A mobile payment platform and service provides a fast, easy way to make payments by users of mobile devices. The platform also interfaces with nonmobile channels and devices such as e-mail, instant messenger, and Web. In an implementation, funds are accessed from an account holder s mobile device such as a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant to make or receive payments. Financial transactions may be conducted on a person-to-person (P2P) or person-to-merchant (P2M) basis where each party is identified by a unique indicator such as a telephone number or bar code. Transactions may be requested through any number of means including SMS messaging, Web, e-mail, instant messenger, a mobile client application, an instant messaging plug-in application or widget. The mobile client application, resident on the mobile device, simplifies access and performing financial transactions in a fast, secure manner.

Mobile person-to-person payment system

A virtual pooled account is used in operating a system having multiple financial partners. In a specific implementation, the system is a mobile banking system. Instead of maintaining separate general ledgers for each financial institution, the system will keep one general virtual pooled account. This will reduce the settlement and operational costs of the system. The owner of the virtual pooled account will receive the float on the virtual pooled account, and this float will be distributed to the multiple financial partners according to a formula.

Virtual pooled account for mobile banking

A technique is used to ensure the authenticity of a wireless transmission source which is requesting a transaction to be performed by a system. The transaction may be a person-to-person money transfer or other value exchange transaction. The wireless transmission source may be a mobile phone or other similar device. The wireless transmission source transmits a key with the transaction request. The system will determine the authenticity of the transmission based on the transmitted key. If the transmission is determined to be authentic, the transaction will be acted upon. Various approaches for determining authenticity are discussed. The technique may also be used to prevent acting upon duplicate transmissions.

Authenticating Wireless Person-to-Person Money Transfers

A mobile client application executes on a mobile phone and interfaces with a mobile payment platform. A mobile payment platform and service provides a fast, easy way to make payments by users of mobile devices. The platform also interfaces with nonmobile channels and devices such as e-mail, instant messenger, and Web. In an implementation, funds are accessed from an account holder's mobile device such as a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant to make or receive payments. Financial transactions may be conducted on a person-to-person (P2P) or person-to-merchant (P2M) basis where each party is identified by a unique indicator such as a telephone number or bar code. Transactions may be requested through any number of means including SMS messaging, Web, e-mail, instant messenger, a mobile client application, an instant messaging plug-in application or “widget.” The mobile client application, resident on the mobile device, simplifies access and performing financial transactions in a fast, secure manner.

Mobile Client Application for Mobile Payments

A member-supported payment system is available to consumers and merchants without sign-up fees, subscription fees, or transaction fees to either consumers or merchants. In a specific implementation, the member payment system is a mobile payment system where consumers may conduct transactions using a mobile device such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, personal digital assistant, or similar portable wireless handheld device. Merchants will make a refundable one-time contribution. These contributions are stored in a pooled trust account by the system and the float dividends or interest on these contributions will fund the system.

Member-supported mobile payment system

A new form of security designated the proxy asset provides risk management capabilities, such as liquid interests in illiquid assets and economic indicators, without the deficiencies associated with other types of financial instruments. A proxy assets set is defined to respond to one or more indices. Each proxy asset (1112A, 1112B) has a share value and a number of shares. The proxy assets (1112A, 1112B) have a proxy assets set account value equal to a sum over all proxy assets of the products of the share value and the number of shares. At least one proxy asset account value per share is a function of an index. The function is called an account formula. The account value for the entire set of proxy assets (1112A, 1112B) is constrained by a value of a resources pool. The proxy asset account value is reevaluated according to the account formula upon occurrence of each event of a plurality of predetermined events.

Allan N. Weiss

Papers

Proxy asset system and method