Abstract:
Methods and systems are disclosed for allowing financial transactions to be conducted using mobile phones. A payer initiates a transaction by sending a payment request message from a mobile phone which specifies the payee and amount to be paid. Payees are identified by unique aliases, which are maintained in a database. Methods for assembling the enrollment and alias database are included.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application is a non-provisional of and claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/871,898, filed on Dec. 26, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The use of mobile phones to conduct financial transactions is growing in popularity. Various means of using mobile phones to conduct financial transactions have been tried. The most common involves sending a payment to a payee using the payee&#39;s cellular phone number as an identifier. This approach gives rise certain difficulties, however. First, the payee must have a cellular phone which is capable of receiving the payments. Second, the payer must know the payee&#39;s phone number. As cellular phone numbers tend to change frequently, a payer must make certain that the phone number being used is current. Otherwise, the payer runs the risk of sending a payment to an unintended third party, who has been assigned the intended payee&#39;s old phone number. Further, in some cases, the payee and payee may not wish to reveal personal information such as their cellular phone numbers to each other. Accordingly, there is a need for a new method of conducting financial transactions using phones. 
         [0003]    Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods and systems for allowing payments to be made using mobile phones. 
         [0005]    One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method. The method comprises receiving a payment request message from a mobile phone operated by a payer, wherein the payment request message includes a request to pay a payee a predetermined amount of money, and wherein the payment request message comprises a personal alias uniquely associated with the payee and a transaction amount. The payment request message is analyzed to determine if the payer is authorized to pay the payee. A payment notification message is sent to the payee indicating that a payment from the payer to the payee has been made. 
         [0006]    Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method. The method comprises receiving a payment request message from a payer, the payment request message comprising an amount of money to be paid to a payee and an alias associated with the payee, where the payment request message is sent by the payer via a mobile phone operated by the payer. An authentication request message is sent to the mobile phone in response to the message. An authentication token is received from the payer in response to sending the authentication request message. The authentication token is sent by the payer using the mobile phone, and the authentication token that is associated with the payer is verified. If the authentication token is verified as being associated with the payer, a payment for the amount of money to the payee using the alias is initiated. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method. The method comprises receiving a registration request from a payee to create an alias uniquely associated with that payee, where the request specifies the alias requested. The payee operates a mobile phone and can receive or make payments using the alias and mobile phone. The alias is compared with other previously registered aliases associated with other payees. If the requested alias has not already been associated with another payee, the alias associated with the payee is registered. 
         [0008]    Other embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, computer readable media, and devices adapted to implement the above methods. 
         [0009]    These and other embodiments of the invention are described in further detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of components in a computer. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram of components in a mobile phone. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a flowchart illustrating an alias registration process. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  shows information that can be provided when registering aliases. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a flowchart illustrating a payment method according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Embodiments of the invention are directed to making person-to-person (P2P) and/or person-to-business (P2B) payments, using mobile phones. In embodiments of the invention, a payer may send a payment request message to a payment processing network. The payment request message identifies the desired payee using an alias, which is uniquely associated with the payee. The payment processing network may then determine who the payee is using an enrollment and alias database, and may forward the payment request message to a payer institution. The payer institution may be a payer bank and the payer may have a payer account associated with it. The payer institution may thereafter analyze the payment request message and may authorize or not authorize the transaction depending on whether the payer has sufficient credit and/or funds in the payer&#39;s account. If the payment request is approved by the payer institution, the payer institution may thereafter transfer funds from the payer&#39;s account at the payer institution to a payee account at a payee institution. 
         [0017]    The payment request message may be sent from the payer&#39;s mobile phone in any suitable manner. In one example, a payer may send the payment request message to the payment processing network via a Web page accessed by the phone. In another example, the payer may send the payment request message to the payment processing network using an SMS message (i.e., a text message). In yet another example, the payer may send the payment request message to the payment processing network using a software application on the phone. 
         [0018]    The payment transactions according to embodiments of the invention may take place in any suitable context. For example, suitable payment transactions may involve purchases of goods and services from merchants or individuals in a person to business or person to person context. However, in some embodiments of the invention, a payer may make payments and the payments can be made without any return consideration (e.g., a good or service purchased). For example, a payment may be a gift to the payee or repayment of a debt to the payee where the pay does not receive immediate consideration for the payment. 
