction card;

after obtaining the phone number, transmitting a selection message, by the computer system, to the mobile device based on the phone number, wherein the transmitted selection message triggers an application executing at the mobile device to display at the mobile device a selection interface that (i) includes a listing of the plurality of payment accounts and (ii) enables the consumer to select a payment account of the plurality of payment accounts to use for the payment transaction;

transmitting a transaction message, by the computer system, to the mobile device based on the phone number, wherein the transmitted transaction message triggers the application executing at the mobile device to display at the mobile device an authorization interface that includes transaction information, received from the payment terminal system of the seller, related to the payment transaction;

receiving, from the application, by the computer system, an authorization message indicating (a) the consumer'"'"'s selection of a particular payment account of the plurality of payment accounts, the selection having been generated in response to the consumer inputting data via the selection interface and (b) the consumer'"'"'s authorization of payment, the authorization having been generated in response to the consumer inputting data via the authorization interface;

authorizing the payment transaction with an issuer of the selected particular payment account, by the computer system, after receipt of the authorization message from the application; and

based on the authorization of the payment transaction with the issuer, causing funds for the payment transaction to be obtained based on the particular payment account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction message that triggers the application communicates information related to a transaction event that requires the consumer to indicate, using the mobile device, a tip amount associated with the payment transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction message that triggers the application communicates information related to a transaction event that requires the consumer to provide, using the mobile device, an electronic signature to indicate that the consumer agrees to terms of the payment transaction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction message that triggers the application communicates information related to a transaction event that requires the consumer to provide, using the mobile device, at least one of a personal identification number (PIN) of the consumer, a password of the consumer, or a pass phrase of the consumer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the input device is any of a keyboard, an alpha-numeric input device, a cursor control device, a mouse, a pointing device, a touch-sensitive pad, or a touch-sensitive screen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the meta data includes any of an internet protocol (IP) address of the computer system, a phone number associated with the computer system, or data or commands that indicate to the third party financial transaction system to send the indication of the initiation of the payment transaction to the computer system.

5. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device coupled with the processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the system to perform the steps of;

linking a phone number for a mobile device of a consumer with a financial transaction card of the consumer, wherein the financial transaction card is linked to a plurality of payment accounts of the consumer;

receiving, from a financial transaction system, an indication of initiation of a payment transaction after the financial transaction system makes a determination to send the indication to the system based on meta data that (a) was obtained during a swipe of the financial transaction card at a card reader coupled to a payment terminal system of a seller, and (b) was received by the financial transaction system from the payment terminal system;

accessing the storage device, based on the indication of initiation of the payment transaction, to obtain a phone number of a mobile device, the storage device including stored association information representing an association between the financial transaction card and the phone number of the mobile device;

after obtaining the phone number, transmitting, to the mobile device and based on the phone number, (a) a selection message including data related to a transaction event that requires the consumer to indicate, by use of an input device of the mobile device, a selection of a payment account of the plurality of payment accounts and (b) a transaction message including data related to the payment transaction that requires the consumer to indicate, by use of the input device of the mobile device, an authorization of payment to complete the payment transaction;

receiving, from the mobile device, an authorization message generated by the mobile device in response to the selection of the payment account and the authorization of payment by the consumer;

authorizing the payment transaction with an issuer of the payment account, after receipt of the authorization message from the mobile device; and

causing the payment transaction to be processed in accordance with the authorization of the payment transaction with the issuer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform additional steps of:

accessing a database at the storage device to obtain account information for the payment account that was selected; and

transmitting the account information to a financial system to obtain a transaction authorization for the payment transaction, the transaction authorization indicating that the payment account that was selected has access to adequate funds for the payment.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the data related to the payment transaction requires the consumer to provide, using the mobile device, an electronic signature to indicate that the consumer agrees to terms of the payment transaction.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the additional step of:

transmitting the electronic signature for use in resolving a dispute related to the payment transaction.