M-commerce virtual cash system, method, and apparatus
First Claim
1. A computer-readable storage device encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:
- wirelessly receiving, at a wireless device, available cash information corresponding to an amount of money deposited in an account record associated with said wireless device to enable a user determined portion of said amount of money to be spent directly from said wireless device as cash in a transaction, wherein said available cash information comprises account identification information, a security code and an available cash amount that may be spent, wherein said account identification information corresponds to said account record, wherein said available cash amount corresponds to said amount of money deposited in said account record, wherein said security code comprises a fixed code portion provided by a bank to confirm a deposit of said amount of money, wherein said available cash information is operable to enable authorization of said transaction;
generating an indicator of said available cash information by said wireless device to enable said account record to be identified and debited for said user determined portion of said amount of money; and
wirelessly receiving, at said wireless device, an updated available cash information comprising a new available cash amount after debiting said account record for said transaction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A virtual cash system, method, and apparatus has an account record containing a record of money amounts associated with a wireless device and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting to the wireless device predetermined information from the account record. Cash amounts can be spent from the account record directly from the wireless device via information derived from the wireless device via a bar code on the display, a short range radio signal, a light beam, or the like. A different security code is generated for each account transaction for verification.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A computer-readable storage device encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:
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wirelessly receiving, at a wireless device, available cash information corresponding to an amount of money deposited in an account record associated with said wireless device to enable a user determined portion of said amount of money to be spent directly from said wireless device as cash in a transaction, wherein said available cash information comprises account identification information, a security code and an available cash amount that may be spent, wherein said account identification information corresponds to said account record, wherein said available cash amount corresponds to said amount of money deposited in said account record, wherein said security code comprises a fixed code portion provided by a bank to confirm a deposit of said amount of money, wherein said available cash information is operable to enable authorization of said transaction; generating an indicator of said available cash information by said wireless device to enable said account record to be identified and debited for said user determined portion of said amount of money; and wirelessly receiving, at said wireless device, an updated available cash information comprising a new available cash amount after debiting said account record for said transaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer-readable storage device encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:
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maintaining an account record comprising an amount of money corresponding to a wireless device; wirelessly transmitting, to said wireless device, available cash information to enable a user determined portion of said amount of money to be spent directly from said wireless device as cash in a transaction, wherein said available cash information comprises account identification information, a security code and an available cash amount that may be spent, wherein said account identification information corresponds to said account record, wherein said available cash amount corresponds to said amount of money deposited in said account record, wherein said security code comprises a fixed code portion provided by a bank to confirm a deposit of said amount of money; receiving a direction from a merchant to debit a specified amount from said account record to perform said transaction, said direction comprising information derived from said available cash information received by said merchant from said wireless device; debiting said specified amount from said account record if said available cash information is verified; and crediting said specified amount to an account of said merchant if said available cash information is verified. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A wireless device, comprising:
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means for wirelessly receiving, at the wireless device, available cash information corresponding to an amount of money deposited in an account record associated with said wireless device to enable a user determined portion of said amount of money to be spent directly from said wireless device as cash in a transaction, wherein said available cash information comprises account identification information, a security code and an available cash amount that may be spent, wherein said account identification information corresponds to said account record, wherein said available cash amount corresponds to said amount of money deposited in said account record, wherein said security code comprises a fixed code portion provided by a bank to confirm a deposit of said amount of money, wherein said available cash information is operable to enable authorization of said transaction; means for generating an indicator of said available cash information by said wireless device to enable said account record to be identified and debited for said user determined portion of said amount of money; and means for wirelessly receiving, at said wireless device, an updated available cash information comprising a new available cash amount after debiting said account record for said transaction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A wireless device, comprising:
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means for maintaining an account record comprising an amount of money corresponding to a wireless device; means for wirelessly transmitting, to said wireless device, available cash information to enable a user determined portion of said amount of money to be spent directly from said wireless device as cash in a transaction, wherein said available cash information comprises account identification information, a security code and an available cash amount that may be spent, wherein said account identification information corresponds to said account record, wherein said available cash amount corresponds to said amount of money deposited in said account record, wherein said security code comprises a fixed code portion provided by a bank to confirm a deposit of said amount of money; means for receiving a direction from a merchant to debit a specified amount from said account record to perform said transaction, said direction comprising information derived from said available cash information received by said merchant from said wireless device; means for debiting said specified amount from said account record if said available cash information is verified; and means for crediting said specified amount to an account of said merchant if said available cash information is verified. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for transmitting virtual cash from a first wireless device to a second wireless device, comprising:
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storing at a processing center a first account record associated with the first wireless device comprising; a first amount of virtual cash; and a first security code, wherein the first security code comprises a first fixed code portion provided by a bank to verify a first deposit of money corresponding to the first amount of virtual cash; storing at the processing center a second account record associated with the second wireless device comprising; a second amount of virtual cash; and a second security code, wherein the second security code comprises a second fixed code portion provided by the bank to verify a second deposit of money corresponding to the second amount of virtual cash; and transmitting instructions from the first wireless device to the processing center to transfer a third amount of virtual cash from the first account record to the second account record. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-readable storage device encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:
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storing at a processing center a first account record associated with the first wireless device comprising; a first amount of virtual cash; and a first security code, wherein the first security code comprises a first fixed code portion provided by a bank to verify a first deposit of money corresponding to the first amount of virtual cash; storing at the processing center a second account record associated with the second wireless device comprising; a second amount of virtual cash; and a second security code, wherein the second security code comprises a second fixed code portion provided by the bank to verify a second deposit of money corresponding to the second amount of virtual cash; and transmitting instructions from the first wireless device to the processing center to transfer a third amount of virtual cash from the first account record to the second account record. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system, comprising:
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means for storing at a processing center a first account record associated with the first wireless device comprising; a first amount of virtual cash; and a first security code, wherein the first security code comprises a first fixed code portion provided by a bank to verify a first deposit of money corresponding to the first amount of virtual cash; means for storing at the processing center a second account record associated with the second wireless device comprising; a second amount of virtual cash; and a second security code, wherein the second security code comprises a second fixed code portion provided by the bank to verify a second deposit of money corresponding to the second amount of virtual cash; and means for transmitting instructions from the first wireless device to the processing center to transfer a third amount of virtual cash from the first account record to the second account record. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A processing center, comprising:
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a memory; a transceiver; and a processor, operable to; store in the memory a first account record associated with a first wireless device comprising; a first amount of virtual cash; and a first security code, wherein the first security code comprises a first fixed code portion provided by a bank to verify a first deposit of money corresponding to the first amount of virtual cash; store in the memory a second account record associated with a second wireless device comprising; a second amount of virtual cash; and a second security code, wherein the second security code comprises a second fixed code portion provided by the bank to verify a second deposit of money corresponding to the second amount of virtual cash; and receiving via the transceiver instructions from the first wireless device to transfer a third amount of virtual cash from the first account record to the second account record. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification