Mobile phone including wildcard data string

• US 7,611,054 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Redford, Liane, Nguyen, Loc, Bortolin, Corinne
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US11/977,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20080121698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/375, 235/378, 235/380, 235/381, 235/385, 235/462.01, 235/462.45, 705/17, 705/28
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A mobile phone with a data string including a wildcard value. The mobile phone includes a computer readable medium comprising code for storing a data string including a wildcard value, and a body. The mobile phone may be used in purchase transactions.

Claims

1. A mobile phone used by a consumer in a purchase transaction, the mobile phone comprising:

a body; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the body, the computer readable medium comprising a data string including one or more wildcard values, wherein the data string is specifically associated with the consumer, wherein the one or more wildcard values are associated with the purchase transaction.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the data string including one or more wildcard values encompasses identification codes for two or more different products.

3. The mobile phone of claim 2, wherein the identification codes optionally include universal product codes (UPCs) or stock keeping units (SKUs).

4. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the data string including one or more wildcard values encompasses two or more values.

5. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the data string is specifically associated with a purchasing preference of the consumer.

6. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the data string including the one or more wildcard values represents a plurality of products associated with the purchase transaction.

7. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the data string represents a type of product associated with the purchase transaction.

8. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the data string represents whether the consumer is a repeat customer.

9. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the data string is associated with a benefit.

10. The mobile phone of claim 9, wherein the benefit is associated with a future purchase of a product.

11. A method of using a mobile phone by a consumer in a purchase transaction, the method comprising:

obtaining a mobile phone comprising a computer readable medium comprising a data string including one or more wildcard values, wherein the data string is specifically associated with the consumer, wherein at least one wildcard value is associated with the purchase transaction; and

using the mobile phone at an access device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data string including the one or more wildcard values encompasses identification codes for two or more products.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identification codes optionally include universal product codes (UPCs) or stock keeping units (SKUs).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the two or more products are products that the consumer is pre-authorized to purchase.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the two or more products are products that the consumer is not authorized to purchase.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the data string including one or more wildcard values encompasses two or more values.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the data string is specifically associated with a purchasing preference of the consumer.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the data string including the one or more wildcard values represents a plurality of products associated with the purchase transaction.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the access device is a different mobile phone.

20. A system for managing transactions with respect to a consumer in conducting a purchase transaction, comprising:

a mobile phone configured to store a first data string having one or more wildcard values, wherein the first data string is specifically associated with the consumer, wherein the one or more wildcard values are associated with the purchase transaction; and

an access device configured to communicate with the mobile phone and to manage the purchase transaction.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first data string encompasses a plurality of product codes.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of product codes include a universal product code (UPC) or a stock keeping unit (SKU).

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the first data string represents one or more product preferences of the consumer.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the first data string encompasses a plurality of product codes corresponding to a plurality of products, and wherein the first data string is used to determine whether the consumer is permitted to purchase one or more of the plurality of products during the transaction or is permitted access to a website or a specific message or a function.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the first data string encompasses a plurality of product codes corresponding to a plurality of products, and wherein the first data string is used to determine whether the consumer is entitled to receive a benefit.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the first data string is used to determine a benefit to be received by the consumer.

27. The system of claim 20, further comprising a host configured to communicate information with the access device, wherein the access device is further configured to update the mobile phone using information provided by the host, and wherein the information provided by the host includes an updated first data string.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the host communicates with the access device via a communication medium including the Internet.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the first data string having the one or more wildcard values encompasses two or more values.