Patent Publication Number: US-2018047010-A1

Title: Mobile payment system using subaccounts of account holder

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation in part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/469,864, filed May 11, 2012, which is a non provisional of U.S. application No. 61/485,075, and is a further continuation in part of PCT International application No. PCT/CA2012/000223 filed Mar. 12, 2012, and is a further continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/105,803 filed May 11, 2011, and is a further continuation in part of Ser. No. 13/397,215 filed Feb. 15, 2012, and is a further continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/397,297 filed Feb. 15, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a mobile device payment processing system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     For years, the telecommunications, banking and payment processing industries have been trying to engineer a mobile transaction processing technology (predominantly for point of sale mobile transactions) that is secure, efficient and easy to use. Their inability to do so has effectively relegated the mobile transaction market to predominantly the purchase of downloadable items such as ringtones and music. 
     In addition, consumers&#39; concerns over the security of mobile payment systems have hindered the widespread adoption of such technology. In traditional credit card or debit card based Point of Sale systems, when a consumer makes a purchase, the consumer&#39;s sensitive payment account information is generally processed between a merchant&#39;s POS Terminal and a Payment Platform (such as that of a credit card company, bank or other financial institution). Further, the consumer is typically required to enter personal identification numbers (“PINs”), or other such verification information such as passwords, on the merchant&#39;s POS Terminal. While such technology is widely adopted, in the case of mobile payment systems in particular, there remains a need to provide for enhanced security by removing much of such payment processing functions away from the merchant POS Terminal. 
     In particular, providing one entity with some control in how their personal financial information is provided to directly another entity (e.g. between consumer and merchant) involved in the funds transfer has so far been elusive. This inability to involve more entity control of the funds transfer between entities while at the same time streamlining the amount of time and information entities must share with each other during funds transfer has effectively relegated experience in online electronic direct funds transfer to that of yesterday rather than the future. In particular, international money remittance is disconnected from the customer shopping experience, as well as the ability for greater control of an account holder over sharing of their financial account is simply not available in mobile device-enabled shopping environments. Today&#39;s money remittance/transfer process is considered inefficient as a person must know in advance when and how much funds they require (and wait to have the funds transfer effected) before the person can use the transferred money to personally purchase goods and/or services. This remittance/transfer process becomes increasingly more complex, costly, and time-wise inefficient when the transfer is international in nature, thereby requiring communication between multiple banking systems and/or multiple currencies. 
     At the same time, developments in the field of mobile commerce are being facilitated by improved functionality and features available on mobile devices, and by such functionality and features becoming more commonplace on current mobile devices. For example, cell phones, smart phones and tablet computers nowadays are commonly integrated, multi-functional devices. In addition to their core, basic functionality, they will often have, or can be configured to have, web-enabled functionality, various other network communication capabilities (e.g., e-mail, text, Wi-Fi, etc.), camera functions, scanning and graphical image handling functionalities, communication in real time with point of sale (POS) and/or backend systems (e.g. financial transaction processing systems, purchase transaction processing systems, merchant retail systems, etc.) connected with retail purchase, and other capabilities. Further, the ability of mobile devices to record and process images directly has not been fully leveraged by current state of the art transaction payment systems. Further, the ability of images to contain encoded information also has not been fully leveraged by current state of the art transaction payment systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide systems and methods to obviate or mitigate at least one of the above-presented disadvantages. 
     In the case of mobile payment systems in particular, there remains a need to provide for enhanced security by removing much of such payment processing functions away from the merchant POS Terminal. Functionality and features are becoming more commonplace on current mobile devices, however, the ability of mobile devices to participate in real-time transactions directly has not been fully leveraged by current state of the art transaction payment systems, including money remittance, and the ability of images to contain encoded information also has not been fully leveraged by current state of the art transaction payment systems. Further, the ability of mobile devices to communicate in real time with point of sale (POS) and/or backend systems (e.g. financial transaction processing systems, purchase transaction processing systems, merchant retail systems, etc.) connected with retail purchase has not been fully leveraged by current state of the art transaction payment systems. 
     Systems and methods for using a mobile device to facilitate a purchase directly from a TV screen, catalogue, an electronic billboard, poster or any type of electronic or print media, without having to place a phone call or manually browse to a website are disclosed herein. Furthermore systems and methods for using a mobile device, in an integrated manner, to facilitate registrations and/or purchases from a website are also disclosed herein. The embodiments disclosed here provide better solutions to the much sought-after mobile point of sale market which also opens up markets to mobile transaction processing that were never contemplated before—for example, the Electronic Media, Print Media, and e-commerce markets. 
     It is recognized that the TV screen, catalogue, an electronic billboard, poster or any type of electronic or print media can contain the ORMI (e.g. a barcode) or short code (e.g. code data) that can either be imaged (e.g. its picture taken in the case of the ORMI) or can be written down or memorized in the case of the short code (e.g. an alpha and/or numeric code that can be read by the consumer—e.g. “phoneoffer1×4”). It is also recognized that the short code can be communicated audibly to the consumer such as over the radio and thereby noted and subsequently used to initiate the transaction with the merchant rather than the mobile device scannable image (e.g. barcode). Other alternatives of short codes can include customer identification codes (also referred to as customer code data) such as unique account identifiers (e.g. account names/numbers), unique user names registered as an account name (or sub account name) in a transaction processing system, and/or personal contact information (e.g. address used to receive messages with by a consumer on their mobile device) such as email address, telephone number or any other unique system identifier (e.g. BlackBerry™ ID) used as a master key to associate the user (e.g. consumer) of the mobile device  12  to any system products, sites, services and applications associated with the consumer and their mobile device. For example, each mobile device registered with a payment transaction system can be assigned a unique system identifier, by which the mobile device user (e.g. consumer) can be uniquely identified by the payment transaction system and/or can be used by the payment transaction system to coordinate and recognize network communications to and from the mobile device of the consumer. 
     It is also recognized that a short code can be used as a Payment Account Identifier of the consumer, rather than a picture bar code. In the case of the short code, this is communicated to the merchant by the consumer (e.g. sent in an email, verbally communicated, handwritten into a form, etc. to initiate the payment transaction related to the product purchased or otherwise acquired by the consumer from the merchant. The short code is unique and serves to uniquely identify the Consumer&#39;s Payment Account(s) when the data contained in the code data is communicated to a Payment Platform via the merchant&#39;s transaction interface. The Consumer&#39;s Payment Account may reside on a Payment Platform hosted by a financial institution, a credit issuing company, an E-wallet service provider, a money transfer service provider, or the like. The information on the Payment Account Identifier/barcode and the purchase transaction information is sent by the merchant transaction interface to the Payment Platform or intermediate transaction service via the Internet or a dedicated connection. 
     According to one aspect, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium with an executable payment application stored thereon, the payment application configured for confirming a transaction payment request associated with a merchant computer system over a communications network, the merchant providing a product to a consumer, wherein the payment application instructs a computer processor to perform the following steps of: receiving consumer code data upon registration of a subaccount with a transaction interface separate from the merchant computer system associated with the merchant, the consumer code data representative of the subaccount of a main account also registered with the transaction interface, wherein a financial account is common to both the subaccount and the main account; receiving a payment confirmation request from the transaction interface over the communications network including identification information pertaining to the merchant and the product; sending authorization information to the transaction interface over the communications network via a network path that bypasses the computer system of the merchant; and receiving a confirmation of approval or denial of the payment confirmation request from the transaction interface based on the authorization information. 
     According to a further aspect, a transaction system for coordinating processing of a transaction payment request associated with a transaction between a consumer and a merchant, the transaction associated with the merchant providing a product to the consumer, the system comprising: a computer processor coupled to a memory, wherein the computer processor is programmed to coordinate processing of the transaction payment request by: receiving the transaction payment request including consumer code data and identification information pertaining to the merchant and the product, the consumer code data representative of a subaccount registered with a transaction interface, the subaccount associated with a main account also registered with the transaction interface, such that a financial account is common to both the subaccount and the main account; accessing the subaccount or main account using the consumer code data to obtain payment information related to the transaction payment request including the financial account, mobile device contact information, and required authorization information; creating a payment confirmation request using said identification information; sending said payment confirmation request over the network to the mobile device using the contact information; obtaining authorization information from the mobile device; sending a funds transfer request to a payment platform based on the authorization information matching the required authorization information; receiving approval of the funds transfer request from the payment platform; and sending a confirmation of the approval of the funds transfer request to a computer device associated with the merchant. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, aspects, and embodiments are described in conjunction with the attached drawings, by way of example only, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified, schematic representation of the Mobile Image Payment System in operation, according to an embodiment, which illustrates the exemplary steps involved when a Consumer wishes to make a purchase with his/her mobile device using the payment system; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of components of a transaction processing system as a further embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an example transaction processing system configuration and an example transaction processing system configuration of the system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows example encoded and unencoded information for the system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an example operation of the system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a computer device implementing the transaction application of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a computer device implementing the transaction service of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of a computer device implementing the merchant interface of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram of a merchant interface of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram of a transaction application of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a block diagram of a transaction interface of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is an alternative example operation of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 9 . 
     Consumer Code data  3 —is a lookup or index identifier (ID) that is received by the merchant Point of Sale Terminal  17  (e.g. via a merchant application or interface  8 ) that can be subsequently provided to and used by a transaction service  20  to identify sensitive payment account information  61  of the consumer  18 , as mapped in a lookup table  63 . For example, the lookup identifier provided as the consumer code data  3  of “ABC123” could be received (via the merchant terminal  17 ) and used by the transaction service  20  to lookup from the lookup table  63  the actual consumer credit card number (or other sensitive financial account number  61 ) as well as other account information associated with the consumer code data  3 . For example, the consumer code data  3  can be used to represent a sub account of a user account registered with the transaction service  20 , as further discussed below. Once identified in relation to the consumer code data  3 , this actual financial account number would then be provided to and used by financial institutions of the payment processing system  14  to effect transfer of funds from the consumer financial payment account  72  identified by the financial account number  61  retrieved from the lookup table  63  using the consumer code data  3  as a lookup identifier. It is recognized that the consumer code data  3  can be included in a barcode  200  associated with the consumer  18  (e.g. used to uniquely identify the consumer  18  from other consumers  18  registered—e.g. associated with a system account—with the transaction service  20 ) or can be provided to the merchant interface  8  (via the consumer  18 ) as an unencoded consumer code data  3  (i.e. unencoded textual information). The consumer code data  3  can be defined as a short code (e.g. a sequence of characters including numeric characters and/or alpha characters) that is also known to the transaction service  20  as the consumer code data  3  used in identifying the actual payment account information  61  stored and accessible by the transaction interface  15 . Therefore, after providing the consumer code data  3  as a series of numeric characters and/or alpha characters to the merchant application  8 , the rest of the purchase transaction  5  process can be similar. One advantage in using the short code is that it works in situations where generating or otherwise scanning/processing barcodes  200  is not feasible by the merchant application  8  and/or the payment application  113 . 
     Other alternatives of consumer code data  3  can include customer identification codes (also referred to as customer code data  3 ) such as unique account identifiers (e.g. account names/numbers), unique user names registered as an account name (or sub account name) in the transaction processing system  10  (e.g. with the transaction service  20 ), and/or personal contact information (e.g. address used to receive messages with by the consumer  18  on their mobile device  12 ) such as email address, telephone number or any other unique system identifier (e.g. BlackBerry™ ID) used as a master key (also referred to as a unique consumer key) to associate the user (e.g. consumer  18 ) of the mobile device  12  to any system  10  products, sites, services and applications related/assigned with the consumer  18  and their mobile device  12 . For example, each mobile device  12  registered with the payment transaction system  10  (e.g. with the transaction service  20 ) can be assigned a unique system identifier (e.g. consumer code data  3 ), by which the mobile device  12  user (e.g. consumer  18 ) can be uniquely identified in the payment transaction system  10  and/or can be used by the payment transaction system  10  to coordinate and recognize network  11  communications to and from the mobile device  12  of the consumer  18 . 
     Product Code data  3 —can also be used as a replacement for the generated ORMI  200  as a product identifier (ID) that is received by the merchant Point of Sale Terminal  17  (e.g. via a merchant application or interface  8 ) to identify the product that the consumer  18  wishes to obtain from the merchant  16 . The product code data  3  representing the product can be subsequently provided to and used by the transaction service  20  as a replacement/substitution to the ORMI  200 . It is recognized that the product code data  3  can be included in the generated barcode  200  or can be provided to the merchant interface  8  (via the consumer  18 ) as an unencoded product code data  3  (i.e. unencoded textual information) instead of the barcode  200 . The product code data  3  can be defined as a short code (e.g. a sequence of characters including numeric characters and/or alpha characters) that is also known to the transaction Service  20  and/or the merchant interface  8  as the product code data  3  used in identifying the product desired by the consumer  18 . Therefore, after providing the product code data  3  as a series of numeric characters and/or alpha characters to the merchant application  8 , the rest of the purchase transaction  5  process is similar instead of using the barcode  200 . One advantage in using the short code is that it works in situations where generating or otherwise scanning/processing the barcode  200  is not feasible by the merchant application  8  and/or the payment application  113 . It is also recognized that the product code data  3  can be represented by a sound code that is defined as a collection of one or more audible tones used to represent product information. As such, it is recognized that the payment application  113 , merchant device  17 , and/or transaction interface  15  are capable of transmitting, receiving, generating, processing or otherwise interpreting the sound code version of the product code data  3 . 
     Payment Account Information  61 —Sensitive information pertaining to the Payment Account  72 , including but not limited to account holder&#39;s name, a picture of the account holder, name of financial institution, account login information, account numbers, account balances, passwords and PIN numbers for accessing the account. It is recognized that the payment account information  61  is used by a payment processing system  14  to access and effect the actual transfer of funds from the identified account  72  of the consumer  18  from the payment account information  61 . It is also recognized that, as further described below, all or portions of the payment account information  61  can be withheld from the point of sale terminal  17  of the merchant  16  and is instead communicated directly between the transaction Service Platform  20  and the consumer  18  and communicated directly between the transaction Service Platform  20  and the payment processing system  14 . 
     Subaccount information  61   a  (see  FIGS. 9, 10, 11 ) can be defined as sensitive information also related to the same Payment Financial Account  72  of the main account information  61  that is authorized as accessible by the subaccount holder (e.g. a relative, friend, or other personal relationship of the main account holder defined by the main information account  61 ). The subaccount information  61   a  can include information such as but not limited to subaccount holder&#39;s name, a picture of the subaccount holder, name of financial institution of the account holder, subaccount login information (e.g. PIN), subaccount numbers assigned as a subaccount of the main account, subaccount balances or preset spending limit(s) (e.g. as a portion of subset of the main account balances or spending limit(s)), and passwords and/or PIN numbers for accessing the subaccount. 
     Advantageously, it is recognized that the payment subaccount information  61   a  is used by the payment processing system  14  to access and effect the actual transfer of funds from the identified financial account  72  of the account holder represented in the main account information  61 . It is also recognized that, as further described below, all or portions of the payment subaccount information  61   a  can be withheld from the point of sale terminal  17  of the merchant  16  and is instead communicated directly between the transaction Service Platform  20  and the consumer  18  and communicated directly between the transaction Service Platform  20  and the payment processing system  14 . As such, it is recognised that the subaccount holder does not have an independent financial account number recognised or otherwise utilized by the transaction service  20 . Rather, the subaccount holder advantageously uses or otherwise has preapproved access/use of the financial account  72  of the main account holder, as associated with the subaccount of the main account. In other words, purchases by the account holder (defined in the main account information  61 ) and purchases by the subaccount holder (defined in the subaccount information  61   a ) can both use the same financial account  72  to effect payment for their individual and separate purchase transactions (e.g. purchase of an item by the subaccount holder in India would be paid for by the financial account  72  and purchase of a different item by the main account holder in Canada would also be paid for by the same financial account  72 ). In this manner, use of a shared financial account  72  for payment of independent and separate purchases by the subaccount holder and main account holder offer a straight forward alternative to standard international money remittance. 
     Also, the subaccount information  61   a  can define one or more preset spending limits for the subaccount holder. For example, the preset spending limit of the subaccount holder could be a portion or set amount of the overall total account balance of the main account holder defined in the account information  61 . The preset spending limit (or threshold) can be defined as a per purchase transaction limit/threshold and/or as a per subaccount limit/threshold (e.g. for a specified time period as per day, per week, per month, per annum, etc.). In any event, it is recognised that preferably the purchase transaction amount requested by the subaccount holder should satisfy both the limit/threshold associated with the subaccount as well as the account limit/balance for funds available from the financial account  72  itself (e.g. if the financial account  72  only has a remaining balance/limit of $10 then a subaccount limit/threshold of $20 is moot for a requested purchase of a $15 item by the subaccount holder, as the $15 amount is over the account  72  limit of $10). Accordingly, it is recognised that the preset spending limit (also referred to as preset spending threshold) of the subaccount can be dependent on the account limit/balance for funds available from the financial account  72  itself. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a Mobile Image Payment System  10  for mobile commerce enables a Consumer  18  (e.g. subaccount holder, main account holder, etc.) to use their mobile device  12  to make payments for online, Electronic Media, Print Media, POS Transactions  5  and the like. The Consumer  18  can scan an encoded, mobile device scannable image  200  (e.g. optical machine readable image OMRI) that is displayed by a merchant  16 , can provide the consumer code data  3 , or provide the product code data  3 , to initiate or otherwise complete the purchase transaction  5  for a good or service desired by the consumer  18  from the merchant  16 . A transaction service  20  via a transaction interface  15  can complete the transaction  5  by processing information between a Mobile Payment Client application  113  residing on the Consumer&#39;s mobile device  12 , a Mobile Payment Interface  15  residing on a Transaction Server  6  (of the transaction service  20 ) and optionally a Mobile Payment Application or interface  8  residing on a merchant&#39;s device or POS terminal  17 . 
     The present system  10  can be configured to provide the Consumer&#39;s mobile device  12  to communicate with the Payment Platform  14  and the Payment Platform  14  to communicate with the Merchant Transaction Server  17  in order to process and complete the mobile transaction  5 . The merchant OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  can be displayed on any product or advertising medium (e.g., television screens, websites, print media, vending machines, points of sale terminals, etc.), opening up new sales and marketing opportunities for merchants, as encountered by the consumer  18  in the consumer environment  4  further described below. Further, the consumer  18  can provide the merchant  16  with their system  10  identification (e.g. their consumer code data  3 ), e.g. known or otherwise recognized by the transaction service  20  as associated with the subaccount information  61   a  of the subaccount holder and/or as associated with the main account information  61  of the main account holder). 
     One aspect of the disclosed system and method is that the Consumer  18  may scan the OMRI  200  to initiate the transaction  5 , as opposed to the prior art mobile commerce transaction approach where usually it is the merchant that scans an image to perform a transaction. The prior art approach necessitates the merchant having a relatively sophisticated device that is capable of scanning an image. Since “passive” media such as billboard, parking tickets, TV commercials, etc., are not capable of scanning, this prior art approach effectively eliminates most “passive” medium or devices from being used as a desirable part of a mobile transaction process. In order to facilitate completion of the purchase transaction  5 , the consumer  18  can provide their consumer code data  3  to the merchant  16 , and/or transaction service  20 , upon request, in order for the appropriate financial account  72  to be accessed and used by the transaction service  20  in providing payment to the merchant  16  in exchange for the product (e.g. good or service) obtained by the consumer  18  in exchange for payment. 
     The present system enables almost any object that can present the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  to be used to initiate the mobile transaction  5 . The transaction service  20  can provide consumers  18  with a consistent transaction  5  process regardless of where the transaction  5  originates (i.e., on the Internet, at a POS, on a television screen, on print media, etc.). Alternatively, the mobile transaction  5  can be initiated by the merchant  16  entering product information into their merchant computer system  17  and then the consumer  18  providing their consumer code data  3  for use by the transaction service  20  in effecting payment for the product as further described below. 