         [0019]    I. Systems 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a system that can be used in an embodiment of the invention. Embodiments of the invention may use some or all of the components shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    The illustrated system includes a payer  302  and a first mobile phone  304  associated with the payer  302 . The payer  302  has a payer account  316  at a payer institution  314 . Similarly, the system includes a payee  306  and a second mobile phone  308  associated with the payee  306 . The payee  306  has a payee account  320  at a payee institution  315 . 
         [0022]    In this example, the payer institution  314  and payee institution  315  are shown as separate entities. The payer  302  and payee  306  could use the same financial institution in other embodiments of the invention. 
         [0023]    The payer institution  314  and payee institution  315  are typically banks that manage financial accounts for individuals or businesses. However, they could also be business entities such as retail stores. 
         [0024]    The payer  302  and payee  306  may be individuals, or organizations such as businesses that are capable of entering into financial transactions (e.g., payment transactions). 
         [0025]    The payment processing network  310  may include data processing subsystems, networks, and operations used to support and deliver authorization services, exception file services, and clearing and settlement services. An exemplary payment processing network may include VisaNet™. Payment processing networks such as VisaNet™ are able to process credit card transactions, debit card transactions, and other types of financial transactions. VisaNet™, in particular, includes a VIP system (Visa Integrated Payments system) which processes authorization requests and a Base II system which performs clearing and settlement services. 
         [0026]    The payment processing network  310  may include a payment server computer  312 . A “server computer” is typically a powerful computer or cluster of computers. For example, a server computer can be a large mainframe, a minicomputer cluster, or a group of servers functioning as a unit. In one example, a server computer may be a database server coupled to a Web server. The server computer  312  may form part of any suitable wired or wireless network, including the Internet. 
         [0027]    A mobile gateway  332  may be operatively coupled to the payment processing network  310  and may allow the first and second mobile phones  304 ,  306  to communicate with the payment processing network  310 . The mobile gateway  332  may be embodied by any suitable combination of hardware and/or software known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0028]    The system may also comprise a payer client computer  330 ( a ) as well as a payee client computer  330 ( b ). They can be in communication with an enrollment server computer  326  operating a host site  324  (e.g., a Web site), via a communication medium  328 . The communication medium  328  may comprise any suitable combination of wired and/or wireless networks including the Internet. The enrollment server computer  326  may store aliases in an enrollment and alias database  322 . The payment processing network  310  can subsequently identify the payee  302  and payer  306  using the information stored in the enrollment and alias database  322 . In other embodiments, there can be a separate enrollment database and a separate alias database. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows typical components or subsystems of a computer apparatus. Such components or any subset of such components may be present in various components shown in  FIG. 1 , including the payment server computer  312 , the enrollment server computer  326 , the client computers  330 ( a ),  330 ( b ), etc. The subsystems shown in  FIG. 2  are interconnected via a system bus  775 . Additional subsystems such as a printer  774 , keyboard  778 , fixed disk  779 , monitor  776 , which is coupled to display adapter  782 , and others are shown. Peripherals and input/output (I/O) devices, which couple to I/O controller  771 , can be connected to the computer system by any number of means known in the art, such as serial port  777 . For example, serial port  777  or external interface  781  can be used to connect the computer apparatus to a wide area network such as the Internet, a mouse input device, or a scanner. The interconnection via system bus  775  allows the central processor  773  to communicate with each subsystem and to control the execution of instructions from system memory  772  or the fixed disk  779 , as well as the exchange of information between subsystems. The system memory  772  and/or the fixed disk  779  may embody a computer readable medium. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram of some components of the first mobile phone  304 . Some or all of the components in the first mobile phone  304  may also be present in the second mobile phone  308  (illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0031]    The phone  304  may comprise a computer readable medium  304 ( b ) and a body  304 ( h ) as shown in  FIG. 3 . The computer readable medium  304 ( b ) may be present within body  304 ( h ), or may be detachable from it. The body  304 ( h ) may be in the form a plastic substrate, housing, or other structure. The computer readable medium  304 ( b ) may be a memory that stores data and may be in any suitable form including a magnetic stripe, a memory chip, etc. 
         [0032]    The computer readable medium  304 ( b ) may comprise code for performing any of the functions described herein. For example, it may comprise code for sending a payment request message using a mobile phone to a payment processing network, where the payment request message comprises an amount of money to be paid and an alias, where the alias is associated with a payee; code for receiving in response to the payment request message an authentication request message, where the authentication request message is received via the mobile phone; and code for sending an authentication token in response to the authentication request message. 
