Payment for network-based commercial transactions using a mobile phone

• US 20010037264A1
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Moser, Michael, Husemann, Dirk, Schade, Andreas, Hermann, Reto
• Application Number:
  US09/843,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037264A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Method for enabling a customer, who has access to a customer system (40) and a mobile phone (43) with associated phone number, to order a deliverable (41) offered by a merchant system (45) at a certain price. The merchant system (45) is accessed through the customer system (40) and a network (44). The deliverable (41) can be ordered using the customer system (40). An order confirmation for the deliverable (41) is sent to the mobile phone (43) using the phone number of this phone and the ordering of the deliverable (41) is confirmed by using the mobile phone (43) to transmit a response to the merchant system (45) or to a carrier system (48). The phone bill (51) issued by the carrier system (48) for the mobile phone (43) is charged with the deliverable'"'"'s price and the deliverable (41) is made available to the customer.

Claims

1. Method for enabling a customer, who has access to a customer system (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73) with associated phone number, to order a deliverable (41;

71) offered by a merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, comprising

accessing the merchant system (45;

75) rough the customer system (40;

70) and a network (44;

74);

performing an action on the customer system (40;

70) to order the deliverable (41;

71);

obtaining the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73);

sending an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) using the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73);

confirming the ordering of the deliverable (41;

71) by using the mobile phone (43;

73) to transit a response to the merchant system (45;

75) or to a carrier system (48;

78);

charging a phone bill (51;

81) issued by the carrier system (48;

78) for the mobile phone (43;

73) with the certain price; and

making the deliverable (41;

71) available to the customer.

5. The method of

claim 1

or

claim 3

, wherein the merchant system (45;

75) offers an online catalog (47;

77) with a plurality of deliverables for selection by the customer.

6. The method of

claim 1

or

2

, comprising a checkout step (21) after the step of performing an action on the customer system (40;

70) in order to select the deliverable (41;

71).

7. The method of

claim 1

or

2

, comprising the steps:

sending the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73) from the customer system (40;

70) or the mobile phone (43;

73) to the merchant system (45;

75);

storing the phone number so that it is obtainable if needed by the carrier system (48;

78) and/or merchant system (45;

75).

9. The method of

claim 1

,

3

, or 4, wherein the step of sending an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) is done by means of a GSM SMS message.

13. The method of

claim 1

,

2

, 3, or 4, wherein the mobile phone (43;

73) prompts the customer for a personal identification number (PIN) for authentication purposes.

14. The method of

claim 1

or

claim 3

, wherein a plurality of deliverables is offered for selection by the customer.

15. The method of

claim 1

,

3

, or 4, wherein the step of sending an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) is done using the push feature of the wireless application protocol (WAP) in order to push a wireless markup language (WML) script applet to the mobile phone (43;

73),

16. The method of

claim 1

,

2

, 3, or 4, wherein the merchant system (45;

75) assigns an order identifier (order ID) for each deliverable (41;

71) or set of deliverables ordered.

17. The method of

claim 1

,

2

, 3, or 4, wherein the merchant system (45;

75) or carrier system (48;

78) maintains a list of open orders.

18. The method of

claim 17

, wherein a housekeeping process is carried out to remove open orders for which no confirmation is received within a pre-defined period of time.

19. The method of

claim 1

or

claim 4

wherein the phone bill (51;

81) is either delivered to the customer through a conventional distribution channel (52), preferably by mail, or to the customer system (70) through a communication (82, 74).

2. Method for ordering a deliverable (41;

71) that is offered by a merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, comprising

accessing the merchant system (45;

75) through a customer system (40;

70) and a network (44;

74);

displaying the deliverable (41;

71) to a customer on the customer system (40;

70);

performing an action on the customer system (40;

70) to order the deliverable (41;

71) at the merchant system (45;

75);

sending the phone number of a mobile phone (43;

73) of the customer to the merchant system (45;

75);

receiving an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) on the mobile phone (43;

73);

confirming the ordering of the deliverable (41;

71) using the mobile phone (43;

73) to transmit a response to the merchant system (45;

75) or a carrier system (48;

78);

obtaining the deliverable (41;

71).

10. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the step of receiving an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) by the mobile phone (43;

73) is done through a GSM SMS message.

11. The method of

claim 9

or

claim 10

, wherein the GSM SMS message comprises a special call-in phone number and/or order identifier (order ID).

12. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the customer performs an action on the mobile phone (43;

73) in order to confirm the ordering of the deliverable (47;

71).

3. Method for processing by a merchant system (45;

75) the order of a customer for a deliverable (41;

71) that is offered by the merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, the customer having access to a customer system (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73) with associated phone number, comprising

enabling the customer system (40;

70) to display the deliverable (41;

71) to the customer;

enabling the customer to order the deliverable (41;

71) at the merchant system (45;

75) via the customer system (40;

70) and a network (44;

74);

enabling the sending of an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) using the phone number;

receiving an order confirmation or payment confirmation from a carrier system (48;

78); and

making the deliverable (41;

71) available to the customer.