     After registering with the transaction service  20 , e.g. registering as a main account holder (represented by main account information  61 ) or registering as a subaccount holder (represented by subaccount information  61   a ), the Consumer  18  can do the following to process the transaction  5 : (1) Launch the application  113  on his/her mobile device  12 ; (2) Capture the OMRI  200  displayed by the merchant or otherwise the product code data  3  displayed or otherwise audibly communicated (e.g. in the consumer environment  4 ) or otherwise receive a request (verbally and/or electronically) from the merchant  16  for the consumer code data  3  of the consumer  18 ; (3) Select the transaction  5  particulars (e.g., for a purchase, the Consumer  18  can actively select a preferred payment account  70 , 72  such as credit, debit, E-wallet, etc. or otherwise provide their consumer code data  3  to facilitate access to the payment account  72  known by the transaction service  20 , where for an ATM machine transaction  5  the Consumer  18  can select a transaction type such as withdrawal, deposit, account balance, etc.; and for a restaurant transaction  5  the Consumer  18  can select the tip amount); (4) Confirm the transaction  5 , for example in response to a confirmation message communicated to the mobile device  12  by the transaction interface  15  of the transaction service  20 ; and (5) Optionally, confirm that order fulfillment information can be automatically provided to the merchant  16  by the transaction service  20 . The backend fulfillment process can be handled by the transaction service  20  (e.g., delivery/pickup instructions, payment processing, etc.), as authorized by the provided consumer code data  3  and associated login/authentication information (e.g. PIN) provided by the consumer  18  preferably via the mobile device  12  in network communications between the transaction service  20  (via the transaction interface  15 ) and the mobile device  12  (via payment application  113 ) in a network communication path on the network  11  that bypasses any of the merchant computer systems  17 . 
     The merchant  16  can register with the transaction service  20  by providing merchant data  208  to a registration module  60  and create a merchant profile  117  stored in the storage  110 . For example, the merchant profile  117  can contain the specifics (i.e. merchant parameters) of the products they are offering, as well as configured (e.g. the merchant can update their own profile details  117 ) to include profile specifics such as but not limited to whether or not they deliver, deliver charges, whether or not a tip is required etc. It is recognized that the merchant profile  117  parameters are used to define the transaction  5  associated with OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  that are used by or otherwise requested from the transaction service  20 . It is also recognized that the merchant parameters of the merchant profile  117  can include financial account information of the merchant  16  (e.g. bank account numbers, PIN numbers, etc.). 
     The consumer can install the transaction application  113  on his/her computer device  12  and register with the transaction service  20  by providing consumer data  211  to the registration module  60  and create a consumer profile  117  stored in the storage  110 . For example, the consumer profile  117  can contain the specifics (i.e. consumer parameters) of the consumer  18  (e.g. consumer address, financial account information, etc., as well as configured (e.g. the consumer can update their own profile details  117 ) to include profile specifics such as but not limited to what transactions  5  are authorized (or not authorized—i.e. prohibited) by the consumer  18  (e.g. limits/thresholds for the subaccount), maximum transaction amounts for one or more of the transaction types (e.g. authorized transaction types for the subaccount such as but not limited to department store, restaurant, grocery store, school related purchases, and/or unauthorized transaction types such as but not limited to cash advances, alcohol purchase at a bar, etc.), etc. As such, authorized or unauthorized transaction types can be advantageously used by the main account holder to coordinate or otherwise manage usage of the payment account  72  by the subaccount holder. It is recognized that the consumer profile  117  parameters can be used to influence the transaction  5  associated with the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  that are used by or otherwise requested from the transaction service  20 , from the consumer environment  4 , and/or directly from the merchant  16 . It is recognized that the product code data  3 , the ORMI  200 , consumer code data  3  or a combination thereof can be used to initiate the transaction  5  as further described below. 
     Transaction Service  20  Applications in E-Commerce 
     Disclosed herein is a system (sometimes referred to as a Mobile Image Processing System or transaction service  20 ) that marries mobile commerce with e-commerce in ways never anticipated before while simultaneously addressing two of the most persistent issues in e-commerce: shopper confidence and abandoned sales. 
     The conventional industry approach to marrying mobile commerce and e-commerce has been to make mobile devices web capable. This is to say that the general trend in the technology industry has been to develop technologies that allow a Consumer to browse and shop from websites via his/her mobile device. A standard e-commerce purchase allows a Consumer to use a personal computer to access the Internet, browse to a website, shop online, fill out any forms that the merchant needs to complete the transaction and finally pay for the purchase online. The embodiments disclosed herein make a mobile device complementary to a standard e-commerce purchase. This is done by providing the Consumer  18  to use the transaction service  20  to facilitate the payment and form fill out components of the online transaction  5 . 
     In addition, as previously mentioned, some Consumers are reluctant or unwilling to shop due to real and perceived security concerns associated with directly exposing personal Payment Account (e.g. accounts  70 , 72 ) information online or otherwise to the merchant  16 . The embodiments disclosed herein can provide Consumers  18  the ability to pay for purchases with the merchant  16  by interacting with the transaction  5  via his/her mobile device  12 , without the Consumer  18  exposing his/her Payment Account  70 , 72  information to the merchant  16  on a transaction per transaction basis. In addition, the transaction service  20  can expedite the checkout procedure by auto-populating any forms (of the merchant  16 ) that need to be filled out as part of the purchase process associated with the transaction  5 . 
     Embodiment of Payment System  10   
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , shown is the Payment System or environment  10  that includes the consumer environment  4  from which the consumer  18  (e.g. main account holder or subaccount holder as registered with the transaction service  20 ) encounters the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  and interacts with the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (and/or provides their consumer code data  3  to the merchant  16 ) using their computer device  12  (e.g. desktop computer, mobile device, etc.) via the transaction application  113 . The environment  10  also has the merchant  16  operating their computer device  17  (e.g. a merchant computer system including one or more servers, one or more desktop computers, one or more point of sale (POS) terminals, and/or one or more mobile devices), who can request generation of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (see  FIG. 4 ) to include product data  206 , merchant data  208  and/or transaction data  203  (further described below) from the transaction service  20 . The merchant  16  can make the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  available in the consumer environment  4  for subsequent access by the consumer  18  and/or can send the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  directly to the computer device  12  of the consumer  18  via the communications network  11 . The merchant  16  can also instruct the transaction service  20  to send the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  directly to the computer device  12  of the consumer  18  via the communications network  11 . Alternatively, or in addition to, the merchant  16  can request the consumer code data  3  from the consumer  18 , in order to effect payment for the product represented by the purchase transaction  5 . 
     The communications network  11  can be one or more networks, for example such as but not limited to: the Internet; an extranet; and/or an intranet. Further, the communications network  11  can be a wired or wireless network. It is also recognized that network  11  messages (between the various devices  6 ,  12 ,  17  and a transaction system  14 ) can be communicated via short range wireless communication protocols such as but not limited to Bluetooth™, infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF), near field communication (NFC) and/or by long range communication protocols (e.g. HTTP, HTTPS, etc.), in view of the type of electronic communication required between any pair of devices  6 ,  12 ,  17  and the system  14 . For example, the devices  12 , 17  could communicate with one another using short range Bluetooth™ communications while the devices  6 , 12  or  6 , 17  could communicate with one another using long range HTTP or HTTPS based communications. 
     Further, the transaction service  20  can communicate also via the communications network  11  with the transaction processing system  14  that performs the settlement (e.g. debit of funds specified in the transaction  5  from the financial account  72  associated with the consumer  18  and crediting of the funds in to a financial account  70  of the merchant  16 ) of any required funds transfer in the transaction  5  between the financial accounts  70 ,  72  (e.g. the merchant account  70  and the consumer account  72 ). It is recognized that the actual amount of debit and credit funds actions performed by the transaction processing system  14  may not exactly match a payment amount specified in the transaction  5 , as embodied in the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 , due to applied service charges. For example, a payment request of $5 from the financial account  72  to the financial account  70  could result in an actual debited amount of $5.02 (representing an included $0.02 service charge to the consumer  18 ) and/or an actual credited amount of $4.98 (representing an included $0.02 service charge to the merchant  16 ). Therefore, it is anticipated that processing of the electronic funds transfer of the transaction  5  can involve a transaction service charge (optional) being charged to the merchant  16  and/or the consumer  18  in order to complete the funds transfer of the transaction  5 . 
     Transaction  5  settlement can be defined as where the payment amount (i.e. optional financial component of the transaction  5 ) is transferred (via the transaction processing system  14 ) from the one account  72  to the other account  70 , i.e. the credit and debit transactions of the payment amount against the respective accounts  70 , 72  are either performed (e.g. in real time) or promised to be performed (e.g. included in a batch transaction to be performed later in the day or following business day). 
     It is recognized that network  11  communication messages facilitating the processing of the transaction  5  are preferably between each of the transaction application  113  and the merchant interface  8  and the transaction interface  15  directly, rather than directly between the transaction application  113  and the merchant interface  8  themselves (i.e. directly meaning without interaction with the transaction interface  15  or otherwise bypassing the merchant interface  8  for the submission and confirmation of consumer  18  account financial information  61 , 61   a ). Therefore, in one embodiment, in the event that the transaction application  113  and the merchant interface  8  need (e.g. request) information from one another, these request (and response) network  11  messages would go through the transaction interface  15  acting as an intermediary network interface between the transaction application  113  and the merchant interface  8  (for example the merchant interface  8  sends the purchase transaction  5  request including the consumer code data  3  to the transaction interface  15  and in turn the transaction interface  15  sends a payment confirmation request—for example requesting a payment authorization data such as a PIN—directly to the mobile device  12  and receives therefore the payment confirmation data via network  11  path that bypasses the merchant interface  8 ). However, it is recognized that network  11  messaging directly between the transaction application  113  and the merchant interface  8  can also be configured, for example for the purpose of gathering information relevant to generation and/or processing of the transaction  5  as desired. 
     The transaction service  20  has the transaction interface  15  including a transaction processing system  80  and optionally an OMRI or the product code data  3  processing (e.g. generation and/or decoding) system  90  (further described below), such that the system  90  generates or otherwise decodes the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  for the merchant  16  (or directly for the consumer  18 ) and the system  80  interacts with the merchant  16  and the consumer  18  to process the transaction  5  there-between upon receipt of the consumer code data  3 , OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (and/or information obtained from the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  from the transaction application  113  provisioned on the computer device  12 ) from the consumer  18 . 
     Therefore, the transaction service  20  is implemented on the computer device  6  (e.g. a web server) and communicates over the communications network  11  with the computer devices  17 , 12  via the hosted transaction interface  15 . The transaction interface  15  of the transaction service  20  can be a web site accessible over the communications network  11  by the computer devices  17 , 12  using respective web browsers operating on the computer devices  17 , 12 , such that the transaction interface  15  is in communication with the transaction application  113  and the merchant interface  8 . Accordingly, the transaction interface  15 , computer device  12  and computer device  17  can interact (e.g. via network  11  messages) together to initiate and complete the transaction  5 , for example based on products offered and sold by the merchant  16  to the consumer  18 , such that the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (see  FIG. 4 ) can be generated and included as part of the initiation and/or processing (as associated with the consumer account via the consumer code data  3 ) of the transaction  5  in conjunction with the transaction interface  15 . 
     Consumer Environment  4   
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the consumer environment  4  is defined as the environment in which the consumer  18  can come into contact with the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  or other product information offered by the merchant  16  (e.g. at a merchant POS or online). It is recognized that optionally information on the desired product can be obtained as the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  by the computer device  12  through an electronic network message  54  (e.g. sent directly or indirectly from the merchant  16  via the environment  4 ) containing an image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  and/or can be obtained using an imager  118  (e.g. a camera—see  FIG. 6 ) operated through the computer device  12  in order to capture an image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  in range of the imager  118 . In terms of electronic messages  54  containing an image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 , these can be messages such as but not limited to: email messages; browser based messages obtained via interaction with a website (e.g. merchant website, affiliated merchant website, product advertizing website, etc.); and/or other network  11  communication messages. 
     In terms of a media displayed image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 , the media used can be printed media such as but not limited to: magazines; newspapers; clothing; billboards; barcode labels; etc. In other words, printed media used as a source of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  can be any physical substrate (e.g. paper, cloth, plastic, etc.) upon which the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  is printed, formed, or otherwise embossed. In terms of electronic media used to display the image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 , the electronic media can be such as but not limited to: electronic billboards; computer displays of the merchant computer systems such as point of sale terminals; displays of the consumer  18  such as desktop computers; television screens; and any other computer display adjacent to and in range of the imager  118  of the computer device  12 . It is also recognized that the product code data  3  can be communicated audibly (e.g. over the radio or other audio based advertisement) to the consumer  18 . 
     One example of the consumer environment  4  is where the computer device  12  receives a network message  54  containing an image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  that is displayed on the user interface  104  (see  FIG. 6 ) of the computer device  12 . In this example, the network message  54  can be an order screen sent from a merchant order interface  8  (of a merchant website) operated by the merchant computer device  17 . The consumer  18  can select the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  image on their user interface  104  using a cursor or touch screen functionality of the computer device  12  and then use the transaction application  113  to coordinate subsequent transaction  5  processing via the processing system  80  of the transaction service  20  and/or via merchant interface  8  of the merchant device  17 . 
     A further example is where the consumer  18  is at a POS terminal (e.g. computer device  17 ) of the merchant  16 , for example during purchase of retail products. The consumer  18  would use the imager  118  of the computer device  12  to capture an image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 , which could be displayed in printed form (e.g. on a paper order form) and/or on a computer display (e.g. of the POS). The consumer  18  could then use the transaction application  113  to coordinate subsequent transaction  5  processing via the processing system  80  of the transaction service  20  and/or via merchant interface  8  of the merchant device  17 . 
     Alternatively, the consumer  18  can receive product information visually or audibly from the merchant (e.g. via in person at the merchant POS and/or from their mobile device  12  interface or other consumer accessible computer/display interface and in response communicate (e.g. verbally) their associated consumer code data  3  for subsequent communication to the transaction service  20 . 
     Therefore, as discussed below, the mobile device  12  does not necessarily have to communicate electronically with the transaction interface  15  or the merchant interface  8  in order to receive product information (e.g. the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 ). Instead, the product information can be presented to the consumer  18 , e.g. verbally/visually or on a merchant display screen and/or on printed label at a merchant physical retail location. For example, the consumer  18  can record an image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  by using the imager  118  of the computer device  12  (e.g. a camera enabled mobile device), for subsequent processing by the mobile device  12  and the transaction service  20 . Alternatively, the consumer  18  can note the product code data  3  and then enter it via the user interface of their mobile device  12 . Alternatively, the computer device  12  can use optical character recognition on an image of the product code data  3  in order to recognize the product code data  3  and provide it to the merchant interface  8  (e.g. via the application  113 ). 
     Definition of Products 
     In economics, economic output is divided into goods and services. When an economic activity yields a valuable or useful thing, it can be known as production output of the totality of products (e.g. goods or services) in an economy that the merchant  16  makes available for use by the consumers  18 . Products as goods can range from a simple safety pin, food, clothing, computer components to complex machinery and electronic or physical media (physical or electronic versions of music, print media, etc.). Products as services are the performance of any duties or work for another (e.g. helpful or professional activity) and can be used to define intangible specialized economic activities such as but not limited to: providing access to specific information; web services; transport; banking; legal advice; accounting advice; management consultant advice; and medical services. The merchant  16  providing the products can be a businessperson or individual engaged in wholesale/retail trade, an organization, an administration, and/or a business that sells, administers, maintains, charges for or otherwise makes available product(s) that are desirable by the consumers  18 . Therefore, it is recognized that the products may be made available to the consumer  18  for purchase and/or for free. One example of a “free” product is a trial subscription to a web service. 
     Accordingly, the merchant  16  can be one person, or an association of persons, for the purpose of carrying on some enterprise or business; a corporation; a firm; etc. Further, it is recognised that the products can be related to company activities not related to specific product(s), for example consumer service, community activities, donations, and/or sponsorships. These general activities of the merchant  16  are also considered as part of the definition of merchant  16  products. 
     As further discussed, the merchant products are offered (e.g. for sale) using product information communicated to the consumer  18 , e.g. the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (e.g. accessed via an online interface and/or image captured) that is made accessible by the consumer  18 . For example, the merchant interface  8  can provide the consumer  18  with the ability to select and/or specify a plurality of desired products for purchase (or without purchase and just as a registration or subscription not requiring payment as part of the transaction  5 ) and thereby provide the product information (e.g. OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 ) to the merchant interface  8  (see  FIG. 4 ) that can contain encoded product information and merchant information (symbology information  204 , in the case of the ORMI  204 ) representing summary information (e.g. product listing, total purchase price, merchant profile information, etc.) of the products, e.g. one OMRI representing product and merchant data for two or more products. In any event, it is recognized that product information (e.g. the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 ) can be received by the transaction application  113  of the mobile device  12  to contain data (e.g. product data  206 , merchant data  208 , and/or other transaction data  210 ) pertaining to one or more products, optionally including payment transaction data needed by the transaction processing system  14  to settle financial elements of the transaction  5  (optionally involving financial details). In response to receipt of the product information from the transaction interface  15 , the consumer  18  can supply the requisite payment confirmation information (e.g. PIN authorization, acceptance of purchase transaction, subaccount password, etc.). 
     In the case of OMRI  200  usage, the OMRI  200  (i.e. an optical machine-readable representation of data) of the payment transfer transaction  5  can contain symbology information  204  in encoded form based on a coding scheme  209 . One example of the OMRI  200  is a barcode, such that the coding scheme  209  is a barcode coding scheme for use in encoding and decoding of the symbology information  204  of the barcode. Another example of the OMRI  200  is a dataglyph, such that the coding scheme  209  is a dataglyph coding scheme for use in encoding and decoding of the symbology information  204  of the dataglyph. 
     It is recognized that the merchant  16  products can include restaurant meals (and/or service), such that the product information (e.g. OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 ) acknowledged by the consumer  18  represents a meal bill and the products are individual food and/or beverage items. It is also recognized that the merchant  16  products can be groceries or other retail items being paid for in person by the consumer  18  at the merchant retail establishment, for example. It is also recognized that the products in a rental or professional services context including a duration of the time the services were performed. 
     OMRI  200  and Code Data  3   
     Referring again to  FIG. 4 , as used herein, the term OMRI  200  (e.g. barcode, dataglyph, etc.) refers to an optical machine-readable representation of encoded information or data, presented as an ordered pattern of symbols (i.e. symbology information  204 ). For example, barcodes can encode information in the widths and the spacing of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1D (1 dimensional) symbologies. Barcodes can also encode information in patterns of squares, dots, hexagons and other geometric shapes or symbols within images termed 2D (2 dimensional) matrix codes or symbologies. Typically, although 2D systems use symbols other than bars, they are generally referred to as barcodes as well. Accordingly, barcode images discussed herein for use with a barcode scanner or decoder can refer to either 1D or 2D barcodes. With conventional monochromatic barcodes, features are typically printed in black on a white background, thereby forming a pattern that is used to form the machine-readable representation of transaction information of the transaction  5 . With color barcodes, the pattern can include any number of colors (typically also including black and white) distinguishable from one another during the barcode decoding process. 