         [0033]    The phone  304  may further include a contactless element  304 ( g ), which is typically implemented in the form of a semiconductor chip (or other data storage element) with an associated wireless transfer (e.g., data transmission) element, such as an antenna. Contactless element  304 ( g ) is associated with (e.g., embedded within) portable consumer device  304  and data or control instructions transmitted via a cellular network may be applied to contactless element  304 ( g ) by means of a contactless element interface (not shown). The contactless element interface functions to permit the exchange of data and/or control instructions between the mobile device circuitry (and hence the cellular network) and an optional contactless element  304 ( g ). 
         [0034]    Contactless element  304 ( g ) is capable of transferring and receiving data using a near field communications (“NFC”) capability (or near field communications medium) typically in accordance with a standardized protocol or data transfer mechanism (e.g., ISO 14443/NFC). Near field communications capability is a short-range communications capability, such as RFID, Bluetooth™ infra-red, or other data transfer capability that can be used to exchange data between the phone  304  and a payment processing network  26  or it can be used to exchange data between the phone  304  and an access device (e.g., a POS terminal). Thus, the phone  304  is capable of communicating and transferring data and/or control instructions via both cellular network and near field communications capability. 
         [0035]    The phone  304  may also include a processor  304 ( c ) (e.g., a microprocessor) for processing the functions of the phone  304  and a display  304 ( d ) to allow a payee to see phone numbers and other information and messages. The phone  304  may further include input elements  304 ( e ) to allow a payee to input information into the device, a speaker  304 ( f ) to allow the payee to hear voice communication, music, etc., and a microphone  304 ( i ) to allow the payee to transmit her voice through the phone  304 . The phone  304  may also include an antenna  304 ( a ) for wireless data transfer (e.g., data transmission). 
         [0036]    II. Enrollment Methods 
         [0037]    In embodiments of the invention, payers and payees may first enroll in the system. The payee and the payer may enroll in any suitable manner. For example, referring to  FIG. 1 , the payee and the payer may enroll in the system via the host site  324  using the client computers  330 ( a ),  330 ( b ). Enrollment information such as name, account number, etc. may be stored by the server computer  326  in the enrollment and alias database  322 . This information can be used in subsequent payment processes to identify the payer  302  or the payee  306 . 
         [0038]    In some cases, a financial institution such as the payee institution  315  or the payer institution  314  may “push” pre-enrollment data to the enrollment and alias database  322 . The payer institution  314 , for example, may validate the payer  302  ahead of time. The payer institution  314  may do this ahead of time, because it knows the payer  302  and the payer&#39;s credit history and account balance information. After the payer  302  is enrolled in the system, the payer  302  may set up an appropriate alias to use the system. The same may be true for the payee  306 . Thus, in some embodiments, the payer  302  need not do anything to enroll and need only set up her payment alias. 
         [0039]    In embodiments of the invention, a number of aliases may be used. Aliases may include payment processing organization aliases for the payment processing organization that operates the payment processing network, a payee alias associated with the payee and the payee&#39;s phone, and a payer alias associated with the payer and the payer&#39;s phone. Examples of payer and payee aliases include “worldtraveler” and “beachbum.” An example of a service alias may be “myvisa” for a payment processing organization such as Visa. 
         [0040]    Other aliases that can be registered include portable consumer device aliases (payment card aliases). For example, the payer  302  may have first and second credit cards and they may have the aliases CC 1  and CC 2 . Such portable consumer device aliases may or may not be uniquely associated with their holders. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , in the first step  202 , a payee  306  requests assignment of an alias. In preferred embodiments, the payee  306  may specify a particular alias. However, in other embodiments, a payment processing organization may assign an alias to the payee  306 . To register an alias, the payee  306  may use the client computer  330 ( b ) to contact the host site  324  on the server computer  326 . The host site  324  may comprise a wizard or other mechanism to allow the payer  302  and the payee  306  to enter information. 
         [0042]    In the next step  204 , the server computer  326  checks the enrollment and alias database  322  to see if the requested alias is already being used by another payee or payer. If the requested alias already exists, then the payee  306  may be asked to provide another alias (step  212 ). Alternatively or additionally, the alias registration request may reject the proposed alias if it is offensive or is a third party trademark or servicemark. 
         [0043]    If the alias has not been previously registered, then the server computer  326  may register the requested alias for the payee  208 . This information may be stored in the enrollment and alias database  322 . Once the alias has been registered for the payee  306 , the payment processing organization may begin allowing the payee to receive payments made using the alias (step  210 ). 