8. The method of

claim 3

or

4

comprising the steps:

receiving the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73) from the customer system (40;

70) or the mobile phone (43;

73);

storing the phone number so that it is obtainable needed by the carrier system (48;

78) and/or merchant system (45;

75).

4. Method for handling by a carrier system (48;

78) the payment process for a customer who ordered a deliverable (41;

71) through a merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, the customer having access to a customer system (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73) with associated phone number, comprising

obtaining transaction information for the ordering of the deliverable from the merchant system (45;

75);

obtaining the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73);

sending an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) using the phone number;

receiving through the mobile phone (43;

73) an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71);

charging a phone bill (51;

81) maintained by the carrier system (48;

78) for the mobile phone (43;

73) with the certain price; and

sending an order confirmation or payment confirmation to the merchant system (45;

75).

20. Merchant system (45;

75) for offering a deliverable (41, 71) via a network (44;

74) to a potential customer using a customer system (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73), comprising

a network interface connectable to the network (44;

74),

a processing unit (46;

76);

a database (47;

77) for maintaining detailed information about the deliverable (41;

71);

a module for making the deliverable and some or all of the detailed information about the deliverable (41;

71) displayable to the potential customer on the customer system (40;

70);

a module for making the deliverable (41;

71) selectable by the potential customer on the customer system (40;

70);

a module for receiving an order for the deliverable (41;

71) from the customer system (40;

70) via the network and network interface;

a module for causing a confirmation address to be transmitted to the mobile phone (43;

73) through a mobile telephone network (53;

83);

a module for receiving an order confirmation issued by the mobile phone (43;

73), or a payment confirmation issued by a carrier system (48;

78);

a module for making the deliverable (41;

71) available to the customer.

21. The merchant system (45;

75) of

claim 20

, whereby some or all of the modules are realized in form of software modules that, when executed by the processing unit (46;

76), provide the modules'"'"' functionality.

22. The merchant system (45) of

claim 20

, comprising a call-in unit (55) connectable to a telephone network (56, 53).

23. The merchant system (45) of

claim 22

, whereby a special call-in is assigned to the call-in unit (55) so that the call-in unit (55) is reachable form the mobile phone (43) when dialing the call-in number.

24. The merchant system (45;

75) of

claim 20

, whereby the processing unit (46;

76) resides in a computer system.

25. The merchant system (45;

75) of

claim 20

, whereby the module for making the deliverable and some or all of the detailed information about the deliverable (41;

71) displayable is an online-catalogue module.

26. The merchant system (45;

75) of

claim 20

, whereby the module for making the deliverable (41;

71) available to the customer either causes the deliverable (41;

71) to be delivered via a conventional distribution channel, or whereby the module causes the deliverable (41;

71) to be delivered via a communication link (82, 74) to the customer system (70), or whereby the module causes the deliverable (41;

71) to be made downloadable through a communication link (82, 74).

27. The merchant system (45;

75) of

claim 20

, whereby the confirmation address is a call-in number or an e-mail address.

28. The merchant system (45;

75) of

claim 20

, whereby the module for causing a confirmation address to be transmitted generates a GSM SMS message comprising the confirmation address.

29. Carrier system (48;

78) for handling the payment process part of a commercial transaction between a customer, using a customer system (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73), and a merchant system (45;

75), whereby the customer orders a deliverable (41;

71) at a certain price at the merchant system (45;

75);

the carrier system (48;

78) comprising

an interface connectable to a telephone network (56, 53;

86;

83),

a processing unit (49;

79);

a module for receiving via a communication link (57;

87) detailed information about the ordered deliverable (41;

71) from the merchant system (45;

75)

a module for causing a confirmation address to be transmitted to mobile phone (43;

73) through a mobile telephone network (53;

83);

a module for receiving an order confirmation turned by the mobile phone (43;

73) using the confirmation address;

a module (49, 50;

79, 80) for charging the customer'"'"'s phone bill (51;

81) with the certain price;

a module (49;

79) for sending a payment confirmation to the merchant system (45;

75) causing the merchant system (45;

75) to make the ordered deliverable (41;

71) available to the customer.

30. The carrier system (48;

78) of

claim 29

, whereby some or all of the modules are realized in form of software modules that, when executed by the processing unit (49;

79), provide the modules'"'"' functionality.

31. The carrier system (48;

78) of

claim 29

, whereby the telephone network is a public switched telephone network (56;

86) that is connectable to the mobile telephone network (53;

83).

32. The carrier system (48;

78) of

claim 29

, whereby the processing unit (49;

79) resides in a computer system.

