System and method for managing electronic data transfer applications

• US 7,152,782 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hurry, Simon, Raj, Thanigaivel Ashwin, Sahota, Jagdeep Singh, Kashef, Forough, Shenker, Gavin
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US10/826,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20050006461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/492, 235/379, 235/382, 705/13, 705 15- 17, 705/26
• US Class Current: 235/376
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/35765 Access rights to memory zones
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A system and method for managing one or more applications deployed on a mobile electronic device, such as a cellular phone, are disclosed. The system and method enable the user of a mobile electronic device to select one of a plurality of applications deployed on the mobile electronic device for use in a transaction and to authenticate himself or herself prior to initiating the transaction. The transaction may occur via a wireless interface and/or a contact-based interface. In addition, the system and method allow the user to manage applications deployed on a mobile electronic device, including adding new applications, designating nicknames for the applications and setting security codes for each application.

Claims

1. A method for managing one or more data transfer applications on a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

disabling all of the one or more data transfer applications on the electronic device;

identifying one or more of the data transfer applications which have been registered for use on the electronic device;

displaying an identifier for one or more of the registered data transfer application on the electronic device;

receiving, from a user of the electronic device, a selection for one of the data transfer applications;

enabling the selected data transfer application for use by the user when the user satisfies an authentication mechanism that is independent of the selected data transfer application; and

disabling the selected data transfer application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises entry by the user of a first authentication code is compared to a second authentication code for the data transfer application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises the entry of a first personal identification number which is compared to a second personal identification number for the data transfer application.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises comparing a biometric sample supplied by the user with a biometric template associated with the data transfer application.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the biometric sample comprises one or more of the following:

a fingerprint;

a facial scan;

a retinal image;

an iris scan; and

a voice print.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises comparing a signature supplied by the user with a signature template associated with the data transfer application.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the signature supplied by the user is electronically compared to the signature template.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the authentication mechanism is not satisfied, prompting the user to re-attempt authentication up to a predetermined number of times.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

prohibiting access to the selected data transfer application when the authentication mechanism has failed a predetermined number of times.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting first transaction information from the mobile electronic device to a second device, wherein the first transaction information comprises data uniquely associated with the selected data transfer application; and

receiving at the mobile electronic device second transaction information wherein the second transaction information is provided to the selected data transfer application to complete processing of a data transfer and further wherein the second transaction information is received from the second device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein transmitting the first transaction information occurs over a wireless interface.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the second transaction information is received over a wireless interface.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier is a user-specified nickname for the data transfer application.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying an identifier for the one or more registered data transfer applications comprises displaying only identifiers for representations of one or more data transfer applications associated with transactions of a user-specified type.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein available user-specified transaction types comprise one or more of the following:

credit card transactions;

debit card transactions;

calling card transactions;

stored value transactions;

loyalty card transactions; and

coupon transactions.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device comprises one or more of the following:

a cellular phone;

a removable memory card;

a subscriber information module;

a personal digital assistant;

a pager;

a walkie-talkie;

an integrated circuit card;

a cellular phone in communication with a subscriber interaction module

a cellular phone in communication with a removable memory card;

a personal digital assistant in communication with a subscriber information module; and

a personal digital assistant in communication with a removable memory card.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering one or more data transfer application for use by the user.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein registering the one or more data transfer applications comprises, for each data transfer application:

prompting the user to enter the identifier for the data transfer application; and

storing the user-entered identifier in memory on the mobile electronic device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

prompting the user to enter authentication data to be used by the authentication mechanism to authenticate the user in subsequent uses of the data transfer application; and

storing the authentication data in memory on the mobile electronic device.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of registering one or more data transfer applications is performed by a service provider for that application.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of registering one or more data transfer applications is performed by a provider of the mobile electronic device.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the disabling step occurs following completion of processing by the enabled data transfer application.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the disabling step occurs upon a user-initiated action.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the disabling step occurs when the data transfer application has not completed processing within a predetermined time period.

