Mobile wireless financial instrument for automatically selecting a payment instrument

• US 8,666,891 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Roberts, John Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Apple, Kirsten
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trotter, Scott S
• Application Number:
  US13/044,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20110161188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 705/41, 705/64, 705/65
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network 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 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of 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 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules

Abstract

The specification and drawing figures describe and illustrate a point-of-sale payment system. The point-of-sale payment system includes a mobile wireless communications instrument having at least one data processor. The data processor is capable of automatically selecting a payment instrument for transmitting a payment sum across a mobile wireless communications network and, if necessary, a credit network. The point-of-sale payment system may also include a data transmission subsystem for receipt, storage, processing, and transmittal of data across the wireless communications network and/or the data transmission subsystem.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications instrument, comprising:

a housing; and

a data processing system positioned within the housing and comprising;

a memory;

a bus coupled to the memory; and

a processor coupled to the bus, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

sending data to a point-of-sale device, receiving data from the point-of-sale device, and storing the received data, wherein the data includes at least financial data associated with one or more payment instruments;

receiving information that comprises the location of the mobile wireless communications instrument; and

identifying which of a plurality of payment instruments is preferred by a user for debiting a payment sum based in part on the received location information,

wherein the data processing system includes one or more payment decision algorithms responsive to programmable preferences of the user and responsive to the received location information.

2. The mobile wireless communications instrument of claim 1, wherein the data processing system communicates with a wireless communications network.

3. The mobile wireless communications instrument of claim 1, wherein the one or more payment decision algorithms responsive to programmable preferences of the user are responsive to one or more preferences based on the date on which a payment sum is to be transferred across a point-of-sale payment system.

4. The mobile wireless communications instrument of claim 1, wherein the one or more payment decision algorithms responsive to programmable preferences of the user are responsive to one or more payment decision algorithms responsive to one or more preferences based on the time at which a payment sum is to be transferred across the point-of-sale payment system.

5. The mobile wireless communications instrument of claim 1, wherein the one or more payment decision algorithms responsive to programmable preferences of the user are responsive to one or more preferences based on biometric data associated with the user of the mobile wireless communications instrument.

6. The mobile wireless communications instrument of claim 1, wherein the one or more payment decision algorithms responsive to programmable preferences of the user are responsive to one or more preferences based on prior historical data in connection with use of the one or more payment instruments.

7. The mobile wireless communications instrument of claim 1, wherein the one or more payment decision algorithms is further responsive to identification of the point-of-sale device and the mobile wireless communications instrument.

8. The mobile wireless communications instrument of claim 1, wherein the one or more payment decision algorithms responsive to programmable preferences of the user are capable of excluding at least one of the one or more payment instruments based on information transmitted to the mobile wireless communications instrument from the point-of-sale device.

9. A method of transmitting a payment sum from a mobile wireless communications instrument, comprising:

receiving information that comprises a location of the mobile wireless communications instrument;

selecting one or more user preferences from a plurality of programmable user preferences stored in the mobile wireless communications instrument, wherein the one or more user preferences comprise a designation of one or more payment instruments;

accessing a data processing system within the mobile wireless communications instrument, wherein the data processing system is configured to execute a payment decision algorithm that is responsive to programmable user preferences;

selecting one or more payment instruments by executing the payment decision algorithm using the selected user preferences and the received location information; and

transmitting the payment sum data from the mobile wireless communications instrument to a point-of-sale device across a wireless communications network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile wireless communications instrument is a cellular phone.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless communications network is a credit network.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the payment sum data to a point-of sale device across a wireless communications network includes connecting to a data transmission subsystem.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting one or more payment instruments by executing the payment decision algorithm using the selected user preferences and the received location information comprises selecting one or more payment instruments by executing the payment decision algorithm using the selected user preferences, the received location information, date and time information, biometric data associated with the user of the mobile wireless communications instrument, and prior historical data in connection with use of the one or more payment instruments.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the payment sum data to a point-of-sale device across a wireless communications network comprises making a payment from the one or more payment instruments identified by the point-of-sale device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the payment sum data to a point-of-sale device across a wireless communications network includes excluding one or more payment instruments based on information transmitted to the mobile wireless communications instrument from the point-of-sale device.

