Method and/or system for extending payment system architectures and/or legacy order processing systems to mobile commerce applications via text messaging

• US 20070022019A1
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CardinalCommerce Corporation (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CardinalCommerce Corporation (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Balasubramanian, Chandra, Sherwin, Francis
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

A text message order processing system includes: means for receiving text messages from consumers purchasing products from one or more merchants, each of the text messages being addressed to an address selected by the consumer and including an identification of the product being purchased and an identification of a device from which the text message was sent; means for parsing each text messages to extract the identification of the product and the identification of the device from the text massage; means for selecting based upon each received text message a payment instrument to be used to pay for the purchase; means for establishing payment information related to the selected payment instrument and delivery information indicating where the purchased product is to be delivered; means for generating for each received text message an order including the established payment information, delivery information and identification of the product being purchased; and, means for submitting the generated order to an order management system of the merchant.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a commercial transaction, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a text message from a first party purchasing a product from a second party, said text message being addressed to an address selected by the first party and including an identification of the product being purchased and an identification of a device from which the text message was sent;

(b) parsing the text message to extract the identification of the product and the identification of the device from the text massage;

(c) selecting based upon the received text message a payment instrument to be used to pay for the purchase;

(d) establishing payment information related to the selected payment instrument and delivery information indicating where the purchased product is to be delivered;

(e) generating an order including the established payment information, delivery information and identification of the product being purchased; and

,

(f) submitting the generated order to an order management system of the second party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein after the order is received by the order management system, the order management system submits a corresponding payment for processing to a payment processing network.

3. The method of claim 2, said method further comprising:

(g) receiving a signal from the payment processing network in response to the submitted payment;

(h) generating in response to the received signal a text message requesting authentication credentials;

(i) sending the text message generated in step (h) to the device of the first party;

(j) receiving a reply text message containing authentication credentials from the first party'"'"'s device; and

,

(k) forwarding the received authentication credentials to the payment network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a database of information for a plurality of first parties associated with respective device identifications, including a record for each first party containing a list of one or more payment instruments belonging to that first party.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein step (c) comprises:

selecting the payment instrument from the record in the database corresponding to the first party associated with the identification of the device extracted in step (b).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment instrument selected in step (c) is identified in the text message received in step (a).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a database of information for a plurality of first parties associated with respective device identifications, including a record for each first party containing the delivery information for that first party.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (d) comprises:

obtaining the delivery information from the record in the database corresponding to the first party associated with the identification of the device extracted in step (b).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery information is identified in the text message received in step (a).

10. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

prior to step (a), providing an offer for the purchase of the product in a media received by the first party, said offer identifying the address to which the text message should be sent to purchase the product and describing how to identify the product being purchased in the text message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the media is television, radio or print media.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message is in short message service (SMS) format.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the address to which the text message is addressed is an SMS shortcode.

14. A text message order processing system comprising:

means for receiving text messages from consumers purchasing products from one or more merchants, each of said text messages being addressed to an address selected by the consumer and including an identification of the product being purchased and an identification of a device from which the text message was sent;

means for parsing each text messages to extract the identification of the product and the identification of the device from the text massage;

means for selecting based upon each received text message a payment instrument to be used to pay for the purchase;

means for establishing payment information related to the selected payment instrument and delivery information indicating where the purchased product is to be delivered;

means for generating for each received text message an order including the established payment information, delivery information and identification of the product being purchased; and

,

means for submitting the generated order to an order management system of the merchant.

15. The text message order processing system of claim 14, wherein the address to which the text message is addressed is used to identify the order management system of the merchant to which the order is to be submitted.

16. The text message order processing system of claim 14, wherein after the order is received by the order management system, the order management system submits a corresponding payment for processing to a payment processing network.

17. The text message order processing system of claim 16, said system further comprising:

means for receiving a signal from the payment processing network in response to the submitted payment;

means for generating in response to the received signal a text message requesting authentication credentials;

means for sending the text message generated in step (h) to the device of the first party;

means for receiving a reply text message containing authentication credentials from the first party'"'"'s device; and

,

means for forwarding the received authentication credentials to the payment network.

18. A method of processing a text message comprising:

receiving a first text message from a first party, said first text message including an identification of information being sought by the first party;

generating a request for the identified information, said request being in a format other than a text message format;

submitting the request to a server having access to the identified information;

obtaining the identified information from the server, said obtained information being in a format other than a text message format;

including the obtaining information in a second text message; and

,

a sending the second text message back to the first party.

19. A method of conducting a commercial transaction, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a text message from a first party making a purchase from a second party;

(b) identifying based upon the received text message a payment account of the first party to be used to pay for the purchase;

(c) sending a communication to a third party that maintains the payment account for the first party to determine if the payment account has sufficient funds available to make the purchase; and

,

(d) if sufficient funds are available;

(i) instructing the third party to reserve those funds;

(ii) generating an order for the purchase;

(iii) submitting the generated order to the second party;

assuming an obligation to pay for the order on behalf of the first party; and

,

(iv) seeking restitution for the obligation to pay for the order out of the reserved funds.