     The OMRI  200  can be generated to include symbology information  204  representing merchant and product content used, for example, to help define product and payment or other transaction terms/details concerning the product(s) made available to the consumer  18  by the merchant  16 . As discussed further below, the OMRI  200  can be electronically displayed (e.g. on a computer display), can be provided as graphic content (e.g. an image file such as but not limited to a GIF or JPEG) in a network message  54 ) and/or can be provided in printed form (e.g. presented on a physical medium such as paper or plastic—for example associated with a picture in a magazine or present on a label). As discussed, interaction between the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  and the consumer  18  placing the order for the product(s) can include consumer  18  actions such as but not limited to: selection (e.g. via mouse or other pointer) on the user interface  104  of the consumer device  12  displaying the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 ; receiving the image file containing the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 ; and/or recording/capturing the image of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  using the imager  118  (e.g. camera) (see  FIG. 6 ) of the computer device  12  (e.g. mobile device), such that the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  is displayed on physical media and/or electronic media (i.e. an electronic display adjacent to the consumer device  12  and in-range of the imager  118 ). Example environments of the described image capture process would be where the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  is displayed on a desktop computer of the consumer  18  or on a computer terminal (part of the transaction interface  8 ) of the merchant  16 . It is also recognized that the consumer  18  can input the product code data  3  as text input via the user interface of their computer device  12 . As discussed above, the consumer  18  can also provide to the merchant  18  (and/or the transaction interface  15  via the payment application  113 ) their associated consumer code data  3  for use in accessing the requisite payment account  72  associated with the main account (or subaccount) registered with the transaction service  20 . 
     In terms of the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200 , the symbology information  204  includes a plurality of symbols (i.e. graphical elements) that, as a collection of symbols or patterns (e.g. an organized collection of symbols forms a legend, or key), represents encoded transaction information that is distinct from the actual unencoded merchant and product information  201  itself. For example, a graphical element (of the symbology  204 ) of a black line of a specific width represents a textual element (of the textual information  201 ) as the number six, while a different width represents a different textual element (of the textual information  201 ) such as the number two. It is recognized that graphical elements can be pictures (e.g. images) of text elements and/or of non-text elements. For example, the graphical element “6” (e.g. encoded or symbology information  204 ) in the coding scheme  209  could be mapped to a product code “1234” (e.g. unencoded information  201 ). In another example, the graphical element “(*)” (e.g. encoded or symbology information  204 ) in the coding scheme  209  could be mapped to a product code “1234” (e.g. unencoded information  201 ). 
     The purpose of the symbology information  204  is to communicate encoded invoice information (that defines a plurality of invoice parameters) as readable (e.g. decodable) by an image decoder. The decoder could be present on the mobile device  12  and/or on the transaction service  20 , as further described below. It is recognized that mapping (i.e. processing performed by the decoder or encoder) between the symbology information  204  and the unencoded merchant and product information  201  is what enables the OMRI  200  to be generated and interpreted. A specification of the symbology information  204  can include the encoding of the single digits/characters of the textual merchant and product information  201  as well as the start and stop markers into individual symbols (e.g. bars) and space between the symbols of the symbol collection/pattern, the size of a quiet zone required to be before and after the OMRI  200 , as well as a computation of a checksum incorporated into the OMRI  200  for error checking purposes as is known in the art. 
     It is recognized that the OMRI  200  may not contain descriptive data, rather the OMRI  200  can be used as containing reference codes (e.g. decoded OMRI information) that a computer uses to look up an associated record that contains the descriptive textual merchant and product information  201 , as well as any other relevant information about the products or items associated with the transaction  5  encoded in the OMRI  200 . For example, the matching item record of the symbology information  204  can contain a description of the product, vendor name, product price, quantity-on-hand, etc., including any of the product data  206 , merchant data  208 , consumer data  211 , and/or transaction data  210  (e.g. transaction type) as further described below. However, some OMRIs  200  can contain, besides reference ID, additional or supplemental information such as product name or manufacturer, for example, and some 2D OMRI  200  may contain even more information as they can be more informationally dense due the greater variation potential of the printed patterns over those of 1D OMRI  200 . 
     In terms of the product code  3 , it is recognized that the product code data  3  may not contain descriptive data, rather the product code data  3  can be used as a reference or lookup identifier that a computer uses to look up an associated record that contains the descriptive textual merchant and product information  201 , as well as any other relevant information about the products or items associated with the transaction  5  represented by the product code data  3 . For example, the matching item record of the product code data  3  can contain a description of the product, vendor name, product price, quantity-on-hand, etc., including any of the product data  206 , merchant data  208 , consumer data  211 , and/or transaction data  210  (e.g. transaction type) as further described below. However, some the product codes data  3  can be referenced or otherwise associated with, besides reference ID, additional or supplemental information such as product name or manufacturer. 
     In terms of the consumer supplied consumer code  3 , it is recognized that the consumer code data  3  may not contain descriptive data, rather the consumer code data  3  can be used as a reference or lookup identifier that a computer uses to look up an associated record that contains the descriptive textual consumer  18  and account information  61   a , as well as any other relevant payment information for the products or items associated with the transaction  5 . For example, the matching item record of the consumer code data  3  can contain a description of the consumer name, associated main account and/or subaccount registered with the transaction service  20 , authorized transaction types and/or limits/thresholds, payment account information  72 , as further described below. 
     In terms of different barcode type, linear symbologies (e.g. UPC barcodes as an example symbology format of the OMRI  200 ) can be classified mainly by two properties, continuous vs. discrete and two-width vs. many-width. In continuous vs. discrete, characters (i.e. representing the merchant and product information  201  content) in continuous symbologies usually abut, with one character ending with a space and the next beginning with a bar (e.g. light-dark patterns), or vice versa. Characters (i.e. representing textual merchant and product information  201  content) in discrete symbologies begin and end with bars and any intercharacter space is ignored as long as it is not wide enough to look like the code ends. In two-width vs. many-width, bars and spaces in two-width symbologies are wide or narrow, and the exact width of a wide bar has no significance as long as the symbology requirements for wide bars are adhered to (usually two to three times wider than a narrow bar). Bars and spaces in many-width symbologies are all multiples of a basic width called the module, wherein most such codes use four widths of 1, 2, 3 and 4 modules. Some linear symbologies use interleaving, such that the first character (i.e. representing the textual merchant and product information  201  content) is encoded using black bars of varying width. The second character (i.e. representing the invoice data content) is then encoded, by varying the width of the white spaces between these bars. Thus characters (i.e. representing the invoice data content) are encoded in pairs over the same section of the barcode. Stacked symbologies repeat a given linear symbology vertically. 
     In terms of multidimensional symbologies (e.g. 2D, 3D, etc.), the most common among the many 2D symbologies are matrix codes, which feature square or dot-shaped modules (i.e. representing the merchant and product information  201  content) arranged on a grid pattern. 2-D symbologies also come in circular and other patterns and may employ steganography, thereby hiding modules within an image (for example, using DataGlyphs). Aztec Code is another type of 2D barcode. 
     Quick Response Codes (QRC) is another a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) providing faster readability and larger storage capacity compared to traditional UPC barcodes. The QR code (as an example symbology format of the OMRI  200 ) consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be made up of four standardized kinds (“modes”) of encoded data (e.g. numeric, alphanumeric, byte/binary, and/or Kanji), or by supported extensions virtually any kind of data. 
     It is also recognized that the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  can include custom graphical elements (as codified in the coding scheme  209 ) involving combinations of one or more graphical elements used to represent a textual element, e.g. a corporate logo is used as a collection of graphical elements (e.g. circle, square, and company name) that is mapped (e.g. decoded) by the coding scheme  209  to represent a textual element (e.g. a URL to a webpage of the company website). Alternatively, the textual element can be mapped (e.g. encoded) by the coding scheme  209  to represent the collection of graphical elements. In this example, the graphical element of a company name (the symbology information  204 ) is decoded by the coding scheme  209  to represent the text of the URL (the unencoded information  201 ). One example of barcodes containing custom graphical elements is Microsoft™ Tag barcodes. 
     Microsoft™ Tags as an OMRI  200  are another type of barcode, e.g. 2D barcodes, which offer more flexibility than traditional barcode formats both in the barcode design and the content behind it. Because Microsoft Tag barcodes can be linked to data stored on a server, you can deliver a more robust online experience—including entire mobile sites—and update the content any time without having to change the Microsoft Tag. So, if you link a Microsoft Tag on your business card to your résumé, it will still be valid after you get that big promotion. Microsoft Tags can be black-and-white or full-color, including custom images (e.g., a company logo). Therefore, the Microsoft Tag can have encoded data in the symbology information  204  of the Tag that includes a link (e.g. URL) or other hyperlink that references a location in memory (e.g. in a database) and/or a network address where data content is available/accessible via the encoded link. In other words, a Tag encoder would use a Tag coding scheme  209  to encode the textual link information  201  into corresponding symbology information  204 , e.g. the hyperlink to a website (the textual link information  201 ) would be represented as one or more graphical elements such as a company logo or even graphical elements (the symbology information  204 ) picturing the product itself. 
     It is also recognized that the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  can be encrypted (e.g. using a DES algorithm). In terms of the format of the symbology information  204 , codewords embedded/encoded in the symbology information  204  are typically 8 bits long. It is recognized that the transaction  5  data represented by the symbology information  204  in the OMRI  200  can be broken up into multiple blocks, such that each block includes a number (e.g. 255) of codewords in length. 
     Another example of an optical machine-readable (e.g. OMRI  200 ) representation of encoded information or data are DataGlyphs, which are a new technology for encoding machine readable data onto paper documents or other physical media. They encode information into a number of tiny, individual glyph elements. Each graphical (e.g. glyph) element can consist of a small 45 degree diagonal line as short as 1/100th of an inch or less, depending on the resolution of the printing and scanning that is used, for example. Each glyph element (as the symbology information  204 ) represents a single binary 0 or 1 (as the decoded textual information  201 ), depending on whether it slopes to the left or right. Sequences of these glyph elements (symbology information  204 ) can be used to encode numeric, textual or other information (unencoded information  201 ). 
     As an example configuration of the dataglyph symbology and coding scheme  209 , the individual glyphs are grouped together on the page (or displayed electronically on a display), where they form unobtrusive, evenly textured gray areas, like half-toned pictures. One of the reasons for using diagonal glyph elements is because research has shown that the patterns that they form when massed together are not visually distracting. DataGlyph technology allows ordinary business documents to carry thousands of characters of information hidden in these unobtrusive gray patterns that can appear as backgrounds, shading patterns or conventional graphic design elements. Often, their presence will go completely unnoticed. (The entire Gettysburg Address will fit in a DataGlyph about the size of a small US postage stamp). DataGlyph areas can be printed on a document as part of its normal printing process or displayed on a screen as part of the normal image rendering process. The information to be put in the DataGlyphs is encoded as a sequence of individual glyphs, and these can be printed either directly by the encoding software (for instance, by computer laser printer) or via a conventional printing process, such as offset. The glyphs are laid down on a finely spaced rectangular grid so that the area is evenly textured. In addition, each glyph area contains an embedded synchronization lattice or “skeleton”—a repeating, fixed pattern of glyphs which marks the boundaries of the glyph area and serves as a clocking track to improve the reliability of reading. Before data is placed into the synchronization frame, it&#39;s grouped into blocks of a few dozen bytes and error correcting code is added to each block. The amount of error correction to be used is chosen by the application, depending on the expected quality of the print-scan cycle. Higher levels of error correction increase the size of the glyph area needed for a given amount of data, but improve the reliability with which the data can be read back. This can be very important in environments where there&#39;s a high level of image noise (for example, fax) or where the documents are subjected to rough handling. As a final step, the bytes of data are randomly dispersed across the glyph area, so that if any part of the glyph area on the paper is severely damaged, the damage to any individual block of data will be slight, and thus easy for the error correcting code to recover. Together, error correction and randomization provide very high levels of reliability, even when the glyph area is impaired by ink marks, staples and other kinds of image damage. 
     In view of the above description, it is recognized that OMRI  200  can be embodied as barcodes, dataglyphs or other images that contain encoded symbology information  204  that can be decoded into unencoded information  201  (e.g. textual elements) using an appropriate coding scheme  209  that provides a mapping (e.g. rules) between the symbology information  204  to into the unencoded information  201  (e.g. the decoding process) and the unencoded information  201  into the symbology information  204  (e.g. the encoding process). In any event, the following description, for simplified example explanation purposes only, refers to OMRI  200  as barcodes  200 . However, it is recognized that in the below description, the term barcode  200  can be interchanged with the broader meaning of OMRI  200 , as desired. 
     In view of the above, it is recognized that there can be a variety of different OMRI  200  encoded for different transaction types. For example, the transaction type  203  assigned to the OMRI  200  will determine what portion of the functionality of the transaction application  113  is used by the consumer  18 , and/or provided by the transaction interface  15  or merchant interface  8 , to facilitate processing of the transaction  5  associated with the OMRI  200 . 
     In view of the above, it is recognized that there can be a variety of different product code data  3  for different transaction types. For example, the transaction type  203  assigned to the product code data  3  will determine what portion of the functionality of the transaction application  113  is used by the consumer  18 , and/or provided by the transaction interface  15  or merchant interface  8 , to facilitate processing of the transaction  5  associated with the product code data  3 . 
     PIN 
     The PIN can be defined as a secret numeric (however can also include alpha or other non-numeric characters) password shared between the payment account user (e.g. consumer  18  such as the main account holder and/or the subaccount holder) and system  10 , for use in authentication of the consumer  18  to the system  10 . 
     Historically, a payment card was inserted physically into the POS terminal and the PIN entered by the cardholder using a keypad of the merchant terminal. This traditional verification was enabled by using a physical credit card payment terminal or point-of-sale (POS) system with a communications link to the merchant&#39;s acquiring bank. However fraudulent activity (such as reading and copying PIN information) by unscrupulous merchants (e.g. “eavesdroppers”, “man in the middle attackers”) remains a concern. Further, in the case of on-line payments, a physical POS terminal is simply not available. 
     Therefore, to help technically address the above noted prior art technical deficiencies, in operation of the payment application  113  configured mobile device  12 , the PIN can be entered via the user interface  104  of the mobile device  12  and thereby included (e.g. in encrypted form) in the transaction request confirmation. For example, the PIN can be sent encoded by using the encoding scheme  209  of the OMRI  200  or can be represented as the consumer code data  3 , such that the payment application  113  would use the appropriate encoder configured for using the encoding scheme  209 . The consumer  18  is granted access to the assigned account  72  when the PIN entered matches with the stored PIN as held by the transaction interface  15  and/or the payment platform  14 . In particular, it is advantageous in use of the payment application  113  for PIN submission for the consumer  18 , as this PIN information is not entered in unencrypted form using the keypad of the merchant device  17 , rather via the mobile device  12  interface. 
     Therefore, the provision of a technical solution, including the payment application  113 , involves using PIN information entered via the mobile device  12  (i.e. using the user interface  104  and the communications interface  102 ). 
     Further to the above, it is also recognized that the confirmation information submitted by the consumer  18  via the mobile device  12  interface can be other than a PIN, for example confirmation information such as but not limited to a generic alpha-numeric password or phrase associated with authorized use of the account/subaccount and corresponding financial account  72 . 
     Transaction Application  113   
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , it is recognized that the transaction application  113  can include a plurality of OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  related processing functionality, a plurality of transaction processing functionality and/or client functionality configured for network  11  communication with a transaction service  20  in a client-server relationship. For example, the transaction application  113  can be configured as a thin client of the transaction service  20 , such that the transaction application  113  is configured to interact with the processing system  80 , 90  (of the interface  8 , 15 ) via a series of web pages generated by the processing system  80 , 90 , sent via network messages  13  and displayed on the user interface  104 . Accordingly, the transaction application  113  would interact with a web browser (or other network communication program) to send and receive the messages  13  via the network  11  containing transaction  5  specific information, i.e. to display the web pages including output data  217  (further discussed below) for the transaction  5  and to coordinate the entry and network transmission of input data  215  such as transaction authorization/confirmation information (further discussed below) for the transaction  5 . 
     Alternatively, the transaction application  113  can be configured as a thick client of the transaction service  20 , such that the transaction application  113  is provisioned with transaction and/or OMRI or the code data  3  processing functionality similar to (or at least contains a portion of) that functionality of the transaction processing system  80  and/or the OMRI processing system  90 , as further described below. It is recognized that the thick client version of the transaction application  113  could be configured to perform some of the transaction or OMRI or product code data  3  processing on behalf of or otherwise in substitution of any of the processing functionality of the transaction processing system  80  and/or the OMRI processing system  90  implemented by the overall system  10  during processing of the transaction  5 . It is also recognized that the thick client version of the transaction application  113  could also be configured to communicate over the network  11  via a series of web pages (or other electronic data content formats such as XML files) as generated or otherwise received by the transaction processing system  80  of the interfaces  8 , 15 , sent via as network messages  13  between the computer device  12  and the interfaces  8 , 15 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the environment  10  can use a transaction flow, i.e. a defined interaction (e.g. transaction workflow instructions, executed by the computer device  12  (e.g. mobile) via the transaction application  113  and/or device browser, and/or by the computer  6 , 17  of the interface  8 , 15 ) between the interface(s)  8 , 15  and the transaction application  113  of the computer device  12 , to provide the consumer  18  with the ability to initiate (or otherwise respond to) a variety of transaction types. These transaction types can be encoded in the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (or otherwise associated with the merchant profile  117  information stored and available to the transaction service  20 ), and are used by the interface(s)  8 , 15  and the transaction application  113  to direct (via the workflow instructions appropriate to the transaction type, for example stored or otherwise accessible to the transaction interface  15  via the local storage  110 ) the consumer  18  to provide transaction appropriate input data  215  and to present transaction appropriate output data  217  to the consumer  18  (via operation of the user interface  104 ). 
     One example of output data  217  dependent on the transaction type (e.g. a restaurant bill) would be a set of instructions displayed on the user interface  104  on how to enter a tip amount (e.g. various tip options such as % tip, $ tip, etc.) as well as instructions on how to confirm total meal cost including tip. Alternatively, the merchant transaction type settings can be housed in the storage  110  of the transaction service  20  and not contained in the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 , rather the transaction type settings can be stored as part of the merchant profile  117  (e.g. part of the stored merchant data). Therefore, the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  would contain (or otherwise reference) a merchant profile identifier  203  that is used to access the merchants transaction type settings by the transaction service  20  associated with the merchant profile  117 . It is also recognized that the identifier  203  can be a unique identifier  203  of the transaction  5  (e.g. a unique transaction number) payment request and can be associated with the confirmation messages sent to the consumer  18  and/or the merchant  16  by the transaction interface  15 . In this case, the merchant data  206  would be used in the payment request to help identify the merchant  16  via the merchant profile  117 . 
     It is recognized that the output data  217  could include definitions on data content (e.g. specific wording of instructions, advertizing content associated with instructions, etc.) and/or data format of instructions (e.g. font type, font colour, background colour, included images, etc.). It is also recognized that the output data  217  could include definitions on content and display format of consumer selections (e.g. drop down menus, data entry fields, etc.) used by the transaction application  113  to facilitate entry of the transaction appropriate input data  215  by the consumer  18 . 
     In view of the above, it is recognized that the input data  215  and the output data  217  can take a variety of different content and form, depending upon the transaction functionality (via the workflow instructions appropriate to the transaction type) needed during interaction by the interface  8 , 15  with the consumer  18  once the transaction  5  is initiated. The input data  215  can include the consumer data  211  (further defined below), which can be obtained from: registration details  117  of the consumer  18  that is stored (in database  110 ) and available to the merchant device  17  or transaction service device  6 ; data that is entered (e.g. consumer code data  3 ) or otherwise selected by the consumer  18  using the user interface  104 ; data that is obtained from the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200 , or any combination thereof. It is recognized that the interfaces  8 , 15 , as well as any thick client transaction functionality configured into the transaction application  113 , can have stored (in their memory  110 ) appropriate workflow instructions assigned or otherwise associated with each of the transaction types. It is envisioned that knowledge of the workflow instructions for a particular transaction  5  can be accessible and executable by the transaction application  113 , the interface  8 , the interface  15 , or a combination of any of the above. 
     One obvious difference in workflow instructions and input data  215  requirements for transactions is for those purchases involving a tip option (e.g. sit down restaurant meal) and those that do not (e.g. retail product purchase or take-out meal purchase). Another obvious difference in workflow instructions and input data  215  requirements for transactions is for on-line purchases versus POS purchases, such that the latter mayor may not require consumer address information if the consumer can carry the purchased products themselves. 
