Facilitating electronic wireless transactions involving mobile devices provides a high level of convenience, both for a Purchaser and Seller. Both parties desire to incorporate a process that is easy to use and complements the existing purchase process when individuals deal in a face-to-face manner. However, both parties are also desirous of completing such transactions in a secure manner and with minimal potential for fraud.
To date, many proposals for using mobile devices to facilitate purchase transactions are based on a remote Purchaser (i.e., one that does not interact in person with the Seller). Such schemes require access to a Seller's web site and require use of special wireless protocols and device capabilities (such as a mobile web browser) that can be difficult and time consuming to use. If the scheme does allow using mobile devices for in-person transactions, the scheme often adapts existing payment methods or purchasing paradigms by merely replacing one component with wireless technology. For example, using a mobile phone to transmit or process a credit card. However, such schemes do not typically afford the flexibility that is possible with mobile phonese and are still subject to security concerns. For example, many of these schemes require the Purchaser to transmit sensitive credit card information wirelessly, which can be received by unauthorized individuals, or require the Seller to have suitable equipment to read a credit card.
In one prior art system, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,461,010, the need for credit card accounts is obviated by allowing payments for the goods or service over a network by crediting and debiting telecommunication accounts belonging to the Seller and Purchaser respectively. Thus, neither the Purchaser nor Seller is required to use a credit card or debit card to effect a transaction. However, that system requires the Purchaser to access a web site for selecting an item to purchase. While this may be appropriate for a remote Purchaser purchasing an item, it is difficult for the Purchaser to use when buying goods in-person from the Seller. That is, a Purchaser buying a good or service from a Seller in a face-to-face transaction would find it tedious to use a mobile phone to access a web site to complete the transaction. Further, this presumes that the Seller has established a web-site, and that the Purchaser has a suitable wireless device. Even if this is presumed, completing the purchase transaction in this manner would be inconvenient and time consuming.
Another prior art system, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,723, discloses a mobile payment authorization system that can be used with mobile phones, but again relies on using credit cards and does not offer the full potential a combination of simplicity, convenience, and security for the Purchaser and the Seller.