25. A method for conducting a data transfer transaction, the method comprising:

receive a selection for a data transfer application from one or more data transfer applications on a mobile electronic device;

enabling the selected data transfer application when the user satisfies an authentication mechanism that is independent of the selected data transfer application;

processing a transaction using the selected data transfer application, wherein the transaction does not require an additional user authentication; and

disabling the selected data transfer application.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises entry by the user of a first authentication code which is compared to a second authentication code for the data transfer application.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises the entry of a first personal identification number which is compared to a second personal identification number for the data transfer application.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises comparing a biometric sample supplied by the user with a biometric template associated with the data transfer application.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the biometric sample comprises one or more of the following:

a fingerprint;

a facial scan;

a retinal image;

an iris scan; and

a voice print.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises comparing a signature supplied by the user with a signature template associated with the data transfer application.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the signature supplied by the user is electronically compared to the signature template.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

if the authentication mechanism is not satisfied, prompting the user to re-attempt authentication up to a predetermined number of times.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

prohibiting access to the selected data transfer application when the authentication mechanism has failed a predetermined number of times.

34. The method of claim 25 wherein processing the transaction comprises:

transmitting first transaction information from the mobile electronic device to a second device, wherein the first transaction information comprises data uniquely associated with the selected data transfer application; and

receiving at the mobile electronic device second transaction information wherein the second transaction information is provided to the selected data transfer application to complete processing of a data transfer and further wherein the second transaction information is received from the second device.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein transmitting first transaction information comprises transmitting the first transaction information over a wireless interface.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein receiving second transaction information comprises receiving the second transaction information over a wireless interface.

37. The method of claim 25 wherein the transaction comprises one or more of the following:

a credit card transaction;

a debit card transaction;

a calling card transaction;

a stored value transaction;

a loyalty card transaction; and

a coupon transaction.

38. The method of claim 25 wherein the mobile electronic device comprises one or more of the following:

a cellular phone;

a removable memory card;

a subscriber information module;

a personal digital assistant;

a pager;

a walkie-talkie;

an integrated circuit card;

a cellular phone in communication with a subscriber interaction module

a cellular phone in communication with a removable memory card;

a personal digital assistant in communication with a subscriber information module; and

a personal digital assistant in communication with a removable memory card.

39. A mobile device for managing a plurality of data transfer applications, the device comprising:

a processor;

a display operably connected to the processor;

at least one input device operably connected to the processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium operably connected to the processor, wherein the computer-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for performing a method of managing the one or more data transfer applications, the method comprising;

disabling all of the data transfer applications on the device;

displaying an identifier for at least one of the data transfer applications on the electronic device;

receiving, from a user, a selection of one of the data transfer applications; and

enabling the selected data transfer application when the user satisfies an authentication mechanism that is independent of the selected data transfer application.

40. The device of claim 39 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises entry by the user of a first authentication code which is compared to a second authentication code for the data transfer application.

41. The device of claim 39 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises the entry of a first personal identification number, which is compared to a second personal identification number for the data transfer application.

42. The device of claim 39 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises comparing a biometric sample supplied by the user with a biometric template associated with the data transfer application.

43. The device of claim 42 wherein the biometric sample comprises one or more of the following:

a fingerprint;

a facial scan;

a retinal image;

an iris scan; and

a voice print.

44. The device of claim 39 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises comparing a signature supplied by the user with a signature template associated with the data transfer application.

45. The device of claim 44 wherein the signature supplied by the user is electronically compared to the signature template.

46. A system for conducting an exchange of data, the system comprising:

a processor;

a display operably connected to the processor;

at least one input device operably connected to the processor;

a communications interface operably connected to the processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium operably connected to the processor, wherein the computer-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for performing a method of conducting the exchange of data, the method comprising;

selecting a data transfer application from one or more data transfer applications stored on the computer-readable storage medium;

enabling the selected data transfer application when a user satisfies an authenticated mechanism that is independent of the selected data transfer application;

processing a data transfer transaction using the selected data transfer application, wherein the data transfer transaction does not require additional user authentication; and

disabling the selected data transfer application.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the communications interface comprises a wireless interface.

48. The system of claim 46 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises entry by the user of a first authentication code which is compared to a second authentication code associated with the data transfer application.

49. The system of claim 46 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises the entry of a first personal identification number which is compared to a second personal identification number for the data transfer application.

50. The system of claim 46 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises comparing a biometric sample supplied by the user with a biometric template associated with the data transfer application.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein the biometric sample comprises one or more of the following:

a fingerprint;

a facial scan;

a retinal image;

an iris scan; and

a voice print.

52. The system of claim 46 wherein the authentication mechanism comprises comparing a signature supplied by the user with a signature template associated with the data transfer application.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein the signature supplied by the user is electronically compared to the signature template.