     Payment Request Content 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the payment request of the transaction  5  (for example sent by the merchant interface  8  to the transaction interface  15 ) can be used by the consumer  18  and the merchant  16  to define what has been purchased, when, by whom, from whom, and how much money has been spent on what. The OMRI  200  can be generated to include the symbology information  204  (or the product code data  3  is generated as a reference lookup identifier to reference information) including product invoice information  201  for two or more products (for example), such that the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  (or reference information of the or the product code data  3 —e.g. stored in lookup table or database  63 ) encodes information  201  of product data  206 , merchant data  208 , consumer data  211  and/or transaction data  210  of the transaction  5 . Therefore, the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  can represent the transaction  5 , using the symbology information  204  in the case of the ORMI  200  or as table reference information  61  in the table  63 ), defined as a commercial contract issued by the merchant  16  to the consumer  18 , indicating the products, quantities, and/or agreed prices for products the merchant has (or will) provide the consumer  18  in exchange for payment (i.e. debit of consumer account and corresponding debit of merchant account) of the transaction  5 . 
     Alternatively, the payment request issued by the merchant interface  8  can be a traditional electronic message including electronic data representative of a commercial contract issued by the merchant  16  to the consumer  18 , indicating the products, quantities, and/or agreed prices for products the merchant  16  has (or will) provide the consumer  18  in exchange for payment (i.e. debit of consumer account and corresponding debit of merchant account) of the transaction  5 . 
     Further, the payment request indicates the consumer  18  must pay the merchant  16 , according to any payment terms contained in the payment request. It is also recognized that the payment request in a rental or professional services context could also include a specific reference to the duration of the time being billed, so rather than quantity, price and cost, the invoicing amount can be based on quantity, price, cost and duration. For example, the rental/services payment request can refer to the actual time (e.g. hours, days, weeks, months, etc.) being billed. 
     It is recognized that from the point of view of a merchant  16 , the issued payment request (i.e. transmitted over the network  11  to the transaction interface  15 ) can be regarded as a sales invoice. From the point of view of the consumer  18 , the payment request can be regarded as a purchase invoice. The payment request can identify both the consumer  18  and the merchant  16 , but the term “payment” generally refers to the fact that money is owed or owing between the merchant  16  and consumer  18 . 
     For example, the product data  206  of the payment request (e.g. of the symbology information  204 ) can include for each product, information such as but not limited to: a product identifier (e.g. product number or code—such as a UPC code), a product purchase price (e.g. unit price of the product), a quantity number of the product (e.g. the number  2  in the case where two of the same product in the purchase order); and/or a description of the product. The merchant data  208  (e.g. of the symbology information  204 ) of the payment request can include information such as but not limited to: name and contact details of the merchant; a bank account number of the merchant; a unique merchant reference ID of the merchant assigned by the transaction interface  15 ; location of the merchant retail location; tax or merchant registration details (e.g. tax number or business number such as a VAT (value added tax) identification number or a registration number for GST purposes in order to claim input tax credits) and/or indication of whether the purchase is an online or physical retail location purchase. The transaction data  210  (e.g. of the symbology information  204 ) of the payment request can include information such as but not limited to: a unique invoice reference number (for use in tracking correspondence associated with the transaction  5  associated with the payment request); date of the invoice; tax payments as a percentage of the purchase price of the each of the products (e.g. GST or VAT); date (e.g. approximate) that the products were (or are to be) sent or delivered; purchase order number (or similar tracking numbers requested by the consumer  18  to be mentioned on the payment request); total amount charged (optionally with breakdown of taxes) for the product(s); payment terms (including method of payment, date of payment, and/or details about charges for late payment); international customs information; shipping destination; and/or shipping origination location. It is recognized that the data  206 , 208 , 210 , 211  (e.g. of the symbology information  204 ) of the payment request can also be represented in at least whole or in part in the textual request information  201 . In this manner, what symbology information  204  optionally in the ORMI  200  can be decoded (by the computer device  12  and/or the transaction interface  15 ) into the payment information  201 , and the payment information  201  can be encoded (e.g. by the transaction interface  15 , merchant interface  8 , and/or the payment application  113 ) into the symbology information  204 . 
     In terms of consumer data  211 , this data of the payment request (e.g. of the symbology information  204 ) can include information such as but not limited to: a reference code (e.g. consumer code data  3 ) to be passed along to the transaction interface  15  identifying the payer (e.g. consumer  18 ); name and contact details (e.g. address) of the consumer  18 ; and/or an account number (e.g. a bank account number, a credit card number, a debit card number of the consumer  18 ) identifying the source of funds to be used to pay for the products. It is recognized that the account number  72  identifying the consumer  18  source of funds to be used to pay for the products, instead of being listed in the payment request, can be associated with the consumer  18  via the supplied consumer code data  3 . 
     As discussed above, it is recognized that the customized coding scheme  209  can contains code words and rules for use in translating (i.e. encoding, decoding) between the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  and the payment information  201  of the payment request associated with the financial transaction  5  (i.e. transfer of funds between accounts  70 , 72  as performed by the payment processing system  14 ). It is also recognized that the product code data  3  can be used as a lookup identifier to obtain (e.g. the product code data  3  is cross referenced to transaction/product/consumer/merchant information  61  in the lookup table  63 ) the data  206 , 208 , 210 , 211  included in the merchant information  61 . 
     Exemplary Transaction Service  20  embodiment: 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the transaction service  20  may consist of: a Mobile Payment Transaction Interface  15  that resides on a Transaction Server  6 , which can be configured to enable the transaction interface  15  to communicate with the Mobile Payment Client application  113  and the Payment Platform (e.g. transaction processing system  14 ). The Transaction Server  6  can also house the merchant  16  profile information; the consumer  18  profile information (e.g., name, address, phone number, e-mail address, Payment Account Information, etc.); allow the consumer to access his/her account via the web; allow the Payment Platform (e.g. transaction processing system  14 ) to communicate with the mobile application  113  and the transaction interface  15 . 
     The mobile application  113 , which resides on the consumer&#39;s mobile device  520  can be used to: capture/scan the OMRI  200  or product code data  3  information; create a Transaction on the Payment Platform; communicate with the Payment Platform; communicate with the Merchant Transaction Server; provide Consumers with transaction options (e.g., buy, decline transaction, send personal information, go to merchant website, more info, etc.); provide customized process flows based on the merchant type (e.g., prompt for a tip if the merchant is identified as a restaurant, bypass user confirmation of a transaction for transactions under a certain price, prompt the user to send personal information to the merchant in order to auto-populate any forms that the merchant may need filled out, etc.); allow the Consumer to select his/her desired Payment Account (e.g., credit, debit, chequing, E-wallet, coupon, gift card, etc.); and allow the Consumer to log in to his/her account for account maintenance purposes (e.g. via the consumer code data  3 ). 
     A Mobile Payment Application merchant interface  8  can reside on a merchant mobile device  17  and can be used to: receive payment confirmations/declines from the transaction interface  15 ; generate a OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  “on the fly” that includes or is referenced to the transaction ID, merchant ID (merchant&#39;s name and merchant&#39;s URL can also be provided), item(s) purchased, and price; as well as to generate and transmit the payment request (including the consumer code data  3 ) and any merchant identifying information to the transaction interface  15 . 
     In another embodiment, the product code data  3  can be implemented as a short code service (i.e. unencoded textual information as compared to coded textual information in the form of a barcode  200 ). The way this works is that instead of scanning or otherwise supply the barcode  200 , the consumer  18  can provide a short code as the product code data  3  (e.g. a sequence of characters including numeric characters and/or alpha characters) that is also known to the transaction service  20  as the product code data  3  used in identifying the actual information  201  stored as information  61  cross-referenced or otherwise indexed to the product code data  3  in the lookup table  63 , which can be stored and accessible by the transaction interface  15 . Therefore, after providing the product code data  3  as a series of numeric characters and/or alpha characters to the merchant application  8 , the rest of the split purchase transaction  5  process is exactly the same. One advantage in using the short code is that it works in situations where generating or otherwise scanning/processing the barcode  200  is not feasible by the merchant application  8  and/or the payment application  113 . 
     In another embodiment, the communication means for identifying the information  201  used in processing the transaction  5  to the transaction service  20  via the merchant terminal  17  (i.e. via the merchant application  8 ) can involve the transmission of the product code data  3  from the Mobile Device  12  (i.e. via the payment application  113 ) to the merchant terminal  17  (i.e. via the merchant application  8 ) using NFC, Bluetooth, Infrared or other similar short-range, communication technology. In the case of a short code being used as the product code data  3 , the transmission of this product code data  3  information to the merchant  16  may be something as simple as verbal transmission between the merchant  16  and consumer  18  and/or by simply reading of the product code data  3  off of the screen of the device  12  by the merchant  16 —in the case where the product code data  3  is displayed on the screen of the device  12  (e.g. via interaction with the payment application  113  by the consumer  18 ). Another embodiment is where a speaker of the device  12  is used by the payment application  113  to audibly communicate the product code data  3  to the merchant  16 . In another embodiment, the product code data  3  is communicated to the merchant terminal  17  via a network  11  communication message as can be the case for transmission of the ORMI  200 . 
     In another embodiment, the transmission of the consumer code data  3  from the consumer  18  to the merchant  16  (i.e. via the merchant application  8 ) can use NFC, Bluetooth, Infrared or other similar short-range, communication technology. In the case of a short code being used as the consumer code data  3 , the transmission of this consumer code data  3  information to the merchant  16  may be something as simple as verbal transmission between the merchant  16  and consumer  18  and/or by simply reading of the consumer code data  3  off of the screen of the device  12  by the merchant  16 —in the case where the consumer code data  3  is displayed on the screen of the device  12  (e.g. via interaction with the payment application  113  by the consumer  18 ). Another embodiment is where a speaker of the device  12  is used by the payment application  113  to audibly communicate the consumer code data  3  to the merchant  16 . In another embodiment, the consumer code data  3  is communicated to the merchant terminal  17  via a network  11  communication message as can be the case for transmission of the ORMI  200 . 
     Transaction Service  20  Applications in Print Media and Electronic Media Commerce 
     Amongst its many other benefits, the transaction service  20  can marry mobile commerce with Electronic Media, and Print Media commerce in ways never thought possible before. Electronic media includes, but is not limited to, television, electronic billboards, and video display terminals. Print Media includes, but is not limited to, magazines, newspapers, catalogues, telephone directories, parking ticket and utility bills. The transaction service  20  can provide a marked improvement over the current Electronic and Print Media sales and advertising model. Currently, in order to make a purchase of goods and/or services, or to register for a service advertised via Electronic or Print Media, a consumer is required to: place a phone call to the merchant or a call center and provide the consumer service representative with his/her personal information and Payment Account Information. Optionally, the Consumer has to browse to a website and provide his/her personal information and Payment Account Information online. In either scenario the Consumer is obliged to go through a time consuming process that requires him/her to provide his/her personal information and expose his/her Payment Account Information to the merchant. 
     The transaction service  20  addresses these problems by allowing a Consumer to initiate a purchase transaction by scanning the OMRI  200  (or otherwise recognizing/noting the product/consumer code data  3 ) displayed by the particular Electronic or Print Media. The rest of the transaction is completed on the Consumer&#39;s mobile device  12 , without requiring the Consumer  18  to place a phone call or fill out personal information and/or Payment Account Information on the merchant&#39;s site. 
     The transaction service  20  benefits the merchant  16 , in that it allows the merchant to save money by not requiring the merchant to have a call center to process orders. It also benefits the merchant by providing Consumers with a simplified transaction process, which in turn can reduce abandoned registrations and purchases. The transaction service  20  benefits the Consumer by safeguarding the Consumer&#39;s Payment Account Information and by providing the Consumer with a significantly more simplified payment/registration process. 
     Transaction Service  20  Applications for Point of Sale Transactions 
     A Point of Sale Transaction may be a retail POS terminal, ATM machine or similar device. The transaction service  20  can provide Consumers with a consistent transaction  5  process regardless of the transaction type (i.e. POS, Print Media, Electronic Media or e-commerce). 
     Within the context of retail POS Terminals, the transaction service  20  can provide Consumers  18  the comfort of not having to expose Payment Account Information to a cashier at checkout. It can also provide the merchant  16  with the benefit of not having to handle cash, thereby reducing the risk of employee theft. Under the transaction service  20 , it is the Consumer  18  that can carry out the image scanning using his/her mobile device  12  or otherwise communicate their consumer code data  3  to be used in the payment request by the merchant  16  as transmitted to the transaction interface  15 . This can save the merchant  16  money by not requiring it to purchase/install any image scanning devices (or at least a reduced number of such merchant scanning devices). Furthermore, the transaction service  20  may benefit the merchant  16  by expediting the payment and consumer information gathering processes at checkout. 
     Within the context of ATM machines, the transaction service  20  can provide security in not requiring a Consumer  18  to enter his/her payment authorization (e.g. PIN) at an ATM terminal associated with the merchant device  17 . In an increasingly health conscious world, it can provide an additional hygiene benefit of not requiring a Consumer  18  to touch a key pad at a public ATM machine. The transaction service  20  technology can also provide the ATM operator with a cheaper mobile payment processing service, in that it does not require the ATM machine to be outfitted with an image scanning device. 
     The transaction service  20  disclosed herein facilitates mobile commerce by providing a mobile device  12  to be used to process transactions  5  originating either online, via Electronic Media or Print Media and from POS Terminals  17 . Thus, Consumers  18  can be provided with a consistent transaction  5  process regardless of where the transaction  5  originates. When the transaction service  20  is used in operation, the Consumer  18  may use his/her mobile device  12  to scan the OMRI  200  or otherwise note the product code data  3 , displayed and made available by the merchant  16 , to initiate the transaction  5  process if applicable, as well as to communicate the consumer code data  3  if not done verbally. The optional OMRI  200  can be in the form of a graphical image, such as a 2-D barcode or hologram, which encodes information relating to a particular transaction  5  and/or a particular merchant  16  (e.g. through the merchant identifier  203  associated with the OMRI  200 . 
     The transaction interface  15  of the transaction service  20  may generally comprise certain computer software applications each of which run on certain physical components of the transaction network, and which are configured to be able to communicate, and to share information, with each other, where appropriate, as further described herein. More specifically, the transaction interface  15  may interact over the network  11  with software applications including the mobile application  113  running on the Consumer&#39;s mobile device  12  and the merchant interface  8  running on the merchant Transaction device(s)  17 . In the scenario where the transaction service  20  is utilized to enable the Consumer  18  to effect a Print Media or Electronic Media commerce transaction  5  using his/her mobile device  12 , a suitable pre-encoded OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  can be simply presented on said media (there is no need to have a software application to generate a Transaction-specific OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  “on the fly”). In the scenario where the transaction service  20  is utilized to enable the Consumer  18  to effect the e-commerce transaction  5  (e.g., an online purchase) using his/her mobile device  12 , a software application (e.g. systems  90 ) for generating a suitable OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  may reside either on the consumer&#39;s computer  12  or the merchant&#39;s e-commerce server  17 , and the generated OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  can be displayed on the Consumer&#39;s computer screen for scanning. In the scenario where the transaction service  20  is utilized to provide for the Consumer  18  to make a purchase using his/her mobile device  12  at a POS Terminal  17 , the system  10  can additionally comprise the Mobile Payment interface  8  running on the merchant POS Terminal  17 . 
     The following describes the steps involved in a simple online or POS transaction  5  utilizing the transaction service  20 , according to an embodiment  300 , referring to  FIG. 5 . 
     Step  301 . The Consumer  18  may select item(s) to be purchased on a merchant website or in a store (e.g. selected by the consumer  18  from the environment  4  or provided by the merchant device  17  in person or in a network  11  communications message). 
     Step  302 . The Consumer  18  can select “checkout” (or the equivalent thereof) or go to the cashier. 
     Step  303 . The merchant interface  8  on the merchant device  17  may be sent the “shopping cart” information (or in the case of a POS transaction, the cash register information) and generate product purchase information (e.g. an OMRI  200 ) containing all the particulars of the purchase (of the transaction  5 ). 
     Step  304 . The product purchase information (e.g. OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 ) can be displayed either on a computer screen or, in the case of a POS transaction, merchant display terminal  17 . 
     Step  305 . The Consumer  18  can launch the Mobile Payment Client or mobile application  113  on his/her mobile device  12  and obtain the product purchase information (e.g. scan the OMRI  200  or otherwise note the product code data  3 ). Further, the consumer  18  can make available their consumer code data  3  to the merchant  16 . 
     Step  306 . The mobile application  113  can optionally read the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (e.g. the product code data  3  can be entered manually by the consumer  18  via the user interface) and communicate with the merchant interface  8  or transaction interface  15  to identify the merchant  16  as well as to confirm or otherwise authorize the purchase transaction  5 . 
     Step  307 . The Consumer  18  can be presented a list of options including “BUY NOW” as part of the transaction authorization. 
     Step  308 . The Consumer  18  can optionally select “BUY NOW”. 
     Step  309 . The mobile application  113  can then optionally prompt the Consumer  18  to select the payment account  72  type and to provide login information such as a PIN number (which can be supplied or otherwise associated with the consumer code data  3 ). 
     Step  310 . The mobile application  113  can communicate with the Payment Platform (e.g. transaction processing system  14 ) via the transaction interface  15  to authenticate the Consumer  18  and to process the payment request associated with the transaction  5 . This can also be done via the transaction interface  15  rather than directly with the payment platform  14 . In either case, the consumer  18  can be identified by the transaction interface  15  as the main account holder or subaccount holder via the received consumer code data  3  and associated authorization data (e.g. PIN, password, or other transaction interface  15  recognized account/subaccount login information). 
     Step  311 . In the event that there are sufficient funds/credit in the Consumer&#39;s account  72 , the mobile application  113  can prompt the user  18  to send the Order Form Data to the merchant  16 . 
     Step  312 . The Consumer  18  can select “YES” and the mobile application  113  sends the Order Form Data and the payment confirmation to the merchant interface  8  running on the merchant device  17 . 
     Step  313 . By communicating with the mobile application  113 , the transaction interface  15  can notify the Consumer of a successful Transaction  5  and e-mail a receipt to the Consumer&#39;s  18  registered e-mail address. In the case of a POS transaction, a paper receipt can be given to the Consumer  18 . The Transaction  5  is now complete. 
     In the case of Electronic Media, Print Media and other “static” applications, a pre-encoded OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  that contains or is otherwise referenced to information  201  that is specific to the transaction (e.g., merchant ID, merchant name, product(s) name, product(s) price, total, merchant URL, etc.) can be presented on the Electronic Media or Print media, without requiring a transaction-specific OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  to be generated “on the fly.” 
     The steps involved in another exemplary payment transaction utilizing the transaction service  20 , according to an embodiment, are described below, with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
     Step  1 . The Consumer  18  can select item(s) to be purchased on a merchant website or in a store. 
     Step  2 . The Consumer  18  can select “checkout” (or the equivalent there of) or go to the cashier. 
     Step  3 . The merchant interface  8  on the merchant device  17  can be sent the “shopping cart” information (or in the case of a POS transaction, the cash register information) and optionally generate an OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  containing or otherwise referenced (e.g. indexed to) the particulars of the purchase (e.g., transaction amount, taxes, etc.) and information about the merchant  16  (e.g., merchant identifier(s), merchant authentication credentials, etc.) or otherwise generate a payment request for transmission to the transaction interface  15 , including the consumer code data  3 . 
     Step  4 . Optionally, the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  can be displayed either on a computer screen (not specifically shown in  FIG. 1 ) or, in the case of a POS transaction, the display of the merchant POS Terminal or merchant device  17 . 
     Step  5 . Optionally, the Consumer  18  can launch the mobile application  113  on his/her mobile device  520  and scan the OMRI  200  or otherwise take note or enter the product code data  3 . 
     Step  6 . Optionally, the mobile application  113  can read the OMRI  200  and decode the data encoded in the OMRI  200  in order to extract the merchant data  208  (such as merchant ID, transaction ID, amount of purchase and any other pertinent information, etc.). Optionally, in the case of the product code data  3 , this can be interpreted using a lookup table  63  available to the application  113  or can be sent to the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the merchant interface  8 ) for interpretation by the transaction service  20  using the lookup table  63  available to the transaction service  20 . 
