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Electronic payment method for making payments using a mobile identifier

  • US 8,504,472 B1
  • Filed: 08/17/2012
  • Issued: 08/06/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:

  • providing a payment account;

    wherein said payment account is issued by a financial institution and enables an accountholder corresponding to the payment account to make payments via an electronic payment system that, with at least one electronic processor, enables—

    storing in a memory information indicative of a said payment account, wherein said electronic payment system enables a balance of funds to be maintained by the payment account for use in making debit transactions;

    receiving, in conjunction with a purchase by the accountholder associated with said payment account, at a point of sale terminal located at a physical retail location of a first merchant, an identifier for identifying said payment account of the accountholder based upon entry of said identifier into said point of sale terminal of said first merchant during said purchase by the accountholder from the first merchant;

    receiving, in conjunction with said purchase by the accountholder from the first merchant, information identifying a monetary amount to be paid by the accountholder for the purchase by the accountholder from the first merchant;

    using said identifier for identifying said payment account of the accountholder, received in conjunction with said purchase by the accountholder from the first merchant, to identify said payment account of the accountholder;

    causing said payment account of the accountholder to be used to process a payment from the accountholder to the first merchant for said purchase by the accountholder from said first merchant;

    storing information indicative of said payment from the accountholder to the first merchant;

    receiving, from a mobile communications device of the accountholder, information indicative of the current location of the mobile communications device of the accountholder;

    transmitting to the mobile communications device of the accountholder information corresponding to a second merchant having a physical retail location that corresponds to said current location of the mobile communications device;

    receiving information indicative of a purchase by the accountholder from said second merchant, wherein said purchase by the accountholder from said second merchant is initiated by the accountholder using the mobile communications device of the accountholder and comprises a selection, by the accountholder using the mobile communications device, of said information corresponding to the second merchant that was transmitted to the mobile communications device;

    processing said purchase by the accountholder from said second merchant using said payment account corresponding to the accountholder;

    providing a service account, wherein said service account enables an accountholder corresponding to the service account to access a service provided by the provider of the service account;

    electronically associating said payment account of the accountholder with said service account of the accountholder, wherein said service account is pre-existing when said payment account is provided to the accountholder;

    wherein the accountholder is a payor in a payment transaction with a payee, said method further comprising providing electronic access to said electronic payment system that enables—

    storing, in said electronic payment system, information indicative of a payment account of the payee;

    receiving, from a mobile communications device of a payor, information indicative of a telephone number of the payee to be paid by the payor in a payment transaction;

    using said telephone number of the payee to identify the payee;

    using said telephone number of said payee to initiate an electronic communication with an electronic device associated with said payee, wherein said method does not require a communications link to be established directly between the mobile communications device of the payor and the electronic device of the payee in order to complete said payment from the payor to the payee;

    using said payment account corresponding to the payor to process said payment from the payor to the payee;

    using said payment account of the payee to process said payment from the payor to the payee;

    storing information indicative of said payment from the payor to the payee; and

    electronically transmitting, to said payee, information indicative of said payment from the payor to the payee, wherein said enabling receipt of said information indicative of a telephone number of the payee comprises enabling receipt of said information indicative of a telephone number of the payee via a first communications link and wherein the electronic communication with an electronic device associated with said payee comprises a second communications link, and wherein said first communications link and said second communications link are not simultaneous.

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