Contactless transaction

• US 10,057,085 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wentker, Dave, Wong, Erick, Shenker, Gavin, Deibert, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Kucab, Jamie R
• Application Number:
  US11/971,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,877 Days
• 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 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3221 Access to banking information through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3267 In-app payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8355 after the end of the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 : Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/881 : for continuing the call beyond the limit using allow grace
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/93 : using near field or similar technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A method associated with a contactless phone. The method includes sending a balance inquiry response message to a mobile phone. The mobile phone includes a contactless element that is configured to communicate with a contactless reader in a point of sale terminal. The account balance inquiry response message provides an account balance for an account associated with the mobile phone. The mobile phone is operated by a consumer. The method also includes sending a transaction alert message to the mobile phone, where the transaction alert message informs the consumer that a transaction has occurred using the account. The method also includes sending an offer message to the mobile phone, where the offer message provides a benefit to the consumer if the consumer uses the mobile phone to conduct a predetermined transaction.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

maintaining, by a computer, an account associated with a consumer, the account including an indication of a mobile phone operated by the consumer, wherein the mobile phone comprises a contactless element that is configured to communicate with a contactless reader in a point of sale terminal;

receiving, by the computer with respect to the maintained account, a balance alert configuration request message comprising a threshold for a balance alert;

storing, by the computer in relation to the maintained account, the threshold for the balance alert;

determining, by the computer, that an account balance for the maintained account associated is below the stored threshold for the balance alert, the mobile phone being operated by a consumer;

generating and sending, by the computer, a balance alert message to the mobile phone, wherein the balance alert message provides an account balance for the account associated with the mobile phone;

receiving, by the computer with respect to the maintained account, a transaction alert configuration request message comprising a threshold for a transaction alert;

storing, by the computer in relation to the maintained account, the threshold for the transaction alert;

determining, by the computer, that a transaction amount for a conducted transaction surpasses the stored threshold for the transaction alert;

generating and sending, by the computer, a transaction alert message to the mobile phone, wherein the transaction alert message informs the consumer that the conducted transaction has occurred using the account;

registering, by the computer with respect to the maintained account, the consumer to receive offers;

generating, by the computer with respect to the maintained account, an offer message relevant to the consumer;

sending, by the computer, the offer message to the mobile phone, wherein the offer message indicates a benefit that will be provided to the consumer if the consumer uses the mobile phone to conduct a predetermined transaction; and

upon determining that the predetermined transaction has been conducted using the mobile phone, providing the benefit to the account associated with the mobile phone,

wherein information from at least one of the balance alert message, transaction alert, or offer message is displayed on a display of the mobile phone prior to initiation of a new transaction via the contactless element of the mobile phone.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:

receiving, by the computer, a payment reminder configuration request message from the mobile phone;

registering, by the computer, the consumer for payment reminders; and

generating and sending, by the computer, a payment reminder message to the mobile phone.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that a payment account associated with the consumer has been blocked; and

sending a risk alert message to the mobile phone, wherein the risk alert message alerts the consumer about suspicious activity relating to the account and informs the consumer that the account is blocked.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the offer message is generated by an offer engine configured to allow a merchant or issuer to define an offer including the benefit for the consumer.

5. The method of claim 1 further including associating an account with a phone number of the mobile phone.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein associating an account with the phone number of the mobile phone further includes registering a consumer payment account number with a mobile operator, wherein the mobile operator links the consumer payment account number to the mobile phone number.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the account balance alert message is sent via Short Message Service (SMS) text messages.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction alert message is sent via Short Message Service (SMS) text messages.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the balance alert configuration request and the transaction alert configuration request are sent using the mobile phone.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computer, an issuer associated with the consumer;

and sending, by the computer, data associated with an issuer specific payment application instance, wherein the issuer specific payment application instance is configured to;

customize a payment application on the mobile phone for a set of features associated with the issuer.

11. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising code executable by the processor for implementing a method comprising;

receiving a balance alert configuration request message comprising a threshold for a balance alert;

storing the threshold for the balance alert;

determining that an account balance for an account associated with a mobile phone is below the stored threshold for the balance alert, the mobile phone being operated by a consumer;

generating and sending a balance alert message to the mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises a contactless element that is configured to communicate with a contactless reader in a point of sale terminal, and wherein the balance alert message provides an account balance for the account associated with the mobile phone;

receiving a transaction alert configuration request message comprising a threshold for a transaction alert;

storing the threshold for the transaction alert;

determining that a transaction amount for a transaction surpasses the stored threshold for the transaction alert;

generating and sending a transaction alert message to the mobile phone, wherein the transaction alert message informs the consumer that the transaction has occurred using the account;

registering the consumer to receive offers;

generating an offer message relevant to the consumer;

generating and sending the offer message to the mobile phone, wherein the offer message provides a benefit to the consumer if the consumer uses the mobile phone to conduct a predetermined transaction; and

upon determining that the predetermined transaction has been conducted using the mobile phone, providing the benefit to the account associated with the mobile phone,

wherein information from at least one of the balance alert message, transaction alert, or offer message is displayed on a display of the mobile phone prior to initiation of a new transaction via the contactless element of the mobile phone.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a payment reminder configuration request message from the mobile phone;

registering the consumer for payment reminders; and

generating and sending a payment reminder message to the mobile phone.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

determining that a payment account associated with the consumer has been blocked; and

sending a risk alert message to the mobile phone, wherein the risk alert message alerts the consumer about suspicious activity relating to the account and informs the consumer that the account is blocked.