     Step  7 . The mobile application  113  can open a secure encrypted communications channel with the transaction interface  15  (the transaction interface  15  running on transaction server  6 ) via the Internet  11  or other intermediary communications network, in terms of informing the transaction interface  15  of the purchase transaction  5  (e.g. send the payment request itself). Alternatively, the transaction interface  15  can send a transaction  5  confirmation/authorization message to the mobile device  12 , as identified via the consumer code data  3  retrieved from the payment request received by transaction interface  15  from the merchant interface  17 . All further communication with the transaction interface  15  can be via this secure channel. 
     Step  8 . The mobile application  113  can authenticate itself with the transaction interface  15  using previously agreed upon and configured credentials that tie the mobile device  12  to an individual consumer  18 , for example where the device data (or consumer code data  3 ) of the consumer data  211  is matched to device data stored in the consumer profile  117  stored in the storage  110  of the transaction interface  15 . 
     Step  9 . The transaction interface  15  can validate the authentication credentials of the mobile application  113  against a database  117  of known (registered) mobile devices  12  and consumers  18 , as associated with the consumer code data  3  and subsequently supplied confirmation/authorization information (e.g. PIN) by the consumer  18  via the mobile device  12  interface, see below. 
     Step  10 . Upon successful authentication, the mobile application  113  can optionally pass the scanned OMRI  200  data (for example containing at least a portion of the original symbology information  204 —encoded information of the scanned ORMI  200 ) or the product code data  3  to the transaction interface  15  as part of the purchasing process. 
     Step  11 . The transaction interface  15  can validate the OMRI  200  data or the product code data  3  for correctness (e.g., merchant information, transaction amounts, etc.), retrieve the merchant information (e.g. via decoding for the ORMI  200 , using the product code data  3  to lookup the information  61  resident in the table  63 , etc.) and begin a new purchase transaction  5 . The OMRI  200  may be encoded with unique information that is only relevant to the transaction interface  15 , such as for example, a unique merchant ID identifying the merchant  16  and said merchant&#39;s profile  117  on the transaction server  6 . The merchant profile  117  may contain all relevant information pertaining to the merchant  16  including but not limited to: secure connection instructions, merchant inventory list, address, contact information, merchant account information, passwords, access instructions, merchant implementation specifics, policies and procedures pertaining to the merchant  16 . In terms of the product code data  3 , the product code data  3  may be referenced to unique information in the table  63  that is only relevant to the transaction interface  15 , such as for example, a unique merchant ID identifying the merchant  16  and said merchant&#39;s profile  117  on the transaction server  6 . The merchant profile  117  (as referenced via the table  63 ) may contain all relevant information pertaining to the merchant  16  including but not limited to: secure connection instructions, merchant inventory list, address, contact information, merchant account information, passwords, access instructions, merchant implementation specifics, policies and procedures pertaining to the merchant  16 . 
     Step  12 . The transaction interface  15  can look up the available payment methods for the Consumer  18  associated with the account/subaccount assigned to the consumer code data  3  and return this along with the transaction  5  details to the mobile application  113 . The available methods will depend on options available to the particular Consumer  18  as per defined in the account/subaccount information  61 , 61   a . Typical payment methods include but are not limited to: E-wallet, coupon, gift-card, debit and credit card. Additional limitations on the options can be imposed based on funds available for each of the configured methods, currency, transaction amount or other parameters. In the case of gift-cards or coupons, the funds available to the Consumer  18  can be altered based on pre-defined properties of the coupon or gift-card. For example, a gift-card for Merchant X entered in the Consumer&#39;s account  72  on the Payment Platform  14  could only increase the funds available to the Consumer  18  when a purchase is being made at Merchant X. 
     Step  13 . The mobile application  113  can display (e.g. output data  217 ) a summary of the transaction  5  to be completed (e.g., amounts, quantities, merchant identity, etc.) on the Consumer&#39;s mobile device  12 . 
     Step  14 . In an embodiment, additional input fields may be presented to the Consumer  18  by the mobile application  113 . For example, in the case of a restaurant or taxi purchase there will typically be the desire to allow the Consumer  18  to add an additional “tip” to the total transaction  5  amount (e.g. as input data  215 ). 
     Step  15 . The mobile application  113  can display the payment methods available to the Consumer  18  along with the transaction  5  details from step  13  and, if applicable, step  14 . 
     Step  16 . The Consumer  18  can select his/her preferred payment method and/or provide any additional payment authentication data, such as a PIN or password. 
     Step  17 . The mobile application  113  can communicate with the Payment Platform (e.g. transaction processing system  14 ) via the transaction interface  15  to authenticate the Consumer  18  and to process the payment. 
     Step  18 . Upon successful authentication of the PIN, the Payment Platform (e.g. transaction processing system  14 ) can then perform the requested financial transactions  5  to charge the amount of the transaction to the Consumer&#39;s Payment Account  72  and credit that amount to the merchant&#39;s account  70 . 
     Step  19 . Upon successful completion of the transaction, the mobile application  113  can prompt the Consumer  18  to send Order Form Data to the merchant  16  in situations where it may be required (e.g., to provide a shipping address for hard goods). 
     Step  20 . The Consumer can select “YES” and the mobile application  113  instructs the transaction interface  15  to send the Order Form Data to a Mobile Payment Application interface  8  running on the Merchant Transaction Server  17 . 
     Step  21 . The transaction interface  15  can notify the merchant interface  8  on the merchant POS Terminal  17  of Transaction  5  completion by transmitting the Transaction information in a confirmation message, including but not limited to the following:
         Date and time;   merchant name;   Transaction ID;   Transaction amount;   Transaction status (approved/declined); and   Any other identifying information required by the merchant and governing POS standards.       

     While the Transaction  5  information is described herein as being transmitted via the merchant interface  8  on the merchant POS Terminal  17 , it should be appreciated that this can also be transmitted indirectly to the merchant interface  8  on the merchant POS Terminal  17 , i.e., the Transaction  5  information may be transmitted to the Merchant Transaction Server  17 , to be passed on to the merchant interface  8  and thereby to the POS terminal adjacent to the consumer  18 . 
     Step  22 . The transaction interface  15  can also notify the mobile application  113  with the same or similar transaction  5  information as was transmitted to the merchant  16  (step  21 ). 
     Step  23 . The transaction interface  15  can notify the Consumer  18  of Transaction  5  completion and e-mail a receipt to the Consumer&#39;s registered e-mail address. In the case of a POS transaction  5 , a paper receipt can be given to the Consumer  18 . The Transaction  5  is now complete. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the transaction service  20  can also be similarly utilized to facilitate purchases of items from Electronic Media, Print Media and other “static” applications. In these cases, a pre-encoded OMRI  200  that contains information that is specific to the transaction (e.g., merchant ID, merchant name, product(s) name, product(s) price, total, merchant URL, etc.) can be presented on such Electronic Media or Print Media for scanning by the Consumer&#39;s mobile device. The steps for this alternative embodiment would be largely identical to those described in the exemplary method above, except that steps  1 - 4  above would be substituted by: 
     Step  1 . A pre-encoded OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  containing or otherwise referenced to information specific to a Transaction (e.g., merchant ID, merchant name, product(s) name, product(s) price, total, merchant URL, etc.) can be presented on Electronic Media or Print Media for scanning by the Consumer&#39;s mobile device  12  or otherwise for data entry via the user interface of the device  12  (e.g. text entry). 
     It should be appreciated that in the case of an embodiment such as one involving Print Media, where there is no MPA running on a merchant POS Terminal, step  21  would be modified as follows: 
     Step  21 . The transaction interface  15  may notify the merchant interface  8  on the Merchant Transaction Server  17  of Transaction  5  completion by transmitting the Transaction  5  information, including the following:
         Date and time;   merchant name;   Transaction ID;   Transaction amount;   Transaction status (approved/declined); and   Any other identifying information required by the merchant.       

     Example Processing Systems  80 ,  90  Configuration 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the transaction service  20 , for example, can have the transaction interface  15  including the transaction processing system  80  and the optional OMRI or the product code data  3  processing system  90 , such that the processing system  90  generates the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  for the merchant  16  (or directly for the consumer  18 ) and the transaction processing system  80  interacts with the merchant  16  and the consumer  18  to process the transaction  5  there-between upon receipt of the transaction payment request from the merchant  16  (or consumer  18 ), for example containing some or all of the information associated with the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (and/or information obtained from the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  from the transaction application  113  provisioned on the computer device  12 ) from the consumer  18 . It is also recognized (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) that the merchant interface  8  can also have a transaction processing system  80  and a processing system  90  with similar or differing (e.g. complimentary) functionality to that of the systems  80 , 90  of the transaction interface  15 . 
     In any event, the following is an illustrative descriptive example of the basic functionality of the processing system  80  and the system  90  for implementation by the merchant interface  8 , the transaction interface  15 , or a combination thereof. Subsequent sections provide more specific implementation examples of various components of the processing system  80  and the system  90  (e.g. network modules  40 , 50 , OMRI or the product code data  3  generation modules  32 ,  62 , decoder modules  66  (including transaction modules  34 ), registration modules  60 , presentment modules  33 , and transaction generation module  30 ). It is recognized that any functionality related to OMRI or the product code data  3  generation can be implemented by the processing system  80  and any transaction processing related functionality can be implemented by the system  90 , interchangeably as desired. It is also recognized that the systems  80 , 90  communicate with one another, as needed. It is also recognized that transmission of the ORMI  200  and/or product code data  3  can be substituted for a traditional electronic transaction payment request communicated to the transaction interface  15 , as discussed above. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the processing system  80  has a registration module  60  for via registration messages  82  (via network  11  with the devices  12 , 17 ) with the consumer  18  and the merchant  16 : registering merchants  16  for interaction with the transaction service  20  and creates a merchant profile (e.g. merchant registration details  117  that can include stored merchant data  208 ); registering consumers  18  for interaction with the transaction service  20  and creates a consumer profile including details of the main account information  61  as well as any subaccount information  61   a  for one or more subaccount holders of the main account holder (e.g. consumer registration details  117  that can include stored consumer data  211 ). Also included is a network communication module  40 , 50  for communicating network messages  13  (and other specific network messages as provided below) between the computer device  12  and the interfaces  8 , 15  and between the interfaces  8 , 15 , for example. 
     The network messages  13 , in general, provide for communication of unencoded merchant, consumer, and product information  201 , symbology information  204  in the form of the generated OMRI  200 , the table  63  containing information  61 , 61   a  that is indexed or otherwise cross-referenced to the product code data  3  and/or the consumer code data  3 , confirmation information denoting whether the transaction  5  has been successfully processed by the interfaces  8 , 15  and/or the transaction processing system  14 , transaction request messages from the computer device  12  requesting processing of the transaction  5  (including information  201  decoded from the OMRI  200  or otherwise obtained from the product code data  3  and/or symbology information  204  in or otherwise from the OMRI  200  in unencoded form), and any other network message described herein related to request and response messages for transaction  5  processing based on the original electronic transaction payment request received by the transaction interface  15 . Also included is a transaction generation module  30  configured to collect the various information  201  (e.g. product data  206 , merchant data  208 , transfer or transaction data  210 , consumer data  211 , and/or transaction or merchant identifier data  203 ) for conversion into the symbology information  204  by the system  90  or otherwise insertion into the table  63  as information  61 , 61   a  that is then indexed or otherwise cross-referenced to the product code data  3  or the consumer code data  3 . Also included can be a presentment module  33  for configuring the generated OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  for display on a display and/or for printing on a physical medium (or audibly presenting the product code data  3 ). 
     Also included can be a transaction processing module  65  for coordinating funds transfer instructions between financial accounts  70 , 72  settled by the transaction processing system  14 , using network messages  54 , 56 . Also included can be a transaction request module  34 , which can be configured to generate a transaction  5  request to the transaction service  20  including decoded information of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  where appropriate, as well as including any consumer code data  3  received from the consumer  18 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the system  90  can have a generation module  32 , 62  that uses an encoder  120  to encode the obtained unencoded merchant and product information  201 , optionally the identifier data  203 , as well as any other of the product data  206 , merchant data  208 , transaction data  210 , consumer data  211 , into the symbology information  204  for inclusion in the generated OMRI  200 , for subsequent delivery to the consumer environment  4  (e.g. via the merchant  16 ) and/or directly to the consumer  18 . Alternatively, the generation module  32 , 62  can insert into the table  63  the information  61  that is then indexed or otherwise cross-referenced to the product code data  3  (e.g. merchant and product information  201 , optionally the identifier data  203 , as well as any other of the product data  206 , merchant data  208 , transaction data  210 , consumer data  211  to be inserted into the table  63  as the information  61  mapped to the product code data  3 ). Also included is a transaction module  34  and/or decoder module  66  that uses a decoder  119  to decode the obtained symbology information  204  from the received OMRI  200  into merchant and product information  201 , optionally the identifier data  203 , as well as any other of the product data  206 , merchant data  208 , transaction data  210 , consumer data  211 . Alternatively, the transaction module  34  and/or decoder module  66  can use the product code data  3  to access the lookup table  63  and obtain the information  61  that is mapped to the product code data  3  in the table. 
     Also included is a transaction type module  68  that is configured to select the appropriate workflow instructions  218 , input data  215  and output data  217  required by the transaction  5  associated with the identifier  203  obtained from the OMRI symbology information  204  or the product code data  3 . Based on the appropriate workflow instructions  218 , input data  215  and output data  217  associated with the transaction  5 , the transaction type module  68  provides the content (or processes the expected content) of the network messages  13  in interaction between the computer devices  6 , 12 , 17 . 
     Computer Device  12   
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , each computer device  12  can be a wireless-enabled (e.g. WiFi, WAN, etc.) personal data assistant, or email-enabled wireless telephone, or a desktop computer terminal. In addition, the wireless communications are not limited to only facilitating transmission of text data (e.g. encrypted) and can therefore be used to transmit image data, audio data or multimedia data, for example, as desired. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the computer device  12  comprises a communication network interface  102 , a user interface  104 , and a data processing system  106  in communication with the network interface  102  and the user interface  104 . The network interface  102  can include one or more antennas for wireless communication over the communications network  11 . Preferably, the user interface  104  comprises a data entry device (such as keyboard, microphone or writing tablet), and a display device (such as an LCD display). The display screen of the user interface  104  can be used to visually present a graphical user interface (GUI) of the transaction application  113  to the user, including results of the OMRI  200  image capture process and processing. The display screen can employ a touch screen display, in which case the user can manipulate (i.e. enter and/or modify/delete) transaction  5  information (e.g. product data  206 , merchant data  208 , consumer data  211  and/or transaction data  210 ) obtained as textual information  201  from the decoded OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  and/or as supplemental information (e.g. merchant data  208 , consumer data  211 ) added to the textual information  201  in order to generate the transaction request  64  Network message  13 ). 
     The data processing system  106  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  108 , otherwise referred to as a computer processor, and a non-volatile memory storage device (e.g. DISC)  110  (such as a magnetic disc memory or electronic memory) and a read/write memory (RAM)  112  both in communication with the CPU  108 . The memory  110  includes data which, when loaded into the RAM, comprise processor instructions for the CPU  108  which define memory objects for allowing the computer device  12  to communicate with one another and the transaction service  20  (for accessing the transaction interface  15 ) and the merchant interface  8  (e.g. one or more processing servers) over the communications network  11 . The processor instructions for the CPU  108  will be discussed in greater detail below. 
     The CPU  108  is configured for execution of the transaction application  113  (including for example some or all of the system  80 , 90  functionality) for facilitating communication between the computer device  17  and the computer device  6  of the transaction service  20 . For example, it is recognized that the transaction application  113  is used to coordinate, as implemented by the CPU  108 , the generation, receipt, and processing of the OMRI  200  and the transaction  5  messages  13 . For example, the transaction application  113  can operate the imager  118  and the encoder/decoder  119 , 120 . 
     The CPU  108  facilitates performance of the computer device  12  configured for the intended task (e.g. of the respective module(s) of the transaction application  113 ) through operation of the network interface  102 , the user interface  104  and other application programs/hardware (e.g. web browser made available to the transaction application  113 ) of the computer device  12  by executing task related instructions. These task related instructions can be provided by an operating system, and/or software applications located in memory, and/or by operability that is configured into the electronic/digital circuitry of the processor(s)  108  designed to perform the specific task(s), including operation of the modules associated with the functionality of the systems  80 , 90 . Further, it is recognized that the device infrastructure  106  can include a computer readable storage medium  110  coupled to the processor  108  for providing instructions to the processor  108  and/or to load/update the instructions. The computer readable medium  110  can include hardware and/or software such as, by way of example only, memory cards such as flash memory or other solid-state memory. 
     Further, it is recognized that the computer device  12  can include the executable applications comprising code or machine readable instructions for implementing predetermined functions/operations including those of an operating system, the imager  118 , the decoder  119 , the encoder  120  and the transaction application  113 , and the browser, for example. The processor  108  as used herein is a configured device and/or set of machine-readable instructions for performing operations as described by example above, including those operations as performed by any or all of the imager  118 , the decoder  119 , the encoder  120  and the transaction application  113 . As used herein, the processor  108  may comprise any one or combination of, hardware, firmware, and/or software. The processor  108  acts upon information by manipulating, analyzing, modifying, converting or transmitting information for use by an executable procedure or an information device, and/or by routing the information with respect to an output device. The processor  108  may use or comprise the capabilities of a controller or microprocessor, for example. 
     The data processing system  106  includes the imager  118  (e.g. a camera including an image sensor—e.g. CCD or CMOS sensor) suitable for capturing images of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  displayed or otherwise presented by the merchant  16  within range of the imager  118  or the consumer  18 . The transaction application  113  is configured to control the operation of the imager  118  to capture the image of the OMRI  200 , as well as to operate the decoder  119  to provide for decoding at least a portion of the symbology information  204  into textual information  201 , if so configured, for subsequent use in generating the transaction/payment request message  13  directed to the transaction service  20 . The storage  110  can also contain the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  for use in decoding/encoding the OMRI  200 . 
     Further, it is recognized that the device  12  can include executable applications comprising code or machine readable instructions for implementing predetermined functions/operations including those of an operating system and the modules associated with any of the functionality of the systems  80 , 90  for example. 
     Transaction Service Device  6   
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the device  6  can be a wireless-enabled (e.g. WiFi, WAN, etc.) personal data assistant, or email-enabled wireless telephone, for example a tablet. In addition, the wireless communications are not limited to only facilitating transmission of text data (e.g. encrypted) and can therefore be used to transmit image data, audio data or multimedia data, for example, as desired. Preferably, the device  6  is a network server, for example. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the device  6  can comprise a communication network interface  102 , a user interface  104 , and a data processing system  106  in communication with the network interface  102  and the user interface  104 . The network interface  102  can include one or more antennas for wireless communication over the communications network  11 . The user interface  104  can comprise a data entry device (such as keyboard, microphone or writing tablet), and a display device (such as an LCD display). 
     The data processing system  106  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  108 , otherwise referred to as a computer processor, and a non-volatile or volatile memory storage device (e.g. DISC)  110  (such as a magnetic disc memory or electronic memory) and a read/write memory (RAM)  112  both in communication with the CPU  108 . The memory  110  includes data which, when loaded into the RAM, comprise processor instructions for the CPU  108  which define memory objects for allowing the device  6  to communicate with the computer devices  17 , 12  and the transaction processing system  14  (e.g. one or more processing servers) over the communications network  11 . The instructions can be used to provide or otherwise host the transaction interface  15  as a website running on the computer device  6  and accessed via the network  11 . 
