VIRTUAL TERMINAL PAYER AUTHORIZATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080071625A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Arumugam, Avin
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/17
• 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 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• 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

Abstract

A method of obtaining payer authorization for a purchase instrument transaction with a customer includes using a wireless device of a merchant to contact a virtual terminal service to process the transaction, entering transaction information into the wireless device, which transaction information includes an account identifier relating to the purchase instrument of the customer, forwarding the transaction information from the wireless device to the virtual terminal service, receiving at the wireless device a request from the virtual terminal service to receive payer authorization information from the customer, receiving the payer authorization directly from the customer into the wireless device of the merchant, forwarding the payer authorization from the wireless device to the virtual terminal service, and receiving an approval message from the virtual terminal service at the wireless device of the merchant.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining payer authorization for a purchase instrument transaction with a customer, comprising:

using a wireless device of a merchant to contact a virtual terminal service to process the transaction;

entering transaction information into the wireless device, wherein the transaction information includes an account identifier relating to the purchase instrument of the customer;

forwarding the transaction information from the wireless device to the virtual terminal service;

receiving at the wireless device a request from the virtual terminal service to receive payer authorization information from the customer;

receiving the payer authorization directly from the customer into the wireless device of the merchant;

forwarding the payer authorization from the wireless device to the virtual terminal service; and

receiving an approval message from the virtual terminal service at the wireless device of the merchant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, the merchant registering with the virtual terminal service prior to the transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, the customer registering with the virtual terminal service prior to the transaction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the payer authorization information directly from the customer into the wireless device of the merchant comprises:

the merchant handing the wireless device to the customer; and

the customer entering the payer authorization information into the wireless device of the merchant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the payer authorization information directly from the customer into the wireless device of the merchant comprises receiving a signal into the wireless device of the merchant from a wireless device of the customer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the signal comprises a Radio Frequency Identification signal.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the signal comprises a Near Field Communication Technology signal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, receiving an electronic receipt at a wireless device of the customer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, thereafter charging the merchant a reduced interchange rate relating to the transaction.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, providing the merchant chargeback protection for the transaction.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device of the merchant comprises an Internet-enabled mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device of the customer comprises an Internet-enabled mobile device.

13. A method of obtaining payer authorization for a purchase instrument transaction with a customer in the absence of a point-of-sale processing terminal, comprising:

a merchant using an Internet-enabled wireless mobile communication device to contact a virtual terminal service;

the merchant entering transaction information into the device;

the device transferring the transaction information to the virtual terminal service;

the virtual terminal service accessing a record relating to the customer, thereby identifying the customer as having registered for payer authorization;

the virtual terminal service sending a payer authorization request to the device of the merchant;

the customer entering payer authorization information into the device of the merchant;

the device of the merchant sending the payer authorization information to the virtual terminal service;

the virtual terminal service comparing the payer authorization information to stored information relating to the customer; and

the virtual terminal service sending an authorization message to the device of the merchant based on the comparison.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, the merchant registering with the virtual terminal service prior to the transaction.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer entering payer authorization information into the device of the merchant comprises receiving a signal into the device of the merchant from a wireless device of the customer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal comprises a Radio Frequency Identification signal.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal comprises a Near Field Communication Technology signal.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising, receiving an electronic receipt at a wireless device of the customer.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising, thereafter charging the merchant a reduced interchange rate relating to the transaction.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising, providing the merchant chargeback protection for the transaction.