Transaction Processing Method, Apparatus and System

• US 20090099961A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ian Charles Ogilvy
• Original Assignee: Ian Charles Ogilvy
• Inventors: Ogilvy, Ian Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/08 Payment architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• 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 20/4014 Identity check for transactions

Abstract

The present invention relates to transaction processing, for processing of payments between payer'"'"'s (usually individual payers) and payee'"'"'s (usually merchants. Conventionally, a payment transaction involves a user'"'"'s account details being provided to a merchant device, e.g. by swiping a card in the card swipe of the merchant device. The merchant device then prepares a transaction message including information such as the user'"'"'s account ID, merchant ID and payment information and forwards that message to a transaction processing system, which may comprise a transaction acquirer and an issuing bank. The transaction processing system approves the payment and returns confirmation to the merchant. In the present invention a device associated with the payer, which in a preferred embodiment is a suitably adapted mobile telephone, becomes involved in the payment transaction process. At one level, the transaction processing system requests from the payer electronic device confirmation that the transaction should proceed and the payer keys in an appropriate PIN to authorise the transaction. At another level, all the transaction processing information is provided from the payer electronic device to the transaction processing system and the transaction processing system or the payer electronic device then confirm that the transaction is authorised to the merchant device. This takes the burden of transaction processing off the merchant and also increases the security of the transaction as the payer is in control. In a further embodiment, the payer electronic device may also upload listings of products and select products at the same time as paying for them, the payee (merchant) being advised of the selected product.

Claims

1. A method of making a payment, comprising the steps of:

providing information associated with a payer, the information being provided in a manner so that a payee can access the information,

receiving information about the payment by a payer electronic device associated with the payer, and

giving instructions for making the payment using the electronic device associated with the payer;

wherein the information about the payment includes product information in the form of at least one product identifier of a product available from the payee, and the method includes the step of the payer electronic device selecting at least one product identifier;

wherein the information about the payment further includes payment information including a payment amount for the at least one selected product and a payment identity of the payee;

wherein the step of giving instructions for making the payment includes the step of the payer electronic device providing the payment amount, payment identity of the payee and the selected product identifier to a transaction processing system;

the transaction processing system being arranged to access an account of the payer and make payment to the payee for the payment amount, and

transmitting the product identifier to the payee, whereby the payee receives information about the product ordered and paid for by the payer electronic device to enable provision of the product to the payer.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the product identifier is carried out by the transaction processing system.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising the further step of the transaction processing system transmitting confirmation that payment has been made to the payee.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the payer electronic device includes a display, and further comprising the step of the payer electronic device being arranged to display on the display payment information.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, including the further step of the payer electronic device varying the payment amount.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the payer electronic device includes a user input means and the step of varying the payment amount includes the step of the user inputting via the input means a varied payment amount.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the product information is included in a listing including the at least one product identifier.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the listing includes a plurality of the product identifiers comprising a menu of products provided by the payee, whereby the payer electronic device may select one or more of the products.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the listing is made available via a network for a payer to upload to the payer electronic device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the network is a wide area network, such as the Internet.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information about the payment by the payer electronic device includes the step of receiving information about the payment from a passive device.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the passive device is an optically readable device.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the optically readable device is a barcode.

14. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the passive device is provided as part of an invoice.

15. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the passive device is provided with a product for sale.

16. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the information about the payment includes instructions for utilising an application to control the payer electronic device to provide instructions for making the payment.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the information about the payment includes location information identifying a location where a payer electronic device can obtain the application for uploading to the payer electronic device.

18. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information about the payment comprises receiving the information from a payee electronic device associated with the payee.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the information associated with the payer includes payer electronic device information enabling the payee electronic device to communicate with the payer electronic device.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the payer electronic device information is provided by an access device associated with the payer electronic device.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the access device is a smart card.

22. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the access device is integral with the payer electronic device.

23. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein communication between the payee electronic device and the payer electronic device is via a local wireless network.

24. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein communication between the payer and payee electronic device is via a telephone network.

25. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the telephone network includes a mobile telephone network.

26. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the instructions for making the payment are transmitted directly from the payer electronic device to the transaction processing system.

27. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the instructions for making the payment are transmitted to the transaction processing system via a payee electronic device.

28. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the instructions for making the payment include a confirmation transmitted to a transaction processing system that the payment should proceed.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28, comprising the step of the confirmation being generated by the payer electronic device.

