Delivery of value identifiers using short message service (SMS)

• US 7,537,152 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2007
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Inventors: Chakiris, Phil M., Graves, Phillip C., Lowin, Leslie George, Guest, John David
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech; Karl D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Tae W
• Application Number:
  US11/778,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20080003977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS

Abstract

The present invention discloses systems and methods for managing the transfer of value to a third party using short messaging Services (SMS) communications. Methods for using SMS to transfer value to a third party comprises providing the payment card to a user; activating the payment card; initiating a transaction associated with the payment card; receiving via SMS communications an identifier associated with the payment card; associating value with the payment card; determining an amount of value associated with the payment card; providing an indication of the amount of value associated with the bill payment card to the payment card user via SMS communications; associating at least one third party with the payment card; selecting a third party to be associated with the transaction; receiving from the user an amount of value to transfer to the third party; transferring to the third party the amount of value; and terminating the transaction.

Claims

1. A method of managing a payment system utilizing short messaging Service (SMS) communications, comprising:

activating a bill payment card;

associating a value with the bill payment card;

associating a third party with the bill payment card;

receiving an identifier associated with the bill payment card via a short messaging service (SMS) communication;

determining an amount of value associated with the bill payment card;

providing an indication of the amount of value associated with the bill payment card to the bill payment card user via SMS communications;

receiving a request from the bill payment card user to transfer at least some of the value to the third party via SMS communications; and

initiating a transfer of the at least some of the value to the third party.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring at least some of the value to the third party.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of associating a third party with the bill payment card comprises:

receiving information via short messaging services (SMS) communications sufficient to identify the third party.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information sufficient to identify the third party comprises information sufficient to identify a customer account with the third party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a request from the bill payment card user to transfer at least some of the value to the third party comprises:

receiving an indication via SMS communications of an amount of value to transfer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining an amount owed to the third party; and

providing to the bill payment card user via SMS communications an indication of the amount owed to the third party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a second third party is associated with the bill payment card.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a request from the bill payment card user to transfer at least some of the value to the third party via SMS communications comprises a code identifying the third party.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the bill payment card user obtains the code from a website.