ENHANCED SECURITY FEATURE FOR PAYMENT-ENABLED MOBILE TELEPHONE

• US 20110195748A1
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Carter, Ronald D., Main, Jonathan, Phillips, Simon
• Application Number:
  US12/765,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20110195748A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• 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 20/3263 characterised by activation or deactivation of payment capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1025 Identification of user by a PIN code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A method includes providing a mobile device. The mobile device is programmed with a payment application program, an environment program that supports application programs, and a user interface application program. When the user interface application program is initiated, the initiation of the program includes sending a message from the user interface application program to the payment application program to clear a PIN (personal identification number) verification status flag.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a mobile device, the mobile device including at least one processor, the processor controlled by a plurality of software programs, the software programs including (a) an environment program for supporting application programs, (b) a payment application program for enabling the mobile device to provide payment account information to a point of sale (POS) terminal via radio frequency signaling to consummate a purchase transaction at the POS terminal, and (c) a user interface application program supported by the environment program;

initiating operation of the user interface application program in the mobile device; and

as part of initiating operation of the user interface application program, sending a message from the user interface application program to the payment application program to cause the payment application program to clear a PIN (personal identification number) verification status flag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of the user interface application program is initiated by the environment program.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the environment program initiates operation of the user interface application program in response to timing-out of an alarm maintained in the environment program.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the alarm is maintained via a push registry.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment program is a virtual machine program.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of programs includes a mobile operating system that supports the virtual machine program.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a payment-enabled mobile telephone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface application program includes a function for prompting a user of the mobile device to enter the user'"'"'s PIN.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment application program is inoperative to enter into the purchase transaction after the PIN verification status flag is cleared.

10. A method comprising:

providing a mobile device, the mobile device including at least one processor, the processor controlled by a plurality of software programs, the software programs including (a) an environment program for supporting application programs, (b) a payment application program for enabling the mobile device to provide payment account information to a point of sale (POS) terminal via radio frequency signaling to consummate a purchase transaction at the POS terminal, and (c) a user interface application program supported by the environment program;

receiving a PIN (personal identification number) from a user of the mobile device via the user interface application program; and

in response to receiving the PIN, the user interface application program requesting the environment program to set an alarm, the alarm having an alarm period.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

the user interface application program setting a time-out period within the user interface application program, the time-out period different from the alarm period.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

the user interface application program experiencing an exit event;

the alarm period expiring;

the environment program responding to expiration of the alarm period by re-initiating operation of the user interface application program; and

in response to re-initiating operation of the user interface application program, sending a message from the user interface application program to the payment application program to cause the payment application program to clear a PIN (personal identification number) verification status flag.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

after setting the alarm and before setting the time-out period;

the user interface application program requesting the payment application program to verify the received PIN; and

the payment application program verifying the received PIN and setting a PIN verification status (PVS) flag.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

the payment application program completing the purchase transaction by providing the payment account information to the POS terminal;

the payment application program clearing the PVS flag;

the payment application program indicating to the user interface application program that the purchase transaction has occurred;

the user interface application program clearing the time-out period;

the user interface application program requesting the environment program to clear the alarm.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

the user requesting the user interface application program to cease operation;

in response to the user requesting the user interface application program to cease operation;

the user interface application program clearing the time-out period;

sending a message from the user interface application program to the payment application program to cause the payment application program to clear the PVS flag;

the payment application program indicating to the user interface application program that the PVS flag has been cleared;

the user interface application program requesting the environment program to clear the alarm; and

the user interface application program ceasing operation.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

the time-out period expiring;

the user interface application program responding to expiration of the time-out period by sending a message from the user interface application program to the payment application program to cause the payment application program to clear the PVS flag;

the payment application program indicating to the user interface application program that the PVS flag has been cleared; and

the user interface application program requesting the environment program to clear the alarm.

17. A mobile device, comprising:

a housing;

a processor contained within the housing; and

a memory contained within the housing and storing a plurality of programs, the plurality of programs including (a) an environment program for supporting application programs, (b) a payment application program for enabling the mobile device to provide payment account information to a point of sale (POS) terminal via radio frequency signaling to consummate a purchase transaction at the POS terminal, and (c) a user interface application program supported by the environment program;

the memory in communication with the processor, the processor operative with the programs to;

receive a PIN (personal identification number) from a user of the mobile device via the user interface application program;

in response to receiving the PIN, send a request via the user interface application program to the environment program, the request for requesting the environment program to set an alarm, the alarm having an alarm period;

set a time-out period within the user interface application program, the time-out period different from the alarm period;

experience an exit event in the user interface application program;

detect that the alarm period has expired;

respond to expiration of the alarm period by reinitiating the user interface application program via the environment program; and

in response to reinitiating the user interface application program, send a message from the user interface application program to the payment application program to cause the payment application program to clear a PIN (personal identification number) verification status flag.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further operative with the programs, after the alarm is set and before the time-out period is set, to:

request, via the user interface application program, that the payment application program verify the received PIN;

verify the received PIN via the payment application program; and

set the PIN verification status flag in the payment application program.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone.

20. A method comprising:

providing a mobile device, the mobile device including at least one processor, the processor controlled by a plurality of software programs, the software programs including (a) an environment program for supporting application programs, (b) a payment application program for enabling the mobile device to provide payment account information to a point of sale (POS) terminal via radio frequency signaling to consummate a purchase transaction at the POS terminal, and (c) a user interface application program supported by the environment program;

receiving a PIN (personal identification number) from a user of the mobile device via the user interface application program;

in response to receiving the PIN, the user interface application program requesting the environment program to set an alarm, the alarm having an alarm period;

the user interface application program setting a time-out period within the user interface application program, the time-out period different from the alarm period;

the user interface application program experiencing an exit event;

the alarm period expiring;

the environment program responding to expiration of the alarm period by initiating operation of an application program other than the user interface application program; and

in response to initiation of operation of the application program other than the user interface application program, sending a message from the application program other than the user interface application program to the payment application program to cause the payment application program to clear a PIN (personal identification number) verification status flag.