Patent ID: 8566188

Claim:
A system, comprising: a data storage facility to store an account of a user and a phone number associated with the account; and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility, the interchange including a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers, the converters configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats, the converters to communicate with the common format processor in a common format, the common format processor to receive a request to collect funds for a first amount associated with a phone number, to identify a plurality of controllers capable of transmitting a message to a mobile phone at the phone number, to determine costs that are charged to a mobile phone account associated with transmitting the message to the mobile phone via different paths through the controllers, select a least cost path among the paths, to select a first controller from the plurality of controllers based at least in part on reducing a cost that is charged to a mobile phone account associated with transmitting messages from the common format processor to a mobile device at the phone number, the common format processor to instruct the first controller of the controllers, via a first converter of the converters, to transmit a first message to the mobile device at the phone number to facilitate an online transaction related to funds associated with the phone number and collecting funds for the first amount in response to the message.