16. A method of transmitting a payment sum from a mobile wireless communications instrument, comprising:

receiving on the mobile wireless communications instrument information that comprises a location of the mobile wireless communications instrument;

selecting one or more user preferences from a plurality of programmable user preferences stored in the mobile wireless communications instrument, wherein the one or more user preferences each comprise a designation of one or more payment instruments that depends on the location of the mobile wireless communications instrument; and

selecting one or more payment instruments by executing a payment decision algorithm using the selected user preferences and the received location information, and a ranking of the one or more payment instruments based on the preferences selected by the user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising recording the location of the mobile wireless communications instrument as historical data for future use in selecting a payment instrument.

18. An apparatus for selecting a payment instrument, comprising:

a mobile wireless communications instrument;

a position determination system coupled to the mobile wireless communications instrument and configured to provide a location of the mobile wireless communications instrument; and

a data processing system coupled to the mobile wireless communications instrument, wherein the data processing system is configured to;

execute at least one payment decision algorithm responsive to the location of the mobile wireless communications instrument and to programmable preferences of a user of the apparatus, wherein the programmable preferences comprise information for selecting a payment instrument to debit for a payment sum;

identify which of a plurality of payment instruments is preferred by a user for debiting a payment sum based in part on the received location information; and

transmit across a credit network the payment sum to a point-of-sale device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the mobile wireless communications instrument and the data processing system are configured to connect to a wireless communications network.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a data transmission subsystem for receiving, storing, processing and transmitting data across the wireless communications network.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the data processing system is further configured to receive, store, process and transmit data across the wireless communications network.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the data processing system is further configured with a rules engine.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the rules engine is configured with a plurality of user preferences each comprising a payment instrument designation based on a date and a time.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the rules engine is configured with a plurality of user preferences each comprising a payment instrument designation based on one or more financial parameters.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the rules engine is configured with a plurality of user preferences each comprising a payment instrument designation based on biometric data.

26. A non-transitory processor readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a mobile wireless communications instrument processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving information that comprises a location of the mobile wireless communications instrument;

selecting one or more user preferences from a plurality of programmable user preferences stored in the mobile wireless communications instrument, wherein the one or more user preferences comprise a designation of one or more payment instruments;

accessing a data processing system within the mobile wireless communications instrument, wherein the data processing system is configured to execute a payment decision algorithm that is responsive to programmable user preferences;

selecting one or more payment instruments by executing the payment decision algorithm using the selected user preferences and the received location information; and

transmitting the payment sum data from the mobile wireless communications instrument to a point-of-sale device across a wireless communications network.

27. The non-transitory processor readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a mobile wireless communications instrument processor to perform operations further comprising:

selecting a payment instrument based on a date on which a payment sum is to be transmitted to a point-of-sale payment device;

selecting a payment instrument based on a time at which a payment sum is to be transmitted to a point-of-sale device;

selecting a payment instrument based on biometric data; and

selecting a payment instrument based on prior historical data in connection with use of the payment instrument.

28. The non-transitory processor readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions further comprise a rules algorithm.

29. The non-transitory processor readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the rules engine is configured with a plurality of user preferences each comprising a payment instrument designation based on a date and a time.

30. The non-transitory processor readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the rules engine is configured with a plurality of user preferences each comprising a payment instrument designation based on one or more financial parameters.

31. The non-transitory processor readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the rules engine is configured with a plurality of user preferences each comprising a payment instrument designation based on biometric data.

33. The financial data apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for communicating across a wireless communications network is a mobile wireless communications instrument.

34. The financial data apparatus of claim 30, wherein the mobile wireless communications instrument is a cellular telephone.

35. The financial data apparatus of claim 30, wherein means for communicating across a wireless communications network comprises means for communicating with a point-of-sale device.

32. A financial data apparatus, comprising:

means for communicating across a wireless communications network;

means for collecting, storing, processing and transmitting a payment sum across the mobile wireless communications system;

means for determining a location of the financial data apparatus; and

means for identifying which of a plurality of payment instruments is preferred by a user for debiting a payment sum based in part on the received location information and on programmable preferences of the user.