     The CPU  108  is configured for execution of the transaction interface  15  for facilitating communication with the transaction processing system  14  and the computer devices  17 , 12 . For example, it is recognized that the transaction interface  15  is used to coordinate, as implemented by the CPU  108 , the generation, receipt, and processing of the textual information  201  and the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  and use of the product code data  3  to access the lookup table  63 , as well as coordinating the settlement of funds transfer of the transaction  5 , if any, between the specified accounts  70 , 72 . 
     The CPU  108  facilitates performance of the device  6  configured for the intended task (e.g. of the respective module(s) of the transaction interface  15 ) through operation of the network interface  102 , the user interface  104  and other application programs/hardware (e.g. web service made available through the transaction interface  15 ) of the device  6  by executing task related instructions. These task related instructions can be provided by an operating system, and/or software applications located in memory, and/or by operability that is configured into the electronic/digital circuitry of the processor(s)  108  designed to perform the specific task(s). Further, it is recognized that the device infrastructure  106  can include the computer readable storage medium  110  coupled to the processor  108  for providing instructions to the processor  108  and/or to load/update the instructions. The computer readable medium  110  can include hardware and/or software such as, by way of example only, memory cards such as flash memory or other solid-state memory. The storage  110  can also contain the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  for use in encoding and/or decoding the OMRI  200 , as well as interpretation of the product code data  3  via the lookup table  63 . 
     Further, it is recognized that the device  6  can include the executable applications comprising code or machine readable instructions for implementing predetermined functions/operations including those of an operating system and the modules associated with any of the functionality of the systems  80 , 90  for example. The processor  108  as used herein is a configured device and/or set of machine-readable instructions for performing operations as described by example above, including those operations as performed by any or all of the modules associated with any of the functionality of the systems  80 , 90 . As used herein, the processor  108  may comprise any one or combination of, hardware, firmware, and/or software. The processor  108  acts upon information by manipulating, analyzing, modifying, converting or transmitting information for use by an executable procedure or an information device in relation to transaction  5  processing, and/or by routing the information with respect to an output device. The processor  108  may use or comprise the capabilities of a controller or microprocessor, for example. 
     Merchant Device  17   
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the device  17  can be a wireless-enabled (e.g. WiFi, WAN, etc.) personal data assistant, or email-enabled wireless telephone, for example a tablet. In addition, the wireless communications are not limited to only facilitating transmission of text data (e.g. encrypted) and can therefore be used to transmit image data, audio data or multimedia data, for example, as desired. The device  17  can also be a network server or an association of computer devices such as a POS terminal, both wired and wireless. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the device  17  can comprise a communication network interface  102 , a user interface  104 , and a data processing system  106  in communication with the network interface  102  and the user interface  104 . The network interface  102  can include one or more antennas for wireless communication over the communications network  11 . The user interface  104  can comprise a data entry device (such as keyboard, microphone or writing tablet), and a display device (such as an LCD display). 
     The data processing system  106  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  108 , otherwise referred to as a computer processor, and a non-volatile or volatile memory storage device (e.g. DISC)  110  (such as a magnetic disc memory or electronic memory) and a read/write memory (RAM)  112  both in communication with the CPU  108 . The memory  110  includes data which, when loaded into the RAM, comprise processor instructions for the CPU  108  which define memory objects for allowing the device  6  to communicate with the computer devices  6 , 12  over the communications network  11 . The instructions can be used to provide or otherwise host the merchant interface  8  as a website running on the computer device  17  and accessed via the network  11 . 
     The CPU  108  is configured for execution of the merchant interface  8  for facilitating communication with the computer devices  6 , 12 . For example, it is recognised that the merchant interface  8  is used to coordinate, as implemented by the CPU  108 , the generation, receipt, and processing of the textual information  201  and the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200 , interpretation or other processing and/or transmission or retransmission of the product code data  3 , as well as coordinating the transfer of data  206 , 208 , 210 , 211 , 203  or data  3  via network messages  13  between the devices  6 , 12 , 17 . 
     The CPU  108  facilitates performance of the device  17  configured for the intended task (e.g. of the respective module(s) of the merchant interface  8 ) through operation of the network interface  102 , the user interface  104  and other application programs/hardware (e.g. web service made available through the merchant interface  8 ) of the device  17  by executing task related instructions. These task related instructions can be provided by an operating system, and/or software applications located in memory, and/or by operability that is configured into the electronic/digital circuitry of the processor(s)  108  designed to perform the specific task(s). Further, it is recognized that the device infrastructure  106  can include the computer readable storage medium  110  coupled to the processor  108  for providing instructions to the processor  108  and/or to load/update the instructions. The computer readable medium  110  can include hardware and/or software such as, by way of example only, memory cards such as flash memory or other solid-state memory. The storage  110  can also contain the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  for use in encoding and/or decoding the OMRI  200  or otherwise interpreting the product code data  3  or otherwise receiving the consumer code data  3  and using same in generation of the transaction payment request for sending to the transaction interface  15 . 
     Further, it is recognized that the device  17  can include the executable applications comprising code or machine readable instructions for implementing predetermined functions/operations including those of an operating system and the modules associated with any of the functionality of the systems  80 , 90  for example. The processor  108  as used herein is a configured device and/or set of machine-readable instructions for performing operations as described by example above, including those operations as performed by any or all of the modules associated with any of the functionality of the systems  80 , 90 . As used herein, the processor  108  may comprise any one or combination of, hardware, firmware, and/or software. The processor  108  acts upon information by manipulating, analyzing, modifying, converting or transmitting information for use by an executable procedure or an information device in relation to transaction  5  processing, and/or by routing the information with respect to an output device. The processor  108  may use or comprise the capabilities of a controller or microprocessor, for example. 
     Example Merchant Interface  8   
     The merchant interface  8  can be configured as a thick client of the generation capabilities (generation module  62 ) of the transaction service  20 , such that the merchant interface  8  is provisioned with transaction and/or processing functionality similar to (or at least a portion of) that functionality of the transaction processing system  80  and/or processing system  90  as described above for the transaction service  20  and below as further examples of the system  80 , 90  functionality. It is recognized that the thick client version of the merchant interface  8  could be configured to perform some of the processing on behalf of or otherwise in substitution of any of the processing functionality of the processing/generation system implemented by the transaction service  20  during processing of the transaction  5 . It is also recognized that the thick client version of the merchant interface  8  could also be configured to communicate over the network  11  via a series of web pages as generated or otherwise received by the merchant interface  8 , sent as network messages between the computer device  17  and the transaction service  20 . It is also recognized that the merchant interface  8  could request or otherwise obtain the OMRI  200  pertaining to the transaction  5  directly from the transaction service  20 , i.e. operating as a thin client of the transaction service  20 , rather than directly generating the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  using systems of the merchant interface  8  itself. In either case, the following description of the module  62  can be representative of the generation capabilities of the module  62  of the merchant interface  8  and/or of the module  62  of the transaction service  20 , as desired. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , shown is an example configuration of the merchant interface  8  that can include a network communications module  50  for receiving order request messages from the computer device  12  and for sending order response messages to the computer device  12  over a communication network  11 . The communication network  11  can be a one or more networks, for example such as but not limited to: the Internet; an extranet; and/or an intranet. Further, the communication network  11  can be a wired or wireless network. It is also recognized that network messages can be communicated between the computer device  12  and the network communications module  50  via short range wireless communication protocols such as but not limited to Bluetooth™, infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF), near field communication (NFC) and other protocols as desired. 
     The network communications module  50  can also be configured to send and receive order confirmation messages over the communications network  11  with respect to the payment transaction interface  15 . Also included is a database  110  containing product data  206  (e.g. product pricing, product descriptions, product availability, etc.), merchant data  208  (e.g. merchant bank account number, a unique merchant reference ID of the merchant assigned by the transaction interface  15 , tax or merchant business registration details), and network  11  address information of the transaction interface  15 . The database  110  can also have customized OMRI definitions of a customized coding scheme  209  containing relationships (e.g. rules) between machine readable symbology and codewords used to encode (or decode) invoice information during generation of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  used to represent the transaction  5 . 
     For example, the customized coding scheme  209  can be used to encode (i.e. translate) unencoded (e.g. text based) information  201  of the transaction  5  into symbology information  204 , performed during generation of the OMRI  200 . The customized coding scheme  209  can also be used to decode (i.e. interpret) symbology information  204  present in the OMRI  200  into unencoded information  201  of the transaction  5  during processing of the OMRI  200  (e.g. by the computer device  12  and/or the transaction interface  15 ). It is recognized that the customized coding scheme  209  is known to the transaction interface  15  (e.g. by its OMRI generation module  62 ) and can include customized code words pertaining to specific invoice information such as but not limited to: merchant ID, consumer ID; invoice amounts; invoice number; etc. It is recognized that processing of the product code data  3  can be done by accessing the lookup table  63  of the transaction service  20  and/or a local lookup table  63  resident or otherwise accessible external to the transaction service  20 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 9 , the merchant interface  8  also has an order generation module  60  used to collect the transaction  5  data (e.g. product data  206 , merchant data  208 , consumer data  209  and/or transaction data  210  as well as consumer code data  3 —see  FIG. 3 ) for the plurality of products ordered/selected by the consumer  18  during interaction (e.g. online) with the merchant interface  8  via the computer device  12  (e.g. over the communications network  11 ). It is recognized that product data  206  and some of the consumer data  211  of the transaction  5 , such as specific products ordered and quantity of each product, could be provided to the order generation module  60  obtained from order request messages (e.g. via the network communications module  50 ). Further, the order generation module  60  would collect (or otherwise receive) the merchant data  208  for the transaction  5  from the database  110  as well as pricing information (e.g. product data  206 ) of the ordered products. The order generation module  60  also generates the transaction data  210  pertaining to product pricing total (optionally including applicable taxes) that includes the total invoice amount owed by the consumer and merchant identification information (associated with or otherwise embodying the merchant bank account information) of the transaction  5 . For example, in terms of the merchant bank account information, this could be supplied as part of the merchant information included in the transaction  5  data or this could be supplied as a merchant identification information (e.g. merchant ID) used by the transaction interface  15  to lookup the actual merchant bank account information known to the transaction interface  15  and therefore abstracted from the consumer  18 . 
     The merchant interface  8  has the module  62  that can be configured to use the available transaction  5  data and the customized coding scheme  209  to optionally generate the OMRI  200  or optionally populate the lookup table  63  in the case of the product code data  3 . It is recognized that the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  can be generated by the module  62  to contain data of the transaction  5  pertaining to the product(s) chosen by the consumer  18 , including payment transaction data needed by the processing system  14  or transaction interface  15  to settle the transaction (associated with the transaction  5  data), including optionally transferring funds from a specified account of the consumer  18  to a specified account of the merchant  16 . In this example, it is envisioned that the merchant  16  would preregister with the transaction interface  15  and be provided with a merchant ID that is associated with the merchant&#39;s actual account information  117  (and any other sensitive merchant information) stored in a secure database  110  of the transaction interface  15 . 
     It is also envisioned as an alternative embodiment, that the OMRI module  62  can be configured to not generate some or all of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 , rather send via request messages the relevant data of the transaction  5  (as collected by the order generation module  60 ) to the transaction interface  15 . In response, the merchant interface  8  would receive via the response messages the generated OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 , for subsequent use in providing the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  to the consumer  18 . In this case, the OMRI module  62  of the transaction interface  15  is the entity that generates the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  upon request of the merchant interface  8 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 9 , the merchant interface  8  can also optionally have a presentment module  63 , used by the merchant  16  to physically and/or electronically display the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (e.g. audibly in the case of the product code data  3 ) to the consumer  18 , for example when ordering and payment of the merchant products are occurring at the point of sale (POS). The POS is defined as a checkout location where the order transaction is initiated and confirmation of transaction acceptance or rejection is received, such that the merchant  16  is the business (bricks and mortar store or service) that takes payment from the consumer  18  for the merchant&#39;s products. Therefore, it should be recognized that the merchant interface  8  of the POS system can defined to include (or otherwise be associated with—e.g. in communication with via a local area network—not shown) a physical POS terminal (e.g. an electronic cash register) in physical proximity to the consumer  18  at the time of product order and purchase. For example, the presentment module  63  can be configured to provide instructions to a printer for physically printing the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  and/or can be configured to provide instructions to an electronic display for displaying the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 . In either case, the OMRI presentment module  63  is configured to present the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  to the consumer  18  for subsequent image capture (of the OMRI  200 ) or data capture (e.g. text entry input via the user interface) of the product code data  3  using the consumer&#39;s computer device  12  (i.e. mobile device). 
     Encoding 
     One example of the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  for barcodes is a modified UPC (Universal Product Code) to include invoice specific data. Another example is a modified QR scheme, as further described below. The numbers and/or letters (e.g. ASCII—American Standard Code for Information Interchange) stored in the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  are unique identifiers representing the particular standard code and custom code (representing invoice specific data) defined in the customized coding scheme  209  that, when read by a OMRI decoder, can be used to look up additional information about the invoice item associated with the OMRI  200 . For example, the price, and optional description, of the product would be encoded in the OMRI  200  using the symbology information  204 . 
     Accordingly, the OMRI module  62  can take the payment data and use the codes and associated rules of the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  to convert a piece of the unencoded information  201  (for example, a letter, word, phrase, etc.) of the transaction  5  data into another form or representation (one sign into another sign), not necessarily of the same type, i.e. the symbology information  204 . In information processing performed by the OMRI generation module  62 , encoding is the process by which information  201  of the transaction  5  is converted into symbols (of the symbol format  204  defined by the customized coding scheme  209 ) to be communicated. Decoding is the reverse process, converting these code symbols  204  back into unencoded information  201  understandable by a receiver. Therefore, the symbology information  204  generated from the unencoded information  201  of the transaction  5  data is used by the OMRI generation module  62  to construct the OMRI  200 , according to the customized coding scheme  209 . This OMRI  200  is made available to the network communications module  50  to be sent in the order response message (for example) to the computer device  12  (e.g. displayed on a browser screen of the user interface  104  of the computer device  12 —see  FIG. 5 , delivered as an image file in the network message, etc.). It is recognized that the OMRI  200  represents symbolically the unencoded data  201  of the transaction  5 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the transaction  5  is used by the consumer  18  and the merchant  16  to define what has been purchased, when, by whom, from whom, and how much money has been spent on what. The OMRI  200  can be generated to include the symbology information  204  as product information  201  for two or more products (for example) as the transaction  5 , such that the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  encodes information  201  of product data  206 , merchant data  208 , consumer data  211  and/or transaction data  210  of the payment transaction  5 . Therefore, the OMRI  200  can represent at least part of the payment transaction  5 , using the symbology information  204 , defined as a commercial contract issued by the merchant  16  to the consumer  18 , indicating the products, quantities, and/or agreed prices for products the merchant has (or will) provide the consumer  18  in exchange for payment (i.e. debit of consumer account and corresponding debit of merchant account) of the payment transaction  5 . Alternatively, the transaction  5  can be represented as a traditional electronic transaction payment request as noted above. As noted, the payment transaction  5  could include the consumer code data  3  for use by transaction interface  15  in identifying which consumer  18  account (or subaccount) information  61 , 61   a  is to be used in processing the payment transaction  5 . Further, the payment transaction  5  can indicate the consumer  18  must pay the merchant  16 , according to any payment terms contained in the payment transaction  5 . It is also recognized that the payment transaction  5  in a rental or professional services context could also include a specific reference to the duration of the time being billed, so rather than quantity, price and cost, the invoicing amount can be based on quantity, price, cost and duration. For example, the rental/services payment transaction  5  can refer to the actual time (e.g. hours, days, weeks, months, etc.) being billed. 
     It is recognized that from the point of view of a merchant  16 , the payment transaction  5  can be regarded as a sales invoice. From the point of view of the consumer  18 , the payment transaction  5  can be regarded as a purchase invoice. The payment transaction  5  can identify both the consumer  18  and the merchant  16 , but the term “invoice” generally refers to the fact that money is owed or owing between the merchant  16  and consumer  18 . 
     For example, the product data  206  of the symbology information  204  can include for each product, information such as but not limited to: a product identifier (e.g. product number or code—such as a UPC code), a product purchase price (e.g. unit price of the product), a quantity number of the product (e.g. the number  2  in the case where two of the same product in the purchase order); and/or a description of the product. The merchant data  208  of the symbology information  204  can include information such as but not limited to: name and contact details of the merchant; a bank account number of the merchant; a unique merchant reference ID of the merchant assigned by the processing system  14 ; location of the merchant retail location; tax or merchant registration details (e.g. tax number or business number such as a VAT (value added tax) identification number or a registration number for GST purposes in order to claim input tax credits) and/or indication of whether the purchase is an online or physical retail location purchase. The transaction data  210  of the symbology information  204  can include information such as but not limited to: a unique reference number (for use in tracking correspondence associated with the transaction  5 ); date of the transaction; tax payments as a percentage of the purchase price of the each of the products (e.g. GST or VAT); date (e.g. approximate) that the products were (or are to be) sent or delivered; purchase order number (or similar tracking numbers requested by the consumer  18  to be mentioned on the transaction  5 ); total amount charged (optionally with breakdown of taxes) for the product(s); payment terms (including method of payment, date of payment, and/or details about charges for late payment); international customs information; shipping destination; and/or shipping origination location. The symbology information  204  can include the consumer code data  3 . It is recognized that the data  206 , 208 , 210 , 211  of the symbology information  204  is also represented in at least whole or in part in the unencoded information  201 . In this manner, what symbology information  204  in the OMRI  200  can be decoded (e.g. by the computer device  12  and/or the transaction interface  15 ) into the information  201 , and the information  201  can be encoded (by the transaction interface  15 ) into the symbology information  204 . 
     In terms of consumer data  211 , this data of the symbology information  204  can include information such as but not limited to: a reference code (consumer code data  3 ) to be passed along the transaction identifying the payer (e.g. consumer  18 ); name and contact details (e.g. address) of the consumer  18 ; and/or an account number (e.g. a bank account number, a credit card number, a debit card number of the consumer  18 ) identifying the source of funds to be used to pay for the products. It is recognized that the account number identifying the consumer  18  source of funds to be used to pay for the products, instead of being encoded in the symbology  204 , can be supplied by the consumer  18  using the user interface  104  of the consumer computer device, as further described below. 
     As discussed above, it is recognized that the customized coding scheme  209  contains code words and rules for use in translating (i.e. encoding, decoding) between the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  and the unencoded information  201  of the transaction  5 . 
     Example Transaction Application  113  Configuration 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , it is recognized that the transaction application  113  can include a plurality of OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  related processing functionality, a plurality of transaction processing functionality and/or client functionality configured for network  11  communication with a transaction interface  15  in a client-server relationship (in association with or in substitution of the systems  80 , 90  capabilities and functionalities. For example, the transaction application  113  can be configured as a thin client of the transaction interface  15 , such that the transaction application  113  is configured to interact with processing systems  80 , 90  of the transaction interface  15  via a series of web pages generated by the processing systems  80 , 90  of the transaction interface  15 , sent via network messages and displayed on the user interface  104  of the computer  12 . Accordingly, the transaction application  113  would interact with a web browser (or other network communication program) to send and receive the messages via the network  11  containing transaction  5  specific information, i.e. to display the web pages on the user interface  104  including output data for the transaction  5  and to coordinate the entry of input data on the user interface  104  and network transmission of the input data for the transaction  5 . 
