Methods and Systems For Providing a Payment in a Mobile Environment

• US 20080010191A1
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Firethorn Holdings LLC (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cochran, Kyle Leighton, Porter, Warren Derek, Rackley III, Brady Lee, Rickman, Gregory Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/428,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010191A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/223 based on the use of peer-to-peer networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3221 Access to banking information through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a financial payment to a payee utilizing a mobile device such as a mobile telephone (cellphone) or wireless connected personal digital assistant (PDA). The user inputs information into the mobile device identifying a payee, a payment source for the payment, and a payment method. The mobile device generates a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee, the payment source, and the payment method, and wirelessly communicates the mobile payment instruction to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS). The MFTS generates an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient. The MFTS payment instruction includes information identifying the payment source, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the payment method. The MFTS communicates the MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient. In response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee without any required action by the payee.

Claims

1. A method for making a financial payment to a payee from a user/payer utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

receiving user input at the mobile device of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made, information identifying a payment source for the payment, and information corresponding to one or more selectable payment methods;

at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee, the payment source, and the selected payment method;

wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS);

at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the payment source, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method;

communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and

at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, making a payment to the identified payee without any required action by the payee.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;

receiving updated account balance information for the account; and

in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the identification of a payment source comprises selection of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of, in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction at the MFTS:

determining information corresponding to a selected account at a selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction as the payment source;

generating an MFTS payment instruction to the determined financial service provider, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and

communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the selected financial service provider as the payment instruction recipient.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider;

and

wherein the step of determining information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction is effected by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the payee information is provided by the user by input at the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display and selection by to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein user input corresponding to identifying a payment source is provided in response to display of a Payment Source selection command.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifying of a payment source for making the payment comprises selection of a particular account associated with a financial service provider.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from a selected financial service provider and communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the MFTS includes a database for storing user information and transaction information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the transaction information comprises payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of user payments, including one or more of the following items of information:

a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a payment method identifier, a pending/complete flag.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the user information comprises prestored information corresponding to payees, accounts, and financial service providers associated with users.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable payment methods include:

a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user'"'"'s computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of:

providing a web application in association with the MFTS;

receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and

storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on a user'"'"'s computer.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the MFTS provides a message to the payee informing the payee that a payment has been made.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the message is a text message provide to the payee'"'"'s mobile device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the message is provided to a payee that has a Mobile Wallet application on the payee'"'"'s mobile device, and wherein the payee is informed in the message as to an option for receiving the payment.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the option for receiving the payment includes one or more of an existing stored value card, a new stored value card, a payment method other than the payment method indicated by the user/payer.

28. A system for facilitating a financial payment to a payee from a user/payer utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising:

a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for;

receiving user input of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made, information identifying a payment source for the payment, and information corresponding to one or more selectable payment methods;

generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee, the payment source, and the selected payment method; and

wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS);

a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system in wireless communication with a user mobile device and operative for conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; and

MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of;

in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the payment source, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and

communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient,

whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the identified payee without any required action by the payee.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the identification of a payment source comprises selection on the mobile device of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;

wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and

wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.

33. The system of claim 28, further comprising the steps of, in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction at the MFTS:

determining information corresponding to a selected account at a selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction as the payment source;

generating an MFTS payment instruction to the determined financial service provider, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and

communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the selected financial service provider as the payment instruction recipient.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider;

and

wherein the step of determining information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction is effected by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the payee information is provided by the user by input at the mobile device.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display and selection by to the user.

37. The system of claim 28, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein user input corresponding to identifying a payment source is provided in response to display of a Payment Source selection command.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the identifying of a payment source for making the payment comprises selection of a particular account associated with a financial service provider.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from a selected financial service provider and communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.

42. The system of claim 28, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.

43. The system of claim 28, wherein the MFTS includes a database for storing user information and transaction information.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the transaction information comprises payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of user payments, including one or more of the following items of information:

a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a payment method identifier, a pending/complete flag.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the user information comprises prestored information corresponding to payees, accounts, and financial service providers associated with users.

46. The system of claim 28, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.

48. The system of claim 28, wherein the selectable payment methods include:

a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.

49. The system of claim 28, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user'"'"'s computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of:

providing a web application in association with the MFTS;

receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and

storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on a user'"'"'s computer.

