System and method for managing electronic data transfer applications

• US 7,815,111 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• 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: Raj, Thanigaivel Ashwin, Kashef, Forough, Shenker, Gavin, Hurry, Simon, Sahota, Jagdeep Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Seung H
• Application Number:
  US11/612,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/375, 235/376, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/382
• 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:

displaying, on the mobile electronic device, an identifier for one or more of the data transfer applications that have been registered for use;

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

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.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the authentication mechanism is not satisfied, repeatedly reattempting authentication up to a predetermined number of times, wherein said reattempting comprises;

displaying a prompt to the user on the mobile electronic device; and

receiving an input from the user corresponding to the authentication mechanism;

if the authentication mechanism is satisfied during one said reattempt, then enabling the selected data transfer application for use by the user; and

if the authentication mechanism is not satisfied the predetermined number of times, prohibiting access to the selected data transfer application.

3. 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.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering one or more data transfer application for use by the user, wherein said registering comprises:

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

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

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.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said enabling further comprises initiating proximity communication with a second device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said initiating further comprises opening a channel for proximity communication with the second device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

transmitting first transaction information from the mobile electronic device to the 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.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said enabling further comprises disabling proximity communication with the second device.

9. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to manage one or more data transfer applications on a mobile electronic device, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

displaying, on the mobile electronic device, an identifier for one or more of the data transfer applications that have been registered for use;

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

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.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the series of computer readable program steps further effect:

if the authentication mechanism is not satisfied, repeatedly reattempting authentication up to a predetermined number of times, wherein said reattempting comprises a series of computer program steps to effect;

displaying a prompt to the user on the mobile electronic device; and

receiving an input from the user corresponding to the authentication mechanism;

if the authentication mechanism is satisfied during one said reattempt, then enabling the selected data transfer application for use by the user; and

if the authentication mechanism has failed the predetermined number of times, then prohibiting access to the selected data transfer application.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein displaying an identifier for the one or more registered data transfer applications comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect displaying only identifiers for representations of one or more data transfer applications associated with transactions of a user-specified type.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 9, further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect registering one or more data transfer applications for use by the user, wherein said registering comprises a series of computer program steps to effect:

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

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

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.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein said enabling further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect initiating proximity communication with a second device.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein said initiating further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect opening a channel for proximity communication with the second device.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein said enabling further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect disabling proximity communication with the second device.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 14, further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

transmitting first transaction information from the mobile electronic device to the 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.

17. A method to manage one or more data transfer applications on a mobile electronic device, comprising:

displaying, on the mobile electronic device, an identifier for one or more of the data transfer applications that have been registered for use;

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

enabling, using the selected data transfer application, proximity communication with a second device when the user satisfies an authentication mechanism that is independent of the selected data transfer application;

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

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; and

disabling proximity communication with the second device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said initiating further comprises opening a channel for proximity communication with the second device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

if the authentication mechanism is not satisfied, repeatedly reattempting authentication up to a predetermined number of times, wherein said reattempting comprises;

displaying a prompt to the user on the mobile electronic device; and

receiving an input from the user corresponding to the authentication mechanism;

if the authentication mechanism is satisfied during one said reattempt, then enabling the selected data transfer application for use by the user; and

if the authentication mechanism has failed the predetermined number of times, then prohibiting access to the selected data transfer application.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising registering one or more data transfer application for use by the user, wherein said registering comprises:

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

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

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.