METHODS, DEVICES AND BANK COMPUTERS FOR CONSUMERS USING COMMUNICATORS TO WIRE FUNDS TO SELLERS AND VENDING MACHINES

• US 20100198729A1
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wireless Commerce LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: KAVOUNAS, GREGORY T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• 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 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• 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 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

Methods for consumers to pay at the point of sale by using a personal communicator to wire transfer funds out of their bank account. The communicator is coupled to, and exchanges signals with a reciprocating communicator of the seller, which in turn is coupled to the seller'"'"'s bank. This way the money is transferred as an EFT payment code directly from the buyer'"'"'s bank to the seller'"'"'s bank, where it may be considered direct deposited, without processing delays. Devices also include vending machines that can receive payment this way. Bank computers are provided with systems and software for enabling the above. The bank computers are accessible by telephone lines, and work with cooperating banks by exchanging signals, for transferring the funds. The seller'"'"'s bank generates a payment confirmation code that is ultimately transmitted to the seller'"'"'s satisfaction for releasing the goods at the point of sale.

Claims

1. A method for a consumer to make a payment to a vendor comprising:

establishing over a telephone line a first communication link between a communicator and an automated agent of the consumer that is located remotely to the consumer;

contacting an automated agent of the vendor over a second communication link concurrently with the first communication link being established;

coupling the communicator with a coupler which is preset to cooperate with the vendor'"'"'s agent to establish a third communication link between the coupler and the communicator concurrently with the first communication link being established; and

the consumer'"'"'s agent transmitting a payment authorization code to the vendor'"'"'s agent over the second communication link to effectuate the payment,

wherein the communicator receives at least one code over the first communication link, for issuing to the coupler a corresponding signal over the third communication link.