51. The system of claim 28, wherein the MFTS provides a message to the payee informing the payee that a payment has been made.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the message is a text message provide to the payee'"'"'s mobile device.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the message is provided to a payee that has a Mobile Wallet application on the payee'"'"'s mobile device, and wherein the payee is informed in the message as to an option for receiving the payment.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the option for receiving the payment includes one or more of an existing stored value card, a new stored value card, a payment method other than the payment method indicated by the user/payer.

55. A method for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more payment sources, the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with one or more sources of payee information indicative of a payee to whom a payment is to be made;

the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information;

the MFTS including a web application for receiving user input of user information and information relating to payees;

receiving payment to make information at the MFTS from a payee information source corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to at least one payee;

generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information from a payee information source, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information;

wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP;

displaying information corresponding to the summarized payment to make at the user mobile device;

at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment and selection of at least one payment to make;

at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment;

wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS;

at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source;

at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee;

communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and

at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effecting a payment to the identified payee.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the payment to make at the user mobile device comprises displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable bills to pay, the one or more selectable bills to pay including the payment to make information associated with a billing entity associated with a bill to pay.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.

59. The method of claim 55, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve more comprehensive billing entity information stored locally in a mobile device memory.

61. The method of claim 55, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising the steps of:

storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;

receiving updated account balance information for the account; and

in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.

64. The method of claim 55, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via the web application or is input by the user at the mobile device.

65. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of displaying payment to make information at the user mobile device in response to user activation of a “

View Bills”

function.

66. The method of claim 55, wherein the step of displaying payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a message from the MFTS.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the message is a text message.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein the message is displayed via a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.

69. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a bill to pay in response to display of a View Bills command.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.

74. The method of claim 72, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.

75. The method of claim 70, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.

77. The method of claim 70, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.

78. The method of claim 55, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.

79. The method of claim 55, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.

80. The method of claim 55, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user'"'"'s financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information:

a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.

82. The method of claim 55, further comprising the steps of:

receiving user information via the web application corresponding to payment sources and payees; and

storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with transactions.

83. The method of claim 82, further comprising the steps of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user'"'"'s computer.

84. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.

85. The method of claim 84, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.

86. The method of claim 55, further comprising the steps of:

at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and

at the user mobile device in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment,

whereby the payment is effected via the selected payment method.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein the selectable payment methods include:

a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.

88. A system for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising:

a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for wirelessly receiving summarized payment to make information from the MFTS, receiving user input corresponding to a payment to make and a payment source for making a payment, generating a mobile payment instruction to the MFTS indicating a payment to make and a payment source, and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS;

a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database associated with the MFTS for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with a user;

a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments, the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more payment sources, the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with one or more sources of payee information indicative of a payee to whom a payment is to be made; and

MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system including a web application for receiving user input of user information and information relating to payee, and comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of;

receiving payment to make information from a payee information source corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to at least one payee;

generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make information from a payee information source, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information;

wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP;

in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction from a mobile device, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source;

generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and

communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient,

whereby at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, a payment is effected to the identified payee.

89. The system of claim 88, wherein the mobile device displays information corresponding to one or more selectable bills to pay, the one or more selectable bills to pay including the payment to make information associated with a billing entity associated with a bill to pay.

90. The system of claim 88, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.

91. The system of claim 88, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.

92. The system of claim 88, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.

93. The system of claim 92, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve more comprehensive billing entity information stored locally in a mobile device memory.

94. The system of claim 88, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.

95. The system of claim 94, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;

wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and

wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.

96. The system of claim 94, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.

97. The system of claim 88, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via the web application or is input by the user at the mobile device.

98. The system of claim 88, wherein the mobile device displays payment to make information in response to user activation of a “

View Bills”

function.

99. The system of claim 88, wherein the mobile device displays payment to make information in response to receipt at the mobile device of a message from the MFTS.

100. The system of claim 99, wherein the message is a text message.

101. The system of claim 99, wherein the message is displayed on a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.

102. The system of claim 88, wherein the MFTS provides a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for use on a user mobile device.

103. The system of claim 102, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.

104. The system of claim 103, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a bill to pay in response to display of a View Bills command.

105. The system of claim 103, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.

106. The system of claim 105, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.

107. The system of claim 105, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.

108. The system of claim 103, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.

109. The system of claim 108, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.

110. The system of claim 103, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.

111. The system of claim 88, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.

112. The system of claim 88, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.

113. The system of claim 88, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user'"'"'s financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.

