Systems and Methods to Verify Payment Transactions

• US 20100094732A1
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boku Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vidicom Limited
• Inventors: SMITH, Glyn Barry
• Application Number:
  US12/369,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094732A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• 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 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification

Abstract

An apparatus includes a processor, storage, memory and a network connection. The processor is configured to: store user details in the storage including a plurality of telephone numbers, each associated with details of a payment card; receive, via the network connection, a request including a first telephone number related to a transaction; identify payment card details based on the first telephone number in response to the request; obtain an indication as to whether the transaction is valid using the first telephone number; and send the payment card details via the network connection to a payment server to process the request if the transaction is determined to be valid.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising

a processor;

storage;

memory; and

a network connection, wherein the processor is configured to;

store user details in the storage including a plurality of telephone numbers, each associated with details of a payment card;

receive, via the network connection, a request including a first telephone number related to a transaction;

identify payment card details based on the first telephone number, in response to the request;

obtain an indication as to whether the transaction is valid using the first telephone number; and

send the payment card details via the network connection to a payment server to process the request if the transaction is determined to be valid.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to obtain an indication as to whether the transaction is valid by:

sending a message to the first telephone number; and

determining whether a valid reply to the message has been received from the first telephone number.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the message is sent via Short Message Service (SMS) and the valid reply is received via SMS.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the user details include a stored password associated with each of the telephone numbers, and the processor is configured to determine whether a valid reply has been received by:

receiving a reply including a received password;

retrieving a first stored password associated with the first telephone number; and

comparing the received password with the first stored password.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein if no reply has been received within a specified period of time, the transaction is considered to be invalid.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifying the payment card details comprises:

searching the user details to find the first telephone number; and

retrieving details of a payment card associated with the first telephone number.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a request to set up a user account;

store new user details including contact details and an identification of at least one payment card;

generate a password and store the password in the new user details; and

obtain a postal address associated with the at least one payment card to send the password.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to return an indication via the network connection to an issuer of the request if the transaction is determined to be not valid.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a request from a network-connected device, the request including an identification of a telephone number;

retrieving, by the processor from storage coupled to the processor, stored payment card details based on the telephone number;

sending a message to the telephone number;

determining, by the processor, whether a valid reply to the message has been received from the telephone number; and

sending, by the processor, the payment card details to a payment server to process the request in response to the valid reply to the message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the message is sent to the telephone number via Short Message Service (SMS).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the valid reply is received from the telephone number via SMS.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying a stored password associated with the telephone number, and the determining whether a valid reply has been received comprises:

receiving a reply including a received password; and

comparing the received password with the stored password.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein if no reply has been received within a specified period of time, the payment card details is not sent to the payment server.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the retrieving the stored payment card details comprises:

interrogating stored data to find the telephone number; and

retrieving a payment card identification associated with the telephone number.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the payment card details comprise an identification of a payment card.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the network-connected device is a server at which a user makes a purchase.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a request to set up a user account;

storing an identification of at least one payment card in the user account;

storing contact details and associating the contact details with the identification of the payment card;

generating and storing a password and associating the password with the payment card; and

obtaining a postal address associated with the payment card to send the password.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the contact details include a telephone number of a mobile phone.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the message is sent to a mobile device at the telephone number.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions executable by a computer such that, when executing the instructions, the computer will perform a method comprising:

receiving a request from a network-connected device, the request including an identification of a telephone number;

retrieving stored payment card details based on the telephone number;

sending a message to the telephone number;

determining whether a valid reply to the message has been received from the telephone number; and

sending the payment card details to a payment server to process the request in response to the valid reply to the message.