Electronic funds transaction system

• US 20040039691A1
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burnor, John A., Barratt, Robert E., Barratt, Glenna S.
• Application Number:
  US10/219,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20040039691A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02

Abstract

An electronic funds transaction system (100, 400) provides for communication with an account holder'"'"'s client device (118) in the course of processing credit or debit transactions. According to certain embodiments (200, 300, 500) an account holder is simply notified of requests for authorization of charges against their accounts. According to other embodiments (600, 700, 800) the account holder'"'"'s authorization of charges is solicited and the authorizations of charges is made contingent upon receipt of such authorization.

Claims

1. A method for operating one or more computers in a system for authorizing charges against accounts comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for authorization to accept a charge against an account belonging to an account holder;

transmitting a message to the account holder'"'"'s client device, informing the account holder of the request for authorization.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the message includes the sub-step of:

transmitting an amount of the charge.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the message includes the sub-step of:

transmitting a name of a merchant originating the request for authorization.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein:

the message is transmitted through a wireless network.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein:

the message is transmitted in less than one minute.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

after receiving the request for authorization and prior to transmitting the message, looking up the account holder'"'"'s network address using information received in the request for authorization.

7. A method for operating a system for authorizing charges against accounts, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first request for authorization to accept a charge against an account;

in response to receiving the first request, transmitting a second request for authorization to accept the charge against the account to an account holder'"'"'s client device; and

in the case that a first authorization to accept the charge against the credit line is received in response to the second request for authorization, transmitting a second authorization to accept the charge in response to the first request for authorization.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein:

the step of transmitting the second request comprises the sub-step of;

transmitting the second request for authorization to accept the charge through a wireless network.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein:

the step of transmitting the second request comprises the sub-step of;

transmitting a hyperlink that includes a uniform resource identifier that points to a subprogram for processing the first authorization.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein:

the step of transmitting the second request comprises the sub-step of;

transmitting the second request in encrypted form.

11. The method according to claim 7 wherein:

the step of transmitting the second request comprises the sub-step of;

transmitting an identification of a merchant requesting authorization to make the charge.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein:

the step of transmitting the second request comprises the sub-step of;

transmitting an amount of the charge.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 7 wherein:

the programming instructions for transmitting the second request comprise programming instructions for;

transmitting an identification of a merchant requesting authorization to make the charge.

23. The computer readable medium according to claim 11 wherein:

the programming instructions for transmitting the second request comprise programming instructions for;

transmitting an amount of the charge.

13. A method for operating a client device in a system for authorizing charges, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving information of a charge against an account;

outputting information of the charge to a user.

14. A system for authorizing charges against accounts, the system comprising:

at least one communication system;

one or more computers coupled to the at least one communications system and programmed to perform the steps of;

receiving information through the at least one communications system relative to an impending charge against an account that belongs to an account holder; and

in response thereto, transmitting through the at least one communication system to a client device of the account holder, information relative to the impending charge.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein:

the step of transmitting comprises the sub-step of;

transmitting a request for authorization of the charge against the account.

16. A computer readable medium storing programming instructions for operating a computer in a system for authorizing charges against accounts, including programming instructions for:

receiving a request for authorization to accept a charge against an account belonging to an account holder;

transmitting a message to the account holder'"'"'s client device, informing the account holder of the request for authorization.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the programming instructions for transmitting the message include programming instructions for:

transmitting an amount of the charge.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the programming instructions for transmitting the message include programming instructions for:

transmitting a name of a merchant originating the request for authorization.

19. A computer readable medium storing programming instructions for operating a system for authorizing charges against accounts, including programming instructions for:

receiving a first request for authorization to accept a charge against an account;

in response to receiving the first request, transmitting a second request for authorization to accept the charge against the account to an account holder'"'"'s client device; and

in the case that a first authorization to accept the charge against the credit line is received in response to the second request for authorization, transmitting a second authorization to accept the charge in response to the first request for authorization.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 wherein:

the programming instructions for transmitting the second request comprise programming instructions for;

transmitting a hyperlink that includes a uniform resource identifier that points to a subprogram for processing the first authorization.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 wherein:

the programming instructions for transmitting the second request comprises programming instructions for;

transmitting the second request in encrypted form.