SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR SECURE WIRELESS PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS

• US 20070175978A1
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mocapay, LLC
• Original Assignee: H2West Corporation
• Inventors: Stambaugh, Rod
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

When purchasing an item or service, a user enters a PIN enter their mobile communication device and send the PIN, e.g., via text message to a payment authority. The payment authority authenticates the user using at least the PIN and the mobile communication device identifier associated with the user'"'"'s mobile communication device. If the user is authenticated, then the payment authority will send a transaction code back to the user, which will be displayed on the user'"'"'s mobile communication device. The user can then provide the transaction code to the merchant. The merchant can enter the transaction code into the Merchant'"'"'s point of sale system and complete the transaction.

Claims

1. A secure wireless payment transaction system comprises a payment authority, the payment authority configured to:

receive a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in a message that is sent from a mobile communication device;

receive a mobile communication device identifier identifying the mobile communication device with the message; and

authenticate a transaction based on the PIN and the mobile communication device identifier;

generate a transaction code if the transaction is authenticated; and

return the transaction code to the mobile communication device.

2. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device identifier is a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) associated with the mobile communication device.

3. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the transaction code is a 4 digit code.

4. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the transaction code is a 8 digit code.

5. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the transaction code includes blanks that are to be filled in using digits known to a user and to the payment authority.

6. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the length of the transaction code is variable.

7. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, further comprising a message authority configured to relay the message to the payment authority.

8. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 7, wherein the message authority is configured to provide a digital certificate to the payment authority, and wherein the payment authority is further configured to use the digital certificate to authenticate the transaction.

9. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 7, wherein the payment authority is further configured to use a network identifier associated with the message authority to authenticate the transaction.

10. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the payment authority is configured to receive the transaction code, a merchant identifier, and a transaction amount from a Point Of Sale (POS) system, and wherein the payment authority is configured to approve the transaction using the transaction code, a merchant identifier, and a transaction amount.

11. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 10, wherein approving the transaction comprises determining if a user account associated with the transaction has sufficient funds to cover the transaction amount.

12. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 10, wherein the payment authority is further configured to generate an approval code if the transaction is approved, and send the approval code to the POS system.

13. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 10, wherein the payment authority is further configured to store the approval code, merchant ID, and transaction account and to generate settlement instructions for the transaction.

14. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 13, wherein the payment authority is further configured to execute the settlement instructions.

15. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the message is a text message.

16. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the message is a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

17. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 16, wherein the SMS message was sent to via a short code.

18. The secure wireless payment transaction system of claim 1, wherein the payment authority is further configured to return a real time account balance with the transaction code.

19. A method for secure wireless transaction, comprising:

receiving a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in a message that is sent from a mobile communication device;

receiving a mobile communication device identifier identifying the mobile communication device with the message; and

authenticating a transaction based on the PIN and the mobile communication device identifier;

generating a transaction code if the transaction is authenticated; and

returning the transaction code to the mobile communication device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving a mobile communication device identifier comprises receiving a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) associated with the mobile communication device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein generating a transaction code comprises generating a 4 digit code.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein generating a transaction code comprises generating a 8 digit code.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein generating a transaction code comprises generating a transaction code that includes blanks that are to be filled in using digits known to a user and to the payment authority.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the length of the transaction code is variable.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving a digital certificate, and wherein authenticating the transaction further comprises authenticating the transaction based on the digital certificate.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising using a network identifier associated with a message authority configured to relay the massage to authenticate the transaction.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving the transaction code, a merchant identifier, and a transaction amount from a Point Of Sale (POS) system, and approving the transaction using the transaction code, a merchant identifier, and a transaction amount.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein approving the transaction comprises determining if a user account associated with the transaction has sufficient funds to cover the transaction amount.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising generating an approval code if the transaction is approved, and sending the approval code to the POS system.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising storing the approval code, merchant ID, and transaction account and generating settlement instructions for the transaction.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising executing the settlement instructions.

32. The method of claim 19, further comprising returning a real time account balance with the transaction code.