114. The system of claim 113, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information:

a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.

115. The system of claim 88, wherein the web application is operative for receiving user information corresponding to payment sources and payees;

and

wherein the MFTS database stores user information input via the web application for use in connection with transactions.

116. The system of claim 115, wherein the web application is operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, to a user via the user'"'"'s computer.

117. The system of claim 88, wherein the MFTS software is operative for receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.

118. The system of claim 117, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.

119. The system of claim 88, wherein the mobile device is operative for receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment and including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.

120. The system of claim 119, wherein the selectable payment methods include:

a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.

121. A method for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

receiving user input on a mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment and selection of at least one payment to make;

generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment; and

wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more payment sources and with one or more sources of payee information indicative of an identified payee to whom a payment is to be made,

whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the identified payee by communicating a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient.

122. The method of claim 121, further comprising the step of displaying information on the mobile device corresponding to the payment to make, the information corresponding to one or more selectable bills to pay, the one or more selectable bills to pay including the payment to make information associated with a billing entity associated with a bill to pay.

123. The method of claim 121, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.

124. The method of claim 121, further comprising the step of receiving summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS and displaying information corresponding to the summarized payment to make information.

125. The method of claim 124, wherein the summarized payment to make information includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.

126. The method of claim 125, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve more comprehensive billing entity information stored locally in a mobile device memory.

127. The method of claim 124, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.

128. The method of claim 121, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.

129. The method of claim 128, further comprising the steps of:

storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;

receiving updated account balance information for the account; and

in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.

130. The method of claim 128, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.

131. The method of claim 121, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information utilized in making the payment is input to the MFTS by the user via a web application associated with the MFTS or is input by the user at the mobile device.

132. The method of claim 121, further comprising the step of displaying payment to make information at the user mobile device in response to user activation of a “

View Bills”

function.

133. The method of claim 121, further comprising the step of displaying payment to make information at the user mobile device in response to receipt at the mobile device of a message from the MFTS.

134. The method of claim 133, wherein the message is a text message.

135. The method of claim 134, wherein the message is displayed via a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.

136. The method of claim 121, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.

137. The method of claim 136, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.

138. The method of claim 137, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a bill to pay in response to display of a View Bills command.

139. The method of claim 137, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.

140. The method of claim 139, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.

141. The method of claim 139, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.

142. The method of claim 137, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.

143. The method of claim 142, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.

144. The method of claim 137, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.

145. The method of claim 121, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.

146. The method of claim 121, further comprising the step of wirelessly receiving a payment confirmation message at the mobile device from the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.

147. The method of claim 121, further comprising the steps of:

receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and

in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.

148. The method of claim 147, wherein the selectable payment methods include:

a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.

149. A mobile device for making a mobile financial payment via a wireless network, comprising:

a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; and

mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of;

receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment and selection of at least one payment to make;

generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment; and

wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more payment sources and with one or more sources of payee information indicative of an identified payee to whom a payment is to be made,

whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the identified payee by communicating a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient.

150. The device of claim 149, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying information corresponding to the payment to make, the information corresponding to one or more selectable bills to pay, the one or more selectable bills to pay including the payment to make information associated with a billing entity associated with a bill to pay.

151. The device of claim 149, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.

152. The device of claim 149, wherein the mobile device is further operative for receiving summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS and displaying information corresponding to the summarized payment to make information.

153. The device of claim 152, wherein the summarized payment to make information includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.

154. The device of claim 153, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve more comprehensive billing entity information stored locally in a mobile device memory.

155. The device of claim 152, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.

156. The device of claim 149, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.

157. The system of claim 156, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;

wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account and wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and

wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.

158. The device of claim 156, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.

159. The device of claim 149, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information utilized in making the payment is input to the MFTS by the user via a web application associated with the MFTS or is input by the user at the mobile device.

160. The device of claim 149, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying payment to make information in response to user activation of a “

View Bills”

function.

161. The device of claim 149, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying payment to make information in response to receipt at the mobile device of a message from the MFTS.

162. The device of claim 161, wherein the message is a text message.

163. The device of claim 161, wherein the message is displayed via a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.

164. The device of claim 149, wherein the mobile device software comprises a Mobile Wallet application.

165. The device of claim 164, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.

166. The device of claim 165, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a bill to pay in response to display of a View Bills command.

