MOBILE BUSINESS SYSTEM

• US 20110022503A1
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siobhan O'Loughlin
• Original Assignee: Rodney Parker-Yules, Siobhan O'Loughlin
• Inventors: Parker-Yules, Rodney
• Application Number:
  US12/863,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022503A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile 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 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/125 Finance or payroll
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H

Abstract

The present invention concerns business management. In one aspect, the invention is a mobile business system comprising a database to record one or more mobile workers, where each mobile worker is associated with one or more jobs. The system may comprises a server in communication with a mobile communication device associated with a mobile worker and be operable to receive encrypted payment information associated with a job from the mobile communication device and decrypt the received encrypted payment information and based on the decrypted payment information, request approval of payment from an external server. And, if approval is received, the system may automatically update an accounting system associated the mobile worker with the payment to reflect the approved payment, update status of the job associated with the payment information in the database and send a payment confirmation message to the mobile communication device. In other aspects, the invention is a computer program to implement the system, a method operating at a server to facilitate a mobile business, and a method operating at a mobile communication device to facilitate a mobile business.

Claims

1. A mobile business system comprising:

a database to record one or more mobile workers, where each mobile worker is associated with one or more jobs;

a server in communication with a mobile communication device associated with a mobile worker and operable to;

receive encrypted payment information associated with a job from the mobile communication device;

decrypt the received encrypted payment information and based on the decrypted payment information, request approval of payment from an external server;

and if approval is received, automatically update an accounting system associated with the mobile worker with the payment to reflect the approved payment, update status of the job associated with the payment information in the database and send a payment confirmation message to the mobile communication device.

2. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein payment information of a debit or credit card is encrypted by a mobile payment terminal before it is received.

3. A mobile business system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile payment terminal is integrated with the mobile communication device.

4. A mobile business system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile payment terminal is in wireless communication with the mobile communication device, and both the mobile payment terminal and the mobile communication device are running an encryption session when the encrypted payment information is sent from the mobile payment terminal to the mobile communication device.

5. A mobile business system according to claim 2, wherein the payment information includes a card number of the debit or credit card that is not stored by the server when requesting approval from the external server.

6. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server updates the accounting system with the payment by determining a payment amount from the decrypted payment information and recording the payment amount in a cashbook associated with the mobile worker.

7. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is operable to receive information identifying a job associated with the payment information from the mobile communication device, and if approval is received from the external server, to update the status of the job in the database based on the received information.

8. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the database further stores one or more diaries that are each associated with a mobile worker, and the server is further operable to provide an interface to add a job to a diary associated with a mobile worker.

9. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is further operable to access details of a job, and based on the details and user-determined search criteria, to automatically search a diary of one or more mobile workers to find a mobile worker who satisfies the user-determined search criteria.

10. A mobile business system according to claim 8, wherein the user-determined search criteria comprises one or more of:

availability of a mobile worker;

skill level of a mobile worker and nature of the job;

location of a customer associated with the job;

location of a mobile worker; and

previous experience of a mobile worker with a customer associated with the job.

11. A mobile business system according to claim 8, wherein when a job is added to the diary associated with a mobile worker, the server is operable to send a message to the mobile communication device associated with the mobile worker to either accept or reject the job.

12. A mobile business system according to claim 8, wherein the details of a job are automatically extracted by the server from an electronic message from a customer.

13. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is further operable to calculate an estimated cost for a job based on details of that job and jobs recorded in the database.

14. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is further operable to:

provide an interface for a mobile worker to enter one or more of the following information;

start time, end time and expenses incurred for a job; and

based on the entered information, automatically calculate a payment amount and prepare an invoice for that payment amount.

15. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is further operable to record expenses associated with a job, and business overheads in the accounting system.

16. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is further operable to perform scheduled checks on the accounting system associated with one or more mobile workers to ensure that jobs have been paid.

17. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is operable to send a reminder message about a job at a specified date and time to the mobile communication device of a mobile worker, or to a computer associated with a customer.

18. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is further operable to provide a vehicle log book interface for a mobile worker to enter and update an odometer reading.

19. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein the server is further operable to provide an interface to download data from the database and/or the accounting system associated with a mobile worker to third-party accounting or customer relationship management software.

20. A mobile business system according to claim 1, wherein when the approval for a payment is received, the server is further operable to automatically prepare and send a receipt for that payment to a customer.

21. A mobile business system according to claim 2, wherein the server decrypts the received encrypted payment information behind a secure firewall to protect a card number of the debit or credit card.

22. A computer program to implement the system according to claim 1.

23. A method of facilitat a mobile business, wherein with plural mobile communication devices are each associated with a mobile worker, the method comprising:

receiving encrypted payment information associated with a job from a mobile communication device of a mobile worker;

decrypting the received encrypted payment information and based on the decrypted payment information, requesting approval;

and if approval is received, automatically updating an accounting system associated with the mobile worker with the payment to reflect the approved payment, updating the status of the job associated with the payment information and sending a payment confirmation message to the mobile communication device.

24. A method operating at a mobile communication device to facilitate a mobile business, wherein the mobile communication device is associated with a mobile worker, the method comprising:

receiving encrypted payment information from a mobile payment terminal associated with the mobile communication device;

sending the encrypted payment information and information identifying a job associated with the encrypted payment information for approval of payment;

and if approved, receiving and displaying a payment confirmation message that the payment has been approved and an accounting system associated with the mobile worker is updated with the payment to reflect the approved payment.