30. A method in accordance with claim 29, wherein the payer electronic device includes input means, and the step of generating the confirmation includes the step of requiring user input via the input means to enable the confirmation to be generated.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein the step of requiring is implemented by an application provided by the payer electronic device.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein the application is implemented within firmware in the payer electronic device.

33. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein the payer electronic device includes a display, and the step of requiring requires the user to acknowledge via the input means information about the payment appearing on the display.

34. A method in accordance with claim 28, wherein the confirmation includes encoded information.

35. A method in accordance with claim 34, wherein the encoded information is a digital signature.

36. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information associated with the payer includes an account identifier of an account of the payer.

37. A method in accordance with claim 36, wherein the account identifier is provided by the payer providing a card, such as a credit card.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein the account identifier is part of an account number, and wherein a transaction processing system stores the other part of the account number.

39. A method in accordance with claim 38, wherein the part account number is provided by the payer electronic device in encrypted form.

40. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information about the payment includes one or more applications including instructions for controlling the payer electronic device to provide instructions for making the payment.

41. A method in accordance with claim 40, including the further step of uploading to the payer electronic device the one or more applications from a network.

42. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information associated with the payer is a confirmation that payment has occurred.

43. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information associated with the payer includes an identity of the payer.

44. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of giving instructions for making the payment include the payer electronic device pre-approving the payment before the payment transaction takes place, by providing pre-approval instructions to the transaction processing system.

45. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the payer electronic device is a portable device.

46. A method in accordance with claim 45, wherein the portable device is a palm-type computer.

47. A method in accordance with claim 45, wherein the portable device is a mobile telephone.

127. A computer program including instructions for controlling a computing device to implement a method in accordance with claim 1.

128. A computer readable medium providing a computer program in accordance with claim 127.

48. A method of processing a payment transaction, including the steps of a transaction processing system receiving instructions for making a payment from a payer electronic device associated with a payer, the transaction processing system authorising payment, and the transaction processing system providing confirmation that the payment has been authorised, including the further step of receiving product information from the payer electronic device, the product information identifying at least one product of a payee, for which payment is to be made, uploading the product information to a payee so that the payee can provide the product, and including the step of uploading a product listing to the payer electronic device, the product listing including at least one product of a payee that may be selected by the payer electronic device.

49. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the step of receiving instructions includes the step of receiving a message from a payer electronic device, the message including payment information.

50. A method in accordance with claim 49, wherein the payment information includes a payment amount and a payment identity of the payee.

51. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the step of providing payment confirmation includes the step of the transaction processing system transmitting the payment confirmation to a payee electronic device.

52. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the step of providing payment confirmation includes the step of the transaction processing system transmitting the payment confirmation to the payer electronic device.

53. A method in accordance with claim 52, wherein the payer electronic device includes a display, and the step of providing the payment confirmation includes providing the confirmation to appear on the display of the payer electronic device.

54. A method in accordance with claim 53, wherein the payment confirmation as appearing on the display is in machine readable form, and can be read by a payee electronic device.

55. A method in accordance with claim 54, wherein the machine readable form is bar code.

56. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the step of the transaction processing system transmitting the product information to the payee includes the step of transmitting the product information to a payee electronic device.

57. A method in accordance with claim 48, including the step of providing a database of product listings for uploading to payer electronic devices, each product listing including at least one product of a respective payee that may be selected by a payer electronic device.

58. A method in accordance with claim 48, including the step of uploading to the payer electronic device an application including instructions for controlling the payer electronic device to provide the instructions for making the payment.

59. A method in accordance with claim 58, including the step of providing a database including applications having instructions to control payer electronic devices to provide instructions for making a payment, for uploading to the payer electronic devices.

60. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the instructions for making a payment include a confirmation from the payer electronic device that the payment should proceed.

61. A method in accordance with claim 60, wherein the confirmation is an encoded message.

62. A method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the encoded message is a digital signature.

63. A method according to claim 60, wherein a generation of the confirmation by the payer electronic device requires actuation of an input means of the payer electronic device by a user.

64. A method in accordance with claim 60, including the step of the transaction processing system transmitting a request to the payer electronic device for a confirmation.

65. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the instructions for making the payment include payer account information.