167. The device of claim 165, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.

168. The device of claim 167, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.

169. The device of claim 167, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.

170. The device of claim 165, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.

171. The device of claim 170, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.

172. The device of claim 165, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.

173. The device of claim 149, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.

174. The device of claim 149, wherein the mobile device is further operative for wirelessly receiving a payment confirmation message at the mobile device from the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.

175. The device of claim 149, wherein the mobile device is further operative for:

receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and

in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.

176. The device of claim 175, wherein the selectable payment methods include:

a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.

177. A computer-implemented method for a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) to effect a financial payment to a payee in response to a mobile device connected for communication via a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

providing a web application for receiving user input of user information and information relating to payees;

receiving payment to make information from a payee information source corresponding to a payment to be made by a mobile device user to at least one payee;

generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make information from a payee information source, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information;

wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to a user mobile device;

wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device;

in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from a MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source;

generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and

communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient,

whereby in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee.

178. The method of claim 177, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.

179. The method of claim 177, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.

180. The method of claim 177, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.

181. The method of claim 177, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.

182. The method of claim 181, further comprising the steps of:

storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;

receiving updated account balance information for the account; and

in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.

183. The method of claim 181, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.

184. The method of claim 177, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via the web application or is input by the user at the mobile device.

185. The method of claim 177, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a message to a user mobile device in response to receipt of payment to make information from a payee information source.

186. The method of claim 185, wherein the message is configured for display on a user mobile device via a Mobile Wallet application.

187. The method of claim 185, wherein the message is a text message.

188. The method of claim 177, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for a user mobile device.

189. The method of claim 177, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of a View Bills command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.

190. The method of claim 189, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.

191. The method of claim 189, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.

192. The method of claim 177, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes user selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.

193. The method of claim 177, wherein user activation of a View Payment Sources command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.

194. The method of claim 177, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.

195. The method of claim 177, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.

196. The method of claim 177, further comprising the step of storing transaction information corresponding to a user'"'"'s financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.

197. The method of claim 196, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information:

a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.

198. The method of claim 177, further comprising the steps of:

receiving user information via the web application corresponding to payment sources and payees; and

storing the user information input via the web application for use in connection with transactions.

199. The method of claim 198, further comprising the steps of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user'"'"'s computer.

200. The method of claim 177, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from a payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment by the payment instruction recipient.

201. The method of claim 200, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.

202. The method of claim 177, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment, and wherein the payment is effected via the selected payment method.

203. The method of claim 202, wherein the selectable payment methods include:

a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.

204. A mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) for effecting a payment on behalf of a user with a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising:

a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment to make information associated with one or more payees associated with a mobile device user;

a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; and

MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system including a web application for receiving user input of user information and information relating to payees, the MFTS software comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of;

receiving payment to make information from a payee information source corresponding to a payment to be made by a mobile device user to at least one payee;

generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make information from a payee information source, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information;

wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to a user mobile device;

wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device;

in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from a MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source;

generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and

communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient,

whereby in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee.

205. The system of claim 204, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.

206. The system of claim 205, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.

207. The system of claim 204, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.

208. The system of claim 204, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.

209. The system of claim 208, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.

210. The system of claim 208, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;

wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and

wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.

211. The system of claim 204, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via the web application or is input by the user at the mobile device.

212. The system of claim 204, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a message to a user mobile device in response to receipt of payment to make information from a payee information source.

213. The system of claim 212, wherein the message is a text message.

214. The system of claim 212, wherein the message is configured for display on a user mobile device via a Mobile Wallet application.

215. The system of claim 204, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for a user mobile device.

216. The system of claim 204, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of a View Bills command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.

217. The system of claim 216, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.

218. The system of claim 216, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.

219. The system of claim 204, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes user selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.

220. The system of claim 204, wherein user activation of a View Payment Sources command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.

221. The system of claim 204, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.

222. The system of claim 204, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.

223. The system of claim 204, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for storing transaction information corresponding to a user'"'"'s financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.

224. The system of claim 223, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information:

a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.

225. The system of claim 204, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving user information via the web application corresponding to payment sources and payees, and storing the user information input via the web application for use in connection with transactions.

226. The system of claim 225, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user'"'"'s computer.

227. The system of claim 204, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from a payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment by the payment instruction recipient.

228. The system of claim 227, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.

229. The system of claim 204, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment, and wherein the payment is effected via the selected payment method.

230. The system of claim 229, wherein the selectable payment methods include:

a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.