Method and system for securing card payment transactions using a mobile communication device

• US 20060253389A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rozich, Ryan, Hagale, Anthony Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• 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 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• 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 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A method and system for securing card payment transactions using a mobile communication device provides improved security in card payment transactions such as credit and debit card transactions. Upon receipt of a transaction at the card issuer or other service provider, a message is sent to a mobile communication device that has been uniquely associated with the card. The message may be an interactive message requiring response by the card owner for authorization, or may communicate a one-time-use personal identification number (PIN) with required PIN return via the point-of-sales system or the mobile communications device. In each transaction, the card issuer or service provider confirms that the communication was received and the transaction authorized by the card owner, further ensuring the authorized use of the card. The PIN and/or interactive message response period may be voided after a short time, further improving security of the transaction.

Claims

1. A method for performing a transaction with a payment card and a mobile communications device, said method comprising:

associating said payment card with an identifier uniquely associated with a particular mobile communications device;

receiving a notification from a point of sales indicating that a particular card transaction has been initiated;

sending a message associated with the particular card transaction to a user of said particular mobile communications device;

receiving confirmation from said user, via said particular mobile communications device, that said message was received and that said user authorizes said particular card transaction; and

authorizing said particular card transaction only if said confirmation is received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

starting a timer in response to said sending; and

blocking authorization of said particular card transaction after said timer reaches a predetermined expiration period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending sends a short message service (SMS) text message to the particular mobile communications device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending sends a message containing a one-time-use personal identification number (PIN) to the particular mobile communications device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving confirmation from the user is performed by receiving said one-time-use PIN from a point-of-sales associated with said particular card transaction, wherein the value of the one-time-use PIN confirms that said message was received.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving confirmation from the user is performed by receiving said one-time-use PIN from the particular mobile communications device, wherein the value of the one-time-use PIN confirms that said message was received.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending sends an interactive message requesting confirmation of the transaction, and wherein said receiving confirmation from said user is performed by receiving a response to said interactive message.

8. A system for authorizing transactions initiated with a payment card, comprising one or more servers for receiving electronic transaction information and issuing communications to mobile communications devices, said one or more servers each having a memory for storing program instructions and at least one processor for executing said program instructions, said program instructions comprising program instructions for:

receiving a notification from a point of sales indicating that a card transaction has been initiated;

retrieving an identifier of a particular mobile communications device uniquely associated with a particular card used in said card transaction;

sending a message associated with said card transaction to a user via said particular mobile communications device;

receiving confirmation from said user, via said particular mobile communications device, that said message was received and that said user authorizes said particular card transaction; and

authorizing said particular card transaction only if said confirmation is received.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

starting a timer in response to said sending; and

blocking authorization of said particular card transaction after said timer reaches a predetermined expiration period.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said program instructions for sending comprise program instructions for sending a short message service (SMS) text message to the particular mobile communications device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said program instructions for sending comprise program instructions for sending a message containing a one-time-use personal identification number (PIN) to the particular mobile communications device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said program instructions for receiving confirmation from the user comprise program instructions for receiving said one-time-use PIN from a point-of-sales associated with said particular card transaction, wherein the value of the one-time-use PIN confirms that said message was received.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said program instructions for receiving confirmation from the user comprise program instructions for receiving said one-time-use PIN from the particular mobile communications device, wherein the value of the one-time-use PIN confirms that said message was received.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said program instructions for sending send an interactive message requesting confirmation of the transaction, and wherein said receiving confirmation from said user is performed by receiving a response to said interactive message.

15. A computer program product comprising media encoding program instructions for execution on one or more servers for receiving electronic transaction information and issuing communications to mobile communications devices, wherein said program instructions are program instructions for authorizing transactions initiated with a payment card, said program instructions comprising program instructions for:

receiving a notification from a point of sales indicating that a card transaction has been initiated;

retrieving an identifier of a particular mobile communications device uniquely associated with a particular card used in said card transaction;

sending a message associated with said card transaction to a user via said particular mobile communications device;

receiving confirmation from said user, via said particular mobile communications device, that said message was received and that said user authorizes said particular card transaction; and

authorizing said particular card transaction only if said confirmation is received.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

starting a timer in response to said sending; and

blocking authorization of said particular card transaction after said timer reaches a predetermined expiration period.

17. The computer program of claim 15, wherein said program instructions for sending comprise program instructions for sending a message containing a one-time-use personal identification number (PIN) to the particular mobile communications device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said program instructions for receiving confirmation from the user comprise program instructions for receiving said one-time-use PIN from a point-of-sales associated with said particular card transaction, wherein the value of the one-time-use PIN confirms that said message was received.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said program instructions for receiving confirmation from the user comprise program instructions for receiving said one-time-use PIN from the particular mobile communications device, wherein the value of the one-time-use PIN confirms that said message was received.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said program instructions for sending send an interactive message requesting confirmation of the transaction, and wherein said receiving confirmation from said user is performed by receiving a response to said interactive message.