Methods and systems for payment method selection by a payee in a mobile environment

• US 8,121,945 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Firethorn Mobile, Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rackley, Brady Lee III, Porter, Warren Derek, Rickman, Gregory Michael, Cochran, Kyle Leighton
• Primary Examiner(s): Monfeldt, Sarah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shaikh, Mohammad Z
• Application Number:
  US11/428,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,056 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 42
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• 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 20/223 based on the use of peer-to-peer networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3221 Access to banking information through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

Methods and systems for receiving a financial payment facilitated by use of a mobile device such as a mobile telephone (cellphone) or wireless connected personal digital assistant (PDA). A mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) is coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user/payee, and also is coupled for electronic communication with a payment instruction recipient that effects payments by various methods. The system provides information corresponding to a received payment to a user/payee'"'"'s mobile device. Information is displayed to the user/payee corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods available for receiving the payment. The user/payee provides input on his/her mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment method for receiving the payment. The mobile device generates a mobile payment instruction indicating the selected payment method and wirelessly communicates the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS. The MFTS generates and communicates an MFTS payment instruction including an amount, the identified payee, and the selected payment method, to a payment instruction recipient. The payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the user/payee utilizing the selected payment method.

Claims

1. A mobile phone of a payee for facilitating the receipt of a financial payment from a payer who initiates the payment without any direct communication with a payee, the mobile phone of the payee comprising:

a display for presenting information relating to a plurality of selectable payment methods;

a user input for receiving payee selection by the payee without any direct communication with the payer of a payment method from the plurality of selectable payment methods, the plurality of selectable payment methods comprises a plurality of financial instruments for receiving payment from the payer to the payee;

a wireless communications component for communicating with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) via the wireless network, the MFTS having stored therein payment method information corresponding to a plurality of payment methods for effectuating a payment; and

a mobile phone processor operative to;

receive information at the mobile phone of the payee from the MFTS via the wireless communications component corresponding to a received payment, the received payment originating from the payer using a mobile phone to issue a command to the MFTS without any direct communication between the mobile phone of the payer and the mobile phone of the payee;

present information to the payee on the mobile phone display corresponding to the plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment;

receive payee input via the user input means corresponding to selection of a payment method from the plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment;

generate a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the selected payment method; and

wirelessly communicate via the wireless communications component the mobile payment instruction from the mobile phone of the payee to the MFTS,

whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the payee utilizing the payment method selected by the payee.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the operation of receiving information at the mobile phone of the payee from the MFTS corresponding to the received payment comprises receiving a message from the MFTS at the mobile phone of the payee.

3. The mobile phone of claim 2, wherein the message is a text message.

4. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the operation of receiving information at the mobile phone of the payee from the MFTS corresponding to the received payment further comprises presenting the information via a Mobile Wallet application.

5. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the mobile phone of the payee includes a Mobile Wallet application.

6. The mobile phone of claim 5, wherein the payee receives a message from the MFTS indicating receipt of a payment, downloads the Mobile Wallet application to the mobile phone of the payee, and thereafter utilizes the Mobile Wallet application to receive the payment.

7. The mobile phone of claim 5, wherein the Mobile Wallet application presents on the mobile phone display selectable commands including a Select Payment Methods command.

8. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable payment methods includes one or more of an ACH payment method, a paper check method, a financial account credit method, a wire transfer method, a money order method, and a stored value card method.

9. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein a default payment method is stored as payee information, wherein the mobile phone processor presents a prompt on the display to use the default payment method or select another payment method, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment method, the default payment method is utilized to receive the payment.

10. A method for facilitating the receipt of a financial payment from a payer who initiates the payment without any direct communication with a payee the method comprising the steps of:

receiving information at the mobile phone of the payee from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) corresponding to a received payment, the received payment originating from the payer using a mobile phone to issue a command to the MFTS without any direct communication between the mobile phone of the payer and the mobile phone of the payee;

presenting information to the payee on the mobile phone of the payee corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment, the plurality of selectable payment methods comprises a plurality of financial instruments for receiving payment from the payer to the payee;

receiving payee input at the mobile phone of the payee corresponding to selection of a payment method from the plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment;

generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the selected payment method; and

wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the mobile phone of the payee to the MFTS,

whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the payee utilizing the payment method selected by the payee.

11. A mobile phone system for facilitating the receipt of a financial payment from a payer who initiates the payment without any direct communication with a payee, the system comprising:

means for receiving information at the mobile phone of the payee from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) corresponding to a received payment, the received payment originating from the payer using a mobile phone to issue a command to the MFTS without any direct communication between the mobile phone of the payer and the mobile phone of the payee;

a mobile phone display for presenting information to the payee corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment, the plurality of selectable payment methods comprises a plurality of financial instruments for receiving payment from the payer to the payee;

means for receiving payee input at the mobile phone of the payee corresponding to selection of a payment method from the plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment;

means for generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the selected payment method; and

means for wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the mobile phone of the payee to the MFTS,

whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the payee utilizing the payment method selected by the payee.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that is usable by a mobile phone for facilitating the receipt of a financial payment from a payer who initiates the payment without any direct communication with a payee the non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving information at the mobile phone of the payee from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) corresponding to a received payment, the received payment originating from the payer using a mobile phone to issue a command to the MFTS without any direct communication between the mobile phone of the payer and the mobile phone of the payee;

presenting information to the payee on the mobile phone of the payee corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment, the plurality of selectable payment methods comprises a plurality of financial instruments for receiving payment from the payer to the payee;

receiving payee input at the mobile phone of the payee corresponding to selection of a payment method from the plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment;

generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the selected payment method; and

wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the mobile phone of the payee to the MFTS,

whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the payee utilizing the payment method selected by the payee.