         [0044]    This method and other related embodiments of the invention allow for efficient cross-institution payments to be made, by uniquely identifying an individual, business, etc., via an alias. The aliases may be associated with many accounts or services operated by an individual or entity, if desired. In some embodiments, these various aliases can be registered for a fee, and consumers may be charged a registration and renewal fee for using certain aliases. Other embodiments may provide the enrollment and alias database as a free service, or charge only certain classes of entities (e.g. charge only payees, or for-profit corporations). 
         [0045]    III. Payment Methods 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  shows a flowchart illustrating a payment method according to an embodiment of the invention. In the first step  102  the payer  302  decides to pay the payee  306  using the first mobile phone  304 . 
         [0047]    A payer  302  then uses the first mobile phone  304  and sends a payment request message to the payment processing network  310  and the payment processing network  310  receives the payment request message (step  104 ). The payment request message comprises at least a payment amount and a payee alias. The payment request message may also comprise other information, such as an alias or number identifying a specific financial account from which payment is to be made, or a time in the future at which payment is to be initiated. 
         [0048]    As noted above, the payment request message may take a variety of different forms. For example, the payment request message could be in the form of an SMS message. The request could also come in the form of an email, or a voice interaction with an IVR unit. The request could also be made via a software application on the phone, which sends one or more network packets containing the request data. 
         [0049]    In the next step  106 , using the enrollment and alias database  322 , the server computer  312  in the payment processing network  310  analyzes the payment request message and uses the payee alias in the payment request message to identify the payee  306 , and also the payer institution  314  and the payer account  316 . 
         [0050]    To provide security to the system, an optional authentication request message is sent from the payment processing network to the first mobile phone  304  operated by the payer  108 . The authentication request message may be initiated by the payer institution  314  or by a payment processing organization affiliated with the payment processing network  310 . It may request entry of a password, or personal information such as an address or social security number to verify the identity of the payer  108 . The authentication request message may take a variety of forms, as described for the payment request message  104  above. In preferred embodiments, the authentication request message will be sent to the payer&#39;s mobile phone  304 . It could also be sent to the payer&#39;s client computer  330 ( a ). 
         [0051]    In the next step  110 , the payer  302  provides an authentication token to the payment processing network  310 . For example, the payer  302  may enter a PIN (personal identification number) into the first mobile phone  304  and may then send the authentication token back to the payment processing network  310 , and the payment processing network  310  may or may not forward it to the payer institution  314 . Other examples of authentication tokens include passwords, birthdates, and other personal information associated with the payer  302 . 
         [0052]    The payment processing network  310  (or the payer institution  314 ) then verifies the authentication token  112 . If the authentication token is invalid, the payment request in the payment request message may be rejected. Alternatively, the payment processing network  310  may re-verify the authentication token (step  120 ) by sending another authentication request message to the payer  302  via the first mobile phone  304 . 
         [0053]    If the payer  302  and/or the first mobile phone  304  are authenticated, the payment processing network  310  may send the payment request message to the payer institution  314  for approval. The payment request message may be re-formed to remove various aliases and may include real information, if desired. The payer institution  314  may then approve of the payment request if there are sufficient funds and/or credit in the payer account  316  or disapprove it if there are insufficient funds or credit. If the payment request is approved, at some point in time (e.g., immediately or at the end of the day if clearing and settling need to take place), actual funds may be transferred from the payer account  316  to the payee account  320  via the payment processing network  310 . 
         [0054]    Once the funds have been transferred from the payer account  316  to the payee account  320 , a payment notification message may sent to the mobile phone  308  and/or the client computer  330 ( b ) operated by the payee  118  after the payment request in the payment request message has been approved by the payer institution  314 . 
         [0055]    In a specific example, a payer  302  such as Jane and a payer  306  such as John register on the host site  324  run on a remote server computer  326  using their client computers  330 ( a ),  330 ( b ). 
         [0056]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , Jane registers personal information  502  including her name, mobile telephone number, first credit card account number, second credit card account number, and a personal alias. John may similarly register his personal information  504 . In this example, Jane creates the personal alias “worldtraveler,”, while John creates the personal alias “beachbum.” 
