Mobile subscriber device for financial transaction tokens

• US 9,996,833 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Faith, Patrick L., Hammad, Ayman
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, SONJI N
• Application Number:
  US14/252,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20140263621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 705 44, 705 16, 705 39, 705 17, 705 21, 705 2641, 705 41, 705 18, 705 261, 705 271, 235492, 235375, 235383, 235493
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [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 20/353 Payments by cards read by M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0873 Details of the card reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data

Abstract

There is provided a mobile subscriber unit for a financial transaction token. The subscriber unit interfaces with a financial token or card that is in communication with the subscriber unit. The financial token or card has an onboard energy source so that the card token may operate away from proximity to a merchant terminal (e.g.; a POS terminal). In one implementation, the onboard power storage device includes a rechargeable battery or capacitor such as a thin-film capacitor that stores sufficient energy to power the subscriber unit'"'"'s onboard electronics and/or the electronics of a financial token in communication with the subscriber unit. The subscriber unit may be a component of another consumer device such as a computing device, communications device, an item of clothing, an item of jewelry, a cell phone, a PDA, an identification card, a money holder, a wallet, a purse, a briefcase, or a personal organizer.

Claims

1. A mobile subscriber unit comprising:

an integrated processor configured to communicate with an interface of a financial transaction token comprising a memory storing data regarding an account, wherein the financial transaction token comprises a substrate of a payment card encoded with payment account data that is rigid;

storage, coupled to the integrated processor and configured to store and retrieve code executable by the integrated processor;

a transceiver coupled to the integrated processor; and

an antenna,

wherein the integrated processor is configured to detect through the transceiver of the mobile subscriber unit a signal requesting initiation of a transaction received from a merchant access device, and wherein the integrated processor is configured to execute at least some of the code stored in the storage to;

receive an identification of a particular account among a plurality of accounts for obtaining authorization for a financial transaction; and

transmit the data regarding the particular account from the financial transaction token through the transceiver; and

wherein the financial transaction token is programmable to initiate transactions in one of two modes, wherein a first mode includes completing the transaction by the mobile subscriber unit as a proxy for the financial transaction token, and wherein a second mode includes completing the transaction by the financial transaction token independently of the mobile subscriber unit.

2. The mobile subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the memory of the financial transaction token further comprises:

an onboard energy source.

3. The mobile subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive the signal requesting initiation of the transaction via an RF signal broadcast from the merchant access device, wherein the signal is an RF signal.

4. The mobile subscriber unit of claim 2, further comprising a power circuit in communication with the onboard energy source, the integrated processor, and the storage.

5. The mobile subscriber unit of claim 4, further comprising:

a user interface coupled to the integrated processor, the user interface comprising;

a means for data input; and

a display, in electrical communication with the integrated processor and the power circuit, for rendering contents of the storage.

6. The mobile subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the financial transaction token is inserted into a cavity within a housing of the mobile subscriber unit.

7. The mobile subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein when the signal requesting initiation of the transaction is received, the integrated processor sends a command to the financial transaction token to transition from a standby state to an active state.

8. The mobile subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the integrated processor is further configured to execute at least some of the code stored in the storage to:

determine a charge state of an energy storage element embedded within the financial transaction token; and

display a status of the charge state in a user interface associated with the mobile subscriber unit.

9. The mobile subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the financial transaction token includes an onboard power storage device that enables the financial transaction token that is in communication with the mobile subscriber unit to operate when the financial transaction token is not in proximity with the merchant access device.

10. A mobile payment system for effecting payment for a financial transaction in a payment processing system, the mobile payment system comprising:

a financial transaction token including;

a memory coupled to an onboard energy source and configured to store and retrieve data regarding an account, and

an interface, wherein the financial transaction token is a payment card,

wherein the financial transaction token comprises a substrate of a payment card encoded with payment account data that is rigid; and

a mobile subscriber unit including;

an integrated processor in communication with the interface,

storage, coupled to the integrated processor and configured to store and retrieve code executable by the integrated processor, and

a transceiver coupled to the integrated processor, and

an antenna,

wherein the integrated processor is configured to detect through the transceiver of the mobile subscriber unit a signal requesting initiation of a transaction received from a merchant access device, and wherein the integrated processor is configured to execute at least some of the code stored in the storage to;

receive an identification of a particular account among a plurality of accounts for obtaining authorization for a financial transaction; and

transmit the data regarding the particular account from the financial transaction token through the transceiver; and

wherein the financial transaction token is programmable to initiate transactions in one of two modes, wherein a first mode includes completing the transaction by the mobile subscriber unit as a proxy for the financial transaction token, and wherein a second mode includes completing the transaction by the financial transaction token independently of the mobile subscriber unit.

11. The mobile payment system of claim 10, wherein the financial transaction token further comprises a power circuit in communication with the onboard energy source, the integrated processor, and the storage.

12. The mobile payment system of claim 11, wherein the integrated processor is configured to execute at least some of the code stored in the storage to command the financial transaction token to assume an active state.

13. The mobile payment system of claim 10, wherein the integrated processor is configured to execute at least some of the code stored in the storage to program the memory coupled to the financial transaction token with new account data corresponding to the particular account in the plurality of accounts.

14. The mobile payment system of claim 10, wherein the mobile subscriber unit further comprises a power circuit in communication with the onboard energy source, the integrated processor, and the storage.

15. The mobile payment system of claim 10, a user interface coupled to the integrated processor, the user interface comprising:

a means for data input; and

a display, in electrical communication with the integrated processor and a power circuit, for rendering contents of the storage.

16. The mobile payment system of claim 10, further comprising:

the merchant access device.

17. The mobile payment system of claim 16, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive the signal requesting initiation of the transaction via an RF signal broadcast from the merchant access device, wherein the signal is an RF signal.

18. The mobile payment system of claim 16, wherein the merchant access device is a point of sale terminal.

19. A method comprising:

communicating, by a mobile subscriber unit, with a financial transaction token comprising a memory storing data regarding an account, wherein the financial transaction token comprises a substrate of a payment card encoded with payment account data that is substantially rigid;

detecting, through a transceiver of the mobile subscriber unit a signal requesting initiation of a transaction received from a merchant access device;

receiving an identification of a particular account among a plurality of accounts for obtaining authorization for a financial transaction; and

transmitting the data regarding the particular account from the financial transaction token through the transceiver,

wherein the financial transaction token is programmable to initiate transactions in one of two modes, wherein a first mode includes completing the transaction by the mobile subscriber unit as a proxy for the financial transaction token, and wherein a second mode includes completing the transaction by the financial transaction token independently of the mobile subscriber unit.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transceiver receives the signal requesting initiation of the transaction via an RF signal broadcast from the merchant access device, wherein the signal is an RF signal.