66. A method in accordance with claim 65, where the payer account information includes a portion of an account identifier, and wherein the transaction processing system stores the rest of the account identifier so that the payer account can be identified when the transaction processing system receives the portion from the payer electronic device.

67. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the instructions for making a payment include a pre-approval instruction, pre-approving a payment which is subsequently to take place, and including the step of the transaction processing system storing the pre-approving instructions.

68. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the instructions for making a payment are received directly from a transmission from a payer electronic device.

69. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the instructions for making a payment are received indirectly via a payee electronic device from a transmission to the payee electronic device by the payer electronic device.

70. A method in accordance with claim 48, wherein the payer electronic device is a portable device.

71. A method in accordance with claim 70, wherein the portable device is a palm-type computer.

72. A method in accordance with claim 70, wherein the portable device is a mobile telephone.

129. A computer program providing instructions for controlling a computing device to implement a method in accordance with claim 48.

130. A computer readable medium providing a computer program in accordance with claim 129.

73. An apparatus for facilitating a payment transaction from a payer to a payee, comprising a payer electronic device associated with the payer, the payer electronic device including payment information receiving means for receiving information about the payment, and payment instructing means for giving instructions for making the payment;

wherein the information about the payment includes product information in the form of at least one product identifier of a product available from the payee, and the payer electronic device is arranged to enable selection of at least one product identifier;

wherein the information about the payment further includes payment information including a payment amount for the at least one selected product and a payment identity of the payee;

wherein the payment instructing means is arranged to provide the payment amount, payment identity of the payee and the selected product identifier to a transaction processing system, the transaction processing system being arranged to access an account of the payer and make payment to the payee for the payment amount, and the payer electronic device includes means for transmitting the product identifier to the payee, whereby the payee receives information about the product ordered and paid for by the payer electronic device to enable provision of the product to the payer.

74. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein transmission of the product identifier is carried out via the transaction processing system.

75. An apparatus in accordance with claim 74, wherein the transaction processing system is arranged to transmit confirmation that payment has been made to the payee.

76. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein the payer electronic device includes a display and is arranged to display payment information.

77. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein the payer electronic device includes an input means enabling the user to vary the payment amount.

78. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein the product information is in the form of a listing including a plurality of product identifiers from which the payer electronic device may select.

79. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein the payer electronic device is arranged to upload the product information from a database where the product information is available.

80. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein the payer electronic device includes reading means arranged to read information about the payment from a passive device.

81. An apparatus in accordance with claim 80, wherein the passive device is an optically readable device and the reading means includes an optical reader.

82. An apparatus in accordance with claim 81, wherein the optically readable device is a barcode.

83. An apparatus in accordance with claim 81, wherein the reading means includes a camera.

84. An apparatus in accordance with claim 81, wherein the reading means is arranged to identify a passive device as providing information about the payment.

85. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, the payer electronic device further including communication means arranged to communicate with a payee electronic device.

86. An apparatus in accordance with claim 85, wherein the communication means includes means enabling communication via a local wireless network.

87. An apparatus in accordance with claim 85, the payer electronic device including an access device arranged to provide information to the payee electronic device to enable communication between the payee electronic device and the payer electronic device.

88. An apparatus in accordance with claim 87, wherein the access device is a smart card.

89. An apparatus in accordance with claim 87, wherein the access device is integral with the payer electronic device.

90. An apparatus in accordance with claim 85, wherein the payer electronic device includes transmission means for transmitting the instructions for making the payment to the transaction processing system, the transmission means being arranged to transmit the instructions via the payee electronic device.

91. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, the payer electronic device comprising remote transmission means arranged to transmit the instructions for making the payment to a transaction processing system.

92. An apparatus in accordance with claim 91, wherein the remote transmission means is a transmitter arranged to transmit the signals via a mobile telephone network.

93. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein the instructions for making the payment include a confirmation transmitted to the transaction processing system that the payment should proceed, and the payment instructing means includes confirmation generation means for generating the confirmation.

94. An apparatus in accordance with claim 93, wherein the payer electronic device includes input means, and user input via the input means is required for the confirmation generation means to generate the confirmation.

95. An apparatus in accordance with claim 94, wherein the confirmation generation means is implemented partly or wholly by firm ware.

96. An apparatus in accordance with claim 94, wherein the payer electronic device includes a display and the confirmation generation means requires the user to acknowledge via the input means information about the payment appearing on the display, in order for it to generate a confirmation.