     Alternatively, the transaction application  113  can be configured as a thick client of the transaction interface  15 , such that the transaction application  113  is provisioned with transaction and/or OMRI or the product code data  3  processing functionality similar to (or at least a portion of) that functionality of the processing system  80  and/or generation system  90  of the transaction interface  15 , as further described below. It is recognized that the thick client version of the transaction application  113  could be configured to perform some of the transaction or OMRI or the product code data  3  processing on behalf of or otherwise in substitution of any of the processing functionality of the processing system  80  and/or the generation system  90  implemented by the transaction interface  15  during processing of the transaction  5 . It is also recognized that the thick client version of the transaction application  113  could also be configured to communicate over the network  11  via a series of web pages as generated or otherwise received by the of the transaction interface  15 , sent as network messages between the computer devices  6 , 12  and the transaction interface  15 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 10 , the transaction application  113  can be configured as a client application of the transaction service  20 , is configured for generation (i.e. encoding) and presentment of the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  to the transaction interface  15 , and/or is configured for processing (i.e. decoding) of the presented OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  (e.g. table  63  lookup) and generation of payment request to the transaction service  20 . The transaction application  113  is also configured to provide a graphical interface (on the user interface  104 —see  FIG. 5 ), for example, to facilitate entry of information for the merchant  16  as well as entry of the payment amount requested (e.g. via a transaction generation module  30 ). The transaction application  113  is also configured to provide a graphical interface, for example, to facilitate entry of consumer  18  information (e.g. consumer code data  3 , as well as PIN or other consumer identification or payment authorization data). 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , shown is an example configuration of the transaction application  113  that can include a network communications module  40  for communicating (e.g. sending or receiving) request messages between the computer devices  6 , 12  and for communicating (e.g. sending or receiving) messages between the computer devices  6 , 12  over the communications network  11 . The network communications module  40  is also configured for sending a transaction request (e.g. a request containing the appropriate payment data of the request to allow to the transaction interface  15  to coordinate the payment processing and actual funds transfer between accounts  70 , 72 ) as well as receiving transaction confirmation messages from the transaction service  20  (containing information indicating that the appropriate account  70 , 72  has been credited or debited as the case warrants) and that the transaction  5  has been completed. 
     The confirmation message(s) received by the transaction application  113  could contain details of the payment processing including that the account was (or will be) credited/debited by the payment amount of the transaction  5 , as well as any transaction data  210  (see  FIG. 4 ) identifying the transaction  5  (e.g. transfer ID, consumer ID, description of the products, etc.) for their accounting records. It is recognized that the transaction application  113  would could also receive confirmation message(s) containing details of the payment processing including that the account was (or will be) debited by the payment amount of the transaction  5 , as well as any transaction data  210  identifying the transaction  5  (e.g. transfer ID, merchant ID, description of the products, etc.) for accounting records. 
     The network communications module  40  can also be configured to send and receive the transaction confirmation messages over the communications network  11  with respect to the transaction service  20 . Also included is a database  110  containing any optional product data  206  (e.g. product descriptions, product availability, etc.), data  208  (e.g. bank account number, a unique reference ID of the merchant assigned by the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the registration module  60 —see  FIG. 11 ), tax or merchant business registration details, and registration details  117  of the merchant), consumer data  211  (e.g. consumer bank account number, a unique consumer reference ID of the consumer assigned by the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the registration module  60 —see  FIG. 11 ), tax or consumer business registration details, and registration details  117  of the consumer) and network  11  address information of the transaction service  20 . It is recognize that preferably the transaction application  113  of the merchant  16  does not have access to sensitive consumer data  211  (e.g. PIN numbers and/or actual bank account numbers) and preferably the transaction application  113  of the consumer  18  does not have access to sensitive merchant data  208  (e.g. PIN numbers and/or actual bank account numbers). 
     The database  110  can also have customized OMRI definitions of a customized coding scheme  209  containing relationships (e.g. rules) between machine readable symbology and code words used to encode (or decode) transaction  5  information during generation of the OMRI  200  used to represent the transaction  5 . For example, the customized coding scheme  209  can be used to encode (i.e. translate) information  201  (see  FIG. 4 ) of the transaction  5  into symbology information  204 , performed during generation of the OMRI  200  (e.g. by the computer device  12  and/or the transaction service  20 ). The customized coding scheme  209  can also be used to decode (i.e. interpret) symbology information  204  present in the OMRI  200  into text based information  201  of the transaction  5  during processing of the OMRI  200  (e.g. by the computer device  12  and/or the transaction service  20 ). It is recognized that the customized coding scheme  209  can be known to the transaction service  20  and can include customized code words pertaining to specific funds information such as but not limited to: registration details  117  of the merchant and/or consumer, merchant ID, consumer ID; payment amounts; transaction number(s); etc. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 10 , the transaction application  113  also has a transaction generation module  30  used to collect the transaction  5  data (e.g. product data  206 , data  208 , data  211  and/or transfer data  210 ) associated with the transaction  5  selected/entered by the consumer  18  during initiation of the transaction  5 . It is recognized that optional product data  206  and some of the data  211  of the transaction  5 , such as specific products ordered and quantity of each product, could be provided to the transaction generation module  30  obtained from request messages (e.g. via the network communications module  40 ). Further, the transaction generation module  30  would collect (or otherwise receive) the data  208  for the transaction  5  from the database  110 . The transaction generation module  30  also generates the transaction  5  data optionally including total payment amount owed (for example) by the consumer  18  and merchant identification information (associated with or otherwise embodying the merchant bank account information) of the transaction  5 . For example, in terms of the merchant bank account information, this could be supplied as part of the merchant information included in the transaction  5  data or this could be supplied as a merchant identification information (e.g. merchant ID) used by the transaction service  20  to lookup the actual merchant bank account information known to the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the registration module  60 —see  FIG. 10 ) and therefore abstracted from the consumer  18 . 
     It is recognized that the transaction generation module  30  could also be configured to provide to the user of the computer device  12  (via a presented graphical user interface on the user interface  104  of the computer device  12 ) the ability to select or otherwise enter the desired account (e.g. specifying a credit card number, a debit card number, or any other account information for use in accepting/paying the payment amount—for example the consumer code data  3  and/or any confirmation/authorization data associated with access to the financial account  72  associated with the main account and/or subaccount information  61 , 61   a ). The transaction generation module  30  could also provide, via the graphical user interface, the ability of the consumer or merchant to enter their PIN (or other password information specific to accessing their assigned financial accounts  72  directly) associated with the specified account (or subaccount), thereby indicating that the user of the computer device  12  (or merchant device  17 ) at the time of generating the transaction and resultant OMRI  200  has the authority to authorize the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the transfer processing module  65 ) to coordinate transfer involving the specified account. The PIN, or other password information specific to accessing the selected financial accounts  72  directly, can be considered as part of the data  211  included in the payment transaction transfer  5  data and included in the symbology information  204 , either directly or otherwise abstracted during generation of the OMRI  200 . For example, the PIN or other password information would not be the actual PIN or password information made available to the financial institutions of the accounts  72 , rather would be reference information used by the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the registration module  60 ) to look up the actual PIN or password information stored in the registration details  117  of the consumer  18  using the reference PIN or password provided by the consumer  18  during generation of the OMRI  200 . 
     This use of PIN or password information is advantageous, in addition to any passwords required to access the computer device  12  in general (e.g. device login) and/or login to the transaction application  113  specifically, as the owner of the computer device  12  would not want any unauthorized access to their financial accounts to occur. It is also envisioned that the entered PIN or password information could be done by the user in order to login to the transaction application  113  itself (i.e. access the functionality of the transaction application  113  provisioned on the computer device  12 ). It is also recognized that the user of the computer device  12  may wish to have separate PINs or passwords associated with each account accessible through the transaction application  113  itself (e.g. selectable) and/or known to the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the registration module  60 ) via the registration details  117 , in addition to a general login (including password) to the computer device  12  and/or payment application in general. 
     The transaction application  113  can also have a generation module  32 , including an encoder  120 , that is configured to use the available/collected transaction  5  data and the customized coding scheme  209  to generate the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 . It is recognized that the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  is generated by the generation module  32  to contain data of the transaction  5  pertaining to the payment amount, including payment transaction data needed by the transaction service  20  to coordinate settlement of the financial transaction (associated with the transaction  5  data) via the transaction processing system  14  in transferring funds from the specified account of the consumer  18  to the specified account of the merchant  16 . In this example, it is envisioned that the merchant  16  is preregistered (i.e. has provided the registration details  117 ) with the transaction service  20  and is provided with a merchant ID (e.g. via the registration module  60 ) that is associated with the merchant actual account information (and any other sensitive requestor information), both of which are stored in a secure database  110  of the transaction service  20  (thereby providing for the lookup by the registration module  60 ). 
     Encoding 
     One example of the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  for barcodes is a modified UPC (Universal Product Code) to include invoice specific data. Another example is a modified QR scheme, as further described below. The numbers and/or letters (e.g. ASCII—American Standard Code for Information Interchange) stored in the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  are unique identifiers representing the particular standard code and custom code (representing transaction and OMRI specific data) defined in the customized coding scheme  209  that, when read by the OMRI decoder  119  or encoder  120 , can be used to look up additional information about the transaction item associated with the OMRI  200 . For example, the payment amount, and optional description, of the product would be encoded in the OMRI  200  using the symbology information  204 . 
     Accordingly, the OMRI generation module  32  takes the transaction  5  data (i.e. as the information  201 ) and uses the codes and associated rules of the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  to convert a piece of the information  201  (for example, a letter, word, phrase, etc.) of the transaction  5  data into another form or representation (one sign into another sign), not necessarily of the same type, i.e. the symbology information  204 . In information processing performed by the OMRI generation module  32 , encoding is the process by which textual information  201  of the transaction  5  is converted into symbols (of the symbol format  204  defined by the customized coding scheme  209 ) to be communicated/presented. Decoding is the reverse process, converting these code symbols  204  back into information  201  understandable by a receiver. Therefore, the symbology information  204  generated from the information  201  of the transaction  5  data is used by the OMRI generation module  32  to construct the OMRI  200 , according to the customized coding scheme  209 . This OMRI  200  can be made available to the network communications module  40  to be sent in the request message (delivered as an image file for example) to the computer device  6  or can be displayed on a browser screen of the user interface  104  of the computer device  12 . It is recognized that the OMRI  200  represents symbolically the data  201  of the transaction  5  and associated payment request. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the transaction application  113  also has a transaction request module  34 , including the decoder  119 , used to decode the received OMRI  200 , select or otherwise enter (e.g. via a provided graphical user interface generated by the transaction application  113  on the user interface  104  of the computer device  12 ) account information of the consumer  18  as well as any other relevant data  211 , and to generate the transaction request directed to the transaction service  20 . It is recognized that the transaction request could include decoded transaction  5  data (e.g. information  201 ) obtained from the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200 , and/or at least some of the symbology information  204  itself of the OMRI  200 ), as well as account data  211  pertaining to the selected mode of payment/credit and any other input data  215 . 
     It could be advantageous for security purposes to allow the transaction request module  34  to decode only a portion of the symbology information  204  (of the OMRI  200 ) pertinent to the consumer  18  (e.g. non-sensitive merchant identification information, unique transfer ID, etc.) and to leave any merchant sensitive information (e.g. merchant account information, for example including PIN or password data) as undecoded (i.e. remain encoded) from the symbology information  204  and therefore abstracted from the consumer  18 . In this manner, the decoder  119  of the transaction request module  34  would not have the ability to decode certain sensitive information in the symbology information  204  pertaining only to the merchant  16 , in other words only that payment data common to both of the merchant  16  and the consumer  18  is decodable by the decoder  119  (common information for example could be payment amount, transfer ID, product description, names of merchant and consumer). 
     One embodiment, to provide for the sensitive portions of the symbology information  204  to remain unencoded, is where the decoder  119  (of the transaction application  113 ) of the computer device  12  does not have access to the encryption key used by the encoder  120  used to generate the merchant specific details of the OMRI  200 . Further, in this example, it is recognized that in the event where the transaction service  20  does receive encoded symbology information  204  in the transaction request, the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the registration module  60 ) would have access to the requestor encryption key and/or the responder encryption key via their respective registration details  117  stored in the database  110 . 
     In cryptography, the encryption key can be defined as a piece of information (a parameter) that determines the functional output of a cryptographic algorithm or cipher (i.e. as implemented by the encoder  120  or decoder  119 ). Without the key, the algorithm of the encoder  120  or decoder  119  would produce no useful result (i.e. the decoded symbology information  204  would be meaningless). In encryption, the key specifies the particular transformation of plaintext into ciphertext, or vice versa during decryption. Keys can be used in cryptographic algorithms, such as digital signature schemes and message authentication codes. 
     Further, the transaction request module  34  could also be configured to provide to the user of the computer device  12  (via a presented graphical user interface on the user interface  104  of the computer device  12 ) the ability to select or otherwise enter the desired account (e.g. specifying a credit card number, a debit card number, or any other account information for use in accepting/paying the payment amount). The transaction request module  34  could also provide, via the graphical user interface, the ability of the consumer  18  to enter their PIN (or other password information specific to accessing their financial accounts directly) associated with the specified account, thereby indicating that the user of the computer device  12  at the time of generating the transaction request has the authority to authorize the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the transaction processing module  65 ) to coordinate funds transfer involving the specified account. The PIN, or other password information specific to accessing the selected financial accounts directly, can be considered as part of the data  211  included in transaction request data, either directly or otherwise abstracted during generation of the transaction request. For example, the PIN or other password information would not be the actual PIN or password information made available to the financial institutions of the accounts  70 , 72 , rather would be reference information used by the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the registration module  60 ) to look up the actual PIN or password information stored in the registration details  117  of the consumer  18  using the reference PIN or password information provided by the consumer  18  during generation of the transaction request. 
     Decoding 
     One example of the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  for barcodes is modified UPC (Universal Product Code). The numbers and/or letters (e.g. ASCII—American Standard Code for Information Interchange) encoded in the OMRI  200  are unique identifiers representing the particular custom code defined in the customized coding scheme  209  that, when read by the OMRI decoder  119 , can be used to look up additional information about the invoice item associated with the OMRI  200 . For example, the payment amount and optional description of the product would be stored in the OMRI  200  using the symbology information  204 , as well as any pertinent data  208  and/or data  211 . The decoder  119  circuitry and/or software is used to recognize and/or to make sense of the symbology information  204  that make up OMRI  200 . The decoder  119  can translates symbols  204  into corresponding digital output in a traditional data format (i.e. as information  201 ). In order to decode the information in OMRI  200 , for example for 1D barcodes, the widths of the bars and spaces are recognized via edge detection and their widths measured. 
     Transaction Service  20  and Transaction Interface  15   
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , shown is an example configuration of the transaction service  20  including the computer device  6  (e.g. a web server) hosting the transaction interface  15 . The transaction interface  15  can include a network communications module  50  for receiving transaction payment request messages (e.g. providing information  201  and optionally expecting a generated OMRI  200  or the product code data  3 ) from the merchant interface  8  (e.g. computer device  17 ) and for sending processing messages to the transaction processing system  14  over the communications network  11 . As discussed above, it is recognized that the transaction payment request messages could include the consumer code data  3  for use in identifying the account (e.g. main account and/or subaccount) associated with the consumer  18 . 
     The network communications module  50  can also be configured to send and receive transfer confirmation messages to the computer devices  17 , 12  (in response to the received transaction request messages) over the communications network  11  with respect to the computer devices  17 , 12 . Also included is a database  110  containing registration details  117  of the merchant  16  and/or consumer  18  (including the consumer code data  3  for use in matching the consumer code data  3  transmitted in the transaction payment request) as discussed above, and network  11  address information of the transaction processing system  14 . The database  110  can also have customized OMRI definitions of the customized coding scheme  209  containing relationships (e.g. rules) between machine readable symbology and codewords used to encode (or decode) information during encoding and/or decoding of symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  used to represent the transaction  5  associated with the payment request. 
     For example, the customized coding scheme  209  can be used by the OMRI generation module  62  to encode (i.e. translate) text based information  201  of the transaction  5  (including data received from the computer  17 ) into symbology information  204 , performed during generation of the OMRI  200 . The customized coding scheme  209  can also be used to decode (i.e. interpret) symbology information  204  present in the OMRI  200  into text based information  201  of the transaction  5  during processing of the OMRI  200 . It is recognized that the customized coding scheme  209  is known to the transaction service  20  and can include customized code words pertaining to specific payment information such as but not limited to: sensitive financial information. As discussed above, the product code data  3  can also be generated by selecting the desired series of alpha and/or numeric characters for the product code data  3  and then populating the lookup table  63  with the information  61  that is mapped to the product code data  3  in the lookup table  63 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 11 , the transaction interface  15  also has a registration module  60  used to collect the registration details  117  during registration of the merchant  16  and/or the consumer  18 . Further to that discussed above, it is recognized that the registration details  117  can include PIN data and/or password data used to access the specified account(s)  70 , 72  through the financial institutions of the transaction processing system  14 . For example, in terms of the bank account information, this could be supplied as part of the reference account information included in the transaction payment request, for example used by the registration module  60  to lookup the actual bank account information in the registration details  117  known only to the transaction service  20 , and therefore abstracted from the appropriate merchant  16  or consumer  18  (e.g. main account or subaccount holder). 
     The transaction interface  15  can also have the generation module  62  that is configured, by an encoder  120 , to use the received information  201  data and the customized coding scheme  209  to generate the OMRI  200 , or populate the lookup table  63  in the case of the product code data  3 , for subsequent delivery to the computer device  12  if configured as part of the processing for the transaction  5  (i.e. the computer device  17  sends the information  201  to the transaction service  20  and the transaction service  20  then sends the generated OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  directly to the computer device  12 ). It is recognized that the OMRI  200  or the product code data  3  can be generated by the generation module  62  to contain data of the transaction  5  pertaining to the payment amount provided by the merchant  16 , including transaction data needed by the payment transaction processing system  14  to settle the financial transaction by transferring funds between specified accounts  70 , 72 . 
     Encoding 
     One example of the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  for barcodes is a modified UPC (Universal Product Code) to include invoice specific data. Another example is a modified QR scheme, as further described below. The numbers and/or letters (e.g. ASCII—American Standard Code for Information Interchange) stored in the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  are unique identifiers representing the particular standard code and custom code (representing invoice specific data) defined in the customized coding scheme  209  that, when read by a OMRI decoder  119 , can be used to look up additional information about the invoice item associated with the OMRI  200 . 
     Accordingly, the OMRI generation module  62  takes the text based information  201  data and uses the codes and associated rules of the customized coding interpretation scheme  209  to convert a piece of the information  201  (for example, a letter, word, phrase, etc.) into another form or representation (one sign into another sign), not necessarily of the same type, i.e. the symbology information  204 . In information processing performed by the OMRI generation module  62 , encoding is the process by which textual information  201  is converted into symbols (of the symbol format  204  defined by the customized coding scheme  209 ) to be communicated. Decoding is the reverse process, converting these code symbols  204  back into textual information  201  understandable by a receiver. Therefore, the symbology information  204  generated from the textual information  201  is used by the OMRI generation module  62  to construct the OMRI  200 , according to the customized coding scheme  209 . This OMRI  200  is made available to the network communications module  50  to be sent in the order response message (for example) to the computer device  17  for subsequent delivery to the computer device  12  to be displayed on a browser screen of the user interface  104  of the computer device  12  or otherwise delivered as an image file in the network message. It is recognized that the OMRI  200  represents symbolically the data  201 . Alternatively, the network communications module  50  could send the OMRI  200  in the message directly to the computer device  12  (e.g. displayed on a browser screen of the user interface  104  of the computer device  12  or otherwise delivered as an image file in the network message, etc.). 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the transaction interface  15  can also have a decoder module  66 , including the decoder  119 , used to decode the received OMRI  200  in the case where the transaction request data includes symbology information  204 . For example, the decoder  119  could be used to decode account information of the transaction  5  (pertaining to the selected mode of payment/credit of the consumer  18  and optionally including the PIN or password data of the account) as well as any other relevant data  208  from the symbology  204 , for example using the respective encryption key stored in the registration details  117  of the merchant  16 ). 
     Referring again to  FIG. 10 , once all of the textual information  201  is received by the transaction interface  15  or otherwise decoded, a transfer processing module  65  can communicate using transaction processing messages with the transaction processing system  14  (for example to complete the transaction by having funds paid, by completing registration or subscription), as facilitated by matching of the received consumer code data  3  in the transaction payment request from the merchant interface  8  with similar consumer code data  3  stored in the consumer information  61 , 61   a  of the consumer profile details  117 . It is recognized that the transaction processing messages could include decoded transaction  5  data (e.g. textual information  201 ) obtained from the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200 , and/or as received from the computer device  12 , including account data and the payment amount. 
