Method and system for facilitating payment transactions using access devices

• US 7,571,141 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Jean, Redmond, Eric, Heisinger, Pete
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil; Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US11/624,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20070203833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 705 10- 44, 705/79
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• 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 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/223 based on the use of peer-to-peer networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• 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 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02

Abstract

A payment system for facilitating a payment transaction between a payer and a payee is disclosed. The payment system includes a payer access device, a payee access device, and a services hub. The services hub is configured to communicate with the payer device and the payee device; maintain information relating to a payer account and access device information associated with the payer account, the payer account being linked to the access device; generate a tracer ticket in response to a request issued by the payer using either the payer device or the payee device, the tracer ticket containing information relating to the payment transaction; validate the access devices; and authorize the payment transaction against the payer account through conventional payment processing systems. Upon receiving the request from the payee device for the tracer ticket, the services hub generates the tracer ticket and forwards a copy thereof to the payer via the payee device. Upon receiving the copy of the tracer ticket, the payer uses the payer device to communicate with the services hub and forward the received copy of the tracer ticket to the services hub. The services hub then validates the payer device based on the access device information. Upon validation of the payer device, the services hub checks the copy of the tracer ticket forwarded by the access device against the previously generated tracer ticket. If the copy of the tracer ticket forwarded by the access device corresponds to the previously generated tracer ticket, the services hub authorizes the payment transaction against the payer account.

Claims

1. A method for processing a payment transaction between a payer and a payee, the method comprising:

generating a tracer ticket in response to a request, the tracer ticket containing information relating to the payment transaction, and the tracer ticket including a transaction amount;

forwarding the tracer ticket to a point of sale device;

authenticating an access device linked to the payer;

receiving and confirming information relating to the forwarded tracer ticket; and

after confirmation of the information relating to the forwarded tracer ticket, authorizing the payment transaction against a payer account linked to the access device, wherein the payer account was previously selected by the payee from among different accounts.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the access device is a mobile phone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein authenticating includes obtaining digital identification information associated with the access device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the access device is a mobile phone.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein authenticating the access device includes obtaining a login ID from the access device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein authenticating the access device further comprises obtaining digital identification information associated with the access device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein authenticating the access device includes obtaining a password from the access device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the payer account is split among a plurality of accounts.

9. A payment system comprising a payment services hub, the payment services hub configured to:

generate a tracer ticket in response to a request issued by a payer, the tracer ticket containing information relating to a payment transaction between the payer and a payee, the tracer ticket including a transaction amount associated with the payment transaction;

forward the tracer ticket to a point of sale device;

authenticate an access device linked to the payer;

receive and confirm information relating to the forwarded tracer ticket from the access device; and

authorize the payment transaction against a payer account linked to the access device after confirmation of the information relating to the forwarded tracer ticket.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the system is configured to authenticate the access device using a login ID from the access device.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the system is configured to authenticate the access device by obtaining digital identification information from the access device.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the system is configured to authenticate the access device using a login ID or password from the access device.

13. A method comprising:

reviewing a tracer ticket generated by a payment services hub at a point of sale device, wherein the tracer ticket contains information relating to a payment transaction between a payer and a payee, the tracer ticket including a transaction amount;

sending authentication information relating to an access device, linked to the payer to a payment services hub;

sending information relating to the tracer ticket using the access device, wherein the information relating to the tracer ticket is confirmed at the payment services hub, and wherein the payment services hub thereafter authorizes the payment transaction against a payer account linked to the access device; and

selecting the payer account from among different accounts.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the access device is a mobile phone.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the authentication information comprises digital identification information associated with the access device.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the authentication information includes a login ID.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the authentication information includes a password.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the payer account is divided among a plurality of accounts.

19. An access device configured to:

send authentication information relating to the access device to a payment services hub; and

send information relating to a tracer ticket to the payment services hub,

wherein the tracer ticket was generated by the payment services hub in response to a request, the tracer ticket containing information relating to a payment transaction, and the tracer ticket including a transaction amount associated with the payment transaction, and

wherein the information relating to the tracer ticket is subsequently confirmed at the payment services hub, and wherein the payment services hub thereafter authorizes the payment transaction against a payer account linked to the access device.

20. The access device of claim 19 wherein the access device is a mobile phone.

21. The access device of claim 19 wherein the authentication information comprises digital identification information associated with the access device.

22. The access device of claim 21 wherein the authentication information further includes a login ID.

23. The access device of claim 21 wherein the authentication information further includes a password.