97. An apparatus in accordance with claim 94, wherein the confirmation generation means is arranged to generate a confirmation in the form of encoded information.

98. An apparatus in accordance with claim 97, wherein the encoded information is a digital signature.

99. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, the payer electronic device including storage means arranged to store at. least one application including instructions for controlling the payment instructing means to give instructions for making the payment.

100. An apparatus in accordance with claim 99, the payer electronic device being arranged to upload the at least one application from a database.

101. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein the instructions for making the payment include an account identifier, identifying an account of the payer.

102. An apparatus in accordance with claim 101, wherein the account identifier includes a portion of an account number, and wherein the transaction processing system stores the other portion of the account number.

103. An apparatus in accordance with claim 73, wherein the instructions for making the payment includes a pre-approval, authorising payment for a subsequent payment transaction.

104. A transaction processing system for processing a payment transaction, including payment instruction receiving means arranged to receive instructions for making a payment from a payer electronic device associated with a payer, to a payee, the transaction processing system being arranged to authorise payment and to provide confirmation that the payment has been authorised, the transaction processing system being arranged to receive product information from the payer electronic device, the product information identifying at least one product of a payee, for which payment is to be made, and the transaction processing system being arranged to upload the product information to the payee so that the payee can provide the product, the transaction processing system being arranged to upload a product listing to the payer electronic device, the product listing including at least one product of a payee that may be selected by the payer electronic device.

105. An apparatus in accordance with claim 104, wherein the transaction processing system is arranged to transmit payment confirmation to the payer electronic device.

106. An apparatus in accordance with claim 105, wherein the payer electronic device includes a display, and the payment confirmation is arranged to appear on the display of the payer electronic device.

107. A system in accordance with claim 106, wherein the payment confirmation appears on the display in machine readable form, and can be read a payee electronic device.

108. A system in accordance with claim 107, wherein the machine readable form is barcode.

109. A system in accordance with claim 104, further including a database of product listings and being arranged to enable uploading of product listings to payer electronic devices, each product listing including at least one product of respective payee that may be selected by a payer electronic device.

110. A system in accordance with claim 104, further including a database including one or more applications including instructions to control payer electronic devices to provide instructions for making the payment for uploading to the payer electronic devices.

111. A system in accordance with claim 104, wherein the instructions for making the payment including a confirmation from the payer electronic device that the payment should proceed.

112. A system in accordance with claim 111, wherein the confirmation is in an encoded form and the system includes means for decoding the instructions.

113. A system in accordance with claim 112, wherein the encoded form is a digital signature.

114. A system in accordance with claim 104, wherein the instructions for making the payment include payer account information, including a portion of an account identifier, and the system further comprising a database storing the rest of the account identifier so that the payer account can be identified.

115. A system in accordance with claim 104, further including a pre-approval database storing pre-approval instructions, pre-approving a payment which is subsequently to take place.

116. An apparatus for facilitating processing of a transaction, comprising a payee electronic device arranged for communication with a transaction processing system in accordance with claim 104.

117. An apparatus in accordance with claim 116 being arranged to receive product information identifying at least one product.

118. An apparatus in accordance with claim 117, comprising means for printing the product listing.

119. (canceled)

120. A passive device being arranged to be readable by a payer electronic device for facilitating a payment transaction;

wherein the passive device includes a product list, listing at least one product for selection by the payer electronic device.

121. An apparatus in accordance with claim 120, wherein the passive device is a bar code.

122. An apparatus in accordance with claim 120, wherein the passive device includes payment information for enabling the payer electronic device to process a payment.

123. An apparatus in accordance with claim 120, wherein the passive device is associated with a product and provides information enabling a payer electronic device to facilitate a transaction for payment of the product.

124. An apparatus in accordance with claim 123, wherein the passive device is affixed to the product or the product packaging.

125. An apparatus in accordance with claim 120, wherein the passive device is part of a menu in a restaurant or café

.

126. An apparatus in accordance with claim 120, wherein the passive device includes information identifying an application for the payer electronic device to utilise in order to facilitate a payment transaction.

131. A method of launching software applications, comprising the step of utilising a passive device including information identifying the location of the software application, uploading the information to a user device, and utilising the user device to obtain the application from a remote location.

132. A method or organising a queue, comprising the steps of providing information to a user mobile phone which indicates the position of a user within the queue and updating the information as the users position in the queue moves.