33. The carrier system (48;

78) of

claim 29

, whereby the confirmation address is a call-in number or an e-mail address.

34. The carrier system (48;

78) of

claim 29

, whereby the module for causing a confirmation address to be transmitted generates a GSM SMS message comprising the confirmation address.

35. The carrier system (78) of

claim 29

, comprising a call-in unit (85) connectable to the telephone network (86, 83).

36. The carrier system (78) of

claim 35

, whereby a special call-in number is assigned to the call-in unit (85) so that the call-in unit (85) is reachable form the mobile phone (73) when dialing the call-in number.

37. The carrier system (78) of

claim 29

, comprising a housekeeping module that removes open orders for which no confirmation is received within a pre-defined period of time.

38. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, having thereon:

computer program code means, when said program is loaded, for enabling a customer to order a deliverable (41;

71) that is offered by a merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, whereby the customer uses a customer system (45;

75) and a mobile phone (43;

73), execute procedure to

access the merchant system (45;

75) through the customer system (40;

70) and a network (44;

74);

display the deliverable (41;

71) to the customer on the customer system (40;

70);

perform an action on the customer system (40;

70) to order the deliverable (41;

71) at the merchant system (45;

75);

send the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73) to the merchant system (45;

75);

receive an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) on the mobile phone (43;

73);

confirm the ordering of the deliverable (41;

71) using the mobile phone (43;

73) to transmit a response to the merchant system (45;

75) or a carrier system (48;

78);

obtain the deliverable (41;

71).

39. A computer program element comprising:

computer program code means for enabling a customer to order a deliverable (41;

71) that is offered by a merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, whereby the customer uses a customer system (45;

75) and a mobile phone (43;

71), execute procedure to

access the merchant system (45;

75) through the customer system (40;

70) and a network (44;

74);

display the deliverable (41;

71) to the customer on the customer system (40;

70);

perform an action on the customer system (40;

70) to order he deliverable (41;

71) at the merchant system (45;

75);

send the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73) to the merchant system (45;

75);

receive an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) on the mobile phone (43;

73);

confirm the ordering of the deliverable (41;

71) using the mobile phone (43;

73) to transmit a response to the merchant system (45;

75) or a carrier system (48;

78);

obtain the deliverable (41;

71).

40. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, having thereon:

computer program code means, when said program is loaded, for processing by a merchant system (45;

75) the order of a customer for a deliverable (41;

71) that is offered by the merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, the customer having access to a customer system, (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73) with associated phone number, execute procedure to

enable the customer system (40;

70) to display the deliverable (41;

71) to the customer;

enable the customer to order the deliverable (41;

71) at the merchant system (45;

75) via the customer system (40;

70) and a network (44;

74);

enable the sending of an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) using the phone number;

receive an order confirmation or payment confirmation from a carrier system (48;

78);

make the deliverable (41;

71) available to the customer.

41. A computer program element comprising:

computer program code means for processing by a merchant system (45;

75) the order of a customer for a deliverable (41;

71) that is offered by the merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price the customer having access to a customer system (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73) with associated phone number, execute procedure to

enable the customer system (40;

70) to display the deliverable (41;

71) to the customer;

enable the customer to order the deliverable (41;

71) at the merchant system (45;

75) via the customer system (40;

70) and a network (44;

74);

enable the sending of an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) using the phone number;

receive an order confirmation or payment confirmation from a carrier system (48;

78);

make the deliverable (41;

71) available to the customer.

42. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, having thereon:

computer program code means, when said program is loaded, for handling by a carrier system (48;

78) the payment process for a customer who ordered a deliverable (41;

71) through a merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, the customer having access to a customer system (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73) with associated phone number, execute procedure to

obtain transaction information for the ordering of the deliverable (41;

71) from the merchant system (45;

75);

obtain the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73);

send an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) using the phone number;

receive through the mobile phone (43;

73) an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71);

charge a phone bill (51;

81) maintained by the carrier system (48;

78) for the mobile phone (43;

73) with the certain price; and

send an order confirmation or payment confirmation to the merchant system (45;

75).

43. A computer program element comprising:

computer program code means for handling by a carrier system (48;

78) the payment process for a customer who ordered a deliverable (41;

71) through a merchant system (45;

75) at a certain price, the customer having access to a customer system (40;

70) and a mobile phone (43;

73) with associated phone number, execute procedure to

obtain transaction information for the ordering of the deliverable (41;

71) from the merchant system (45;

75);

obtain the phone number of the mobile phone (43;

73);

send an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71) to the mobile phone (43;

73) using the phone number;

receive through the mobile phone (43;

73) an order confirmation for the deliverable (41;

71);

charge a phone bill (51;

81) maintained by the carrier system (48;

78) for the mobile phone (43;

73) with the certain price; and

send an order confirmation or payment confirmation to the merchant system (45;

75).