Image-Based Payment Medium

• US 20090182634A1
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sameer Mandke
• Original Assignee: David S. Park, Sameer Mandke
• Inventors: Park, David S., Mandke, Sameer
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.360
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3274 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system for use of an image-based payment medium through images stored on the consumer'"'"'s mobile phone in place of traditional plastic gift, credit or debit cards. Upon authentication, an image is sent to the consumer'"'"'s mobile phone. The consumer displays the image at the retailer'"'"'s point of sale when completing a transaction. The image is scanned with a barcode reader, a webcam or other scanning device and the consumer'"'"'s account in a database is debited or credited based on the amount and type of transaction. An image-base payment medium provides for the ability to target specific ads to the consumer, directed to the registered mobile phone number and also to attach loyalty and coupon programs to the account, which the recipient may redeem upon scanning of the encoded image on the mobile phone at the point of sale. The system and method is suitable for “virtual” gift cards, credit and debit cards, loyalty payment programs and other methods of value exchange.

Claims

1. A method of providing a image-based payment medium comprising the steps of:

issuing an image-based payment medium through a website or other means, designating a recipient of said image-based payment medium and a mobile phone number of said recipient and establishing an account for said recipient;

sending an image to said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone number; and

scanning said image from said recipient'"'"'s mobile phone at a point of sale to validate and debit said recipient'"'"'s said account for purchases made by said recipient at said point of sale.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said image is a two dimensional barcode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said image is a barcode embedded onto a photograph or graphic image.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein scanning said image from said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone is done with a webcam.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein scanning said image from said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone is done with a barcode scanner.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising the additional step of sending advertisements to said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said advertisements are sent only if said recipient agrees to accept said advertisements.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising the additional step of scanning said image from said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone at a point of sale to credit said recipient'"'"'s said account at said point of sale.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising the additional step of authenticating said recipient prior to sending an image to said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone number.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein authentication is done through a web based user interface.

11. A system for providing an image-based payment medium comprising:

a database for storing data related to said image-based payment medium and data related to a recipient of said image-based payment medium;

a web-based user interface to said database for issuing and optionally authenticating said image-based payment medium and for sending an image representing said image-based payment medium to said recipient'"'"'s mobile phone; and

a point of sale system to scan said image of said image-based payment medium from a screen of said mobile phone, said point of sale system connected to said database to provide authentication of said image, and to provide debits and credits to said recipient'"'"'s account.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said image is a two dimensional barcode.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said image is a barcode embedded onto a photograph or graphic image.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said data comprises said recipient'"'"'s age, zip code and gender.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said authentication of said image is performed by scanning said image from said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone with a webcam.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein said authentication of said image is done by scanning said image from said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone with a barcode scanner.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said data includes said recipient'"'"'s permission to send advertisements to said recipient'"'"'s said mobile phone number.

18. An image-based payment medium comprising a unique image for each account wherein said image is stored in a mobile phone, and said image is scanned at a point of sale by a webcam or by a barcode scanner for purposes of decoding said image and applying debits and credits to said account.