     Further, the transfer processing module  65  could be configured to confirm whether the received PIN or password information matches the corresponding PIN or password information stored in their respective registration details  117  that is associated with their respective account (e.g. credit card number, a debit card number, or any other account information for use in accepting/paying the payment amount). In the event that the received PIN or password information (for the merchant and/or the consumer) matches the corresponding PIN or password information stored in their respective registration details  117 , the transfer processing module  65  has confirmed that at the time of generating the OMRI  200  and/or at the time that the transaction request was generated, the respective merchant  16  and/or the respective consumer  18  had the authority to authorize the transaction service  20  to coordinate funds transfer involving the specified account(s). In the event that the received PIN or password information does not match the corresponding PIN or password information stored in their respective registration details  117 , the transfer processing module  65  could deny the transaction request and send notice of the denial back to the computer devices  17 , 12  via the respective transaction confirmation messages. For example, if both matches fail, then both of the computer devices  17 , 12  would be notified of the denial. Otherwise if only one of matches failed, then the respective one of the computer devices  17 , 12  would be notified of the denial. 
     In any event, the transfer processing module  65  is also configured to receive confirmation message(s) from the transaction processing system  14 , such that confirmation message(s) include a confirmation that the payment amount has either been transferred between accounts  70 , 72  or declined. The confirmation message(s) sent by the transaction service  20  can include instructions to the respective financial institutions (not shown), for example, associated with the consumer and merchant account information to debit the appropriate account  70 , 72  and credit the appropriate account  70 , 72  by the payment amount along with the required account data and (optional) PIN or password data. The confirmation message(s) received by the transaction interface  15  from the transaction payment processing system  14  could contain details of the payment processing including that the accounts were (or will be) credited by the amount, as well as any transfer data  210  (e.g. transfer ID) for accounting records. 
     In is recognized in the above embodiments, that in terms of the account information, this could be supplied as specifically the account number or this could be supplied as identification information (e.g. account ID) used by the transaction service  20  to lookup the actual bank account information known to the transaction service  20  (via the respective registration details  117 ) and therefore the account number would be abstracted from the general communications over the network  11 . 
     Alternative Embodiments 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , shown is an alternative embodiment leveraging the above-described use of consumer code data  3  to differentiate one consumer  18  from another as registered in the transaction service  20 , i.e. which account or subaccount information  61 , 61   a  is correctly associated with the consumer  18  related to the transaction payment request received by the transaction interface  15  (e.g. from the merchant interface  8 ). 
     As discussed above, the subaccount information  61   a  for a subaccount holder can include: a picture; their mobile device network  11  contact address (e.g. email address, phone number, etc.); a PIN number or other payment authorization or subaccount login information; association information to which main account the subaccount belongs to (e.g. subaccount 416-888-8888 is associated with main account 416-999-9999); and/or purchase limit/threshold (e.g. a monthly spending limit). 
     As discussed above, as one embodiment, the merchant  16  can have the configured merchant interface  8  (e.g. as integrated software) on their POS systems  17  that can facilitate the merchant system  17  to communicate with the transaction interface  15  over the network  11 . 
     At step  400 , the subaccount holder can shop at a merchant  16  location. At step  402 , at checkout the subaccount holder can provide the merchant  16  with their consumer code data  3  (e.g. registered username or phone number or email address). At step  404 , the merchant can access the merchant interface  8  in their computer system  17  and enter the consumer identifying information (e.g. consumer code data  3 ) and generate the payment transaction request and send to the transaction interface  15 . At step  406 , the transaction interface  15  can receive the payment transaction request (e.g. including consumer code data  3  and merchant identification data) from the merchant POS. At step  406 , the transaction interface  15  can query the registered consumer profile details  117  and match the consumer  18  to the appropriate subaccount (and corresponding main account) using the received consumer code data  3 . The transaction interface  15  can also access the merchant profile  117  via the received merchant data and obtain any product and/or merchant information (e.g. merchant financial account  70 , product amount, payment amount, transaction type, etc.) for use in processing the payment transaction  5  represented by the payment transaction request. It is also recognized that any of the payment transaction  5  information including the total payment amount for the selected product(s) could also be included in content of the payment transaction request. Optionally at step  408 , the transaction interface  15  can obtain the picture or other identifying information of the subaccount holder and transmit same to the merchant interface  8 , which could be configured to display the subaccount holder&#39;s picture or other identifying information on a display screen of the merchant computer system  17 . Optionally at step  410 , the cashier, after validating that the subaccount holder is the same person as the picture or other identifying information can then click continue or otherwise communicate to the transaction server  15  an indication that the subaccount holder identity validation is ok (e.g. displayed picture matches the person standing in front of the cashier). At step  412 , the transaction server  15  can send a network  11  communication (e.g. place a phone call or text message) to the subaccount holders mobile device  12  according to the mobile device  12  network contact information contained in the subaccount holder information  61   a.    
     At step  414 , the subaccount holder can enter their authorization information (e.g. PIN number) via the device  12  interface (e.g. on the key pad of their mobile phone) and for example the payment application  113  can send the authorization information as a confirmation message over the network  11 . Alternatively, in the case of a phone call, text message, or other mobile device  12  application other than the payment application  113  used by the transaction interface  15  to communicate with the mobile device  12  (e.g. placing a real-time telephone call), the transaction interface  15  can receive directly the authorization information as an appropriate application specific response message (e.g. Dual-tone multi-frequency signaling—DTMF—tones in the case of a real-time phone call) over the network  11 . At step  416 , the transaction interface  15  receives the authorization information via the network  11  and validates received authorization information (e.g. the PIN and/or subaccount limit/threshold and/or transaction type) with the matching information contained in the subaccount holder information  61   a . At step  418 , the transaction interface  15  queries the main account holder information  61  to determine whether or not their are sufficient funds available with the associated financial account  72  assigned to the main account that is associated with the subaccount. At step  420 , the transaction interface  15  can, if all checks are positive, submit the financial transaction for funds transfer (between financial accounts  70 , 72 ) to the payment processing platform  14  for approval. At step  422 , an approval message can be sent from the transaction interface  15  to the merchant interface  8  and indicated (e.g. displayed onscreen) to the cashier. Also as discussed above, confirmation of the successful purchase can be communicated to the main account holder (e.g. to the mobile device  12  associated with the main account as defined in the main account information  61 ) and/or to the subaccount holder (e.g. to the mobile device  12  associated with the subaccount as defined in the subaccount information  61   a ). 
     Further to the above, the mobile device  12  can be configured with the payment application  113  compatible to interact with the transaction interface  15  over the communications network  11 . For example, the mobile device  12  can be configured by a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (e.g. device memory) with the executable payment application  113  stored thereon, the payment application  113  configured for confirming a transaction payment request associated with the merchant computer system  17  over the communications network  11 . The merchant  16  provides the product to the consumer  18  in exchange for satisfactory payment, wherein the payment application  113  instructs the computer processor of the mobile device  12  to perform the following steps of: receiving consumer code data  3  upon registration of the consumer subaccount with the transaction interface  15  that is separately addressable over the network  11  (e.g. via a network path that bypasses the network address of the merchant computer  17 ) from the merchant computer system  17  associated with the merchant  16 . The consumer code data  3  is representative of the subaccount of the main account also registered with the transaction interface  15 , wherein the financial account  72  is common to both the subaccount and the main account. Other steps include: receiving a payment confirmation request from the transaction interface  15  over the communications network  11  including identification information pertaining to the merchant  16  and the product; sending authorization information to the transaction interface  15  over the communications network  11  via the network path that bypasses the computer system  17  of the merchant  16 ; and receiving a confirmation of approval or denial of the payment confirmation request from the transaction interface  15  based on the authorization information. 
     Further, advantageously the transaction service  20  is configured for coordinating processing of the transaction payment request associated with the transaction  5  between the consumer  18  and the merchant  16 , the transaction  5  associated with the merchant  16  providing a product to the consumer  18 . The transaction service  20  includes: a computer processor coupled to a memory of the computer device  6 , wherein the computer processor is programmed to coordinate processing of the transaction payment request by: receiving the transaction payment request including the consumer code data  3  and identification information pertaining to the merchant  16  and the product, the consumer code data  3  representative of the subaccount registered with the transaction interface  15 , the subaccount associated with the respective main account also registered with the transaction interface  15 , such that the financial account  72  is common to both the subaccount and the main account; accessing the subaccount or the main account using the consumer code data  3  by querying the account information  61 , 61   a  to obtain payment information related to the transaction payment request including the financial account  72 , mobile device  12  contact information, and required authorization information; creating a payment confirmation request using the identification information; sending the payment confirmation request over the network  11  to the mobile device  12  using the contact information; obtaining authorization information from the mobile device  12 ; sending a funds transfer request to the payment platform  14  based on the authorization information matching the required authorization information; receiving approval of the funds transfer request from the payment platform  14 ; and sending a confirmation of the approval of the funds transfer request to the computer device  17  (e.g. via the merchant interface  8 ) associated with the merchant  16 . 
     Further to the above, it is recognised that: the payment account identifier can also identify corresponding payment account information of the consumer, and the payment account information is stored in memory of the transaction server; the scannable image or the product code data  3  can be encoded with unique information that is only relevant to the mobile payment transaction interface; the merchant data includes one or more selected from the group of transaction ID, merchant ID, price and purchased item information; the device data can include one or more selected from the group of: International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, phone number, carrier name and geographic location co-ordinates; the transaction request can include one or more account information selected from the group of purchase amount, credit card data and PIN, debit card data and PIN, and stored value account and login information; the mobile device scannable image or the product code data  3  can be presented on print media or electronic media for scanning; the mobile device scannable image or the product code data  3  can be presented on a point of sale terminal for scanning; the mobile device scannable image or the product code data  3  can be generated by a mobile payment merchant interface, the mobile payment merchant interface running on the point of sale terminal; the payment account can be a credit card account, a debit card account, an E-wallet account or other electronic stored value account. 
     It is recognised that the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200  can contain unique coded information that is meant for decoding and/or interpretation only by the transaction service  20 . As such, some of the symbology information  204  of the OMRI  200 , as received by the consumer  18  via the application  113 , would contain undecodable data (i.e. the decoder and coding scheme  209  resident on the computer device  12  does not have the capability of decoding the unique coded information) and/or data that if/when decoded by the application  113  does not have any perceivable meaning to the consumer  18 . One example of the unique coded information in the symbology information  204 , that is preferably obfuscated from the consumer  18  (i.e. undecodable by the application  113 ), is merchant identifier data (associated with the merchant profile  117  information), any merchant account  72  financial information, and/or any other sensitive information that is desired by the merchant  16  as restricted from access by the consumer  18 . 
     An example of the unique coded information in the symbology information  204  that could be decodable by the application  113  is the transaction type identifier (e.g. indicating restaurant meal, consumer product purchase, service registration, etc.) and/or a security identifier (e.g. a hashtag generated by the merchant interface  8  and/or the transaction interface  15 ). In this example, the transaction type identifier could be used by the transaction interface  15  to coordinate the content and/or format of the input data  215  as well as the output data  217  communicated between the transaction interface  15  and the application  113 . In one embodiment, the configured input data  215  as well as the output data  217  is available in the merchant profile  117  information that is associated with the transaction identifier. In terms of the security identifier, this identifier could be used by the transaction interface  15  to determine whether the OMRI  200  is valid, I.e. is not a counterfeit OMRI  200  and instead contains valid information that was issued (i.e. confirmed) by the transaction service  20  and/or the merchant  16 . It is also recognised that the transaction type identifier and/or the security identifier could be decoded from the symbology information  204  by the application  113  but still remain unknown to the consumer  18  as to the relevance of the identifier to the transaction  5 . 
     Further, an advantage with only providing the consumer code data  3  (only representing the payment account information  61  of the consumer  18 ), by the consumer  18  to the merchant  16 , is that the merchant  16  does not have any direct knowledge of the payment account number of the consumer  18  (as this information is only known to the transaction service platform  20  and/or the respective financial institution of the payment processing system  14 ). It is recognized that separate network  11  connections can be used to transmit the purchase transaction  5  (over network connection A) between the merchant device  17  and the transaction service platform  20  and the consumer code data  3  (over network connection B) between the consumer device  12  and the transaction service platform  20 . 
     For example, the transaction Service  20  can process the purchase transaction  5  by using the consumer code data  3  to identify the actual identity of the consumer  18  (via interrogation of the lookup table  63  to access sensitive account information  61  of the consumer  18  that is cross referenced to the consumer code data  3  in the lookup table  63 ) and their actual payment account information  61  and send a “request for confirmation” request (e.g. via network connection A) associated with the purchase transaction  5  to the payment application  113  on the Consumer&#39;s mobile device  12 . The Consumer  18  can then confirm or decline the request for confirmation as a confirmation response back to the transaction Service Platform  20  (e.g. via network connection b), which can then interact with the payment processing system  14  to effect the transfer of funds indicated in the original purchase transaction  5  between the accounts  70 , 72  of the merchant  16  and the consumer  18 . 
     In another embodiment, the consumer code data  3  can be implemented as a short code service (i.e. unencoded textual information as compared to coded textual information in the form of a barcode  200 ). The way this works is that instead of scanning or otherwise supply the barcode  200  as the consumer code data  3 , the consumer  18  provides a short code (e.g. a sequence of characters including numeric characters and/or alpha characters) that is also known to the transaction Service  20  as the consumer code data  3  used in identifying the actual payment account information  61  stored (in table  63 ) and accessible by the payment interface  15 . Therefore, after providing the consumer code data  3  as a series of numeric characters and/or alpha characters to the merchant application  8 , the rest of the split purchase transaction  5  process is exactly the same. One advantage in using the short code is that it works in situations where generating or otherwise scanning/processing the barcode  200  is not feasible by the merchant application  8  and/or the payment application  113 . 
     In another embodiment, the communication means for identifying the Consumer&#39;s Payment Account to the transaction Service  20  via the merchant terminal  17  (i.e. via the merchant application  8 ) can involve the transmission of the Consumer&#39;s Payment Account Identifying Information data  3  from the Mobile Device  12  (i.e. via the payment application  113 ) to the merchant terminal  17  (i.e. via the merchant application  8 ) using NFC, Bluetooth, Infrared or other similar short-range, communication technology. In the case of a short code being used as the consumer code data  3 , the transmission of this consumer code data  3  information to the merchant may be something as simple as verbal transmission between the merchant  16  and consumer  18  and/or by simply reading of the consumer code data  3  off of the screen of the device  12  by the merchant  16 —in the case where the consumer code data  3  is displayed on the screen of the device  12  (e.g. via interaction with the payment application  113  by the consumer  18 ). Another embodiment is where a speaker of the device  12  is used by the payment application  113  to audibly communicate the consumer code data  3  to the merchant  16 . 
     In alternative operation of the mobile payment system  10 , consumer sensitive information of card balance and card account number is transmitted directly between the transaction interface  15  and the consumer device  12  over the network  11  (e.g. via network connection B) while the representative consumer code data  3  and product purchase information of the purchase transaction  5  is communicated between the merchant device  17  and the transaction interface  15 , thereby providing the advantage of restricting access by the merchant  16  to the payment account information  61  (in this case card account number and account balance) of the consumer  18 . An advantage of the mobile payment system  10  is that the merchant  16  and the consumer  18  do not have to expose their personal financial information with one another, including personal identifications numbers (PIN), financial institution account numbers and/or financial account passwords). The purchase transaction  5  can involves the use of the consumer code data  3  that contains encoded account information (i.e. the code data  3  is mapped to the stored payment account information  61  accessible by the transaction interface  15  and therefore restricted from access by the merchant  16  and/or the merchant application  8 ). As described above, the consumer code data  3  can also be represented as the short code, which is also used as an encoded version of the actual account number to which the consumer code data  3  is associated with (i.e. the consumer code data  3  is mapped to the stored payment account information  61  accessible by the transaction interface  15  via the lookup table  63  and therefore restricted from access by the merchant  16  and/or the merchant application  14 ). 
     Code Data  3   
     In general, as described above, the code data  3  can be represented as the short code, which is also used as a version of the actual information  61  to which the code data  3  is associated with (i.e. the code data  3  is mapped to the stored information  61  in the table  63  and accessible by the transaction interface  15  and therefore can be restricted from access by the merchant  16  and/or the merchant application  8  or by the consumer  18  and/or the application  113  as the case may be). In this embodiment, the code data  3  is implemented as a short code service, such that instead of scanning or otherwise supplying the code data  3  as the barcode  200 , the consumer  18  provides a short code (e.g. a sequence of characters including numeric characters and/or alpha characters) that is also known to the transaction Service Platform  20  as the code data  3  used in identifying the actual information  61  stored and accessible by the transaction interface  15 . Therefore, after providing the code data  3  as a series of numeric characters and/or alpha characters to the merchant application  8 , the rest of the split purchase transaction  5  process is similar to using the barcode  200  also an encoded representation of the actual information  61  that is restricted from access by the merchant  16  and/or the consumer  18  as the case may be (e.g. the consumer  18  can be restricted to access of sensitive merchant data (e.g. merchant account numbers) via use of the code data  3  or the merchant  16  can be restricted to sensitive consumer data (e.g. consumer account numbers) via use of the code data  3 ). One advantage in using the short code is that it works in situations where generating or otherwise scanning/processing the barcode  200  (also referred to as ORMI) is not feasible by the merchant application  8  and/or the payment application  113 . In this manner, the code data  3  is received by the merchant application  8  for subsequent incorporation into the data of the purchase transaction  5  communicated (e.g. via network connection A) directly with the transaction service  20  (e.g. via the transaction interface  15 ). In this manner, direct access to the information  61  (e.g. actual financial account  72  number and/or account access password such as PIN of the consumer  18 ) by the merchant  16  is restricted, as the code data  3  is used by the service  20  as a lookup identifier for accessing the actual financial account number information  61  mapped or otherwise associated with the code data  3  stored or otherwise accessible by the transaction interface  15  in a lookup table or index  63 . 
     Glossary 
     For the purposes of this disclosure, the following terms have been ascribed the following meanings: 
     Consumer—the mobile device user, the individual making a purchase at a POS. 
     Electronic Media—Television, Electronic billboards, computer terminals, video display terminals, movies and video projections, and the like. 
     E-wallet—any electronic stored value system. 
     OMRI  200 —Mobile Device scannable image. 
     Mobile device—any wireless, web-enabled electronic device, including cell phone, electronic PDA, computer tablet, smartphone or a similar device. 
     Order Form Data—any Consumer information including, but not limited to, address, phone number, e-mail address, billing address, shipping address and date of birth. 
     Payment Account—an account held by a Consumer with a financial institution, E-wallet provider, Credit Issuing Company, or the like. 
     Payment Account Information—information pertaining to a Payment Account, including but not limited to account numbers, account balances, passwords and PIN numbers. 
     Payment Platform—the computing infrastructure utilized by banks, other financial institutions, E-wallet service providers, money transfer service providers, or the like, that is used to authenticate account holders and/house account holder accounts and process electronic payment from account holder accounts. 
     POS or Point of Sale—the location where a purchase/sale transaction takes place. 
     POS Markets—vending machines, bill payments, ATM machines, parking tickets, any OMRI  200  associated product. 
     POS Terminal or Point of Sale Terminal—any type of electronic payment terminal or transaction terminal including but not limited to ATM machines, vending machines and standard in-store point of sale terminals. 
     Print Media—Parking tickets, magazines, newspapers, telephone directories, utility invoices, catalogues, posters, billboards, flyers, and the like. 
     Transaction—the purchase of goods or services, the registration for a service or membership, an ATM transaction or a point of sale transaction. 
     While certain embodiments have been described above, it will be understood that the embodiments described are by way of example only. 
     Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein should not be limited based on the described embodiments. Rather, the systems and methods described herein should only be limited in light of the claims that follow when taken in conjunction with the above description and accompanying drawings.