         [0057]    After registering, a payment processing organization may provide both John and Jane with a phone number for the service that will facilitate further payment processing. In other embodiments, the payment processing organization may provide John and Jane with a service alias instead of or in addition to the service phone number. For example, instead of providing John and Jane with the service phone number 555-555-5555, the payment processing organization may provide the service alias “myvisa” to John and Jane. The service alias may be referred to as a “short-code” in some cases, and may include a string of characters of variable length. 
         [0058]    In an exemplary transaction, Jane may be a payer  302  and wants to pay $15.00 to a payee  306  named John. Payee Jane  302  initiates a payment to John by entering the payment request message “myvisa pay beachbum $15.00” into her phone  304 , and sending the message via SMS to the server computer  312  in the payment processing network  310  via the mobile gateway  332 . The alias “beachbum” is used instead of John&#39;s phone number. The service alias “myvisa” is used instead of the phone number of the service. 
         [0059]    Jane may also use a portable consumer device alias such as “CC 2 ” to indicate the particular credit card that Jane wants to use to pay John. For example, payee Jane  302  may enter the payment request message “myvisa pay beachbum $15.00 CC 2 ” into her phone  304  to indicate that her second credit card is to be used to make the intended payment. Jane may alternatively or additionally designate a default credit card account number. 
         [0060]    After entering the payment request message “myvisa pay beachbum $15.00 CC 2 ” into her mobile phone  304 , the payment request message is sent from her phone  304  to the payment processing network  310  (e.g., as described above), and then (in this example) to an issuer of the credit card (or other portable consumer device). In this example, the issuer of the credit card may be the payer institution  314 . 
         [0061]    The payment processing network  310  may receive the payment request message and may then optionally respond by sending an authentication request message to the payer  302 . In this example, an authentication request message is sent in the form of a call from an interactive voice response unit (IVR) at a telecom server or the like, which asks payer Jane  302  to enter her mobile PIN (personal identification number)  510 . After payer Jane  302  enters the correct PIN into her phone  304 , the payer institution  314  and/or the server computer  312  in the payment processing network  310  can then analyze the payment request message and can approve or decline the payment request. If the payment request is approved, appropriate funds may be transferred to the payee account  320  at the payee institution  315 . For example, payee John&#39;s portable consumer device account (e.g., credit card account) at John&#39;s bank (e.g., the payee institution  315 ) can be credited with the payment amount. Payer Jane&#39;s account  316  can be subsequently debited for the payment amount. 
         [0062]    In some embodiments, a payment notification message in the form of an SMS, e-mail, or some other type of message may be sent to the payee&#39;s mobile phone  308 , informing the payee John  306  that a payment from the payee John  302  has been made. In preferred embodiments, the payment notification message may be sent to payee John&#39;s mobile phone  308 , but it could be sent to the client computer  330 ( b ) operated by the payee John  306 . 
         [0063]    Embodiments of the invention have a number of advantages. First, the use of an alias allows for a transaction to be completed while keeping the personal information of the transacting parties confidential. This is useful because, for example, a payer may not want to disclose his or her phone number to a payee, or vice versa. Second, the alias allows for payments to be made even if a payee&#39;s telephone number or financial account changes. A payer may thus store a list of aliases for payees with whom the payer frequently does business, and may initiate repeated payments without having to verify that the payee&#39;s telephone number is the same. Third, aliases tend to be much easier to remember than either phone numbers or financial account numbers. Consequently, embodiments of the invention will be easier to use than other methods. Fourth, embodiments of the invention allow for many accounts to be accessed from a single mobile phone, eliminating the need to carry a large number of portable consumer devices. 
         [0064]    Any of the above-described methods or steps of such methods may be embodied as software code to be executed by a processor of the server computer or any other suitable combination of devices using any suitable computer language such as, for example, Java, C++ or Pen using, for example, conventional or object-oriented techniques. The software code may be stored as a series of instructions or commands on a computer readable medium, such as a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a magnetic medium such as a hard-drive or a floppy disk, or an optical medium such as a CD-ROM. 
         [0065]    It should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in the form of control logic, in a modular or integrated manner, using software, hardware or a combination of both. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate other ways and/or methods to implement the present invention. 
         [0066]    Any of the above-described embodiments and/or any features thereof may be combined with any other embodiment(s) and/or feature(s) without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0067]    The above description is illustrative and is not restrictive. Many variations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the disclosure. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the pending claims along with their full scope or equivalents. 
         [0068]    A recitation of “a”, “an” or “the” is intended to mean “one or more” unless specifically indicated to the contrary.