Ghosting payment account data in a mobile telephone payment transaction system

• US 8,301,500 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Global 1 Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Global 1 Enterprises
• Inventors: Pharris, Jennifer
• Primary Examiner(s): Glass, Shay S
• Application Number:
  US12/412,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 705/39, 705/17
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/223 based on the use of peer-to-peer networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• 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 20/3274 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device
• 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 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for a mobile telephone, in conjunction with a payment transaction server, to be used directly as a payment device for a variety of financial transactions. Further, the transaction systems and methods for mobile telephone devices described herein allow a mobile telephone to participate in payment transactions in a manner that helps prevent identify theft and without relying on transferring amounts to/from one stored value account to another.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for using a mobile telephone as a payment device, comprising:

receiving, by a transaction server, a request to enroll a mobile telephone in a payment transaction system, wherein the request includes an indication of an identity of an individual enrolling the mobile telephone and the telephone number of the mobile telephone;

receiving, by a transaction server, one or more account numbers from the individual, wherein each account number corresponds to a payment account previously established by the individual;

generating, by a transaction server, a ghosted account name for each of the payment accounts; and

transmitting, by a transaction server, each ghosted account name to a payment application executing on the mobile phone, wherein the payment application, when executed on the mobile telephone, allows the individual to initiate a payment transaction using the mobile telephone as the payment device in order to incur a charge on a selected one of the payment accounts without revealing the account number associated with the selected payment account;

wherein the transaction server is located behind a firewall in a bank network; and

further comprising;

receiving, from the payment application on the mobile telephone, a request to initiate a payment transaction with a merchant;

receiving, from the payment application on the mobile telephone, an indication of one of the ghosted account names;

generating a payment code;

transmitting the payment code to the payment application on the mobile telephone;

receiving, from a point-of-sale system at the merchant, the payment code and a transaction amount;

identifying the payment account corresponding to the ghosted account name received from the payment application on the mobile phone;

initiating a charge to the identified payment account for the transaction amount;

and upon determining that the charge to the payment account has been approved, transmitting, to both the mobile telephone and the point of sale system, a confirmation that the payment transaction was completed successfully.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, establishing a bank account for the mobile telephone, wherein the bank account is tied to both the individual and the telephone number of the mobile telephone received with the request.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, verifying the identity of the individual enrolling the mobile telephone in the payment transaction system;

and confirming that a service provider has a mobile telephone account for the mobile telephone associated for a subscriber which matches the identity of the individual.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the payment application on the mobile telephone is configured to generate, from the payment code, a machine readable barcode scanned by the point-of-sale system at the merchant.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the payment application on the mobile telephone is configured to generate, from the payment code, an alphanumeric string keyed into the point-of-sale system at the merchant.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the payment accounts corresponds to one of a debit card account and a credit card account previously established by the individual.

7. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program, which, when executed on a processor performs an operation for using a mobile telephone as a payment device, the operation comprising:

receiving a request to enroll a mobile telephone in a payment transaction system, wherein the request includes an indication of an identity of an individual enrolling the mobile telephone and the telephone number of the mobile telephone;

receiving one or more account numbers from the individual, wherein each account number corresponds to a payment account previously established by the individual;

generating a ghosted account name for each of the payment accounts; and

transmitting each ghosted account name to a payment application executing on the mobile phone, wherein the payment application, when executed on the mobile telephone, allows the individual to initiate a payment transaction using the mobile telephone as the payment device in order to incur a charge on a selected one of the payment accounts without revealing the account number associated with the selected payment account;

wherein the computer-readable storage medium is located behind a firewall in a bank network; and

wherein the operation further comprises;

receiving, form the payment application on the mobile telephone, a request to initiate a payment transaction with a merchant;

receiving, from the payment application on the mobile telephone, an indication of one of the ghosted account names;

generating a payment code;

transmitting the payment code to the payment application on the mobile telephone;

receiving, from a point-of-sale system at the merchant, the payment code and a transaction amount;

identifying the payment account corresponding to the ghosted account name received from the payment application on the mobile phone;

initiating a charge to the identified payment account for the transaction amount; and

upon determining that the charge to the payment account has been approved, transmitting, to both the mobile telephone and the point of sale system, a confirmation that the payment transaction was completed successfully.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operation further comprises, establishing a bank account for the mobile telephone, wherein the bank account is tied to both the individual and the telephone number of the mobile telephone received with the request.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operation further comprises:

verifying the identity of the individual enrolling the mobile telephone in the payment transaction system; and

confirming that a service provider has a mobile telephone account for the mobile telephone associated for a subscriber which matches the identity of the individual.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the payment application on the mobile telephone is configured to generate, from the payment code, a machine readable barcode scanned by the point-of-sale system at the merchant.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the payment application on the mobile telephone is configured to generate, from the payment code, an alphanumeric string keyed into the point-of-sale system at the merchant.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein each of the payment accounts corresponds to one of a debit card account and a credit card account previously established by the individual.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a transaction server, which when executed by the processor performs an operation for using a mobile telephone as a payment device, the operation comprising;

receiving a request to enroll a mobile telephone in a payment transaction system, wherein the request includes an indication of an identity of an individual enrolling the mobile telephone and the telephone number of the mobile telephone,

receiving one or more account numbers from the individual, wherein each account number corresponds to a payment account previously established by the individual,

generating a ghosted account name for each of the payment accounts, and

transmitting each ghosted account name to a payment application executing on the mobile phone, wherein the payment application, when executed on the mobile telephone, allows the individual to initiate a payment transaction using the mobile telephone as the payment device in order to incur a charge on a selected one of the payment accounts without revealing the account number associated with the selected payment account;

wherein the system is located behind a firewall in a bank network; and

wherein the operation further comprises;

receiving, form the payment application on the mobile telephone, a request to initiate a payment transaction with a merchant;

receiving, from the payment application on the mobile telephone, an indication of one of the ghosted account names;

generating a payment code;

transmitting the payment code to the payment application on the mobile telephone;

receiving, from a point-of sale system at the merchant, the payment code and a transaction amount;

identifying the payment account corresponding to the ghosted account name received from the payment application on the mobile phone;

initiating a charge to the identified payment account for the transaction amount;

and upon determining that the charge to the payment account has been approved, transmitting, to both the mobile telephone and the point of sale system, a confirmation that the payment transaction was completed successfully.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the operation further comprises, establishing a bank account for the mobile telephone, wherein the bank account is tied to both the individual and the telephone number of the mobile telephone received with the request.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the operation further comprises:

verifying the identity of the individual enrolling the mobile telephone in the payment transaction system; and

confirming that a service provider has a mobile telephone account for the mobile telephone associated for a subscriber which matches the identity of the individual.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the payment application on the mobile telephone is configured to generate, from the payment code, a machine readable barcode scanned by the point-of-sale system at the merchant.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the payment application on the mobile telephone is configured to generate, from the payment code, an alphanumeric string keyed into the point-of-sale system at the merchant.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the payment accounts corresponds to one of a debit card account and a credit card account previously established by the individual.